Newspapers

1. Newspapers Chapter 4 © 2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. CHAPTER OUTLINE • History • Newspapers in the Digital Age • Defining Features of Newspapers • Organization of the Newspaper Industry • Newspaper Ownership • Producing the Print and Online Newspaper • Economics • Feedback

3. HISTORY • Newspapers have had a long history in the US

4. Journalism in Early America • General features of colonial newspapers • Few newspapers existed • Publishers were printers and postmasters • News was not very timely • “Free press” concept not supported • Noteworthy colonial newspapers • Publick Occurrences both Foreign and Domestick • Boston News Letter • New England Courant • Pennsylvania Gazette

5. The Beginnings of Revolution • Tension between Colonies and Britain • Truth as libel defense (John Peter Zenger trial) • Political or Partisan press • Newspapers openly support party, faction, cause • Held role in Revolutionary War

6. The Political Press: 1790-1833 • First Amendment, 1971, guarantees press freedom • Papers grew rapidly, read mostly by wealthy • Anne Royall: first important female political journalist • Freedom’s Journal: first Black newspaper • Cherokee Phoenix and Cherokee Advocate: written in Cherokee and English

7. Birth of the Mass Newspaper • Prerequisites for mass press • Fast, cost-effective printing presses • Critical mass of literate people • Mass audience

8. The Penny Press • In contrast, other newspapers cost 6 cents • Examples • New York Sun, New York Herald • New York Tribune, New York Times • The Penny Press changed • Basis of newspaper economic support • Distribution pattern • Definition of news • How news was collected

9. Newspapers Become Big Business • Civil War and development of telegraph changed how stories were written • Lead • Inverted pyramid • Huge growth in US population, and newspaper readership • Key players in the newspaper industry • Joseph Pulitzer • E.W. Scripps • William Randolph Hearst

10. Yellow Journalism • Yellow journalism: increased use of sex, murder, self-promotion, and human interest stories • Positive impact • Enthusiasm and energy • Professional writing • Aggressive reporting and investigative journalism • Layout and display elements that characterize modern journalism

11. The Early Twentieth Century • Consolidation of the newspaper industry • Circulation and profits increased, but number of daily papers declined due to • Equipment and supply costs • Advertiser preference for big chain newspapers • Growth of chain newspapers • Jazz journalism • Tabloid size, lavish use of photographs

12. The Impact of the Great Depression • Social and economic impact on newspapers • Many dailies went out of business • Radio emerged as competitor for advertising dollars

13. Postwar Newspapers • After World War II, economic forces affected the newspaper industry • More consolidation • Growth of chain newspapers • Few cities with competing newspapers • Media conglomerates control print and electronic media • Television emerged as competitor for advertising dollars

14. Contemporary Developments • 1980s: USA Today influenced • Graphics and colors • Short stories • Graphs, charts, tables • Factoids • Decreasing circulation • Competition from web and new media • Shifts in social and market conditions

15. NEWSPAPERS IN THE DIGITAL AGE • The newspaper industry is still experimenting with how best to incorporate an online presence

16. Online Newspapers • Vary in size and complexity • Advantages over print newspapers • Not limited by news hole size • Can be updated continuously • Interactive • Provide visual and audio content • Can offer social networking • Can feature user-generated content

17. Replica Editions • Not the same as online editions • Look the same as traditional editions, with same content • Read on a computer screen • Advantages and disadvantages

18. Mobile Media • Newspapers can be delivered to a person rather than a place • Cell phones, PDAs, laptops • Advertising and marketing potential significant

19. User-Generated Content • Citizen reporters • Workshops teaching readers about reporting • Citizen journalists may not be objective or knowledgeable

20. DEFINING FEATURES OF NEWSPAPERS • Diverse array of content • Conveniently packaged • Local • Historical record • Watchdog role • Timely

21. ORGANIZATION OF THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY • There are various ways to categorize the newspaper industry, including by their publication frequency and their appeal

22. Print Dailies • Circulation decline continues • Circulation = subscription + vending/newsstand sales • Categories of newspapers • National newspapers • Large metropolitan dailies • Medium-sized dailies • Small-town dailies

23. Print Weeklies • Number of weeklies has remained stable • Circulation totals have increased • Rising production costs

24. Recapturing Readers • Eye appeal • Writing style • Story content • Giving free tabloids to younger readers

25. Special-Service and Minority Newspapers • African-American press • Spanish press • Varied ethnic newspapers • College press

26. Organization of Online Papers • Paid access • Registration access • Free access

27. NEWSPAPER OWNERSHIP • Consolidation is increasing. • The biggest newspaper group owners are the Gannett Company, the Tribune Company, the New York Times Company, McClatchy Company, and Advance Publications

28. The Decline of Competition • Increasing concentration of ownership • Decreasing number of cities with competing papers • Joint-operating agreements (JOAs) allow competing papers to merge all departments except editorial staffs • Requires approval of Justice Department

29. The Pros and Cons of Group Ownership • Cons • Less diversity of opinion • Absentee ownership • Less local concern • Profit motive • Avoid controversy • Pros • More resources support more staff and facilities • Can do more public service

30. PRODUCING THE PRINT AND ONLINE NEWSPAPER • Convergence has appeared in print and online newspapers

31. Departments and Staff • Departments • Business • Production • News-Editorial • Operational Convergence • Staff • City editor • Wire editor

32. Prepublication Routine • Sources of news • Local reporting • Wire services • News hole • Print papers are laid out and printed • Online newspapers • News hole not applicable • Deadlines and limits on graphics not applicable • Convergence: reporters prepare stories for online and print

33. ECONOMICS • Business model is changing • Two main revenue sources • Advertising • Circulation • Cost-cutting • Online readership up

34. Advertising Revenue • Print versions of newspapers • Local advertising • Classified advertising • Preprinted inserts • National advertising • Online versions of newspapers • Banner advertising • Display advertising • Classified advertising

35. Circulation Revenue • Subscription and single-copy sales • Distributors receive some of the cover price • Price of newspapers may hurt circulation • Online newspapers can charge subscription fees • Online newspapers can charge for access to back issues

36. General Expenses • News and editorial costs • Generating advertising sales • Mechanical costs • Printing costs • Circulation/distribution costs • General administration • Online papers • Minimal production/distribution costs • Software, hardware, server costs

37. FEEDBACK • Circulation figures are very important to the newspaper industry

38. The Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) • ABC audits about ¾ of all US and Canadian print media • Nielsen/NetRatings report on online audience size

39. Newspaper Audiences • US total newspaper circulation: about 53 million copies daily • Declining since 1970 despite population growth • Especially 18-44, urban, lower education • Reasons for decline include • increased mobility • increased prices • decreased literacy • competition from other media