Lessons from the Past: Journalists' Live and Work, 1850-1950

by Fedler, Fred

• ISBN13: 9781577660675
• ISBN10: 1577660676
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-06-01
• Publisher: Waveland Pr Inc

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Introduction	1	(1)
Journalism's Lure	2	(1)
The Starting Date: 1850	3	(2)
The Ending Date: 1950	5	(2)
Corporate Ownership	6	(1)
Newsrooms and Reporters	7	(1)
Reporters' Indispensable Role	7	(1)
Endnotes	8	(3)
Journalists' Characteristics	11	(26)
Journalists' Reputation	12	(2)
Tramp Printers and Journalists	13	(1)
Journalists' Denials	14	(1)
Reporters' Youth	14	(2)
Older Journalists' Problems	15	(1)
Formal Education	16	(3)
Ivy League Graduates	16	(1)
Early College Programs	17	(1)
College Dropouts	17	(1)
Criticisms of College Graduates	18	(1)
Self-Educated	19	(1)
Women in Newsrooms	19	(5)
Assignments	21	(1)
Other Obstacles	22	(1)
The World Wars	23	(1)
Becoming Editors	23	(1)
The Difficulties of Family Life	24	(1)
Cynics and Complainers	25	(1)
Pride, Courage, and a Sense of Adventure	26	(2)
Other Characteristics	28	(3)
Clannish and Noninvolved	28	(1)
Good Health and Stamina	28	(1)
A Nose for News	29	(1)
Race and Religion	29	(1)
Varied Backgrounds	30	(1)
Other Priorities	30	(1)
Census Data	30	(1)
Changes in the 1930s and'40s	31	(1)
Discussion and Conclusions	32	(1)
Endnotes	33	(4)
Getting Hired	37	(22)
Apprentices	38	(2)
Stenographers/Shorthandists	40	(1)
Copyboys	41	(1)
Family Traditions	41	(1)
Starting Young or Part Time	42	(2)
Cubs: Starting Full Time	44	(2)
High School Training	46	(1)
Tests and Tryouts	47	(2)
Typical Assignments	49	(1)
Hazing	50	(1)
Mentoring: On-the-Job Training	51	(2)
Discussion and Conclusions	53	(2)
Endnotes	55	(4)
Getting Paid	59	(24)
Reporters' Salaries	60	(3)
Journalism's Hard Work	62	(1)
Fringe Benefits	63	(1)
The Cost of Living	63	(1)
Salary Increases	64	(1)
Bonuses	65	(1)
Expense Accounts	66	(1)
Stringing and Space	67	(2)
Other Sources of Income	69	(1)
Tales of Poverty	70	(2)
Payless Paydays	71	(1)
The Depression's Effects	72	(1)
Hearst's Impact on Salaries	72	(1)
The Exception: The Well-to-Do	73	(1)
Conflicting Explanations and Resentment	74	(3)
Intangible Rewards	75	(1)
A Rising Resentment	75	(2)
Discussion and Conclusions	77	(1)
Endnotes	78	(5)
Getting Fired	83	(18)
Economic Reasons for Firings	84	(2)
Cutbacks	84	(1)
Sales and Mergers	85	(1)
Closures	85	(1)
Noneconomic Reasons	86	(4)
Journalism's Philosophy	86	(1)
Supply and Demand	86	(1)
Errors and Other Journalistic Sins	87	(1)
Other Conflicts	87	(1)
Innocent Victims/Arbitrary Actions	88	(2)
Firing Techniques	90	(1)
Bovard and Chapin	90	(2)
Management's Side of the Story	92	(3)
Less Severe Punishments	92	(1)
Protecting Colleagues	93	(1)
Contracts	94	(1)
Changes in the 20th Century	95	(2)
Discussion and Conclusions	97	(1)
Endnotes	98	(3)
Competition and Cooperation among Journalists	101	(20)
Dailies' Numbers and Circulations	102	(1)
Newspapers' Early Competition	103	(1)
