The Changing Nature Of Popular Journalism In The Second Half Of The 19th Century

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Discuss the changing nature of popular journalism in the second half of the nineteenth century?

Northcliffe revolution, commercial journalism, new journalism, society journalism, and “massocratic journalism” are words generally ascribed to the emergence of popular journalism. Popular journalism can be defined as quick and cheap journalism, which appeased the whole population. Examples include tabloid newspaper companies such as the Pall Mall Gazette and the Daily Mail. Commercial journalism was a catalyst for the changing of news reporting in the Victorian era, where demand for newspapers increased to such an extent that by 1900 the Daily Mail had sold nearly 1 million copies, compared to The Times which only sold 40,000 in 1850. The 1870
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The technological advances argued by Engel and Wiener played a role as the industrial revolution allowed mass production of newspapers and quick transportation. Reuters and their use of the electric telegram changed the industry; popular journalism would through them was quicker and more efficient. Moreover, the technological advances allowed newspapers such as the Daily Mail to reach their potential through ensuring mass production and quick delivery. Wiener asserts the role of journalists evolved immensely as the profession grew and competition increased. This was, in part, because of the structural change of newspapers. Newspapers changed structurally because they changed as a business. Popular journalism began to include many new departments as owners would find new more profitable ways to run their business. Ralph calls popular journalism, commercial journalism because of this commercial change. Notwithstanding, the most significant change is the increase in literacy rates in this period. The 1870 Education Act allowed popular journalism to explode. Not only did it mean more people would now buy newspapers, but it also triggered journals such as the Daily Mail to tackle the whole population, rather than and just the upper and middle

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