Exam 2 Mass Comm Fluker
Largest Magazines by Circulation (2014)
1. AARP The Magazine 2. AARP The Bulletin 3. Better Homes & Garden
Top U.S. Newspapers
1. The Wall Street Journal 2. The New York Times 3. USA Today 4. Los Angeles Times 5. Daily News (New York) 6. New York Post 7. The Washington Post
Development of Magazines
Arabic word, "makazin," or storehouse; mags were storehouses of info
Top Magazines By Revenue (2014)
People 2. Better Homes & Garden 3. Sports Illustrated
Issues Addressed in Early Magazines
Taxation, Indian relations, Religious freedoms, Education, End of colonialism
Characteristics of News
Timeliness, Proximity, Human Interest, Consequence, Disaster, Prominence, Novelty, Conflict
Psychographic Label Examples
Young Digerati": tech savvy singles & couples living in fashionable neighborhoods on the urban fringe; affluent, highly educated, ethnically mixed; most likely purchase Blackberry, wear Omega watches. • "Urban Achievers": young singles and couples, typically college-educated & ethnically diverse, who live on the coasts. • "Simple Pleasures": singles & couples over the age of 65 living in modestly priced homes who are very likely to have served in the military; likely shop Target.
Post Civil War Years
• 1865, 700 magazines published; 1870, 1200; 1885, 3300 being published. • Women were the primary demographic audience. • Suffrage (women's rights) dominated the pages; "how-to" for homemakers also popular. • Ladies' Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, etc.
A Decade of Change
• 1990s: blockbusters such as John Grisham's, Michael Crichton's brought people back to reading • Three people who changed the book publishing world: J.K. Rowling, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos
British Magazines
• 1st English-speaking magazine in London, 1704, Daniel Defoe's Review • Tatler, founded by Sir Richard Steele, in 1709; reporters published essays based on coffeehouse conversations; Steele later helped Joseph Addison start The Spectator in 1711. • The Gentlemen's Magazine, founded by Edward Cave, 1st time the word "magazine" used; intelligent content, sophisticated distribution system; read throughout English-speaking world.
Early Printing Press
• 1st printing press arrived in North America in 1638 (18 yrs. after Plymouth Rock landing) in Cambridge, Massachusetts • Printing limited to government & religious books • 1st book printed in the colonies, 1644: The Whole Booke of Psalms • Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack (1732) one of the 1st and one of the few secular books; also published Pamela, the 1st true novel in North America (written in England)
Romans Contributions to Books
• 1st to go from scrolls to books with cut pages, uniform size, writing on both sides • Originated sentences, then paragraphs • Standardized punctuation • Created forerunners of uppercase, or capital, and lowercase letters.
The Role of General Interest Mags
• 1st true national medium; national & affordable; helped unify the nation; the television of their time; the dominant advertising medium; primary source for national news; the preeminent provider of photo journalism • Ads had to appeal to as many as possible to make mag ad efficient. • TV ads appeared in1950s; marked end of general interest mags; Reader's Digest the exception.
American Almanacs
• A uniquely American contribution; offered useful & intriguing information, usually homespun • Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac was published from 1732 to 1757 (anecdotes, forecasts & country wisdom). • Company almanacs, like Armour's Farmer Almanac, advertised for the company's product; good public relations.
The Federalist Cause
• Alexander Hamilton was the leader of the Federalists; helped John Adams become president in 1796. • John Fenno published the Gazette of the United States as one of the Federalist publications. • Isaiah Thomas's Massachusetts Spy was another. • Hamilton wrote "The Public Conduct & Character of John Adams. . ."; Adams was a fellow Federalist; document meant to be private; in 1800, Aaron Burr, member of Jefferson's party, got hold of it, published it; embarrassed Hamilton, caused rifts in the Federalist party.
Careless Media
• All media are replete with careless errors that audiences detect (in print, typographical errors; in broadcasting, crawls with errors). • However, some errors more serious than others; names misspelled, misquoting someone; this leads to mistrust.
Marketing Magazines
• All media owners are concerned with their demographics, audience characteristics such as age, education, sex, income, geographic location, etc. • Mag publishers like to gather psychographic information, the values & lifestyles of their readers. • Psychographics take data that will help evaluate buying habits of readers to match with the mag's content & circulation.
The Coming of Paperbacks
• Allen Lane invented paperbacks: Penguin Books, London, 1935 • Robert de Graff brought paperbacks to U.S. with his company, Pocket Books (small paperback versions) in 1939 • Paperback sales surpassed hardcover sales by 1960 • 60% of all books sold were paperbacks; paperback sales today top 1 million volumes a day
The Early Magazine Industry
• Andrew Bradford's American Magazine (debuted in 1741; only 3 issues). • Ben Franklin's General Magazine (debuted only 3 days after Bradford's; 6 issues).
News Wire Services Begin
• Associated Press (AP) is the largest & oldest; founded in 1848 by 6 New York newspapers as a way to reduce costs; responsible for factual, condensed style to avoid partisanship & viewpoints. • United Press (UP) started by Edward Wyllis Scripps, 1907; International News Service (INS) founded by William Randolph Hearst, 1909; they merge in 1958; formed United Press International (UPI) • AP & UPI are two strongest wire services (still called wire services because they initially sent stories using the telegraph wire); Reuters, British wire service, emerges; New York Times & other supplemental services also emerge.
The Magazine Industry
• Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), independent circulation-auditing organization, has numerous members: 802 consumer, 213 business, 23 farm.
Oprah's Book Club Controversies
• Author Jonathon Franken not pleased at her selection of The Corrections. • James Frey's A Million Little Pieces was chosen by Oprah on October 26, 2005.
Printing Before & During the Revolution
• Before revolution, printers had to have government permission; some jailed if they spoke the truth • Printers revolted w/the Stamp Act • Pamphlets were at the heart of the revolution; Thomas Paine's Common Sense was most popular.
Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette
• Began as the successful newspaper that Franklin had purchased in Philadelphia; Franklin ran the paper for two decades. • In 1821, the paper changed its name to The Saturday Evening Post; circulation ultimately grew to 3 million copies. • Popular into the 20th century; all began with Franklin's successful newspaper.
