The Gilded Age Press, 1865-1900

(Hardback)

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Description

American newspapers redefined journalism after the Civil War by breaking away from the editorial and financial control of the Democratic and Republican parties. Smythe chronicles the rise of the New Journalism, where pegging newspaper sales to market forces was the cost of editorial independence. Successful papers in post-bellum America thrived by catering to a mass audience, which increased their circulations and raised their advertising revenues. Still active politically, independent editors now sought to influence their readers' opinions themselves rather than serve as conduits for the party line.

Reviews

Though retaining some of its politically partisan heritage, the American press underwent a dramatic transformation in the post-Civil War years. Smythe presents a brief, sweeping survey of American journalism in the so-called Gilded Age. Each chapter examines the press in a specific time period and evaluates the changes that were taking place....Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.-Choice
"Though retaining some of its politically partisan heritage, the American press underwent a dramatic transformation in the post-Civil War years. Smythe presents a brief, sweeping survey of American journalism in the so-called Gilded Age. Each chapter examines the press in a specific time period and evaluates the changes that were taking place....Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty."-Choice

Author Bio

TED CURTIS SMYTHE is Professor of Communications Emeritus at California State University, Fullerton. He is co-editor of Readings in Mass Communication and numerous scholarly articles in journalism history.