3 Advances in printing technology, such as the Fourdrinier paper-making machine and steam printing presses, were equally important, since they allowed for newspapers to be printed faster and more efficiently.Īt the beginning of the century, journalism in cities was dominated by the political and mercantile press, which tended to cater to particular groups of elite readers. 2 Some scholars also speculate that this expansion of the press was due to increased political participation of the working and middle classes, higher rates of literacy, and increased leisure time. According to one estimate, the total annual circulation of all newspapers between 18 doubled from 68 million to 148 million copies. 1 Many of the new urban papers that were founded in the 1830s and 40s reached unprecedented circulation numbers. In 1800 there were 200 newspapers being published in the United States. These changes both increased the demand for newspapers and facilitated their production. At the same time, the demographic structure of the country was changing rapidly, with the population spreading to the West and concentrating in cities. The introduction of the railroad and the telegraph greatly accelerated the transmission and dissemination of information. The first half of the 19th century brought dramatic changes in transportation and communications to the U.S.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |