Chapter 1 – The Emergence of Newspaper as a Medium

This marks the start of the era of newspapers in which news dissemination was introduced to
the public. This occurrence fueled the thirst for the inclusivity and knowledge of the public to the
happenings inside the government. Furthermore, by the end of this era, the advancement of
newspaper production arose.

First Resource - "History of Publishing" an did not include any newspapers,

Article from Brittanica: properly defined. The nearest form was
the newssheet, which was not printed
● The Acta Diurna (“Daily Events”), a daily
but handwritten by official scribes and
gazette dating from before 59 BCE and
read aloud by town criers.
sometimes attributed in origin to Julius
● The Venetian republic set a precedent
Caesar. Handwritten copies of this early
by charging an admission fee of one
journal were posted in prominent places
gazeta to public readings of the latest
in Rome and in the provinces with the
news concerning the war with the
clear intention of feeding the populace
Ottoman Empire (1563), thus
official information. The typical Acta
recognizing a commercial demand for
Diurna might contain news of
news, even on the part of the illiterate
gladiatorial contests, astrological
omens, notable marriages, births and Second Resource - Introduction to Media
deaths, public appointments, and trials Literature; Media Literacy and Culture by
and executions. Stanley J. Baran:
● The regular bao, or reports of court
● During Julius Caesar’s reign, Rome had
affairs, circulated among the educated
a newspaper. The Acta Diurna (Actions
civil servants of Beijing for more than a
of the Day) and was written on a tablet.
thousand years (618–1911 CE).
It was then posted on a wall after each
● The increased output of books and
meeting of the Senate.” “It does show
pamphlets made possible by the
that people have always wanted to know
invention and further development of the
Gutenberg Printing Press around 1440’s

1
 what was happening and that others
have helped them to do so

Analysis:​

A general comparison between source 1 and source 2 is that some significant events by
Britannica were explained thoroughly than in Stanley Baran’s book. In Caesar’s era (59 BCE),
Britannica considered Acta Diurna as Daily News while Baran called it the Actions of the Day. This
“diurnal” contained every news and information that may concern the public such as the events that
took place in the Senate.

On the contrary, both sources stated different modes of dissemination; According to Britannica,
handwritten copies were posted in places such as the town plaza while Baran stated that every after
the Senate’s meeting, the Acta diurna was written on a tablet and was posted on a wall. The following
events were not stated in Source 2 but was still part of the advancement of the newspaper.

2
Chapter 2 – Early Newspapers in Britain and North America

After establishing the roots wherein newsprint media got its right to stand on, i.e. the movable printing
press of Gutenberg and the first true newspaper published in Germany: t​he Relation by Johan
Carollus​, it is imperative to continue onwards in this report towards discussing the major events that
shaped the image and the form that pervades the contemporary newspaper of today. These major
events regarding newspaper media, mostly occurred in Britain which had then spread towards one of
its colonies: America.

Below is the bulleted chronological organization of the important events that occurred in this
era.

In Britain

First Resource - "History of Publishing" an ● The Parliamentarian victory brought

Article from Brittanica: strict regulations upon the press
between 1642 to 1658, who were
● British Press made its debut in the early
restricted to just two official papers
1700s - news coverage was restricted to
● Period of the Licensing Act (1662 to
foreign affairs
1694), which gave the press the
● Unofficially the "first" ​Corantos
privilege to publish newspapers
newssheet printed in English named
● The Oxford Gazette, the first newspaper
Corante by a Dutch printer Nathaniel
of record, was founded 1665 - renamed
Butter (September 24, 1621)
to London Gazette months after
● Regular censorship of foreign news
● The Glorious Revolution occurred (1688
enforced by a decree made by the Court
to 1689) whose permissive regulations
of the Star Chamber (effective from
gave way to the formation of the first
1632 to 1638)
provincial presses: i.e., the Worcester
● The brief freedom of press between
Post Man (1690)
1641 to 1649 let the medium of the
● Lloyd's News appeared briefly, issued
newspaper mature from its book form
from Edward Lloyd's coffeehouse in
into a more headline and news heavy
1696, along Fleet Street.
format

3
 ● Lloyd's List and Shipping Gazette was ● In 1771, the right to publish political
produced starting from 1734 which then proceedings in the Parliament was
exemplified London's financial and press passed, by no short effort of the political
related businesses reformer John Wilkes
● Improvement in the Postal System after
Second Resource - Introduction to Media
1691 made daily publication practical
Literature; Media Literacy and Culture by
● The first daily newspaper - the Daily
Stanley J. Baran:
Courant was published (1702 to 1735),
● In 1620, a one-page news sheet about
a single-sheet compilation of foreign
specific events called ​Corantos were
Corantos
printed for the first time in English at
● The Triweekly Review (1704 to 1713),
Holland, which then got imported to
produced by Daniel Defoe, introduced
England
the editorial or leading article
● Englishmen Nathaniel Butter, Thomas
● The Daily Spectator (1711 to 1712) and
Archer, Nicholas Bourne began printing
Triweekly published The Tatler (1709 to
their own news sheets up until 1641 -
1711) was instrumental in standardizing
soonafter daily accounts of local news
the artistic news and comments typically
called ​diurnals​ were regularly published
seen in today's Contemporary News
● When the Parliament prevailed in the
● The Stamp Act (1712) was introduced to
political power struggle of the late
put an excise duty on advertisements at
1700s, the monarchy granted the only
one penny per whole sheet of newsprint,
publication privelege to the Oxford
which effectively curbed many
Gazette in 1665; this was later renamed
newspapers - including the Spectator
to London Gazette
● A new breed of English/British
newspapers offering advertising space
were standardized, the Daily Advertiser
(1730 to 1807) being one of them