The Oprah Effect & Her Book Club
• Began pushing books in 1993 as a way to discuss a book she loved, usually with the author & selected viewers; not very successful • Began the book club in 1996; successful, but ended once again in April, 2002; revived again in June, 2003 • Toni Morrison had most books recommended • Oprah had to give advance info to publishers, but demands a confidentiality clause; publishers received about a week's notice to re-design the cover with Oprah's Book Club logo; publishers had to print and ship as many as 1 million copies across the country to coincide w/the show's air date; overnight bestsellers. • Beginning w/just 3 books in '96, Oprah's Book Club grew to 60+ titles • One choice, Anna Karenina, written by Tolstoy & originally published in 1875; Penguin Books had rights to the new translation; pre-Oprah, 2,000 copies; 1 million were rushed to bookstores and sold. • When she chose Steinbeck's 1952 East of Eden, the number of prints jumped from 80,000 to 1.8 million.
USA Today (national daily)
• Begun by Gannett in 1982; began profit in '93; papers then only non-national medium • 3rd largest in circulation with no strong editorial voice in political & social arena, but Gannett is the largest publisher of newspapers; flashy color; more like broadcasting • Has affected the look of other newspapers; now respected & readers like graphs/tables; heralded new age of newspapers: built on adapting to fast-changing media preferences & savvy media consumers.
Native American Newspapers
• Cherokee Phoenix, founded in 1828 in Georgia, one of the first; Cherokee Rose Bud, founded in 1848 in Oklahoma • Today, the News from Indian Country, the Sho-Ban News, the Indian Country Today, and the Cherokee Observer are popular.
Slate.com
• Competitor of Salon, begun in 1996 by Microsoft (Seattle); the Washington Post purchased the publication in 2005. • Completely free, it has approximately 5 million visitors per month. • With no paper, ink & other costs of printing, measure of success different for online publications. • Now extremely respected in magazine world.
Post-Revolutionary Printing
• Compulsory education movement that began before the Civil War brought compulsory education to most states by 1900; demand increases for books • Linotype machine allowed printers to set type mechanically (typewriter-like keyboard); introduced in 1884 • Offset lithography allowed printers to print from photographic plates rather than heavy & fragile metal casts in the 1880s.
Current Trends in Book Publishing
• Convergence (particularly Internet: e-publishing—publication initially or exclusively online) o D-books: book downloaded in electronic form from the Internet to computer or PDA o E-books/e-publishing: handheld computers resembling books; getting more & more popular o Digital epistolary novels: stories unfold serially through e-mail, instant messages, Web sites • Conglomeration (dominated by a few giants)
Magazine Adaptability
• Cosmo is an excellent example of adaptability • Founded in 1886 as a home magazine; later a leading muckraking magazine; later became a general women's magazine • Now a specialized women's mag for young, unmarried, working women, producing 50 worldwide editions/28 languages
TV Guide (1948)
• Created initially for New York viewers. • Later expanded to capitalize on the popularity of the new medium. • In '53, the 1st year after going national, boasted 1.5 million subscribers.
African-American Magazines
• David Ruggle's Mirror of Liberty, one of the 1st AA magazines in pre-Civil War • Insurance man John Johnson began Ebony in '45; later added Jet; now both may have to be sold. • Essence, Black Enterprise & others now thriving.
Salon.com
• David Talbot had to choose between staying at a traditional paper-based publication, or gamble on the convergence between magazines & the Net. • Opted for the latter & began Salon in 1995; took 4 top executives from the San Francisco Examiner with him; the first successful online mag. • Salon, now partnered with Rolling Stone • In '97, Salon began posting a new issue every weekday; traffic rose to 400,000 unique visitors per month. • Emphasis is on breaking news; Salon now draws 4.4 million upscale visitors a month; however, profit continues to be a problem.
Magazines & Their Audiences
• For people w/college, 94% read at least 1 magazine. • Typical reader/at least high school graduate; married; owns his own house; employed full-time; annual income of just under $40,000
Other Similar Magazines
• Formula refined when Life magazine appeared in 1936; Look in 1937 • Pictures replaced line drawings w/punchy captions & cutlines (info below photo) • General interest mags led as the national advertising vehicle of the day.
Time (1923)
• Founded by Henry Luce & Briton Hadden; reflects more of Luce's personal style (pushy, irreverent, smart-alecky). • Not the 1st periodical to present news of the week w/illustrations & commentary; Harper's Weekly & Literary Digest both did so earlier. • Was a turning point for modern newsweekly; news in capsule format, separated into departments such as 'The Nation," etc.; similar to USA Today. • People sprang up from "People" department • Began "Person of the Year" for the first issue every January in 1927 (Lindbergh the 1st) • Some selections have been extremely controversial (Hitler in 1938); some named twice; FDR only one to be named 3 times
Godey's Lady's Book
• Founded by Louis Godey in 1830 in Philadelphia; emphasis on fashion, using engraved, colored fashion drawings • Patterns were included to allow women to sew their own fashions; also included well-written stories & essays; some issues highlighted women authors exclusively; most successful prior to the Civil War; proved that women were a viable audience.
Esquire
• Founded in 1933 as 1st classy men's magazine; famous for pin-ups & its literary content; named because someone sent a letter to the owner, "Arnold Gingrich, Esq." • Other imitators arose to compete with Esquire, most notably Hefner, who left Esquire when a raise was refused, & Bob Guccione, who began Penthouse. • Turned 80 years old in 2013.
Time's Competitor, Newsweek
• Founded in 1933 by former Time foreign editor, Thomas J.C. Martyn; 1st issue was February 17, 1933 for a dime, subscription $4 annually. • Merged with The Daily Beast in 2010; ceased print publication on December 31, 2012; re-launched a print version on March 7, 2014.
Early State of the Industry
• Grew slowly at first; only 23 magazines founded between 1741 & 1783. • Picked up speed when the government established the Post Office as a permanent arm of the government in 1794. • Provided reliable way to distribute publications to audiences
Other Men's Magazines
• Guccione's Penthouse was a commercial success when it began in 1965; now several Penthouse editions available. • Other men magazines with different subjects such as Field & Stream, Popular Science, & Popular Mechanics arose.
Literary Magazines
• Harper's Monthly (1850; carried Charles Dickens' books) • Atlantic Monthly (1857) • Scribner's (1870-1881) • Century (succeeded Scribner's, 1887-1939) • Literary mags successful, but the mass audience mags take over at the end of the 1800s.
