Redefining Journalism in the Era of the Mass Press, 1880-1920

Book excerpt: At the turn of the 20th century, the significant social, political, and technological changes that were occurring in society also heralded new roles and functions for journalism as a profession and as an aspect of a burgeoning mass mediated society. Redefining Journalism in the Era of the Mass Press, 1880-1920 examines journalism’s roles, products, and practices during an era of rapid change and transformation, and how these changes within the field reflected broader social, political, economic, and technological changes. The era of the mass press was one within which the speed and impact of change both reflected and contributed to transformations in journalism – transformations that would endure until the rise of the Internet disrupted the field once again. This book was originally published as a special issue of Media History.