Analysis:

4
The information in both resources converge in some points for example: the two is both in agreement
about the history of newspapers’ closest ancestor: the ​corantos and how appropriating these foreign
newssheets into English served as a big steppingstone towards the apex form of the newspaper. The
so-called ​diurnals mentioned by Baran (2011) in the book wasn’t mentioned in the article that was
worked upon by different writers of Brittanica, that being said, the article mentioned a brief period of
press freedom in between the abolishment of the Court of Star Chamber in 1641 and the
establishment of the Parliament in 1649 – this is the same time period that directly happened after the
three Englishmen stopped writing independent newssheets, after 1641, which is also right about
when ​diurnals​ started appearing in droves.

Another observation I’d like to share is the sheer amount of focus that Brittanica has on the
overall history of the media in Britain, Baran’s 2011 book pales in comparison, but this is completely
by design because the information in the book is a ​brief history of the media., a great difference with
Brittanica’s article. However, in no means is the book incomplete in terms of information, it is the
perfect overview to the article’s focused lens on the history. To further support this idea, the dates
that precedes the events in both resources does not vary with each other. Although some slight
discrepancies should be given leeway for both resources start in very different stances and time
frame regarding the events.

Both resources were already an amalgamation of different writers’ culminated historical

information, there was bound to be a difference in focus.

In America

First Resource - "History of Publishing" an Massachusetts within a day of the first

Article from Brittanica; publication
● Boston is also the birthplace of the first
● In 1690, Benjamin Harris attempted to
official newspaper in America, aptly
spearhead a monthly publication called
named: ​The Boston News-Letter
Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign
(170​4) which the authorities used as a
and Domestick ​– ​only to be
medium to convey news from London;
immediately halted by the governor of

5
 the name was later changed by ​James after its establishment which set the
Franklin into ​The Boston Gazette United States unto shaping popular
● James Franklin also produced the first newspaper worldwide
independent American newspaper – ​the
Second Resource - Introduction to Media
New England Courant​ in 1721
Literature; Media Literacy and Culture by
● The first New-York City newspaper
Stanley J. Baran:
established in ​1725 by Wiliam
● In 1690, Benjamin Harris printed his
Bradford is named the ​New-York
own broadsheet: ​Publick Occurrences
Gazette
Both Foreign and Domestick ​– a
● 37 unique publication titles were made
single-sheet print filled with
during the period of colony expansion,
announcements and accounts of events
following the outbreak of the American
from London, which only lasted a day
Revolution
contrary to the initial plan of continuous
● The Boston Tea Party established in
publication because of a ​lack in license
1773 was implied to have already been
and his critique of English dignitaries
formed in a back room of the ​Boston
● Boston postmaster ​John Campbell ​was
Gazette
successful in publishing his 1704
● Many city-based newspapers moved
Boston News Letter until the
from weekly to daily publication; the first
Revolution; this newsprint was
being the ​Pennsylvania Evening Post
instrumental in establishing the medium
in 1783​, which was renamed into
in the Colonies
Pennsylvania Packet and Daily
● In 1721, among Boston’s three
Advertiser​ in 1784
published papers – ​James Franklin’s
● The right to criticize the government was
New-England Courant ​was the first
duly established in 1735, ​after John
one to be published independent of the
Peter Zenger of the ​New-York Weekly
government
Journal was dismissed from his criminal
● James Franklin was later imprisoned for
libel case.
“scandalous libel’ of the Massachusetts
● The Alien and Sedition Acts that lasted
governor after the establishment of his
from ​1798 to 1801 got repealed soon

6
 publication, but came back in 1729 after of speech in any medium, including the
his dismissal and disappearance to save newspapers; this was named the ​Bill of
a failing newspaper: ​the ​Pennsylvania Rights’ First Amendment
Gazette ● In ​1798​, however, the ​Alien and
● New York Weekly’s J​ ohn Peter Zenger Sedition Acts was proposed and
was jailed for criticizing the Colony’s approved under the fear that
royal governor in 1734, but was newspapers will grow too powerful with
discharged with his seditious libel under its newfound freedom of press, in order
the help of his appointed attorney to prevent any labeled libelous content
Andrew Hamilton ​– establishing a to flourish
precedence in colonial newspaper ● The Alien and Sedition Acts were
freedom thankfully reconsidered by the congress
● After the Revolution succeeded and 2 years after its formation , in the year
produced a new government of the 1800
United States of America, in ​1790​, a
collection of laws would protect freedom

Analysis:

The focus in North America during this era didn’t really vary in both resources aside from slight term
usage differences and the first clear discrepancy in both resources – this is with the differing names
used in appointing who spearheaded the ​Boston News Letter,​ which for Baran’s book was John
Campbell in the year 1704. In the other hand, Brittanica’s article stated that ​Bartholomew Green was
the one that created the publication and James Franklin is the one who changed its name into the
Boston Gazette​ l​ater on. .

7
Chapter 3 – Era of Industrial Revolution

At the turn of the 19​th century, the printing press industry was confident to turn the page and take the
development of newspapers to the next level. It is now the era of industrial revolution—new kind of
audience, paper, and journalism.