Benjamin Day's New York Sun Benjamin Day's New York Sun
• In 1833, Benjamin Day was losing money & heading for financial disaster; through desperation, decided to try selling papers on a per-issue basis. • Decided to make each issue a penny; his New York Sun became the 1st of the "penny press"; written for the common man. • Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon questioned whether there was a Santa Clause to editor Frank Church of the Sun; his 1897 reply, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause" remains the most re-printed editorial in English language newspapers.
Men's Magazines
• In 1931, Apparel Arts founded as a men's fashion mag; meant to provide info on men's fashion to wholesale buyers & retail sellers so they could recommend to customers; fabric samples pasted on pages for $1.50 per copy • Publishers saw its popularity, so launched Esquire in 1933 for 50 cents a copy. • In 1958, Apparel Arts renamed to Gentlemen's Quarterly; sold in 1983 to Conde Nast; they simplified the name to GQ.
The Era of Specialization
• In 1956, Collier's declared bankruptcy; 1st mass circulation to cease publication • Television changed the relationship between magazines & their audiences. • Shift from general-interest to special-interest began with the television era; continues today. • Life ceased publication in 1972, warning parent company, Time, Inc., how much industry had changed.
Spanish Celebrity Magazine
• In late WWII, in the midst of Spanish fascism, Antonio Sanchez Gomez wanted to start a magazine; settled on 4-page, upbeat gossip mag. • ¡Hola! now sells over 600,000 copies typically; pulls more advertising than any other Spanish weekly; now a U.S. edition; skips scandals; glamorous but not balanced coverage; intentionally flattering.
Peterson's Magazine
• In the mid-1800s, yet another example of ways to experiment. • Another magazine for women; it included large fold-out illustrations of the latest dresses & gowns. • Each illustration individually hand-tinted to add color to the black-and-white publication. • Illustrations called fashion plates; term endures meaning one who wears the latest fashions.
Jeff Bezos' Businesses
• Involved in a number of unrelated businesses: o Amazon.com (50 fulfillment centers) o Kindles (original; Kindles 2, DX, Keyboard, 4, 5, Paperwhite, Fire, Fire HD 7", Fire HD 8.9") o Movie & music streaming services o Amazon Web Services (a business that runs the computer operations of other companies) o Blue Origin (aerospace company) o Amazon Studios (original TV shows, films)
Rolling Stone (1967)
• Jann Wenner, student at Univ. of California (Berkeley) in mid '60s; started music column at Daily Californian, focusing on his favorites: Dylan, Jagger, Beatles; later dropped out of college. • Nobody would print his work; on 21st birthday in '67, launched Rolling Stone. • Other mags aimed at youth, but not also about music; by sixth year ('73), it became profitable. • Became the voice for a new generation, not just flower children; circulation is more than 1.2 million; company worth $250 million (30,000 times the initial investment); he is now worth at least $100 million (pre-2009). • Not bad for college dropout with a $7,500 investment; publication size decreased in 2008.
The Rise of the "Seven Sisters"
• Magazines founded exclusively for women: o Good Housekeeping: 1st of the sisters; founded to fight for consumers o McCall's: 2nd; also had patterns; later reached out to more educated, affluent women. o Ladies Home Journal: 3rd founded; began as a farm mag w/some women's info o Redbook: still around, but not top-ranked o Better Homes and Gardens, Women's Day, Family Circle
People (1974)
• March, 1974, Time Inc. launched the first mass-market magazine in decades, based on "People" section in magazine. • Abundance of celebrity profiles & human interest stories, it showed a profit within two years; reached a circulation of more than two million within five years. • By the 2000s, People moved to the #1 spot in ad revenue (the most profitable), and it remains in the top spot to this day. • Still takes its cues from culture's fascination with celebrities; online version, People.com, devoted to celebrity news. • People is supported by photos, short articles, & 1/3 as many words as a typical newsmagazine; it has affected TV & print news. • 10/10/14 40th anniversary issue with Taylor Swift recreating the original cover of Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan; other recreations included. • Its best-selling issue ever was the September 12, 2001, when the publishers changed all the plans for the issue and redid the entire issue in 24 hours. • Princess Diana was on the cover more than anyone else over the years at 57; she and Duchess Kate will be featured in the edition, "Then and Now."
Martha Stewart Returns
• Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia began publishing a new lifestyle magazine in '06 called Blueprint; it ended in 2008. • Martha Stewart Weddings and Martha Stewart Living are now both in print.
Photojournalism
• Middle of 20th century saw rise in a special type of journalism: photojournalism (Henry Luce) • Life was the gold standard for more than 30 years; ended when Life & others ceased publication.
Colonial Magazine Summary
• Most in colonial times lasted only a few months. • By mid-1800s, readers could select from mags with proven records. • Most were literary periodicals. • Successful mags were published by book companies that used mags to build interest in forthcoming books by printing excerpts & carrying ads for upcoming books.
Muckraking Magazines
• Muckraker mags: more space for govt exposes & business wrongdoing; told stories in dramatic new way (cartoons, then drawings, then photos) • Early 20th century, McClure's had Ida Tarbell & Lincoln Steffens • Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper investigated milk-producing industry; led to industry regulation • Harper's Weekly, Nation, McClure's, Arena, Colliers • Ushered in mass circulation magazines.
Saturday Evening Post
• Name changed in 1821; 148 years later, 1969, closed • In late 1800s, served as a model for Collier's & McClure's. • Now a truly national advertising medium; family mag w/content accessible to everyone; fact & fiction, humorous & serious, down-to-earth feel, a quick read, Norman Rockwell & "Hazel"
2013 Magazine Overview
• Nearly 20,000 in operation; 17,000 general interest consumer magazines; medical mags largest categories; religious 2nd, then regional, ethnic & travel; interior design experienced growth recently, along with craft, game & hobby. • 9% growth in adult readership • Reader's Digest & TV Guide once the largest in circulation; both now surpassed.
New Yorker (1926)
• Once called "the best magazine that ever was." • Never carried news; lengthy personality profiles; no deadlines for reporters, no word limit, just good writing • Made history w/Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring;" sensitized to fragility of ecosystem
Playboy: Segmented Playboy: Segmented Playboy: Segmented
• One of the best examples of segmented marketing: one gender going to one age group, men, 18-30. • Begun by Hugh Marston Hefner at 27 in 1953 who remains Editor-in-Chief; daughter was chairman & CEO of Playboy Enterprises from 1988-2008. • Hefner learned the trade by working at Esquire; Playboy had a lustier tone; emphasized female nudity (capitalized on the sexual revolution), combined with literary pieces, in-depth interviews, investigative pieces and humor. • First issue featured young Hollywood actress, Marilyn Monroe; initially titled Stag, but the name was already taken; later changed to Playboy. • First issue was not numbered; Hefner was unsure the magazine would survive. • Best selling issue, November, 1972 (7+ million sold; 1st lady of the Internet, "Lenna"); largest issue, January, 1979 with 414 pages (25th anniversary).
Reader's Digest (1922)
• One of the few general interest mags to endure today; founders children of poor Presbyterian clergy; wanted upbeat, but not Pollyanna. • In 1947, became the 1st mag to exceed a circulation of 9 million. • Today, more than 90% is by subscription. • Miniature size format to be portable; refused advertising until 1955 (still no cigarette ads); also added newsstands then. • Advertisers pay more than $100,000 a page for color ads; promotional stickers boost sales.
The Opinion Function
• Political battles waged in news pages in order to influence national debate in the 19th century. • By the 20th century, opinions were reserved for the editorial page. • Now editorials followed by "Letters to the Editor," where readers can respond to opinions; space now also made available on page opposite editorials, "op-ed," especially Sunday. • Herbert Baynard Swope, New York Evening World, said to have created 1st modern op-ed page in 1921.
Reasons for the Successful Mass Audience Mags
• Post Office (1794) provided way to distribute publications (still more expensive than newspapers) • Cheaper printing • Growing literacy • Spread of social movements (abolitionism & labor reform) • Even more successful after the Civil War, but still not a true mass medium.
Abolitionist Press
• Press dedicated to fighting slavery; William Lloyd Garrison's Liberator in Boston; longest-lived & best known; wanted immediate emancipation; incendiary articles provoked • Garrison's colleague was Frederick Douglass; escaped slave taught to read by master's wife; Garrison & Douglass later split • Elijah Lovejoy, the Alton Observer, shot to death
Top Publishers
• Random House, Inc. (German owners) • Penguin Putnam, Inc. • HarperCollins (Murdoch)
News Bias/Liberal?
• Reporters decide what to emphasize, and not always what we would emphasize. Do reporters push certain politicians? • Because reporters are younger, some perceive liberal bias (left-leaning politically, champions of the underdog).
O Competitors
• Rosie took over the historic McCall's, mag begun in the late 1800s, bought by Rosie in 2001, ceased publication in late 2002. • It failed, perhaps because of split persona; personality on her show was not the persona in the magazine. • Rosie & Martha Stewart's legal problems caused problems for their magazines • Donald Trump's magazine debuted in January, 2008 (Trump World); died in 2009.
Split Runs
• Split run issues, in which editorial content & ads are aimed at demographics or regions, make magazines even more attractive. • Time, for example, has at least 8 regional editions, more than 50 state editions, and 8 professionally oriented editions.
3 Types of Circulation
• Subscription: about 87% of all sales are subscription (advantage of assured readership, but cheaper + postage). • Single-copy sales: some magazines, such as TV Guide, rely on these (less reliable but better barometer of who values). • Controlled circulation: providing at no cost to those who meet criteria (airline mags).
The First Novels
• Tech advances, lower cost printing & widespread literacy • Harper Bros & John Wiley & Sons • Beadles began the dime/pulp novel; frontier/adventure stories (by 1865, 4 million volumes produced).
Oprah Winfrey's O
• The glossy, self-titled mag is produced in partnership with Hearst Magazines; simply print version of her on-air program. • After just 7 issues, the most successful magazine start-up in publishing history. • Celebrated its 9th anniversary in May '09; cross promotional; she'll continue to have a presence for several years. • AdWeek named it the "Start-Up of the Year" in 2001; Advertising Age named it "Best Magazine of the Year" and "Best Launch of the Year" in 2001. • In 2007, ASME gave it "National Magazine Award for Leisure Interests" as well as "Best Magazine Cover of the Year: Best Service Cover" (O at Home). • Revenues topped $207 million in 2004, an increase of 15%.
1900-1945
• The number of subscribing families grew from 200,000 to 32 million. • DuBois began The Crisis in 1910, the official magazine of the NAACP
Texterity & Zinio
• The two companies that hope to make digital magazine delivery fast & easy; their Published Web Format (PWF) permits browsing online that's similar to paging a print copy. • Text searches, e-mailing part of the package; entire mag content easily browsed, shared & printed; click paths are recorded for advertisers to see. • Texterity's technology requires no additional software or downloads; Zinio requires users to download the Zinio Reader.
Pass-along Rates
• When mags are shared or seen by multiple readers (not all of whom purchased), called pass-along. • Two to three readers per copy is standard pass-along rate for mags like Time; more personal mags like Playboy have a low pass-along rate. • Those commonly found in dental & medical offices have the highest pass-along rates.
Information Glut?
• "We thrive on the information, and yet we can also choke on it." • Too much information, too few editors, too little time • In 2006, research suggested there were 183 billion emails sent per day, 2 million every second. • "Future Shock": too much change in too short a period.
Novelty
• "When a dog bites a man, that is not news because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news." (John Bogart, New York Sun editor) • Events that are extremely different from the ordinary are deemed newsworthy • Many times show up as human interest stories.
