1

The History of
Journalism
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The Invention of the
Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg (c.1398-
1468) invented the first moveable
type printing press.
The Gutenberg Bible Project
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1690
America's first newspaper, Publick
Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick, is
published in Boston. The paper, able to fill
only three of its four pages with text,
suspends publication after one issue after
drawing criticism from the colonial
government.
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1769
Isaac Doolittle of Connecticut builds the first
printing press made on American soil.
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Dec 15, 1791
The First Amendment to the United States
Constitution, expressly forbidding Congress
from making any law "abridging the freedom
of speech, or of the press," is ratified.
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Sep 3, 1833
Benjamin Day issues the first edition of the
New York Sun, America's first "penny press"
newspaper. The cheap paper, sold for a
fraction of the cost of all earlier newspapers,
soon attracts a much wider audience by
catering to the interests of New York City's
ordinary citizens.
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May 24, 1844
America's first telegraph line, stretching from
Washington, D.C. to Baltimore, officially opens
for business. The instant long-distance
communication offered for the first time by the
telegraph will make it possible for local
newspapers to offer timely coverage of far-off
events.
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1849
The forerunner of the Associated Press (AP) is
organized by a group of American publishers
in order to acquire news information from
Europe.
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1895
William Randolph Hearst acquires the New
York Morning Journal. He will transform the
Morning Journal into a penny paper, modeled
after James Gordon Bennett's New York
Herald, and rename it the New York Journal in
1896.
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1897
The New York Journal, owned by William
Randolph Hearst, publishes the first color
Sunday funny papers.
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Feb 15, 1898
The USS Maine sinks in Havana Harbor, Cuba.
The New York Journal immediately blames
Spain for the mysterious explosion, helping
push the United States into war with Spain.
(Most modern historians now believe the
explosion to have been caused by a fire in the
ship's coal bunkers spreading to the
ammunition magazine.) Other journalists will
condemn the Journal for its reckless and
sensational distortion of the news as an
example of "yellow journalism."
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1904
William Randolph Hearst launches the Boston
American and the Los Angeles Examiner. He
will eventually acquire or establish papers in
almost every major American city. By 1930, he
will own a media empire encompassing 28
newspapers across the country.
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Oct 29, 1911
Joseph Pulitzer dies. In his will, he leaves
Columbia University $2 million to establish a
graduate school of journalism, one of the first
in the country. He also bequeaths the funds
for the establishment of the Pulitzer Prize. First
awarded in 1917, Pulitzer Prizes are awarded
annually, currently in 21 categories, to
recognize achievements in journalism,
literature, and music.
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Jul 1, 1941
The Federal Communication Commission
grants eighteen television stations approval to
begin commercial broadcasting. CBS and NBC
begin broadcasting almost immediately,
although few citizens own television sets to
watch the broadcasts. Five months later,
WCBW will demonstrate the news potential of
television by broadcasting bulletins regarding
the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Jun 13, 1971
The New York Times publishes the first
installment of the "Pentagon Papers," a series
of classified government documents relating to
the Vietnam War released to the Times by
Daniel Ellsberg. President Richard Nixon will
secure an injunction ordering the Times to
cease publication of the document. On 30
June 1971, the United States Supreme Court
will declare the injunction an unconstitutional
prior restraint.
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May 1971
Young Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward
and Carl Bernstein are assigned to cover a
mysterious burglary at the offices of the
Democratic National Committee, located in
Washington, D.C.'s Watergate Hotel. Through
months of dogged investigative reporting,
Woodward and Bernstein will eventually link the
break-in to a "dirty tricks" campaign led by top
advisers of President Richard Nixon; Nixon's
attempts to cover up the Watergate misdeeds will
lead to his own resignation from office in disgrace
in 1974.
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Nov 1973
Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch
acquires the San Antonio Express-News, the
first American piece of his global media
empire.
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1988
The internet, originally built as a project of the
United States military, is opened to
commercial users.
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Aug 1, 2007
Australian-born media mogul Rupert Murdoch
agrees to purchase Dow Jones & Co., the
publisher of The Wall Street Journalperhaps
America's most prestigious newspaper, which
previously has been run as a family business
by the Bancroft family.
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Feb 7, 2008
The Madison Capital-Times, a venerable
newspaper founded in 1917, announces that it
will cease publication of a print-version of its
paper to concentrate fully on the development
of its online edition.
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What are the 45 most
important words in
American History?
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First Amendment Rights
The Five Freedoms
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1. What are civil liberties?
The freedoms we have to think and act
without government interference or fear
of unfair treatment
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Know Your Rights!
Can you name any of the specific rights
guaranteed by the First Amendment?
In the U.S. is it legal to burn the flag as a
means of political protest?
Can a public university censor a student
newspaper?
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Facts
If you didnt know the answers to the
previous questions you are not alone!
