Penny Press

1. Background

   A. Journalism before penny press

   1. aimed at elite
   2. small circulation
   3. expensive

   B. Characteristics of Penny Press

   1. price--1 cent
   2. distribution--sold by vendors
   3. politically independent
   4. expanded definition of news
   5. different story style
   6. sensationalistic
   
   
2. Why Penny press develops (Schudson)

   A. Arguments Schudson rejects

   1. technology argument
   2. literacy argument
   3. Natural history argument

   B. His argument: Democratic Market Society

   1. people had more political, economic stake in society
   2. mass society= mass media

3. Important Penny Papers

   A. New York Sun (1833)-- Benjamin Day

   1. First successful penny paper

   B. New York Herald (1835)-- James Gordon Bennett

   1. social reporting
   2. sports reporting
   3. financial reporting-- money article
   4. Moral War, 1840

   C. New York Tribune (1841)--Horace Greeley

   1. political paper
   2. forum for crusades and reforms

   D. New York Times (1851)-- Henry Raymond
   

   1. Brought respectability--got rid of sensationalism

4. Contributions of Penny Papers
   
   1. Brought in new class of readers
   2. expanded definition of news
   3. innovations in gathering news
   4. innovations in distribution