Best-Selling Books in History
• #1: The Bible (6.7 billion) • #2: Quotations from Chairman Mao, Mao Tse-Tung (900 million) • #3: The Qur'an (800 million)
Notable Print Developments
• 1295 - Polo brought wood-block printing to Europe from China • 1450 - Gutenberg's movable type • 1476 - William Caxton sets up 1st printing press in England • 1665 - 1st English newspaper, the Oxford Gazette, appeared in Oxford, England • 1638 - Puritans set up 1st press in the colonies
American Newspaper Development
• 1690 - Publick Occurrences published • 1704 - 1st regular colonial paper, Boston Newsletter • 1721 - 1st independent colonial newspaper, New England Courant • 1784 - 1st American daily paper, Pennsylvania Packet • 1833 - Benjamin Day's paper, New York Sun, ushers in the "penny press" • 1880s-1890s - "Yellow journalism" between Pulitzer & Hearst • 1982 - USA Today founded
The Birth & Death of Waldenbooks
• 1933, Lawrence Hoyt opened a rental library; 1962, opened his 1st independently owned bookstore, Walden (a nod to Henry David Thoreau); Hoyt grew up near Walden Pond, Mass. • Waldenbooks became the flagship store; different because it sold rather than rented books; it was located in a mall rather than downtown. • In 1969, a California chain bought out Hoyt; in 1982, Waldenbooks became the 1st chain to have stores in all 50 states • 1971, Borders brothers opened Borders; brothers were grad students at the University of Michigan, so the 1st store was in Ann Arbor, Michigan • 1992, K-Mart acquired Waldenbooks & Borders & merged the two; 1995, Borders bought itself out • For years, Borders/Waldenbooks was the #2 bookseller in the world; in 2009, Borders closed 200 of its mall stores; in February, 2011, the chain applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; summer, 2011, when no investors could be found, the company closed all of its remaining locations. • Now B & N is the only remaining chain of bookstores
Today's Latino Audience
• 2010 Census shows the Latino population grew to 50 million, more than double from 1990; it's the nation's youngest ethnic group. • The median age of Latinos is 27; non-Hispanic blacks, 32; non-Hispanic white, 42; the majority of Hispanics are bilingual. • Hispanic newspapers lost circulation in 2010, but not as many as English papers.
Newspapers in Recent Years
• 2010 was relatively calm, compared to previous years; still must find new revenue streams • Online readership continues to grow, so fewer paying customers • Can take advantage of the Internet for immediacy • 2008 tipping point: more people in U.S. got free news online than paid for it by buying newspapers & magazines • Online readership continues to grow, so fewer paying customers • Can take advantage of the Internet for immediacy • 2008 tipping point: more people in U.S. got free news online than paid for it by buying newspapers & magazines
Newspaper Readership
• 51 million people on average still buy newspapers • 124 million still read them
The Earliest Newspapers
• Acta Diurna (actions of the day)-Caesar's Rome; on tablet, posted on a wall after each Senate meeting • Corantos printed in English in Holland in 1620; 1-page news sheets about specific events • Diurnals, forerunners of today's dailies, were printed occasionally with the same title for consecutive editions; stopped in 1641 • Monarchy's Oxford Gazette later became the London Gazette
Results of Criticism
• All news is tainted; the goal is to seek objectivity. • Became the code taught in journalism schools; the myth of "objectivity" permeated throughout training.
Book Categories
Book club editions, El-hi/Higher education, Mail order books, Mass market paperbacks, Professional books, Religious books, Standardized tests, Subscription reference books, Trade books, University press
Criticisms of News Media
Biased, Too quick to jump on the bandwagon, Careless with information, Sensationalistic, Messages aimed at the lowest common denominator, Invade privacy
Chicago Tribune (2nd largest in Chicago)
• Began as a brash & bold publication; today, it's the 2nd largest in Chicago. • In 1924, moved into broadcasting with radio station WGN; later it became & remains a national television station. • WGN stood for "World's Greatest Newspaper."
Aimed at Lowest Denominators
• Advertisers are drawn to large audiences; to ensure audiences get the message, info is written so everyone will understand. • Television "happy talk" news presents average people who joyfully report for ½ an hour. • The goal is to reach both the most & least intelligent because they are committed to securing the largest audience possible.
Jeff Bezos
• Began career in an investment firm; wanted to sell books over the Internet • Left job, opened one-stop Internet bookstore, Amazon.com; had one million titles, 6 times larger than physical bookstores • Within month of opening, had sold books in 45 foreign countries & all 50 states; later added clothing & consumer goods online; thanks to Amazon.com, the majority of books are now sold online. • Bezos name 1999 Time magazine's "Man of the Year"; by 1999, customers had bought $15 billion of goods • Introduced electronic reading device, The Kindle, that has connectivity to Amazon; other devices followed
Benjamin Franklin's Paper
• Ben moved from Boston to Philadelphia to begin his own paper. • Took over the Pennsylvania Gazette; turned it into a lively & provocative flagship paper (chain of papers in eastern Pennsylvania) • Proved that financial independence could lead to editorial independence; also proved medium could survive & become dependable as an instrument for information & ideas. • His cartoon, "Join, or Die," provided a rallying call for the colonies (divided snake suggesting that the colonies must stick together).
Washington v. Dubois
• Booker T. Washington was the most influential black man of his time (Teddy Roosevelt). • Many thought Washington too conciliatory & submissive; accepted segregation; Tuskegee. • W.E.B. Dubois more militant; author of the Crisis; suggested there was a "talented tenth" of the black population who should get more education. • Washington chose the New York Age, published by T. Thomas Fortune as the national voice of his views. • Dubois chose the Boston Guardian, published by William Monroe Trotter, as his national voice.
The Rise of Instant Books
• Books based on current events that get free publicity because of the timeliness. • Publishers see these opportunities & then initiate the project. • Sarah Palin's political run is an example
The John Johnson Dynasty
• Born in Arkansas, fatherless at 8, moved to Chicago • Attended University of Chicago while working for a life insurance company; collected African-American news to compile a weekly digest • Interested in Life and Look; began Ebony in 1943; Jet in 1951; Ebony now boasts 12 readers/month; later added largest fashion show in the world, cosmetics, radio stations; died in 2005; family carries on the dynasty.
Johannes Gutenberg
• Born:1400, Mainz, Germany • In 1455, converted wine press into a printing system
Colonial Newspapers
• Broadsides/broadsheets led to Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick (Benjamin Harris—1st attempt); government offended by content. • Postmaster John Campbell's Boston Newsletter (1704-Revolution); 1st true newspaper; followed by William Brooker's Boston Gazette, printed by James Franklin • James Franklin moved on to another venture that would be his own success.
Media Jumping the Bandwagon
• Competition is fierce, so predictions are made that are not always accurate (makes audience leery & untrusting). • Conjecture is never a good substitute for fact; reporters must resist the temptation, in spite of increasing competition.
