Discovering the News: A Social History of American Newspapers Book

This is as the title suggests as history of American newspapers from the early days of independence when newspapers tended to be printed almost exclusively for commercial interests, e.g. shipping arrivals, departures & lading & local commercial messages. It details the successive interpretations of what purpose newspapers served & how journalism was defined which to a large extent consisted of the variation from "just the facts: who or what, where, & when" to the need for context & interpretation to the byline era with columnists & the star system. American newspapers were mainly influence by NYC's "penny press" of the early 19th Century & rellected the styles of such giants of journalism as Bennet, Pulitzer, Hearst, & Ochs. For many years, the New York Times has set the standard for American journalism.