Source 1: “History of Publishing” article from Britannica

● Disunity and political censorship ● The New York Sun existed in 1833 and
continued to restrict the German press, was considered as the first of the
although one independent daily, the inexpensive popular papers known as
Allgemeine Zeitung (Tübingen, 1798), the “penny press,” with its founder,
managed to achieve wide influence. Benjamin H. Day, successfully utilizing
Farther north in Sweden, despite the the demand for “human-interest” stories.
freedom of speech granted to the press ● In 1835 the New York Herald was
in 1766. founded as the first American
● In 1814, the steam-driven newspaper to proclaim and to maintain
“double-press” was introduced at The complete political independence. Its
Times in London, allowing output of publisher, James Gordon Bennett,
5,000 copies per hour. The announced that the Herald would
hand-operated wooden press was endeavor to record news, “with
further pushed into antiquation by the comments suitable, just, independent,
invention of the mechanical lead type, fearless and good-tempered,”
the Fourdrinier machine, and eventually ● The first signs of a popular press
the cylindrical rotary press in 1865. appeared with the founding in Paris of
● In South Africa a press law was passed La Presse (1836) by Émile de Girardin,
in 1828 to secure a modicum of who introduced new features and serials
publishing freedom, mainly through the to raise circulation as high as 20,000 to
efforts of the editor of the country’s first enable him to lower the price of his
paper, the South African Commercial newspapers.
Advertiser.

8
● In 1841 Horace Greeley introduced the his monthly Kaigai shimbun (“Overseas
New York Tribune-- the first of the many Newspaper,” 1865–66).
idealists and crusaders who were to ● In 1867, the downfall of the shogunate
occupy American newspaper offices. in the Meiji Restoration led to the
Several pieces in the Tribune displayed publication of more than a dozen
the proprietor’s fierce resistance to newspapers concerned with domestic
slavery and ultimately influenced opinion issues.
upon New York City. ● In 1870 the Yokohama Mainichi, the first
● Aspiring French authors could gain daily in Japan, was started; it was also
publicity for their literary talents in these one of the first to use lead type. Two
papers, especially when the Tanguy years later the Tokyo Nichi-Nichi
Law (1850) made it compulsory for them appeared as one of the first truly
to sign the articles they wrote. modern Japanese newspapers,
● In 1836 the Stamp Tax was lessened to although it regarded itself as virtually an
one penny and was abolished entirely in official gazette.
1855. This gradual recreation produced ● The Yomiuri Shimbun, one of the three
higher circulations for existing leading national dailies in modern
newspapers and inspired the publication Japan, was founded in Tokyo in 1874,
of new titles. and it soon gained a reputation as a
● The new freedoms, together with the “literary” newspaper.
spread of literacy, gave birth to ● The other two principal papers—the
important newspapers including Le Ōsaka Nippō (1876) and the Ōsaka
Figaro (Paris, 1854, daily from 1866), Asahi (1879)— are associated with two
Frankfurter Zeitung (1856, renamed of the fathers of modern Japanese
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), Le newspaper publishing, Murayama
Peuple (Brussels, date unknown), and Ryōhei (Asahi) and Motoyama Hikoichi
the Corriere della Sera (Milan, 1876). (Mainichi).
● The office translated items from ● By 1884 the introduction of electricity
newspapers of China, Hong Kong, and transformed machines to not only print
the United States as did Joseph Heko in

9
 but also cut, fold, and bind together ● In 1790, the new Constitution of the
newspapers of any size. United States adopted 10 amendments
● South Africa’s first Xhosa-language called the Bill of Rights after determining
newspaper, Imvo Zabantsundu (“African to what extent the free press should be
Opinion”), was founded and edited by tolerated.
John Tengo Jabavu (father of Davidson ● In 1798 due to the fear of foreigners
Don Tengo Jabavu) in 1884. sympathizing France, the Congress
● Ottmar Mergenthaler’s Linotype made a decree by passing the Alien and
machine introduced the automatic Sedition Act which sues illegal writing,
typesetting at the New York Tribune in printing, or publishing contents which
1886 and Britain at the Newcastle can serve as an offense to the
Chronicle in 1889. president, Congress, or the federal
government.
Source 2: Introduction to Mass
Communication: Media Literacy and Culture by
Stanley J. Baran

● Freedom’s Journal was the first African ● Eventually Horace Greeley’s New York
mass newspaper published in 1827 by Tribune entered the industry and
John B. Russwurm and the Reverend published non-sensational,
Samuel Cornish. issue-oriented, and humanitarian
● Benjamin Day’s New York Sun had its reporting which became a powerful
issue as the first of the penny papers in medium for social action.
1833. It’s filled with police and court ● Frederick Douglas’s North Star, founded
reports, crime stories, entertainment in 1847, challenged the editorial Policies
news, and human stories. of the New York Sun and became the
● Soon James Gordon Bennett’s New most influential African American
York Herald made an entrance. The newspaper before the Civil War.
Herald paper became more sensational ● Six large New York papers decided to
than Sun’s and has pioneered the share expenses collecting news from
correspondent system.

10
 foreign ships docking at the city’s harbor ● After the Civil War came the Chicago
in 1848. Defender in 1905 by Robert Sengstacke
● In 1856 the papers established the first Abbott, which ought to encourage
news-gathering organization, the New southern Black people to move north.
York Associated Press. ● Daily newspaper subscriptions started
● In 1883, the New York World was getting doubled as the ad revenues
bought by a Hungarian immigrant, tripled from 1910 to the beginning of
Joseph Pulitzer. The paper covered World War II.
social problems as he took the populist
approach to the news.
Analysis​:

The main thing one would notice when comparing the two sources, is how different the two are
when it comes to showing the details of events. It is adamant that Britannica revealed all the nook
and cranny in terms of events worldwide, while the second source showed only the significant
events, mainly the history of newspapers in the United States.