Gutenberg Press
• Didn't invent the press, but 1st to use individual, interchangeable metal letters • Known as movable type because letters could be arranged & rearranged, 1 letter at a time, into words & lines of print • In 1456, printed his first book, Bible; 2 columns, beautifully ornate • Each copy cost the equivalent of 3 years' pay of average worker; never sold enough to be profitable • Printing press was repossessed; Gutenberg died penniless
Specific Trends
• Digital: binary system of Xs & Os; analog has range of values; exact v. nuances (thermometer); compact discs v. vinyl • Customizable: consumers no longer want a "one size fits all"; want to listen to books in car, etc.; can now customize categories of news thru web. • Immediate: can now have news delivered to you; can get podcasts as soon as they appear online (digital media or audio file). • Interactive: users can now talk back to media in new ways; most now offer feedback forums; blogs also available. • Converged: now means that audiences have multiple ways of receiving info; now companies offer all telecommunication services for one fee. • Hyperlocal: when news media break a city into small pieces & provide news for a community; LPTV: only 2-4 miles. • Ubiquitous: means "everywhere," where consumers expect their media to be; news available on all technology; placeshifting (consuming live, recorded or stored media on a remote device; allows you to watch anywhere in the world—Slingbox)
Invade Privacy
• During the most difficult times in people's lives, media are there; can be positive if showing grief as a result of murder • Some go too far (i.e. Jackie Kennedy); some use tactics that are beneath the profession • Must realize that many in the audience would love to be on camera for whatever reason.
Hispanic Newspapers
• El Mercurio de Nueva York & El Mensagero Semanal de Nueva York (early 1800s) • San Francisco had the most & the longest running & most financially successful Spanish language papers in the late 1800s.
William Randolph Hearst
• Father was extremely rich; young Hearst unsuccessful at school, but extremely successful in journalism • Used Pulitzer's formula first at the San Francisco Examiner, and later with the New York Morning Journal; even hired "Yellow Kid" cartoonist, R.F. Outcault; whipped up frenzy for Spanish-American War; wanted to be president, but damaged from romantic life, personal spending & ruthless control; Citizen Kane based on his life. • Legends suggest he bought, planted & controlled stories; audience eventually turns against yellow journalism, but some vestiges still remain
Wall Street Journal (national daily)
• Founded by Charles Dow (1889) • Largest circulation & one of the leading financial papers in the world; tracks business/economic trends; usually no color, drawings, photos • A favorite of upscale advertisers ($150,000 average household income) • Bought by Rupert Murdoch in 2007.
New York Times (metropolitan daily)
• Founded by Henry Raymond in 1851, bought by Adolph Ochs in 1896, who brought it to prominence; "All the news that's fit to print." • Officially considered the newspaper of record; 2nd largest in circulation
Frederick Douglass
• Frederick Douglass founded The Ram's Horn to challenge the Sun • Unsuccessful, but it established Douglass & the minority press as a viable voice that had been previously silenced. • Horn was unsuccessful; North Star was the most influential African-American paper before the war; Star's slogan: "Right is of no sex—Truth is of no color—God is the Father of us all, and we are all Brethren"
Early African-American Newspapers
• Freedom's Journal (1827), 1st African-American newspaper, was by John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish • Philadelphia Tribune, founded by Chris Perry, Sr., is the oldest, continuously published black newspaper in the U.S.; June, 2009, it celebrated its 125th anniversary • Chicago Defender most influential/successful after the war; Abbott encouraged blacks to move from the South to the North • Ida B. Wells-1st prominent female journalist/editor; a feminist reformer & race leader
Newspaper Ownership: Chains
• Gannett owns most with 82 dailies, 300 non-dailies, several magazines & television stations (more thanks to Belo purchase); the largest U.S. newspaper publisher. • Tribune Company, 2nd largest, owns Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, etc. • McClatchy, 3rd largest after purchasing Knight Ridder in '06, then sold largest remaining paper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune; owns 30 papers, focusing on papers in fast-growing markets.
The Birth & Decline of Barnes & Noble
• In 1873, Charles Barnes began selling from his home in Illinois; 45 years later, son moved to New York & joined forces with G. Clifford Noble • 1960s, Leonard Riggio opened college bookstores; later acquired the largest B & N, NY • 1st bookstore to purchase advertising time on television; 1st to offer NYT bestsellers at a discount rate; later acquired others & began to sell music, DVDs & Starbucks coffee • At its peak, B&N had 726 stores; in 2013, they announced they will close 20 stores a year until they reach 450-500 stores.
Joseph Pulitzer's New York World
• In 1883, Pulitzer ushered in a period of journalism characterized by stories with sensational sex, crime, disasters. • "Yellow Kid" was a popular cartoon figure in the World; gave a name to the excesses in journalism • Gave the "common man" what he wanted: light, sensationalistic news coverage, plenty of illustrations, stunts & promotions • Nellie Bly's, a female journalist in the true sense of the word, was sent "Around the World" at the time the novel was released; Bly went on to cover the western front during World War I • Also championed causes: growing slums, labor tensions, failing farms, Statue of Liberty • William Randolph Hearst was an intern; later, a prime competitor.
Post-Civil War Developments
• Intro of the rotary press speeds up process (30,000 a day) • 1844—1st telegraph message sent by Samuel F.B. Morse; message transmitted between Baltimore & Washington, D.C. • First message: "What hath God wrought?"
Penny Press" Expands
• James Gordon Bennett began the New York Herald in 1835; combined technology of Day with the new technique of beat reporting • Horace Greeley's New York Tribune in 1841 w/Charles Dana as editor (anti-slavery); developed editorial page's interpretative function; nicknamed the "Great Moral Organ." • Henry Raymond's The New York Daily Times began in 1841; foreign coverage, in-depth reporting & serious-minded editorials (emulated The Times of London); public affairs reporting thorough
Newspapers after the Revolution
• Jay, Hamilton & Madison's The Federalist Papers, 85 essays, published; Bill of Rights guaranteed freedom of the press (meant for populace who could read); called for ratification of constitution • Eight years later, group of four laws threatened the freedom of press • Sedition Act dealt more with press freedom; no false writings about the three branches of government
Jefferson's Use of Media
• Jefferson wanted the presidency in 1800; this time, he used political journalist James Callender to spread evil rumors about opponents, Adams & Burr. • Callender was jailed for sedition; Jefferson won; Burr, VP, went on to kill Hamilton in a duel. • Jefferson had used Callender to get elected; when Callender was freed, demanded that Jefferson give him a political post; when Jefferson refused, Callender retaliated with an article alleging an affair between Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. • Allegation true, but did not harm Jefferson's career; ultimately freed his 4 children with Hemings.
