Birth of American Newspaper -- essays research papers fc

The Birth of the American Newspaper It has been said that the true newspaper must meet these qualifications: (1) it must be published at least once a week; (2) it must be produced by mechanical means (to distinguish it from handwritten "newes letters"); (3) it must be available to anyone willing to pay the price, regardless of class or special interest; (4) it must print anything of interest to a general public, as contrasted with some of the religious and business publications; (5) it must have an appeal to a public of ordinary literary skill; (6) it must be timely, or at least relatively so, in the light of technical development; and (7) it must have stability, as contrasted to the fly-by-night publications of more primitive times. -Emery and Smith, 1954 Before the printing press or printing plates hand written pamphlets were the means for communicating anything over a distance of land or sea. Documentation, for those who were literate, played major roles in politics long before today’s modern Sunday Advertisers. In 1566, the Venetian Magistracy ordered accounts of the war in Dalmatia to be read and posted in public places. Persons interested in this news paid a small coin, called a gazetta, for the privilege of obtaining it. As far back as 69 BC, news sheets known as Acta Diurna were posted in public places in Rome (Emery and Smith, 1954)." It might be said that the newsp...