Another thing is how the first source provided all the dates necessary, while the book of Baran
used the profound method that could lead the readers to confusion of order.

Both sources go hand in hand, and none provided faulty information, but it is clear that the article
from Britannica is more informative than the book of Baran.

11
Chapter 4 – The Contemporary Newspaper

The industrial era accelerated the movement of newspapers’, be it with the dissemination to a
wider audience or the content that lies therein, it is natural to move up into the peak of the medium’s
form that incorporated various tactics of journalism apt for the new age of information and occasional
warfare that precedes the late 1900s and early 2000s it was conceived in.

The following are historical events and figures that proved to have possessed monumental
importance in newspaper’s overall historical run.

First Resource - "History of Publishing" an tensions between the US and Spain

Article from Brittanica: which stirred the country to hysteria.
● In 1896, investor Adolph S. Ochs
● Ottmar Mergenthaler's Linotype
acquired The New York Times and
machine in 1886 allowed existing
re-established it as the city’s leading
newspapers to increase substantially
serious journal, promoting responsible
their production and circulation.
journalism.
● In 1890s, the emergence of the “press
● By 1900, there were half a dozen
baron" proved that newspapers were
well-known newspaper favors in United
becoming part of the masa-market
States.
industry with increasing importance of
● The British press was slower to emerge
advertisement revenue and usage of
but took a turning point in 1855 when
unorthodox methods to win more
stamp tax was abolished.
readers.
● By 1861, sales of the Daily Telegraph
● Between 1880 and 1900, the number if
had risen to a daily average of 130,000.
American newspaper titles more than
● The Telegraphs daily circulation
doubled from 850 to nearly 2,000.
exceeded 240,000 by 1877, then the
● In 1898, William Randolph Hearst's
highest in the world.
Morning Journal published exaggerating
● The circulation on “war of the tabs" that
stories and editorials about the political
broke out in New York City in 1920s was
copied in Britain in the 1930s.

12
● By 1934, newspapers in general ● Although newspapers had traditionally
acquired 1.5 million new readers. counted on the income from
● the first signs of technology’s potential subscriptions and newsstand
for change came in the 1930s, when purchases, it became increasingly
Walter Morey developed the evident that advertising was a
Teletypesetter. This machine was an newspaper’s primary source of profit.
improvement on the telegraph, which
Second Resource - Introduction to Media
was widely used by reporters in the field
Literature; Media Literacy and Culture by
and by the wire services, such as
Stanley J. Baran:
Reuters and Associated Press, to send
● In 1883 Hungarian immigrant Joseph
news items in draft form to editorial
Pulitzer bought the troubled ​New York
offices miles away.
​ e brought an activist style of
World. H
● In 1946 the first techniques of
coverage to numerous social problems.
photocomposition were developed. With
● In 1895 William Randolph Hearst
this method of typesetting, the images of
applied Pulitzer’s successful formula to
pages are prepared for the printer
his ​San Francisco Examiner.
photographically, as on a photocopier,
● The industry that provides newspapers
instead of in lines of metal type.
were different from the ones that
● Technological advances were
produced it before television became a
accelerated in the 1970s, especially
dominant medium.
through the introduction of computers
● When newspapers prosper financially, it
and computer programs that were
is because advertisers recognize their
tailor-made for the newspaper publisher.
worth as an ad medium. Newspapers
● In the 1960s, increased competition
account for the 19% of all advertising in
from television news programming and
the United States totaling $49.3 billion in
a climate of rising production
2006.
costs—especially, some believe, those
● The internet damaged the newspapers
driven by powerful labor unions—forced
financially on advertising business.
many newspapers to consolidate or
cease publication.

13
 Online classified advertising sites rivaled
the newspaper advertising business.

Analysis:

Information about the status of the contemporary presses pervaded the book of Baran in terms of
focus, as is the theme from the beginning, all the way from Chapter 1, but what is also consistent is
the synchronous nature of both resources in terms of filling each other’s insufficiency in information.
An excellent example of this is when William Randolph Hearst’s accomplishments and actions were
introduced much earlier in the book where it was dated 1895 when William appropriated Pulitzer’s
successful format in writing to his own publication the ​San Fransico Examiner. Three years later in
the year 1898, according to Brittanica’s article, Randolph Hearst would go ahead and write
outrageous and eye-catching articles about the political tensions between US and Spain – resulting in
nationwide hysteria. Due to both this information, we can conclude that Pulitzer’s writing formula was
instrumental in creating the hysteria inducing articles that Randolph dreamt up.

This kind of speculations are only possible with the synthesis of both these resources, who is a
culmination of different sources of information to begin with.

14
Chapter 5 – Origin of the Local Newspaper: 1521-1986

Upon dwelling within the nation’s history, it is to one’s gain plenty of accounts have been made
to witness how the Philippines made it to political freedom and independence.

This comprehensive history of Philippine communication would show the development of traditional or
folk media, starting from the pre-Spanish period to the development of mass media infrastructure
(print and broadcast) and new information technology. Although most of the events were provided
specific dates, some significant parts were undated.

The Spanish Colonial Rule (1521-1898)

● The first newspaper in the Philippines called ​Del Superior Govierno took place in the
year 1811. The paper was entirely focused on the events which only featured Spain; the
Spanish Governor General himself was the publisher and editor.

● La Esperanza (1846), the first daily newspaper, was not entirely different from the
previous, but it dealt with non-controversial subjects such as religion, science, and
history.

