Benjamin Day was only 22 years old when he developed the idea of a newspaper for the masses and launched his New York Sun in 1833, which would profoundly alter journalism by his new approach. Yet, several conditions had to exist before a mass press could come into existence. It was impossible to launch a mass-appeal newspaper without invention of a printing press able to produce extremely cheap newspaper affordable almost to everyone. The second element that led to the growth of the mass newspaper was the increased level of literacy in the population. The then increased emphasis on education led to a concurrent growth of literacy as many people in the middle and lower economic groups acquired reading skills. The trend toward "democratization" of business and politics fostered the creation of a mass audience responsive to a mass press. Having seen.others fail in their attempts to market a mass-appeal newspaper, he forged ahead with his New York Sun, which would be a daily and sell for a penny, as compared to the other dailies that went for six cents a copy. Local happenings, sex, violence, features, and human- interest stories would constitute his content. Conspicuously absent were the dull political debates that still characterized many of the six-cent papers. Within six months the Sun achieved a circulation of approximately 8000 issues, far ahead of its nearest competitor. Day’s gamble had paid off, and the penny press was launched. James Gordon Bennett, perhaps the most significant and certainly the most colorful of the individuals imitating Day’s paper, launched his New York Herald in 1835, even more of a rapid success than the Sun. Part of Bennett’s success can be attributed to his skillful reporting of crime news, the institution of a financial page, sports reporting, and an aggressive editorial policy. He looked upon himself a reformer, and wrote in one of his editorials: "I go for a general reformation of morals... I mean to begin a new movement in the progress of civilization." Horace Greeley was another important pioneer of the era. He launched his New York Tribune in 1841 and would rank third behind the Sun and Herald in daily circulation, but his weekly edition was circulated nationally and proved to be a great success. Greeley’s Tribune was not as sensational as its competitors. He used his editorial page for crusades and causes. He opposed capital punishment, alcohol, gambling and tobacco. Greeley also favored women’s rights. Greeley never talked down to the mass audience and attracted his readers by appealing to their intellect more than to their emotions. The last of the major newspapers of the penny-press era began in 1851. The New York Times, edited by Henry Raymond, promised to be less sensational than the Sun or the Herald and less impassioned than Greeley. The paper soon established a reputation for objective and reasoned journalism. Raymond stressed the gathering of foreign news and served as foreign correspondent himself in 1859. The Times circulation reached more than 40000 before the Civil
Benjamin Day was only 22 years old when he developed the idea of a newspaper for the masses and launched his New York Sun in 1833, which would profoundly alter journalism by his new approach. Yet, several conditions had to exist before a mass press could come into existence. It was impossible to launch a mass-appeal newspaper without invention of a printing press able to produce extremely cheap newspaper affordable almost to everyone. The second element that led to the growth of the mass newspaper was the increased level of literacy in the population. The then increased emphasis on education led to a concurrent growth of literacy as many people in the middle and lower economic groups acquired reading skills. The trend toward "democratization" of business and politics fostered the creation of a mass audience responsive to a mass press.
Having seen.others fail in their attempts to market a mass-appeal newspaper, he forged ahead with his New York Sun, which would be a daily and sell for a penny, as compared to the other dailies that went for six cents a copy. Local happenings, sex, violence, features, and human- interest stories would constitute his content. Conspicuously absent were the dull political debates that still characterized many of the six-cent papers. Within six months the Sun achieved a circulation of approximately 8000 issues, far ahead of its nearest competitor. Day’s gamble had paid off, and the penny press was launched.
James Gordon Bennett, perhaps the most significant and certainly the most colorful of the individuals imitating Day’s paper, launched his New York Herald in 1835, even more of a rapid success than the Sun. Part of Bennett’s success can be attributed to his skillful reporting of crime news, the institution of a financial page, sports reporting, and an aggressive editorial policy. He looked upon himself a reformer, and wrote in one of his editorials: "I go for a general reformation of morals... I mean to begin a new movement in the progress of civilization."
Horace Greeley was another important pioneer of the era. He launched his New York Tribune in 1841 and would rank third behind the Sun and Herald in daily circulation, but his weekly edition was circulated nationally and proved to be a great success. Greeley’s Tribune was not as sensational as its competitors. He used his editorial page for crusades and causes. He opposed capital punishment, alcohol, gambling and tobacco. Greeley also favored women’s rights. Greeley never talked down to the mass audience and attracted his readers by appealing to their intellect more than to their emotions.
The last of the major newspapers of the penny-press era began in 1851. The New York Times, edited by Henry Raymond, promised to be less sensational than the Sun or the Herald and less impassioned than Greeley. The paper soon established a reputation for objective and reasoned journalism. Raymond stressed the gathering of foreign news and served as foreign correspondent himself in 1859. The Times circulation reached more than 40000 before the Civil
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