Lecture dynamics of mass communication (9th edition) chapter 4 joseph r dominick

THE DYNAMICS OF MASS COMMUNCATION Joseph R Dominick University of Georgia Athens McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Chapter Chapter Outline The Newspaper Industry McGraw­Hill Newspaper History Newspapers in the Digital Age Newspaper Industry Organization Newspaper Ownership Producing the Newspaper Newspaper Economics Getting Feedback The Newspaper Industry â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper History ã JournalisminEarlyAmerica Few newspapers existed – Publishers were printers and  postmasters – Colonial authority – “no free press” McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper History • Early Papers – Publick Occurrences both Foreign and  Domestick – Benjamin Harris (1690) – Boston News Letter – John Campbell  (1704) – NewEnglandCourantJamesFranklin PennsylvaniaGazetteBenFranklin McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper History ã TheBeginningsofRevolution – Zenger trial: independence of press – Beginnings of political press – Declaration of Independence • Reprinted in Pennsylvania Evening Post July  6, 1776 • OfficialcopiespublishedbyMaryGoddard MaryGoddardoneof30women publishers McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper History ã The Political Press: 1790 – 1833 – Federalist debates discuss Freedom of the  Press and the Bill of Rights – Newspapers spread rapidly; by 1820 there  are: 24 dailies; 66 semi­ or tri­weeklies & 422 weeklies – Minority papers grow concurrently • Freedom’s Journal (late 1820s) • Cherokee Phoenix (1828) and Cherokee  Advocate McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper History • Requirements for a mass press  Printing press capable of quick, cheap copies 1830: R. Hoe and Company’s steam­powered press  (4000/h)  High level of literacy in  population  1830s: first statewide public school system  Interested mass audience Democratization of business and politics McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper History • The Penny Press – Benjamin Day’s New York Sun (1833) – Horace Greeley’s New York Tribune (1841) – Henry Raymond’s New York Times (1851) • Significance of Penny Press – – – – Economic support base – advertising Pattern of distribution – add street sales Definitionofnewspopularsources,notelite Newscollectionfreshnessmatters McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper History ã ThePostCivilWarNewspaperGiants Joseph Pulitzer – New York World (1883) • • • Accuracy     Simplified writing More advertising space   Sensationalism Crusading attitude – E.W. Scripps – newspaper chains • 18 papers by 1911 Industrial cities – William Randolph Hearst – inherited San  Francisco Examiner – Yellow journalism McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper History • Early 20th Century – Consolidation  • Equipment expense • Reader gravitation to largest paper • Rise of chains – Jazz journalism • Tabloids (1/2 size) with many photographs • New York Daily News • Subwayưandbusưfriendly McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspapers in the Digital Age ã Traditional vs. Online Newspapers – Both gather, evaluate, organize information – Traditional: distribution involves… • Paper Ink Presses Trucks Workers – Online: digital transfer to computers and  handhelds McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspapers in the Digital Age ã DefiningFeaturesofaNewspaper Diverse content Convenient packaging Local coverage Historical record Watchdog role Fresh news McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspapers in the Digital Age • Advantages of Online Papers – No limits on story length or number of pictures – Continually, easily, and inexpensively updated – Can be interactive – Can offer searchable archives •  Online Papers – – – – USA Today Americus Times­Recorder (Georgia) Newspaper Association of America’s Website 148 of top 150 papers offer their news online McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspapers in the Digital Age • Paid Access – – – – Initially, online presence = financial drain Wall Street Journal started subscription service Otherschargeforselectedcontent Manyrequireregistration ã Digitaleditions:traditionalformatbut downloadable ã Handhelds:wirelessdeliverytocellphones, laptops,PDAs,andtabletPCs McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper Industry Organization • Print dailies (5x/week) – Circulation is number of copies delivered – National newspapers – content is national,  delivery by satellite to local printers – Large metropolitan dailies – being hit hard  by competition – Suburban dailies – 40% of all circulation – Small town dailies – source of local  information McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper Industry Organization • Print weeklies – steady circulation  increase  • Maintaining and recruiting readership – More use of color – Shorter stories, summary decks, sidebars – Diversifying content • Special­service and Minority Newspapers – African­American press declining Spanishpressgrowingrapidly Collegepressstrong McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper Ownership ã Concentration of ownership  • Cities with competing papers  • Joint­Operating Agreements  – Editorial staffs are separate and  competitive – Circulation, advertising, production are  combined McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Group Ownership Pros & Cons ã Pros: – Better coverage afield – Better technology – Better staff training • Cons: – Less diversity of opinion – Absentee ownership – Profits valued above quality – Tendency to avoid local controversy McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Producing the Newspaper • Departments – Business – ad space and promotions – Production – physical tasks required – News­editorial – objective reporting and  opinions • Editor: oversees and helps set editorial direction • Managing Editor: day­to­day operations • Department Editors:   Wire, Copy, City, Sports, Business McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Producing the Newspaper • Prepublication – Two sources of copy • Local reporting – stories assigned to reporters • Wire services – wire editor selects from input – Newshole: space in current edition usable  for news (printed version only) – Reporters file stories electronically via  computer McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper Economics $ Sources of  Revenue $ Advertising – 80% $ Local retail $ Classifieds $ National  advertising  $ Prepaid inserts $ Circulation – 20% McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Newspaper Economics $ General Expenses $ News and editorial costs $ Advertising overhead $ Composition and plate production $ Printing costs: newsprint (25% of all  costs), ink, running the printing press $ Circulation and distribution costs $ General administrative costs McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Getting Feedback ã AuditBureauofCirculation Formedin1914 Certifies newspaper circulation figures  – Circulation determines advertising rates  – Audits over 3/4 of all U.S. and Canadian  print media (about 2,600 publications) – Travels 300,000 miles per year McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Getting Feedback Table 4-3 Daily and Weekly Newspaper Circulation McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved The Newspaper Industry ã Bigemployer:445,000in2003 ã Oneoflowestưpayingmediaindustries • Entry­level – Reporter – small papers – Business – need business education – Online – all sorts of administrative • Upward mobility – Reporters  editors  – Business: into management or out to national McGraw­Hill © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved ... Can be interactive – Can offer searchable archives •  Online Papers – – – – USA Today Americus Times­Recorder (Georgia) Newspaper Association? ?of? ?America’s Website 148 ? ?of? ?top 150 papers offer their news online... Publishers were printers and  postmasters – Colonial authority – “no free press” McGrawưHill â2007TheMcGrawưHillCompanies,Inc.AllRightsreserved Newspaper History ã EarlyPapers PublickOccurrencesbothForeignand... © 2007 The McGraw­Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights reserved Producing the Newspaper • Prepublication – Two sources? ?of? ?copy • Local reporting – stories assigned to reporters • Wire services – wire editor selects from input