● The best edited newspaper, ​Diario de Manila (​ 1860) which was edited by Felipe del Pan
and published by the Ramírez y Compañía, was restrained by the Governor General for
trying to stimulate the Filipinos to rebel against Spaniards.

● La Solidaridad,​ the mouthpiece of the revolution and the fortnightly organ of the
Propaganda Movement, was published in Spain in 1889. It had the policy “to work
peacefully for social and economic reforms, to expose the real plight of the Philippines,
and to champion liberalism and democracy.”

● The first local publication ​El Ilocano and the first publication for and by women, ​El Hogar
was published in 1893.

● One example of newspapers advocated for political reforms was ​Kalayaan (Liberty), the
only issue of which was published 1898. It served as the official organ of the
revolutionaries.

15
 ● La Independencia (​ 1898), was the most widely read newspaper of the revolution. Other
newspapers were ​La Libertad​ (1898), and ​El Heraldo de Iloilo​ (1898).

The American Colonial Period (1898-1946)

● The introduction of new newspapers was published mostly by American journalists: The
Manila Times (1898), The Bounding Billow and Official Gazette (1898), Manila Daily
Bulletin (1900), and the Philippine Free Press (1908). Some of these publications are
still with us today.

● In 1920, The Philippine Herald, a pro-Filipino newspaper, came out.

● Other nationalistic newspapers during the period did not last long due to American
suppression. Among these were El Nuevo Dia (The New Day) published in Cebu and El
Renacimiento. But the most popular among the masa was the Tagalog newspaper
Sakdal which attacked regressive taxes, big government, and abusive capitalists and
landlords — issues which remain relevant today.

Japanese Occupation (1941-1945)

● When World War II broke out, all publications except those used by the Japanese were
disbanded. Only the Manila Tribune, Taliba, and La Vanguardia were allowed to publish
under regular censorship by the Japanese Imperial Army.

● However, Filipinos during the period were not left without an “alternative” media.
Underground “newspapers”, mostly typewritten or mimeographed, proliferated to
provide the people with counter information.

The Golden Age of Philippine Journalism

● The post-war era to pre-martial law period (1945-1972) is called the golden age of
Philippine journalism. The Philippine press began to be known as “the freest in Asia.”

16
 ● In 1952, the National Press Club was organized “to promote cooperation among
journalists and uphold press freedom and the dignity of journalists.”

● In 1964, the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) was organized “to foster the development
and improvement of journalism in the country.”

The Marcos Years: Controlled and Alternative Press

● When martial law was declared on September 21, 1972, the first order issued by the
late President Ferdinand E. Marcos was the “take over and control of all privately
owned newspapers, magazines, radio and television facilities and all other media
communications.” Of the pre-martial law papers, only the Daily Express and Bulletin
Today (Manila Bulletin) were allowed to re-open.

● A new newspaper, Times Journal, was allowed to open one month after the
proclamation. These newspapers were later to be known as “establishment press.”

● To counter propaganda churned out by the pro-government private media and the
government’s own media infrastructure, the so-called alternative press emerged in the
1980s. These were a handful of tabloid newspapers and some radio stations which
defied government instructions on how to handle news stories (despite constant
harassment and intimidations).

● In addition to the alternative press, the people also opted for samizdat or xerox
journalism. These were news clippings, mostly from foreign publications, censored for
mass dissemination by the regime, which provided an accurate reading of
developments in the country. Many of these articles were written by Filipinos working
for the foreign news services.

● The nationalistic fervor was also strongly manifested among the youth through campus
publications which have taken an activist stand on national issues. Notable among
them were the Philippine Collegian of UP-Diliman, Ang Malaya of the Philippine
College of Commerce (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines),Pandayan of

17
 Ateneo de Manila University, Ang Hasik of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
and Balawis of Mapua Institute of Technology.

● Women journalists proved to be equally if not more daring than men in their writing.
Even the emergence of the so-called alternative press came about essentially through
the efforts of women editors and journalists. Several women journalists were subjected
to harassment, threats and intimidation by the military. Among these courageous
women journalists were Eugenia D. Apostol, Betty Go-Belmonte, Letty Magsanoc,
Arlene Babst, Ninez Cacho Olivares, Domini Torrevillas, Melinda de Jesus, Tina
Monzon Palma, Malou Mangahas, Sheila Coronel, and Ceres Doyo.

● Among the outstanding heroes during the struggle against the Marcos regime was
Joaquin “Chino” Roces, publisher o​f the pre-martial law The Manila Times ​and
regarded as the ​Grand Old Man of Philippine journalism.

References:

● Baran, S. J. (2010). Introduction to mass communication: media literacy and culture / Stanley
Baran. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
● Tuazon, R. R. (n.d.). The Print Media: A Tradition of Freedom. Retrieved from
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-disseminationsc
d/communication/the-print-media-a-tradition-of-freedom/
● Unwin, G., & Unwin, P. S. (2019, September 19). Newspaper publishing. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/publishing/Newspaper-publishing

