General Information, Origins of the Newspapers

General Information, Origins of the Newspapers

General Information

Newspapers are a significant force for informing people and helping to mould their opinions. Newspapers are publications usually issued on a daily or weekly basis. Newspapers also provide commentary on the news, advocate (поддерживает или пропагандирует) various public policies, furnish (снабжает) special information and advice to readers, and sometimes include features such as comic strips, cartoons

Despite the development of motion pictures, of radiobroadcasting, and of television (1940s), newspapers remain a major source of information.

nearly 8 out of 10 adult Americans read a newspaper every day.

In Great Britain major newspapers such as the Times of London have managed to maintain a long tradition of press freedom despite wars, and other efforts at intimidation (запугивание) of a free press.

Origins of the newspapers

Attempts to spread printed information to the public can be traced back about two thousand years to the official news sheets, called acta diurna (daily acts), posted by the Roman government. However only in the mid-sixteenth century there were efforts to sell printed news. The earliest known newspapers were published around 1609 in Germany and called corantos. They were often about events in other countries. The word news was not coined until a century later.

Within 20 years newspapers were being published in Germany; Switzerland; Amsterdam; Belgium. The first newspaper  in London was published in 1621.

Early newspapers were small in size, usually consisting of only 1 page. They had neither headlines nor advertising and looked more like newsletters

 

British Newspapers

The first continuously published English newspaper was the Weekly News (1622-41). The earliest newspapers in England printed mostly foreign news .

Censorship was a problem faced by the English press throughout the 17^th century. Since 1630s, under King Charles I, heavy restrictions were placed on the press; but with the restoration of King Charles II in 1660, restrictions were gradually ended.

The first daily newspaper ‘the Daily Courant’ was founded in London in 1702. It was a high quality paper aimed at the educated elite.

The abolition of the government tax on newspapers in 1855 brought about a general reduction in their prices and an increase in their circulation, after that at the end of the 19^th century cheaper paper and improved printing machinery became available. These developments finally resulted in establishment of the halfpenny daily newspaper in Great Britain.

In Britain there are 10 national daily newspapers of two major kinds.

1. One is represented by serious, or the quality papers which are large in size and have many detailed articles about national and international events.

2. The other kind, called the tabloids are smaller in size, have more pictures, often in colour, and shorter articles, often about less important events or about the private lives of well-known people. Although some people may call them the gutter press (бульварная пресса), more people buy them than buy the serious newspapers, for example the Sun, which is a tabloid, being the biggest-selling newspaper in Britain.

In all parts of Britain there are daily or weekly newspapers which cover local news as well as some national and international stories.

o Local papers give information about films, concerts, and other things that are happening in the local neighborhood (marriages, deaths)

o National papers generally give information about film, concerts and other events happening in London.

There are also many free local newspapers which are delivered to people’s homes without subscription. They contain a lot of advertisements and also some news.

 

Most national newspapers in Britain express a political opinion and people choose the newspaper to read according to their own political beliefs. Most of the newspapers are right-wing. These are a serious newspaper Daily Telegraph, Daily Express, Daily Mail and the Sun. The other serious newspapers, The Times, did not formerly have one strong political view but is now more right-wing. The Guardian and Daily Mirror are left-wing. The Financial Times concentrates on business and financial news.

Daily newspapers are published on every day of the week except Sunday. Sunday newspapers are larger than daily newspapers, often having two or three sections.(the Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph) There is also often a magazine, called the colour supplement.

 

Penny press

The first daily newspaper in the U.S., the Pennsylvania Evening Post and Daily Advertiser, had begun daily publication in 1783 in Philadelphia.

In the first three decades of the 19^th century as the Industrial Revolution spread, newspapers did not reach out to the general public but in 1833 Benjamin Henry Day published the first edition of the New York Sun creating the penny press. This paper differed from previous newspapers in terms of its content, cost and target audience. This modern newspaper includes news about crime and violence, other sensational topics. The newspaper cost only 1 cent and includes new urban masses. Hired newsboys were selling the four-page newspaper on the streets.

General Information, Origins of the Newspapers

General Information

Newspapers are a significant force for informing people and helping to mould their opinions. Newspapers are publications usually issued on a daily or weekly basis. Newspapers also provide commentary on the news, advocate (поддерживает или пропагандирует) various public policies, furnish (снабжает) special information and advice to readers, and sometimes include features such as comic strips, cartoons

Despite the development of motion pictures, of radiobroadcasting, and of television (1940s), newspapers remain a major source of information.

nearly 8 out of 10 adult Americans read a newspaper every day.

In Great Britain major newspapers such as the Times of London have managed to maintain a long tradition of press freedom despite wars, and other efforts at intimidation (запугивание) of a free press.

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