Three Newspaper Eras Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Three Newspaper Eras - Essay Example 27). Innovations in printing, combined with the interest that was generated by current events, created increased readership and a need for more consistent reporting. According to Dietrich (2010), the political events that surrounded the American Revolution changed the nature of the newspaper industry. Until this time, newspapers consisted primarily of notices of events and advertisements. However, with the interest that was generated in the politics of the colonies versus the British government, reporting began to arise in which the political events were related in story form. Stories of the war began to be printed for the public that was greatly interested in what was occurring. The period from the end of the American Revolutionary War until the 1850’s saw a rise in partisan writing as the partisan press era dominated the newspaper industry. They battles between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists were fought within the press as positions were declared and sides were taken. However, during the 1850’s the newspaper industry found it could increase its circulation by creating pieces that were more unbiased than within partisan based writings. The objective of increased readership to promote profit provided for newspaper writing that no longer took a political stand, but reported Freedoms Journal was the first African American newspaper. It was first published in 1827 and was followed by as many as forty other African American publications. The North Star, a publication begun by Fredrick Douglas in 1847, was dedicated to the cause of abolition. It was titled The North Star because the slaves who escaped captivity used the north star as a guiding light(LaRose & Straubhaar, 2009, p. 95). The first Native American Press was begun in 1828 with the Cherokee Phoenix which was put out in 1828. However, it was only a year later when the American government, founded on the principles of the Declaration of Independence which