18
 ​MAGAZINE
Timeline of Development
1729 ​-​Ben Franklin​’s Pennsylvania Gazette
1741​ ​- ​American Magazine​(Monthly View of
the Political State of the British Colony),
General Magazine, and Historical Chronicle
are the first recorded American magazines.
1741 – 1794​ -​45 new​American magazines
appear
1821​ ​-​Saturday Evening Post ​was launched,
ushering in the era of general interest
magazines.
1828 ​–​Sarah Joseph Hale​began editing
Ladies’ Magazin​e, the first women’s magazine.
1860 ​- Harper’s Weekly introduced visual news
with Civil War illustrations.
1879​ ​- Congress gave discount postal rates to
magazine.
1899 ​- Gilbert Grosvenor introduced
photographs in National Geographic.
1902​ - Ida Tarbell wrote a muckraking series
on Standard Oil in McClure’s.
1906​ - Cosmopolitan’s “Treason of the Senate”
as part of muckraking was published.
1910​ - Crisis in magazine industry came.
1914​ - Audit of Bureau of Circulations founded
1922​ - DeWitt and Lila Wallace founded
Reader’s Digest.
1923​ - Henry Luce ad Briton Hadden founded
Time, the first newsmagazine
1924 ​- Harold Ross founded the New Yorker
and introduced the modern Personality profile.
193​6​- Henry Luce founded Life and coined the
term photo essay.
1939​ - NBC unveils TV at World’s Fair
1960 ​- Oversized general magazines, including
life, folded as advertisers moved to network
television.
1962​ - Hugh Hefner introduced the modern
question-and-answer format in Playboy.
1969​ - Saturday Evening Post Closes
1971 ​- Look closes
1972​ - Life closes
1994​ - Salon goes online
2005-​ Salon reaches profitability
2007​ - Slate’s 1​st​ full year of profitability
2009​ - Gourmet and other 368 other
magazines close
1996 ​- Time Warner created the Pathfinder
website for its magazines
19
Colonial Period

● American Magazine of Andrew Bradford was the first publication of magazine in 1741
according to Joseph A. Dominick’s book “The Dynamics of Mass Communication”; however, it
was also claimed in the book that Benjamin Franklin was the first to announced his plans to
start a magazine name ​General Magazine but unfortunately, his competitor, Bradford just got
wind of his idea. Furthermore, both publications carried political and economic articles which
were intentionally designed for intelligent readers in 13 colonies and influence public opinion;
but because of financial problems eventually withdrawn. Another Bradford (William) of
Philadelphia attempted to publish a political and economic magazine with a little humor when
he published ​American Magazine​ and ​Monthly Chronicle​ in 1757. (pp. 21-22)
● In Stanley Baran’s book “Introduction to Mass Communication 7​th ed”, he stated that by the
mid-1700s, the favorite medium of British elite was magazines. In the year ​1741​, without the
untold story, he featured American Magazine of Andrew Bradford and Benjamin Franklin’s
General Magazine as first published American Magazines. (p. 118)

After the Revolution, the Magazine Boomed

● The birth of modern newsmagazine that contained a mix of political and topical articles for
educated elite was made during the late 18​th and early 19​th centuries; one of the most read was
Niles Weekly Register t​ hat reports current events of the time.
● The Port Folio of Joseph Dennie was one of the most influential because aside from politics,
Dennie interspersed theatre review, satirical essays, travelogues and even jokes unlike the
past publications that requires intelligence. Between the year 1820 and 1840, established
magazines ​Knickerbocker​ , ​Graham’s Magazine and ​Saturday Evening Post were written for
the generally literate middle class.
● Articles on fashion, morals, diets, and health was a hit during this time, in ​1830’s ​Godey’s
Lady’s Book, the growing social and economic importance of women was illustrated and it
was followed by ​Peterson’s Ladies National Magazine​ in 1842.
● In the year 1850​, Harper’s Monthly presented a magazine with elaborate woodcut illustration
with its articles that were in double-sized issues. After seven years, the magazine was
instituted and became famous for its illustrations of the Civil War. (Dominick, pp 122-123)
● On the other hand, Stanley Baran introduced modern era of magazine as mass circulation era
in which began during the Civil War years, Recognition of women’s magazine, widespread
literacy, ​Postal Act of 1879 – that allowed mailing magazines at cheap second-class postage
rates – and spread of railroad that carried people and publication westward from the East
coast was some of the remarkable phenomenon of the time. (pp 118-119)
● Magazines did not only serve as a platform of daily information, news and entertainment but it
woke up the consciousness of many people by muckraker’s magazines as well. Both Dominick
and Baran claimed that ​muckraking​ era was an important event of the time.

20
 ● Dominick featured ​Ida M. Tarbell’s exposé of ​Standard Oil Company in her ​McClure’s.​
Behind the innocuous title, the article contained big revelations about bribery, fraud, unfair
business practices, and violence; because of the initiation of Tarbell, other magazine’s
crusades and exposé followed, explained Dominick. (pp 123-124) For as Baran, he highlighted
the strong attitude of muckrakers against Theodore Roosevelt by writing and publishing
muckraking magazines (p.119)

Between the Wars

● Only Dominick has highlighted the period of between the wars of magazine history. There were
three distinct types of magazine evolved in the years between World War I and World War II
according to Joseph Dominick and these were: (1) ​the digest​, (2) ​the newsmagazine​, and (3)
the pictorial magazine​.
● Reader’s Digest in 1922 is the finest example of digest genre because the articles from earlier
published magazines were condensed and edited for the benefit of readers in a hurry. Even
though newsmagazine was prior introduced in 19th century; ​Time borrowed some idea from its
predecessors and maintained the original concept of distillation and compartmentalization of
news under different departments. In addition, news was reported through narrative style;
group journalism was also introduced wherein combined efforts of writers, reporters, and
editors produced anonymous articles; larger research department was established; and
informal writing style was started to use.
● Furthermore, in mid-1930’s, ​Life and Look magazines revived the Harper’s and Leslie’s
tradition of pictorial weekly. Remarkably, when ​Life was launch in 1936, it already gained
almost a quarter of million subscribers before it even had a name. Photo essays, caught
unguarded public figures, occasional glamour shots and articles about arts were some of the
features of the magazine. In 1937, ​Look ​hit the newsstand; it concentrated more on
personalities and features and over the years, it evolved into a family-oriented magazine but
eventually expired in 1972. (pp. 124-125)