Beating the Opposition	103	(1)
Monopolizing the Lines of Communication	104	(3)
Hiding Important Sources	107	(1)
Predicting the Future	108	(2)
Friendships and Cooperation	110	(1)
Combines	111	(3)
Trapping Plagiarists	114	(1)
Journalism's Changing Standards	115	(1)
Discussion and Conclusions	116	(2)
Endnotes	118	(3)
Conditions in Early Newsrooms	121	(16)
Location and Appearance	122	(4)
Newsrooms' Inhabitants	126	(3)
Newsroom Sleepers	126	(1)
Spies	127	(1)
Rats	128	(1)
Gambling and Moneylending	129	(1)
Visitors	129	(3)
Quiet Moments	132	(1)
Discussion and Conclusions	133	(1)
Endnotes	133	(4)
Mechanical Innovations	137	(18)
The Early Years	138	(1)
The Telegraph	139	(4)
The Telegraph	143	(2)
The Linotype	145	(2)
The Typewriter	147	(1)
Other Innovations	148	(2)
Discussion and Conclusions	150	(2)
Endnotes	152	(3)
Ethics of Early Journalists	155	(20)
Gifts and Bribes	156	(2)
The Use of Deception	158	(2)
Eavesdropping and Kidnapping	160	(1)
Stealing Pictures	161	(1)
20th-Century Problems	162	(1)
Newspaper Editors and Publishers	163	(3)
Political Biases	164	(1)
Favoritism	164	(1)
Disreputable Advertising Policies	165	(1)
Ethical Leaders: A Contrasting View	166	(3)
Discussion and Conclusions	169	(2)
Endnotes	171	(4)
Were Journalists Heavy Drinkers?	175	(16)
Alcohol's Use and Effects	176	(1)
The Causes of Heavy Drinking	177	(3)
Newspaper Editors and Owners	180	(3)
The Effects of Prohibition	183	(1)
Dissenting Opinions	184	(1)
A Decline in Drinking	185	(1)
Discussion and Conclusions	186	(1)
Endnotes	187	(4)
Editors and Owners	191	(20)
Conflict with Reporters	192	(1)
Editors' Characteristics	193	(3)
Age and Gender	193	(1)
Hard Worker	193	(1)
Remote and Tough	194	(1)
Non-Journalists	195	(1)
City Editors	196	(1)
Editors' Insecurity and Other Problems	197	(2)
Limited Opportunities	198	(1)
Multiple Editors	198	(1)
Newspapers' Rise and Fall	199	(2)
Competition	200	(1)
Money Matters	201	(2)
The Cost of Establishing a Newspaper	201	(1)
Profits and Losses	201	(1)
Salaries and Other Compensation	202	(1)
Owners' Wealth	202	(1)
Changes during the 20th Century	203	(4)
Advertising's Growing Importance	205	(1)
Editorial Pages' Decline	205	(1)
Increasing Corporate Control	205	(2)
Discussion and Conclusions	207	(1)
Endnotes	208	(3)
Journalists' Ultimate Goals	211	(20)
Moving Up in a Newsroom	212	(1)
Moving to Bigger Newspapers	213	(3)
Newsroom Vacancies	213	(2)
Tryouts	215	(1)
The Recruitment of Stars	216	(1)
Journalists' Mecca: New York City	216	(5)
The City's Overcrowding	217	(1)
Inaccessible Editors	217	(1)
Catching On	218	(3)
New York's Failures	221	(1)
Owning a Newspaper	221	(2)
Moving to Other Fields	223	(4)
The Age Factor	223	(1)
Other Reasons for Leaving	223	(1)
Journalism as a Stepping Stone	224	(1)
Turning to Magazines	225	(1)
Writing Books and Plays	225	(1)
Moving to Hollywood or Broadcasting	226	(1)
Discussion and Conclusions	227	(1)
Endnotes	227	(4)
Glossary	231	(10)
Name Index	241	(4)
Subject Index	245