Ethical Issues in the Industry
• Kaavya Viswanathan, Harvard sophomore & author of How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life, accused of plagiarism (Sloppy Firsts & Second Helpings). • She received $500,000 2-book deal w/Little Brown; book withdrawn from sale, and her 2-book deal was cancelled. • Author apologized and assures that any similarities were unintentional.
Esquivel & Other Latino Authors
• Laura Esquivel, native of Mexico City, wrote Like Water for Chocolate in 1990; the story of a Mexican girl's story of forbidden love with recipes; film in 1993; largest grossing foreign film in America • Rudolfo Anaya, U.S. born, Bless Me, Ultima; credited with modern Latino literature movement • Isabel Allende's House of Spirits; Sandra Cisneros's The House on Mango Street
Los Angeles Times (metropolitan daily)
• Leads all other papers in advertising volume; 4th in circulation • Ranks in top 10 in minority representation • Leads all other papers in recycling
Changes in Newspaper Readership
• Least prevalent among younger people • Fewer than 30% of 18-29 read a paper • Fewer than 50% of 30-44 read a paper • Number of 25-34 who read has fallen 20% in the past five years alone • Decline in newspaper readership as people get younger • 25% of all people 18-24 seek no news at all • Soft news v. hard news
Scope & Structure of Books
• More than 175,000 new titles issued; each American spends, on average, $97.69 a year buying books. • Total sales of book in 1947, just over $435 million; $23.6 billion in 2007
Washington Post (metropolitan daily)
• More than 30 nationally recognized columnists • 7th in circulation & a pivotal paper in the political arena • Outstanding coverage of Washington; unlike the NYT & WSJ, does not print a national edition • Known for the Watergate investigation; Unabomber publication with the New York Times also controversial
Sensationalistic
• Much like "yellow journalism," crime, sex and violence still sell. • Some media do this more so than others; for broadcast networks, "sweeps" periods produce more such items.
Types of Newspapers
• National Daily Newspapers (Top 3) • Large Metropolitan Dailies (must be published at least 5 times a week; zoned editions; The Tribune) • Suburban and Small Town Dailies (# decreased by 50%) • Weeklies & Semiweeklies (suburban; advertisers like narrow focus) • Ethnic Press (Spanish) o 35 Spanish-language dailies, most backed by English-language papers o 2 million readers because 1) fragmented audiences; 2) at 12.5% of population, fastest growing minority; 3) loyal readership attracting advertisers (ad spending up 565% between 1990-2000) • Ethnic Press (African American) o 12% of population, but they read English-language papers o After Caucasians, 2nd-largest group of readers o 15 million African-American readers
Franklin's New England Courant
• New England Courant (1721) printed with no authority; James jailed periodically; lasted 3 yrs. • James brought some of the best writers of his time to write for his paper (J.F. Cooper) • James jailed for no government approval; freed Ben from apprentice obligation
Timeliness
• News once came by ship and Pony Express (from Missouri to California, lasted fewer than 2 years); immediacy was not an issue. • Technology now makes news instantaneous & perishable; past the 1st day, needs a new angle
Consequence
• News stories that affect the audience; even injury, violence and death may mean little if audience is not affected. • Iraq of consequence because of the length of the war, cost, etc.; audience not naturally concerned.
Proximity
• News that happens nearby is of most interest; even within a community, some stories are judged of no interest. • News is becoming more and more local; hyperlocal in the future.
Newspaper Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs)
• Newspaper Preservation Act of 1970—pushed in Congress by newspaper editors created to preserve a diversity of editorial opinion in communities w/out 2 papers; merges business & printing operations; editorial operations under JOAs remain separate; all other operations are combined • In 1970, there were 28; in 2007, there were 12; in early 2009, only 6 remain. • Denver, Tucson and Seattle have all lost JOAs. • Detroit, Las Vegas & Charleston are among those that still survive.
Newspapers: The Great Depression & On
• Newspaper profits cut during Depression & ended yellow journalism. • Rupert Murdoch brought yellow journalism back in his tabloids. • The Star & The National Enquirer use modern-day yellow journalism techniques. • American Media owns 65% of supermarket tabloid titles, Enquirer & Star, National Examiner, the Globe, as well as magazines Shape & Men's Fitness.
Newspapers in the Early 1900s
• Newspapers, like McClure's magazine, exposed wrongdoing & corruption; Ida Tarbell's Standard Oil, Lincoln Steffen's "Shame of the Cities," & Nellie Bly's "Ten Days in a Madhouse." • Teddy Roosevelt dubbed them muckrakers; Upton Sinclair's 1906 The Jungle chronicled problems in meat-processing plants; led to Meat Inspection Act & Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906 • Hearst and Scripps were the most powerful during the 1920s; tabloids in New York; period known as jazz journalism with scandals & graphic photos; muckraking more sophisticated, becomes "investigative journalism"
Survivability Issues
• Newsstand sales (down) • Subscriptions (down) • Advertising (now relying solely on this one; makes papers beholden to advertisers) • Cutting or eliminating print editions to focus on free websites (Christian Science Monitor and the Detroit Free Press) • Charge for online content
New York Times: Paper of Record
• Ochs in 1896 brought the paper to the status of "newspaper of record" for the city & the nation (Titantic sinking/rental of an entire hotel); he was always more prepared than all other competitors • Acts as an agenda-setter, helping to decide issues moving to the forefront of the national debate.