Post-war Period

● To be profitable, publishers firmly believed that magazine should be specialized. Market for
different subjects was made during this period such as sports magazines like ​Sports Afield
and ​Scientific American from the field of science; liberalized attitudes toward sex caused the
publication of ​Confidential (1952) and ​Playboy (1953). Expansion of ​black magazine took
place during 1950’s and it was the most significant development of black press. (Dominick, p.
125)

● Magazines competing to the rising career of television were the problem emphasized by Baran
which caused the idea of having specialization in magazine to attract readers. Baran further
explained that World War II changed the nature of American life; the readers or
product-consuming public became less interested to traditional publication because of
wide-array of personal interest. (p.121)

21
The Contemporary Magazine

● Along with economic growth and development of technologies, increasing cost of publication
and declining of advertising revenue was the reason seen by Dominick behind numerous
magazines that had forced shut down. He further said that finding hot and current topic and
quickly launching a magazine to capitalize on it was one of the ways how magazine survived
the tough year; however, when the craze of people faded, magazine s circulation will be
affected as well. (pp125-126)
● While Baran featured the process and importance of internet in the field of magazine industry.
He pessimistically views development of online magazines in a more fruitful development for
the future.

Local Magazine

● 1904​- The first magazine in the Philippines was established

● 1808​- Robert McCulloch Dick, a former editor at the Manila Times, bought each paper for a
peso and his 8000 life savings as operating capital. It was released but still bi-lingual (English
and Spanish) publication; despite of that, it became a weekly magazine up until World War II
● 1919​- Editorial Cartoon for the coming election was published.
● 1923​- First Filipino issued magazine was the Liwayway by Ramon Roces, son of Alejandro
Roces Sr., which he co-edited with the novelist Severino Reyes
● Liwayway​ - “dawn”, “new beginning” was actually a re-issue of the less popular Photo News
● Photo News​ was written in three languages; English, Spanish and Tagalog was published
fortnightly, and contained news, essays, prose and poetry but other customer wants only one
language they read, this is one reason why Liwayway before failed in publication industry. So,
after the failure they come up with one language which is Tagalog.
● “Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang​” of Severino Reyes appeared regularly in magazine.
● Photo engraving was used to print out photos (Black and White), however, because of the
quality of the output they tried to draw and paint manually.

ADDITIONAL INFO :

● Magazine comes from an ​Arabic word meaning 'storeroom,​' so the usage of the word to
refer to a place where ​bullets are held for a gun or where ammunition is kept in a battleship.
● from Middle French magasin "​warehouse, depot, store"​.
● from Khazana ​"to store up."
● "Periodical journal"​ which was so called from earlier use of the word for a printed list of
military stores and information, or in a figurative sense, from the publication being a
"storehouse" of information.
● Muckraker were journalist and novelists from Progressive Era who sought to expose the
misdeeds like corrupt practices in big business and government. ​Ida Tarbell and Ida B. Wells
were two of the leading muckrakers of the late 19th and early 2000 centuries.
● Playboy Magazine-​ introduced the “centerfold”.

22
 ● Alejandro Roces, Sr.​, “Grandfather of Philippine Journalism” , talibu (tagalog), La Vanguardia
(Spanish), Tribuhe (English) and Japanese Period

HISTORY OF BOOKS
Local
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) published an article c​alled Books and
Bookmaking in the Philippines written by Rosa M. Vallejo, a member of the
Execom-Committee on Libraries and Information Services of the agency. Here are the highlights
of how books in the country evolved in terms of printing and writing system.
● The First Printing Press in the Philippines
The Spaniards brought the Roman alphabet and the first printing press in the Philippines
because they noticed that Filipinos love reading and writing that they use plants as their
papers. The first book in the country is ​Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Espanola y Tagala​.
Based on the letter of then Governor Perez Dasmariñas to the King of Spain d​ated 20 June
1593​, informing him that because of great need he has granted a license for the printing of two
Doctrinas – one in the Tagalog language and the other in Chinese.
● T​he First Moveable Type
In 1602, the first moveable type book is the​Libro de Nuestra Senora del Rosario en lengua
y letra de Filipinas​. It was printed in Binondo by ​Fr. Francisco Blancas de San Jose.
● Tomas Pinpin
He is the first Filipino printer and called the “​Patriarch of Filipino Printers”. ​The Chinese
artisans taught him the art of printing. His works were ​Arte y Reglas de la Lengua ​Tagala
(1610) and the ​“Librong Pag-aaralan nang mga Tagalog nang Uicang Castila” (1610)
printed in Bataan. Pinpin printed also in Pila, Laguna (1613) and at Binondo, Manila
(1623-1627).
● Two Outstanding Printing Press in the Country
The ​Cacho Hermanos (formerly known as Chofre y Cia​) started in 1880 and printed
religious and political materials. Salvador Chofre was the first lithographic printer in the
country. The name change occurred when Jesus Cacho bought the publishing house in 1927
and up until now, it is still in operation.
The other one is the ​Carmelo and Bauermann set up by two distinguished Europeans, Don
Eulalio Carmelo y Lakandula, artist-engraver, and William Bauermann, German lithographer
and cartographer working with the Bureau of Forestry at the time. It is the biggest and oldest
commercial printing press in the country.

