History of American journalism
could be said to begin in 1690, when Benjamin Harris
published the first edition of "Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick" in Boston. Harris intended
to publish a regular weekly newspaper along the lines of those that existed in London, but he did not get
prior approval and his paper was suppressed after a single edition. The first successful newspaper, The
Boston News-Letter, was published in 1704. This time, the founder was John Campbell, the local postmaster,
and his paper proclaimed that it was "published by authority."
In the following decades, master printers seeking a sideline published more newspapers in other large
port cities on the East Coast of North America, usually. Among them was James Franklin, founder of the
New England Courant
, where he employed his younger brother, Benjamin Franklin. Like many other
Colonial newspapers, it was aligned with party interests and did not publish balanced content. Ben Franklin
was first published in his brother's newspaper, under the pseudonym Silence Dogood, in 1722, and even his
brother did not know at first. Ben Franklin's pseudonymous publishing represented a common practice of
newspapers of that time of protecting writers from retribution from those they criticized.
Ben Franklin took over the
Pennsylvania Gazette
the following year. Ben Franklin expanded his
business by essentially franchising other printers in other cities, who published their own newspapers. By
1750, 14 weekly newspapers were published in the six largest colonies. The largest and most successful of
these could be published up to three times per week. By the 1770s, 89 newspapers were published in 35
cities.
Early theatrical notices may be followed in
The Virginia Gazette
, in Williamsburg, the old capital of
Virginia. Here
The Busy-Body
,
The Recruiting Officer
, and
The Beaux' Stratagem
were all performed, often
by amateurs, though professionals were known as early as 1716 in Williamsburg. Life in Williamsburg in
1736 had a more cosmopolitan quality than in other towns. A sprightly essay-serial called The Monitor,
which fills the first page of
The Virginia Gazette
for twenty-two numbers, probably reflects not only the
social life of the capital, but also the newer fashion in such periodical work. It is dramatic in method, with
vividly realized characters who gossip and chat over games of piquet or at the theatre.
The Beaux' Stratagem
,
which had been played in Williamsburg three weeks before, is mentioned as delightful enough to make one
of the ladies commit the indiscretion of giggling. The Monitor represents a kind of light social satire unusual
in the colonies.
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