Journalism

  
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Internet 
Periodicals 
Radio 
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Television 

 
Newspaper Association of America 
Well written articles on current newspaper publishing trends. 
Committee to Protect Journalists 
Organization dedicated to fredom of the press. Amazing profiles of journalists from around the world. 
Library of American Broadcasting 
Web Page of University of Maryland's Extensive Collection 
Cable News Network 
CNN's web site. 
MSNBC 
Web site of Microsoft and NBC's news service.

media 

History 
The earliest known endeavour of journalism was ancient Rome’s Acta Diuma (Daily Events). In the first century BC Julius Caesar ordered this hand-written bulletin be posted every day in the Forum. Many centuries later the ancestor to today’s common newspaper appeared in Beijing, produced with wooden blocks. Johann Gutenberg’s movable type  machine made this type of journalism easier, and soon many Medieval European societies had sophisticated newspapers delivering current events to the people. In the late 1600’s, literary journals, now called magazines, were invented. As readership grew, people began to realize the influential power newspapers could have on the readers. Politicians took advantage of this. Every political faction eventually had its own newspaper, and journalists were forced to write the opinions of political parties, not their own. 

Freedom of the Press 
Suppression of journalistic thoughts and ideas by dictatorial  leaders still continues in some places today, and is referred to as the lack of freedom of the press. The first newspaper to appear in the English colonies of America was Boston, Massachusetts’ Publick Occurrences, Both Forreign and Domestick. When the first issue was published in 1690 the government imprisoned its editor Benjamin Harris. 

In 1734 German-American publisher John Peter Zenger was arrested and imprisoned on the charge of libel for criticising the colonial governor of New York in his New York Weekly Journal. During the trial his lawyer argued since Mr. Zenger’s statements were true he couldn’t be convicted of libel. While the Judge didn’t agree, the jury declared Zenger not guilty, and he was later appointed public printer for the colonies of New York and New Jersey. This trial is considered the first success in the battle for American freedom of the press. 

19th Century Journalism 
With increased public education of the 19th century, the newly literate North American public was demanding more reading material. With the industrial revolution, machinery made newspaper production fast and inexpensive. These factors caused a boom in journalism. Ambitious publishers like Joseph Pulitzer, Edward Wyllis Scripps, and William Randolph Hearst, among others established newspapers in rapidly expanding cities. As the revolution brought on more new technologies, such as the telegraph, local newspapers, such as the New York Times, could extensively cover international news. News services, such as England’s Reuters and America’s Associated Press and United Press staffed correspondent reporters in every major world city, selling articles to independent newspapers who otherwise couldn’t afford to provide international news to their readers. 

As the technologies continued to evolve, and transportation and postal services improved, national brands of products emerged, requiring strong national media resources in which to advertise. National magazines such as Ladies’ Home Journal and Saturday Evening Post met this demand. 

20th Century Journalism 
The early 1900’s brought on two major new forms of news media. Newsreels, the journalistic equivalent of movies, reached 40 million people from over 18 000 film theatres in the 1920’s. As television became common place in homes of the 50’s and 60’s, newsreels were quickly replaced by nightly news broadcasts. Meanwhile, radio stations started reporting current events, first borrowing information from local newspapers, later developing their own reporting facilities. Radio news became crucial to families during World War II, who listened nightly for reports from overseas. Radio stations assembled huge audiences, though their popularity dwindled as television progressed. However, many people were still loyal to the radio, and didn’t think television would ever replace it (they preferred listening to the radio, which allowed you to do other things, while television forced you to sit and watch). Eventually, television did replace the radio for general programming, but almost every car sold today comes with a radio, and music and news programming is still popular. 

TV News Broadcasting 
Today, over 98% of all homes in most developed countries have at least one television. Originally most evening newscasts were 15 minutes long, then extended to 30 minutes, with many lasting a complete hour. All major television networks adopted a national evening news program, with their newscasters, known as "anchors", becoming instant national figures that the population turned to for news every night. 

While convenient and engaging, television news had never been noted for in-depth coverage of events. It is impossible to focus on the details in a 5 minute television report, at least compared to full page newspaper articles on the same topic. But along with "specialty channels" dedicated entirely to movies, music, or sports, delivered on cable networks, came 24 hour news channels. The Cable News Network, or CNN, is accessible by almost all cable subscribers (currently over 60% of United States households), broadcasting via satellite from over 200 countries. Other services, such as the joint venture by software maker Microsoft and TV network National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) called MSNBC, offer viewers additional information by visiting their accompanying website on the Internet. 

Journalism and Society 
It has been proven that the more outrageous a news story is, the more interested the public is. People are naturally attracted to disasters, scandals, and crimes - or at least to learn about them. This finding has led some journalists to incorporate sensationalism - exaggerating or presenting the facts to make information seem more exciting and important - into their reports. While the ethics of this practice are still debatable, it has helped bring awareness to social and political problems. The journalists who present these reports have helped expose corruption and change laws. Investigative reporters for the Washington Post exposed links between President Richard Nixon and a burglary of the Democratic Party’s headquarters, known as the Watergate scandal, indirectly resulting in Nixon’s resignation. 

During the Vietnam War, the American Government tried to prevent the media from publishing Pentagon Papers about the War. However courts declared this a violation of the nation’s First Amendment to the Constitution. But sometimes political and economic leaders have been able to influence journalists by offering free trips or "exclusive" interviews. American broadcasting stations (TV and radio news) are more cautious about governmental criticism because they have to be licensed by the FCC, a government agency, in order to operate, meaning newspapers have true freedom in what they print without the worry of having their license revoked. 

Journalism Today 
Today, you’ll find more television news programs and fewer newspapers and magazines. Newspaper publishers in large cities are merging their production efforts, and independent television stations have become affiliates of national TV networks to provide better news and other programming. New digital technologies are bringing forward new forms of media as well as enhancing existing forms. Electronic databases allow reporters to gather more information in a fraction of what it took in the past. Television satellites give viewers access to hundreds of channels not offered by cable providers or within the reception range of wireless broadcasts, while Internet services eliminate geographical boundaries entirely, offering quicker "on-demand" access to information, often presented differently than local news services. 

Journalism Jobs 
The journalists themselves, who provide us with all this valuable information, are also changing. When newspapers and broadcast news took off decades ago, most reporters learned "on the job". Today even local papers and stations are looking for educated, skilled workers. Journalism courses are available at all levels, from college classes to graduate courses like those offered at Columbia University’s School of Journalism. Not all journalism graduates go on to become reporters. Skills learned at these establishments are often necessary for related fields like public relations, and advertising, although newswriting, reporting, research, editing, photography/filming, , and publishing/production are still in demand occupations in journalism, a part of the constantly growing information marketplace.