23
Foreign
● Codex
As stated by Dyer (2010), in 200 B.C., the Greeks and Romans started bounding wax tablets
at one end and called it “codex”. These were framed and backed using wood and joined
together with thongs and cords. This is relative to what Dreyfuss (2016) said, adding that the
codex is considered as the earliest object people think of as a book because previously,
reading materials were written on Sumerian clay tablets and Egyptian Papyrus scrolls that
were not bound to each other like books nowadays.
● The Invention of Paper
With all the things labeled “Made in China” today, this is their first game changer. The first
paper was invented by ​Cai Lun in 105 A.D. using bark, hemp, old rags, and fish nets (Dyer,
2010). This innovation spread throughout the world mainly because it’s cheaper and more
compact. Dreyfuss (2016), however, stated that the birth of paper occurred in 179-41 B.C. in
China. She described it as the material that spread in Europe and replaced parchment or skin
printing that was popular at the time.
● Illustrations Added
According to Dyer (2010), Muslim and European cultures started adding illustrations in their
handwritten manuscripts during 400-600 A.D. They detailed it with gold, silver, and colors that
showed design elements. This is a step up from just letters written on books, now drawings are
gracing the pages as we read, adding pieces to our imagination. The other source did not give
any information on this topic.
● The First Printed Book
As stated in Dyer’s work (2010), China printed the first book in 868 A.D. and they did it with
paper and a block of wood that had characters carved in reverse. This is called ​“block
printing​” and was formerly used to print on cloth. The other source did not give any
information on this topic.
● The Movable Type
In Dreyfuss’ video (2016), China invented the movable type around 1045-1058 A.D. and this is
in contrary with Dyer’s work (2010) that said it was created earlier-1041 A.D. The movable type
is the system of printing using moveable components in Chinese characters. These letters,
however, caused problems since they are too lengthy. The European version was more
successful because of its limited alphabet.
● The First Printing Press
Another date mix-up: Dyer (2010) said Johannes Gutenberg developed the first printing press
in 1440 A.D., a century earlier from Dreyfuss (2016) saying it was in the 15​th century. Anyway,
this catalyzed the printed words in books and it is believed to have ousted the ruling class and

24
 an elite class of monks from controlling the production of texts. This caused messages to
spread more easily and constant production of copies. Also, printing houses started popping
up all over Europe. The first book printed using this new printing press is the Gutenberg Bible
which is hailed for its artistic and aesthetic qualities.
● Nicolas Jenson
In 1470, he invented two Roman font styles that led to thousands of others (Dreyfuss, 2016).
We have him to thank for all the crazy yet stylish fonts that we are using either formally or
aesthetically. The other source did not give any information on this topic.
● Modern Times in Books
The first steps in designing the books we have today started in the 1500s when they started
having covers, then converted to cheaper ones called paperbacks, when they whitened the
pages using chlorine in 1774, and used paper jackets in 1832 (Dyer, 2010). These are the
characteristics that we are currently seeing in physical books we have today. The other source
did not give any information on this topic.
● Dime Novels
Since books were expensive because of how they were made, people had to think of a way to
make them more affordable due to its growing popularity. In Dyer’s work (2010), she
mentioned that “dime novels” were printed in 1860 using cheap and coarse paper. The other
source did not give any information on this topic.
● Pocket Books
Another success story was the start of the production of pocket books in 1939. A publisher
named ​Robert de Graff thought of making copies of already successful titles using paperback
covers and in a more compact size, calling it pocket books. Readers immediately became fans
of pocket books because it is only sold for ​25 cents ​(Dyer, 2010). The other source did not
give any information on this topic.
● Inception of Technology
While the modern times have established a staple in book publishing, technology came with a
lot more options. The ​CD-ROM form in 1986​, online selling of books in 1995, electronic books
launched in 2001-2006, the Amazon kindle in ​2007, and “BookSnap” in 2008 (Dyer, 2010).
While some people find this innovation more convenient, accessible, and “handy”, Dreyfuss
(2016) leaves people with a series of hypothetical questions:

“As the book evolves and we replace bound texts with flat screens and electronic ink, are these
objects and files really books? Does the feel of the cover or the smell of the paper add
something crucial to the experience? Or does the magic live only within the words, no matter
what their presentation?”

25
References:
● Dreyfuss, J. (2016, June 13). ​The evolution of the book ​[Video]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YqYtdPUis4&fbclid=IwAR1Z3GrMseTtlIeOBd0YnX
wN61RgaFItNRLQd_FkH4d6l1m5G7KqfoP5d8Y.
● Dyer, S. (2010). Evolution of the book. Retrieved February 6, 2020, from
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5452b6dae4b0c4d5c0fc9721/t/54f886f2e4b0e9
aec8275be7/1425573618947/Dyer%2C+Sarah%E2%80%94Evolution+of+the+Book.pdf?
fbclid=IwAR12YYIdEfrGcTtuporcKZXaUH6Kp4cmntFJ-yHYd4qmQCRxbCWfFz4IHaQ.
● Vallejo, R. (n.d.) ​Books and bookmaking in the Philippines​. ​https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-
3/subcommissions/subcommission-on-cultural-heritagesch/libraries-and-information-
services/books-and-bookmaking-thephilippines/?fbclid=IwAR1wwFTghYkxOAFTMFMiAY
teqRleoMfVUELxrHCq0sj3x0GvRHRFQbBRo6g.

26