Chapter 4 questions

Page 95

1. What case established the precedent for freedom of the press in colonial America?
John Peter Zenger v. British governor of New York over a critical piece

2. What was the Penny Press? What led to it?
The Penny Press published daily newspapers that sold for a penny. Technological innovations allowed papers to be produced at a lower cost for broader audiences. Also, poor people were a relatively untapped market for readership. Newspapers used to be aimed at the middle to upper class.

3. What are the differences between new journalism and yellow journalism?
New journalism focused on sensationalizing gossip about people. Yellow journalism sensationalized national events in order to rally people behind a cause, such as going to war with Spain over the explosion of the USS Maine.

4. What effect did the telegraph have on newspapers?
Wire services, such as the Associated Press, formed.

5. How did wire services influence a change in the newspaper business?
This allowed newspapers to lower their costs, add more general-interest material, and appeal to a wider audience. Another side effect was that news became more objective.


Page 103

1. What was the impact of Watergate on American journalism?
It created the "watchdog" culture for newspapers against the American government.

2. What are the main recent trends in newspaper delivery technologies?
Present in a form readable on new technologies such as smartphones and iPads. Allow for customization to cater to people's tastes. Some reporters also use Twitter for news developments.

3. What is the impact of the Internet on newspapers?
Established papers have online editions and there are Internet-only papers.

4. How has the Internet affected newspaper advertising?
Advertisers have transferred more of their resources from the newspapers to the Internet.

Page 118

1. What are the main sections and content of newspapers?
international news, national news, local news, editorial and commentary, sports, business, lifestyles, entertainment, comics, and classified advertising; depending on the type of newspaper (local, regional, or national), some papers can emphasize certain sections.

2. Is there still a mass audience for newspapers?
Yes

3. What are the main concerns about consolidation in the newspaper industry?
Wire services, such as the AP, will see more of their stories in the paper. While this increases awareness to important news in the world, it also decreases coverage of local events. This sacrifice would make the newspaper feel less personal.

4. Why should we worry about conglomerates?
Since conglomerates are big corporations, they own many media types. If the media is owned by conglomerates, this means differing viewpoints will shrink. The conglomerate can also provide a bigger spin on their story and use their financial resources to promote their viewpoint.

5. What are the main ethical issues for newspaper reporters?
plagiarism, fabrication, and anonymous sources