History of journalism in the United States Book

Stephens, Mitchell. A History of News: From the Drum to the Satellite. (New York, New York: Viking Penguin Inc, 1988).
One of my favorite phrases that is used here in Hawaii is "Talking Story." The idea that people get together and talk to eachother about what is going on in their communities, states, and the world dates back to the earliest of times. This exchange of information can be found everywhere in the world. As technology continues to advance, our ability to inform ourselves and others of what is "going on" also continues to advance. Mitchell Stephens book, A History of News: From the Drum to the Satellite, tackles the topic of "News" from "talking story" to CNN.
In his acknowledgments Stephens says, "I spent much of my time, as this book was researched and written, delighting in the work of two or three millennia of newsmongers. My first debt is to them." His acknowledgment of newsmongers, or those who thirst after or desire to know news, gives the reader a glimpse at what the book is ultimately about, people. Stephens mentions often in his book the desire that people have to share news with others and to hear news. The book analyzes the spreading of information and defines news as, "new information about a subject of some public interest that is shared with some portion of the public." He attempts to tackle the topic of "News" history and, by using this definition of news, the book has a very broad subject matter. The author realizes the collosal amount of subject matter but emphasizes that, "this is an interpretive rather than an exhaustive history."
The book in is divided into six sections, spoken news, written news, printed news, newspapers, reporting, and electronic news. The book is mostly chronological in its analysis of the news except for the chapter on the spoken news, which uses the work of anthropologist Raymond Firth among the people of Tikopia. Firth lived among the people of Tikopia and noted that "speech was virtually the only form of communication available." Even though the example that Stephens uses for spoken news is recent it gives us an idea of how the spreading of news was done before the development of writing. Within each section are a number of chapters totaling fifteen. The final chapter is entitled, "A Surfeit of Data." This reviewer had to find the definition of the word surfeit to really understand the meaning. According to dictionary.com the word surfeit means, "excess; an excessive amount" the word is often used in reference to overindulgence of eating or drinking. The author speaks of an excessive amount of data and the consequences of this excess of news.
Throughout the book the author emphasizes the need that humans have to share news with one another. Each chapter has a title then a little quote underneath the title that can be very revealing. In his first chapter entitled, "The Thursty Desyer That All Our Kynde Hath to Know," the author quotes Joseph Addison from 1712, "There is no Humour in my Countrymen, which I am more enclined to wonder at, than their general Thirst after News." This thirst after news is a common thread that holds all the chapters and, from Stephens' point of view, people together. Stephens gives multiple accounts throughout the book of people desiring to know what is happening in the world, from the chief of the village of Uta in tikopia to Cicero , from King Louis XVI to "victims of the newspaper strike of 1945." The author notes the innate desire to know what is happening in all of humankind. This particular viewpoint gives the reader an opportunity to connect with those from the past in a way that many books fail to do.
Another common thread that is found throughout the book is the principle of sensationalism in the spreading of news. Stephens discusses in his introduction that, "journalism critics will accomplish little if they persist in believing that news was thoughtful, quiet and retiring before being led astray by the liks of Rupert Murdoch." The author recognizes the sensationalism at the turn of end of the 19th century with Pullitzer and Hearst, which many look at as the true beginning of sensationalism, but Stephens even goes back further in history to note the use of sensationalism in 1690 with the publication of "Publick Occurrences." Throughout the book examples of sensational stories are examined, Stephens notes that journalism critics often criticize the the journalists "mindless readiness to seek out conflict" and novelty. To which the author notes that if it is not novel it is not news and if it does not catch the attention of its hearers, readers, or viewers it will be ignored.
Mitchell Stephens' book A History of News is a fascinating book that connects the reader to the subject matter in a very unique way. This book is directed to a more mature audience which is why it is found on the syllabus of many graduate courses. Individual chapters or headings within the chapters could be assigned to undergraduate students but the entire book may be better saved for seniors or graduate students. The endnotes are extensive, not only giving the citations but often a brief explanation of the source, allowing the researcher to be introduced to a myriad of primary sources. I enjoyed the authors analyses of the history of news and his "prophecies" as to how the news would be shared and received in the future. The book is a fascinating in depth study of a topic that is shared by all of humankind and I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in journalism or media.