Newspaper Lecture
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SHAPING MODERNITY THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER SHAPING MODERNITY THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY HISTORY THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY BEGINNINGS: IMPERIAL BULLETINS ▸ Before the advent of the newspaper, there were two major kinds of periodical news publications: the handwritten news sheet, and single item news publications. Both existed simultaneously. ▸ The Roman Empire published Acta Diurna ("Daily Acts"), or government announcement bulletins, around 59 BC. Their medium: metal or stone. Publication form: They were posted in public places. ▸ In China, the government produced news sheets called Dibao. („reports from the residences“). They were commonly used among court officials during the late Han dynasty (2nd and 3rd centuries AD). Their medium: silk. Publication form: They were read out by government officials. ▸ During the Tang Dynasty (618–906), the „Kai Yuan Za Bao" published the government news. The medium: paper. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY BEGINNINGS: IMPERIAL BULLETINS ▸ In early modern Europe (1500-1700), the rising need for information was met by concise handwritten news-sheets, called avvisi (notice, warning, advice or announcement). They were similar to letters written from one dignitary to another. Their function: convey political, military, and economic news quickly and efficiently to Italian cities. Two categories: public and secret avvisi. ▸ In 1556, the government of Venice first published the monthly Notizie scritte, which cost one gazetta, a small coin. ▸ Due to restrictions from censorship on printed works and a desire for personalization, hand-written news-sheets were not replaced by the printing press until the middle of the 17th century. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY FUN FACT: THE „TÜRKENKALENDER“ ▸ When the Turks attacked Constantinopel in 1453 - shortly before the printing press was invented - it was seen as a threat to the whole Western or Christian society. The „Türkenkalender“ is a reaction to this attack. ▸ It had a headline - just like newspapers today. It offered an amazing mixture of different types of information - a wild, new mix that did not follow the conventions of public announcements in the Middle Ages. It combined several older forms of text processing: letter, sermon or prayer, and - as strange as it may sound - calendar. ▸ The calendar consisted of past and future (!) atrocities of the Turks to the Christians. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY THE FIRST NEWSPAPERS ▸ The emergence of the new media in the 17th century has to be seen in close connection with the printing press from which the publishing press derives its name. ▸ „Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien“ is often recognized as the first newspaper. ▸ It was printed from 1605 in Strasbourg by Johan Carolus. ▸ In 1609, „Avisa Relation oder Zeitung“ followed („Was sich begeben und zugetragen hat“). It was published in Wolfenbüttel and consisted of a news collection from various countries. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY THE CAROLUS PETITION: THE NEWSPAPER’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE ▸ „Whereas I have hitherto been in receipt of the weekly news advice [handwritten news reports] and, in recompense for some of the expenses incurred yearly, have informed yourselves every week regarding an annual allowance; Since, however, the copying has been slow and has necessarily taken much time, and since, moreover, I have recently purchased at a high and costly price the former printing workshop of the late Thomas Jobin and placed and installed the same in my house at no little expense, albeit only for the sake of gaining time, and since for several weeks, and now for the twelfth occasion, I have set, printed and published the said advice in my printing workshop, likewise not without much effort, inasmuch as on each occasion I have had to remove the formes from the presses … „ THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY CHRONOLOGY: EUROPE ▸ 1618: The Dutch Courante uyt Italien, Duytslandt, &c. (Courant from Italy, Germany, etc.) is the first newspaper to appear in folio rather than quarto-size. ▸ 1620: The first English-language newspaper, Corrant out of Italy, Germany, etc. is published in Amsterdam. A year and a half later, Corante, or weekely newes from Italy, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Bohemia, France and the Low Countreys is published in England. ▸ 1631: The first newspaper in France is published in 1631, La Gazette (originally titled as „Gazette de France“). ▸ 1641: The first newspaper in Portugal, A Gazeta da Restauracao, is published in Lisbon. ▸ 1645: Post- och Inrikes Tidningar - founded as Ordinari Post Tijdender is published in Sweden. It is the oldest newspaper still in existence, though it now publishes solely online. ▸ 1661: The first Spanish newspaper, Gaceta de Madrid, and the first Polish newspaper, Merkuriusz Polski Ordynaryiny, are published. ▸ 1702: The first successful English daily, The Daily Courant, is published. