MC 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Muckraker, Investigative Journalism, Erie Canal

• School: University of Alabama
• Department: Mass Communication
• Course: MC 101
• Professor: William J Gonzenbach

Document Summary

History of magazines: earliest magazines, shaped today"s magazines, provided political commentary, designed to make a profit, high quality literature, high literate and affluent audience, magazines reached america in the mid 1700"s. Four barriers: nature and dispersion of the population, economics of publishing, state of transportation and postal system. Economics: all work done by publisher, no national market. Transportation limitations: trips from ny to boston took 8 to ten days back then, imagine carrying loads of magazines while making that trips, made it silly to try and do this. Subscription: 315 dollars for a year"s subscription, would remain a medium for the elite only. Magazines in the 1800"s: population growth, urbanization, transportation growth, people are better educations, important issues arose civil war. Population growth: increased rapidly, due to immigration and acquired lands. Urbanization: less of a need to live on farms, city dwelling becomes popular, more cash, more education.