Only 17% of Americans could name all
five freedoms guaranteed in the First
Amendment.
Only 25% of students knew it was legal to
burn the flag in protest.
As far as censoring a student newspaper
at a public university, it is against the law.
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Forty-Five Important Words
The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion, or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof; or abridging the
freedom of speech, or of the press; or the
right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.
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What five basic freedoms does the
1
st
Amendment protect?
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3. What does the 1
st
amendment
prohibit Congress from doing
concerning religion?
Congress cannot establish an official
religion in the United States
The Establishment Clause
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4. What else does it protect
concerning religion?
Guarantees Americans the right to
practice their faith as they wish
Free-Exercise Clause
They may not favor one religion over
another or treat people differently
because of their personal beliefs
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Students & Religion
As students, its important to know your religious rights in school.
1. You are free to pray alone or in groups, as long as the activity is
not disruptive and does not infringe upon the rights of others.
2. As long as it is not disruptive, disrespectful of the rights of other
students, and does not pressure or coerce others, you can
exercise your faith.
3. Schools cannot organize religious activities. This includes making
students pray.
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REMEMBER:
The government cannot force you to
believe in any religion. Everybody has the
right to practice the faith they believe in,
when and where they want to. Thanks for
the First Amendment, we are all
guaranteed the freedom of religion.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!!!!
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Freedom of Speech
Free speech is the liberty to speak and
express ones opinions. It is the right to
express ideas, information, opinions, etc.
with very limited government restrictions.
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5. What types of communication
are protected under freedom of
speech?
Face to face
Internet communication
Art
Music
Clothing
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Free speech includes the right to criticize
public officials, politicians, religious
leaders, and public and corporate policies.
Without this right a democratic nation
could not survive.
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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will
defend to the death your right to say it".
Commonly attributed to Voltaire
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Freedom of the Press
6. What does press and media include?
Books
Newspapers
Magazines
Radio
Television
Internet
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7. How does freedom of press limit
the government?
The government cannot practice
censorship.
It cannot ban printed materials or films
merely because they contain alarming or
offensive ideas
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The press is often called the fourth
branch of government. It helps to keep
the other three branches in check.
Without a free press, this would not be
possible, and the democratic conditions
which we are used to, and enjoy in the
United States, would not exist.
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8. What rights are covered by the
freedom of assembly?
Protects our right to gather in groups for
any reason, so long as the assemblies are
peaceful.
They can make rules about when and where, but
cannot ban them.
We also have the right to form and join
social clubs, political parties, and labor
unions.
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Life without Freedom of
Assembly
People would not be
allowed to
peacefully gather in
large groups
without permission
It would be harder to
protest opinions and
use the other
freedoms guaranteed
in the first
amendment
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9. What does freedom of petition
allow the citizens to do?
The right to express ones idea to the
government.
Petition = formal document
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Life Without Freedom of Petition
People could be
penalized for
political views
and beliefs.
People would be
unable to
communicate with
their senators and
congressmen
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Harry S. Truman,
1950
In a free country we punish men for
crimes they commit but never for the
opinions they have.
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10. Name some of the limits to
freedom of speech.
Do not have the freedom to provoke a riot
Cannot speak or write in a way that leads
immediately to criminal activities or efforts
to overthrow the government by force
May not spread lies that harm a persons
reputation
May not interfere with the rights of others
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11. What are the two ways
someone can spread lies about
someone else?
Slander = spreading spoken lies
Libel = printed lies
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Skokie, Illinois
Sunday morning marked the official opening
of the Holocaust Museum and Education
Center in Skokie, Illinois. This striking new
institution is dedicated to "preserving the
legacy of the Holocaust by honoring the
memories of those who were lost and by
teaching universal lessons that combat
hatred, prejudice and indifference.
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The seeds of the Skokie Holocaust Museum were sown more than
thirty years ago, when roughly thirty members of the Nazi Party of
America sought to march in Skokie. The plan was for the marchers
to wear uniforms reminiscent of those worn by the members of
Hitler's Nazi Party, including swastika armbands, and to carry a
party banner bearing a large swastika.
At the time of the proposed march in 1977, Skokie, a northern Chicago
suburb, had a population of about 70,000 persons, 40,000 of whom
were Jewish. Approximately 5,000 of the Jewish residents were
survivors of the Holocaust. The residents of Skokie responded with
shock and outrage. They sought a court order enjoining the march
on the grounds that it would "incite or promote hatred against
persons of Jewish faith or ancestry," that is was a "deliberate and
willful attempt" to inflict severe emotional harm on the Jewish
population in Skokie (and especially on the survivors of the
Holocaust), and that it would incite an "uncontrollably" violent
response and lead to serious "bloodshed."
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The Skokie controversy triggered one of those rare but
remarkable moments in American history when
citizens throughout the nation vigorously debated the
meaning of the United States Constitution. The
arguments were often fierce, heartfelt and painful.
It is useful to consider the three primary arguments set
forth by Skokie in support of its effort to forbid the
march.
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First, the village argued that the display of the swastika promoted
"hatred against persons of Jewish faith or ancestry" and that
speech that promotes racial or religious hatred is unprotected by
the First Amendment.
Second, the village argued that the purpose of the marches was to
inflict emotional harm on the Jewish residents of Skokie and,
especially, on the survivors.
Third, the village argued that if the Nazis were permitted to march
there would be uncontrollable violence.
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The Decision
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The American Civil Liberties Union, despite severe criticism and
withdrawal of support by many its strongest supporters,
represented the First Amendment rights of the Nazi. In the end, the
Illinois Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals, and the
United States Supreme Court contributed to the conclusion that
Skokie could not enjoin the Nazis from marching.
The outcome of the Skokie controversy was one of the truly great
victories for the First Amendment in American history. It proved
that the rule of law must and can prevail. Because of our profound
commitment to the principle of free expression even in the
excruciatingly painful circumstances of Skokie more than thirty
years ago, we remain today the international symbol of free speech.
(Ultimately, a deal was worked out and the Nazis agreed to march
in Chicago rather than in Skokie.)
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Ironically, but exquisitely, it was the Skokie controversy that caused
the survivors in Skokie and around the world to recognize that, in
the words of the new Holocaust Museum and Education Center in
Skokie, "despite their desire to leave the past behind, they could no
longer remain silent." It was in the wake of the Skokie affair that
"Chicago-area survivors joined together to form the Holocaust
Memorial Foundation of Illinois." As a result on this controversy, the
survivors dedicated themselves to "combating hate with education."
And so now, with only a handful of survivors still alive to see the
moment, we now have this extraordinary memorial and museum.
56
As Justice Louis Brandeis once explained, the Framers of our First
Amendment knew "that fear breeds repression; that repression
breeds hate; that hate menaces stable government; that the path
of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed
grievances and proposed remedies; and that the fitting remedy for
evil counsels is good ones." The opening today of the Holocaust
Museum and Education Center proves the profound wisdom of the
principle that "the fitting remedy for evil counsels is good ones."
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First, the village argued that the display of the swastika promoted
"hatred against persons of Jewish faith or ancestry" and that
speech that promotes racial or religious hatred is unprotected by
the First Amendment. The courts rightly rejected this argument, not
on the ground that the swastika doesn't promote religious hatred,
but on the ground that that is not a reason for suppressing speech.
After all, it the Nazis could be prohibited from marching in Skokie
because the swastika incites religious hatred, then presumably they
couldn't march anywhere for the same reason, and movies could
not show the swastika, and even documentaries could not show the
swastika. And if the swastika can be banned on this basis, then
what other symbols or ideas can be suppressed for similar reasons.
What about movies showing members of the Ku Klux Klan? News
accounts showing Palestinians committing suicide bombings in
Israel or showing Israelis attacking civilians?
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Second, the village argued that the purpose of the marches was to
inflict emotional harm on the Jewish residents of Skokie and,
especially, on the survivors. Certainly, some residents would be
deeply offended, shocked and terrified to see Nazis marching
through the streets of Skokie. But they might also be offended,
shocked and terrified to know that Schindler's List was playing at a
movie theatre in Skokie, or in Chicago, or in Illinois, and African-
Americans might be offended, shocked and terrified to know that
the movie Birth of a Nation was playing in a theatre in their town or
nation. And so on. Moreover, it is doubtful that the actual intent of
the Nazis was to inflict emotional harm on the residents of Skokie.
Initially, the Nazis sought to march in a totally different community
in Chicago, one with almost no Jewish population. But they were
denied a permit. They then decided to march in Skokie in order to
get publicity for their grievance. Indeed, the signs they planned to
carry in Skokie did not say "Bring Back the Holocaust," but "White
Free Speech" and "Free Speech for the White Man." Making First
Amendment rights turn on judgments about a speaker's subjective
intent is a dangerous business, because intent is very elusive and
police, prosecutors and jurors are very prone to attribute evil
intentions to those whose views they despise.
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Third, the village argued that if the Nazis were permitted to march
there would be uncontrollable violence. But is this a reason to
suppress speech? Isn't the obligation of the government to protect
the speaker and to control and punish the lawbreakers, rather than
to invite those who would silence the speech to use threats of
violence to achieve their ends? If the village of Skokie had won on
this point, then southern communities who wanted to prosecute
civil rights marchers in Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham could
equally do so, on the plea that such demonstrations would trigger
"uncontrollable violence." Moreover, once government gives in to
such threats of violence it effectively invites a "heckler's veto,"
empowering any group of people who want to silence others to do
so simply by threatening to violate the law.
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Do you believe the court ruled
correctly? Why or Why not?