Week 1: Welcome, Journalism Historians!

 Gutenberg unveiled the printing press in 1440. (North Wind Picture Archive) 

You could not have picked a more fascinating time to study the history of a fascinating profession. Legacy news organizations, from The New York Times to ESPN, are facing stiffer competition for money and readers. Online news sources, from TheHill.com to TMZ.com, continue to offer more and more specialized content to capture niche readers and their loyalty. Social media platforms, from Twitter to Facebook, are increasingly becoming the prime sources of news — and "fake news" — for younger generations.

How in the world did we get here?
 
Journalism’s role in helping democracy function is sometimes forgotten amid the clamor of partisan debate and the messy nature of the news business. Hence, we will examine the crucial role of journalism in shaping American history and society. You will take skillful possession of your power as citizens by becoming perceptive news consumers. To that end, we will learn to recognize the differences between news and propaganda, news and opinion, bias and fairness, assertion and verification, and evidence and inference.

Along the way, you will be introduced to the major issues and themes in the history of journalism. The course will trace substantial changes in the practice of journalism and the key instances in which the practice of journalism brought change to America. Students will learn the most important eras in journalism history and the prevailing business models in each.

JOU1300 is your passport to a different time, a different era, a different way of seeing the world through the lens of journalism. Be here, be curious and be a better journalist for knowing this history. See you in class!