30 Thur Lecture – What is Journalism and Where does it come from?
• Harris (1978): difficult to identify the emergence of the newspaper as a distinct form – no firm
definition, but format, frequency and style of content can be distinguishing features
Journalism History -
• Johannes Gutenberg and the first print press
• William Caxton and the first English print press (1476)
• 1529 and 1530: Henry VIII bans any heretical printing
• End of the 16th century – English colonialism, merchants relied on regular and reliable
information, restrictions on print media meant this news had to be handwritten
• Elizabethan England brought about officially sanctioned newsletters
• During English Civil War – Rise of ‘The Mercuries’ (first real recognisable newspaper)
Ingredients for a stable press -
• Strong demand for constant supply of news
• Large and literate audience/population
• Cheap and freely available paper
• Transportation
• Public sphere
• Tolerance of freedom of expression
• Profit
• Network of publishers and correspondents
• During the 17th century, they needed government approval too (Ward 2005)
• Harris (1978): difficult to identify the emergence of the newspaper as a distinct form – no firm
definition, but format, frequency and style of content can be distinguishing features
Journalism History -
• Johannes Gutenberg and the first print press
• William Caxton and the first English print press (1476)
• 1529 and 1530: Henry VIII bans any heretical printing
• End of the 16th century – English colonialism, merchants relied on regular and reliable
information, restrictions on print media meant this news had to be handwritten
• Elizabethan England brought about officially sanctioned newsletters
• During English Civil War – Rise of ‘The Mercuries’ (first real recognisable newspaper)
Ingredients for a stable press -
• Strong demand for constant supply of news
• Large and literate audience/population
• Cheap and freely available paper
• Transportation
• Public sphere
• Tolerance of freedom of expression
• Profit
• Network of publishers and correspondents
• During the 17th century, they needed government approval too (Ward 2005)