J.K. Rowling & the Harry Potter Series
• Of the top 15 bestselling authors, only author with more than novel • 1999, first three books were on the NYT bestseller's list; prompted the paper to create bestselling list for children's literature • 2/3 of all American children have read at least one edition • Total estimated revenue generated by HP: $15 billion • Number of HP books sold worldwide: 400 million • The total box worldwide office gross of the 1st five HP films: $4.49 billion • Passed Star Wars and Bond films to become most lucrative franchise in history • Holds the 1,2,3 & 4 of the fastest selling books in history • Initial printing of the 5th installment: 8.5 million (80 times that of a normal best-seller & largest initial print run in publishing history). • Initial U.S. printing of the 672-page Half-Blood Prince (6th) was 13.5 million (100x the normal best seller; largest print run in publishing history); sold 9 million the 1st day • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (final, 7th book) sold an average of 5,000 books per minute; 300,000 per hour the first day • Efforts to ban the book as antireligious & anti-Christian make it the most-challenged children's literature in the U.S. • Potter series has been published in 55 languages (including Greek & Latin); published in more than 200 countries
Book Origins
• Oldest of all mass media • Sumerians developed clay tablets • Greeks perfected the alphabet • Egyptians as early as 3000 B.C. pounded thin layers of reeds grown by the Nile, papyrus • Scrolls came first; mostly religious; few remain, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls • Led to libraries in Egypt, Rome, Greece; most destroyed by invaders
Bezos Buys the Washington Post
• On August 5, 2013, he bought the Post. • The paper's revenue has dropped 44% in the past six years. • The Graham family, owners, sold the paper for $250 million, about 4 times what similar papers usually sell for. • He's attempting to reinvent the media business; his competition: Apple & Google.
Edward Wyllis Scripps Edward Wyllis Scripps
• One of the most interesting publishers who began his 1st paper in the late 1870s; went on to create a media empire that still exists. • Provided $25,000 to small-town newspaper men to begin a paper; if after the $ the paper flourished, it continued; if not, Scripps had only lost small amount. • Disdained advertisers; really close to his sister, Ellen; drank a gallon of whiskey a day; stopped cold turkey
Developing Media Literacy Skills
• Only 45% of U.S. readers read anything for more than 30 minutes a day • Fewer than 1/2 of all U.S. adults read novels, short stories, plays or poetry • Most aren't illiterate, but aliterate
Photography Illustrates the Stories
• Pen & ink sketches made by artists & reproduced through woodcuts gave the only pictures before the Civil War. • Mathew Brady provided first prolific photos of the war; Alexander Gardner, "A Sharpshooter's Last Sleep" (Lincoln & the trial) • 1870s—1st use of photos by newspapers • 1890s—halftone engravings (translating photos into small dots) began in NY papers • 1924—wire transmission of photo; 1935—AP establishes Wire photo network
Broadsheet: A Profitable Sideline
• Presses go unused other than books & government publications. • Broadsheets, single-page impressions from the full width of the printers press, began to print excerpts of letters from the "old country." • Included any info they could find from England, with rudimentary headlines & columns; no reporters at the time. • Eventually, 1-4 pages; papers sold at the printer's counter or on the streets by apprentices or children.
News Bias/Conservative? News Bias/Conservative?
• Researcher Ted Glasser suggests media are inherently conservative, despite some liberal reporters; Glasser suggests media wedded to the status quo & conserving society's dominant values, which are "right."
Disaster
• Similar to consequence, but more dire; total calamity is of interest to large audiences. • Oklahoma City & 9/11 are the exceptions to other characteristics. • Sidebars, secondary articles, will be side by side with such stories.
Formal/Informal Action Mechanisms
• Special Interest Groups: church orgs, politically oriented groups & coalitions that form around individual issues. Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority is an example. • Media critics: keep an eye on the press; Washington Jour Review, Columbia Jour Review & The Quill. • Individual Consumer Action: not buying or watching; license renewal.
Prominence
• Stories involving people well known (celebrities, politicians, etc.) • Edward R. Murrow warned media about the fascination with celebrity. • News once had little coverage of celebrities, but now a mainstay.
Human Interest
• Stories that pull at the heart strings; proximity of little importance • Some holidays produce more human interest stories. • Such stories make the audience mourn, cry, celebrate, cheer, etc. with individuals.
Inverted Pyramid
• Telegraph's invention will create a new kind of reporting; stories had been written in a fairy tale-like manner, burying important info until last (bg first, then meat of the story); new style caused a shift to inverted pyramid or "five Ws" style, beginning with most important, leading to least important. • Telegraph initially expensive & not dependable.
Newspapers' Societal Functions
• They entertain. • They provide editorial comment (of the editors or publishers; it's the place reserved for opinions; op-ed pages are pages opposite of the editorial page where readers, guests or others can offer info on given topics). • They inform; 1st page usually devoted to "news" (most important above the fold, to the left).
The Anti-Federalist/Republican Cause
• Thomas Jefferson is the leader of the Anti-Federalists or Jeffersonian Republicans. • Philip Freneau published the National Gazette as an Anti-Federalist publication; also Benjamin Franklin Bache's Aurora. • Jefferson wanted to be president in 1796; came in 2nd to John Adams, so he became VP; Adams pushed through the Alien & Sedition Acts, which made it illegal to speak against the president, Congress, or the government (excluded the VP—mmm); also could deport any alien deemed from a country at war with the U.S.; laws lasted until 1802.
Gatekeeping
• Those persons who select what small amount of information to accept & reject. • Various levels of gatekeepers: o Story sources (recount their story) o Reporters (sift through notes) o Editors (choose material to air) o Consumer (final to make choice)
Conflict
• Unfortunately, large number of stories based on conflict; results from our inability to get along with one another. • Divorce, fights, arrests, bombings, war all considered conflicts.
Readership & Declining Numbers
• Young readers are reading news online in higher numbers than in previous years. • In 2000, the # of morning dailies exceeded the # of evening papers for the 1st time; continues.
Books in the 1900s
• Young, new authors popular in 1st half of the century (Fitzgerald, Steinbeck & Hemingway) • African-American novelists popular in early years; DuBois's The Souls of Black Folk • Later, "Harlem Renaissance" brings other AA writers to the forefront: Wright's Native Son & Ellison's Invisible Man; Haley, Morrison, Walker & Angelou become best-sellers
John Peter Zenger
• Zenger the printer & publisher of the New York Weekly Journal (1734) • Authorities arrested & indicted him for sedition & libel (criticized New York governor); hired 80-year-old Andrew Hamilton as lawyer who urged authorities who challenged the laws rather than argued the innocence of his client; jury found him innocent • Truth became a permanent defense against libel (75 years later); case foreshadowed the later change in law; helped lead to freedom of the press • Now, slander (spoken), libel (written/published)
