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First Printing Press in the English Colonies
It was first established in Cambridge, Massachusetts after Stephen Daye brought it over from England. It was a very significant development, allowing for production of print materials locally and spreading literacy. It originally printed religious and educational materials, but later included newspapers, pamphlets, and books. -
Publick Occurrences, The First American Newspaper
It was published by Benjamin Harris. It consisted of 3 small pages, focusing on European affairs. It demonstrated the demand for news/information among colonial readers and set the stage for the proliferation of newspapers in the centuries that followed. Each page would have been composed by setting individual metal type characters into a frame to form the text of the newspaper. These metal type characters were inked and pressed onto sheets of paper, producing multiple copies of the newspaper. -
The Boston Newsletter
The Boston News Letter, written by John Campbell, was the first newspaper published and printed in America. It was only one page front and back, very low quality, and had small text that was hard to read. The paper was not mass produced, so many copies were sold to members of the upper class. The news was compiled by hand, handwritten onto sheets of paper, then sent off to a typesetter that would arrange it into columns and pages. -
The Penny Press
The Penny Press was founded by Benjamin Day. This was significant because it only cost 1 cent to buy, making news more accessible for the lower class who could not previously afford to purchase the paper. It was printed on cheap paper, and mass produced steam-powered printing presses. These presses could produce newspapers much more quickly and efficiently than earlier manual presses, reducing production costs.It focused much more on larger headlines, aesthetic makeup, and readable text. -
The New York Daily Times founded
NYDT began as a morning newspaper and quickly gained a reputation for its thorough reporting and in-depth analysis of local, national, and international events. It distinguished itself from other newspapers of the time by its commitment to journalistic integrity and accuracy. It was initially printed using a steam-powered cylinder press, a technological advancement that allowed for faster and more efficient printing compared to earlier hand-operated presses. -
The First Typewriter
This is commonly known as the "Sholes and Glidden" typewriter. It was patented in 1868, and became the basis for many other typewriters. It featured a keyboard layout very similar to modern computers. Striking a key would cause the corresponding type bar to strike an inked letter and leave an impression on the paper. -
Univac 1
The Universal Automatic Computer I was the first mass produced computer. The large machine weighted 13 tons and included a keyboard. This invention gave journalism a whole new beginning. Firms began to use this machine when writing, and slowly started to switch to digital resources. -
Chicago Online, The Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Online was launched in 1992. It provided readers with news, articles, and other content exclusively through digital means, making it one of the earliest fully online newspapers. It was a subscription based service that gave people access to articles, features, classified ads, and chat rooms. It was groundbreaking at the time, and laid the groundwork for the digital news landscape that would follow. -
The New York Times Goes Digital
The New York Times launched their online news website on January 1st, 1996. This was the first major newspaper outlet to go partly digital. It offered articles, interactive & multimedia features, etc. It allowed the NYT to reach a larger audience and adapt to the changing media landscape. It has played a significant role in shaping online journalism and is the leading source of news. -
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The Decline of Newspapers
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The Decline of American Newspapers
Once we entered the age of technology, the popularity of newspapers began to decrease dramatically. Many newspaper firms went out of business, meaning journalists got let go. Most of the population began getting their news from online sources because it was easier, rapidly updating, and sometimes cheaper. -
References
Department of Commerce. The US National Archives. 23, June 1868
The Penny Press Cincinnati Ohio -1860. Retrieved from the Library of Congress,
In the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Photographic Laboratory Collection #P0031, North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
McNamara, Robert. (2020, September 18). Penny Press.-1773293
Miller, Mac. The Evolution of American Newspapers. Mac Miller Higher ed.