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY CHRONOLOGY: AMERICA ▸ 1690: Only one edition of Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick is published, the first newspaper in the American colonies. The paper was suppressed by the government. ▸ 1704: The Boston News-Letter becomes the first continuously published newspaper in the colonies. Soon after, weekly papers began publishing in New York and Philadelphia. These early newspapers followed the British format and were usually four pages long. They mostly carried news from Britain. ▸ 1752: The Halifax Gazette is published, which claims to be "Canada's first newspaper." Its official descendant, The Royal Gazette, is a government publication for legal notices and proclamations rather than a proper newspaper. ▸ 1783: The Pennsylvania Evening Post becomes America’s first daily. THE PRESS IS THE CHILD AND THE FATHER OF THE REVOLUTION. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY HAD A FREE PRESS EXISTED IN FRANCE BEFORE 1789, THE REVOLUTION WOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN PLACE. James Mill THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY JEAN-PAUL MARAT (1743-1793) ▸ Political theorist, journalist, and scientist; one of the most radical voices of the French Revolution. ▸ He published his views in pamphlets and newspapers, notably his periodical „L’ami du peuple“ (Friend of the people). ▸ His journalism became renowned for its fierce tone, uncompromising stance towards the new leaders and institutions of the revolution, and advocacy of basic human rights. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY THIS PERJURER OF A KING, WITHOUT FAITH, WITHOUT SHAME, WITHOUT REMORSE, THIS MONARCH UNWORTHY OF A THRONE, HAS BEEN RESTRAINED ONLY BY THE FEAR OF BEING SHOWN UP AS AN INFAMOUS BEAST. THE THIRST FOR ABSOLUTE POWER THAT CONSUMES HIS SOUL WILL SOON TURN HIM INTO A FEROCIOUS MURDERER, SOON HE WILL BE SWIMMING IN THE BLOOD OF HIS FELLOW CITIZENS WHO WILL REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO HIS TYRANNOUS YOKE. MEANWHILE HE IS LAUGHING AT THE FOLLY OF THE PARISIANS WHO STUPIDLY TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD. Jean-Paul Marat THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY CAMILLE DESMOULINS (1760-1794) ▸ Journalist and politician; childhood friend of Robespierre, friend and ally of Georges Danton; ▸ In 1789, he published two radical pamphlets. „La France Libre“ calls for a republic: „Popular and democratic government is the only constitution which suits France, and all those who are worthy of the name of men.“ He criticizes in detail the role and rights of kings, the nobility, and the Roman Catholic clergy. The „Discourse de la lanterne Parisiens“ celebrates political violence and attributes qualities of loyalty and patriotism to the revolutionaries; as a result, he became famous as the ‚Lanterne Attorney/Prosecutor‘. ▸ From 1789 to 1791 he issued a weekly publication, „Histoire des Revolutions de France et de Brabant“, combining political reportage, revolutionary polemics, satire, and cultural commentary: „The universe and all its follies shall be included in the jurisdiction of this hypercritical journal.“ THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY CAMILLE DESMOULINS (1760-1794) ▸ His 1792 pamphlet „Jean Pierre Brissot demasqué“ contributed to the arrest and execution of many Girondist leaders, including Brissot himself. Desmoulins intensely regretted his role in the death of the Girondists. At the trial, he was heard to lament: „Oh my God, my God! It is I who killed them!“ ▸ From 1793 to 1794 he published the journal for which he would be best known: „Le Vieux Cordelier“. In the seven issues of that journal, he condemned the brutality, suspicion and fear that had come to characterize the revolution, comparing the ongoing revolutionary terror to the oppressive reign of Roman emperor Tiberius. He even addressed Robespierre directly: „My dear Robespierre, my old school friend. Remember the lessons of history and philosophy: love is stronger, more lasting than fear.“ THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY I SHALL DIE IN THE BELIEF THAT TO MAKE FRANCE FREE, REPUBLICAN AND PROSPEROUS, A LITTLE INK WOULD HAVE SUFFICED - AND ONLY ONE GUILLOTINE. Camille Desmoulins THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY MILTON’S AREOPAGITICIA ▸ In 1644, the English poet and scholar John Milton wrote a polemical tract opposing licensing and censorship. Its title refers to a speech written by the Athenian orator Socrates in the 5th century BC, „Areopagitikos“. ▸ „Areopagiticia“ is regarded as the most influential and impassioned philosophical defenses of press freedom ever written. Many of its expressed principles - for instance the idea of a society in which decisions are reached by open discussion - have formed the basis for modern justifications. ▸ Fun fact: It was distributed via pamphlet, defying the same publication censorship which Milton argued against. THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY AMERICA WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO TAKE THE STEP WHICH IS NECESSARY FOR MEDIA GROWTH OF DETACHING ITS PRESS FROM THE OFFICIAL MACHINERY OF GOVERNMENT. Mary Chapman THE RISE OF THE NEWSPAPER: HISTORY FORMS OF CENSORSHIP ▸ The term sedition in its modern meaning first appeared in the Elizabethan Era as „the notion of inciting by words or writings disaffection towards the state or constituted authority“. ▸ Sedition and seditious libel were criminal offences under English common law, and are still criminal offences in Canada.