Timeline of American News Development

Papers used to be the most reliable way to communicate the news.

Benjamin Franklin Historical Society

Papers used to be the most reliable way to communicate the news.

Today, with a touch of a screen we are able to access millions of websites, articles, and news stories. American news has changed a lot over the years, but overall it has become more accessible.

Informational media has spread around the world for years dating back to Egyptian hieroglyphics in 3300 B.C. We can estimate around the 1700s was when forms of newspapers started to spread in America (Media History). The Boston News-Letter was the first successful American Newspaper. At the time political options were frowned upon and resulted in arrest. Initially Newspapers were only the rich but advancements made to printing allowed them to be sold for one cent (History of the printed Newspaper).Newspapers similar to now would give information on local community events to worldwide news.

The start of industrialization began and with it a boom of media. Machines could produce 10,000 papers per hour expanding the newspaper industry (History of the printed Newspaper). Newspapers aimed towards African American activists and women started to appear to appeal to more people. This includes the Freedom’s Journal and Ladies’ Magazine. The telegraph, radio, and telephone were all new forms of technology during this time that contributed to communication and news.

Entering the 1900s we see these new medias becoming more common and the new “normal”. Huge milestones are made during this time including the first publication of Time Magazine, first radio broadcast of the World Series, the first inauguration speech broadcasted, CBS radio network being created, and so much more (Media History). These crucial achievements now are the foundation of our media today. Later in the 1900s we see not only the news being utilized in the media but entertainment such as television, music, and movies.

Today, many different forms of media provide us with the information we need. We take for gradite the easy accessibility we have to this technology using it in our schools, workplaces, and more. We can thank the past for the creation of these media and the benefits they give us.

 

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