We have strolled with huge steps through the history of communication science
starting in the sixth century BC,
through Antiquity,
the Middle Ages
the Renaissance
and into Early Modern times.
The nineteenth century is often seen as the starting point of modern times
and characterized by industrialization, the rise of nationalism, birth of political parties,
birth of socialism and subsequent emancipation of the masses.
The rise of the media as a social-political and financial power is closely connected to this.
The media were able to influence, make people rich and form or break communities.
Let’s briefly go over nineteenth century thought on this.
First of all we should recognize that despite the power and influence of mass media
in former times, all of this increased substantially in the nineteenth century.
Since much more people were able to read and write,
the potential audience for print media grew enormously.
At the same time, new print technologies and methods for making paper
made it easier and cheaper to produce books, pamphlets, magazines and newspapers.
Simply put, it became more profitable to cater to the tastes of a mass audience
and therefore literature specifically designed for popular tastes was booming.
Special magazines for women, books for children,
newspapers for members of a political party,
pamphlets aiming at villagers in one specific village:
it was all becoming part of daily reality.
Most noticeably was the transition from pamphlets
as the primary print medium for news and debate,
to newspapers.
Although they had existed for a long time, it was only in the nineteenth century
that newspapers started to cater to a popular audience,
hence becoming a true mass medium.
The new newspaper followed the journalistic format set out by press barons
like William Stead, Joseph Pulitzer and Randolph Hearst
in which the news had to be interesting and attention gaining.
New genres like the reportage, cartoon, illustration
and later the photo, the column, featured article and interview
were quickly adopted throughout the world.
Financing of the paper also changed:
the old newspaper was often dependent on payment from the government,
for which they promised to publish announcements.
The new newspaper wanted a large audience since they got heir money from sales
and advertisements revenue.
It was less dependent and therefore often more critical of the government
and did its best to entertain, opiniate and inform on all matters,
not only political.
Crime, agriculture, sports, theater, music, household appliances,
they were now all part of the weekly – and when the appearance rate increased - daily news.
Because of these changes,
more media, new audience groups
and new technologies that made printing easier and cheaper,
the media landscape became an economic force to be reckoned with.
But also politically the importance of mass communication increased
and the attitude of politicians changed.
In the previous section I explained that scholars started to argue for rulers
to be more attentive to public opinion and the power of mass communication.
At first the idea behind this was purely pragmatic.
But later, it was connected to the Enlightened democratic ideal
that governments are for the people, and therefore should listen to the people.
New political theories proposed that the government
was in some sense made up of representatives of the people.
Mass media were not only a way to influence those people,
but also a reflection of public opinion,
and a check on the misuse of power by the government
It’s important to note that scholarly thought
had now evolved to the point
that all the different channels of mass communication were now collectively labeled
as being part of one political institute.
In the nineteenth century this institute began to be referred to as ‘The Fourth Estate’.
A term coined by Edmund Burke.
Media as ‘The Fourth Estate’ are instrumental for any nation,
because they function firstly as a channel between government and people,
secondly as a barometer of public opinion,
and thirdly as a check on the use of power by rulers.
The lesson that it paid to listen to your citizens was driven home quite dramatically
with the French Revolution in 1789
when the masses rose and executed king Louis XVI and many French nobles.
We can only imagine the shock that went through Europe
as this set a dangerous precedent.
We’ll not go in to the historical ramifications of the French Revolution.
But it’s enough to note that the subsequent nineteenth century
saw many concessions toward democratic ideals in most European countries.
The attitude towards mass communication changed as well.
The idea grew that media had a political power to be either feared or harnessed.
Before the nineteenth century,
legislation in many countries had been aimed at controlling the media landscape,
punishing authors that criticized the government,
banning pamphlets, books or newspapers that were deemed politically or religiously subversive.
However, these measures proved unsuccessful
as forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest
and authors were able to move and get their work printed in other countries relatively easy.
The Dutch Republic for example was for many a place
where basically everything could be published,
as long as you kept friendly towards the city’s government ofcourse.
In the nineteenth century
most countries changed their stance towards media governance.
They actually adopted ‘The Fourth Estate’ principle in their legislation
when they explicitly promised freedom of the press in their constitutions.
Journalists at the same time gained higher status,
receiving for instance special clearance to be at government meetings.
Politicians started to make more and more use of the powers of the Fourth Estate
instead of trying to suppress it.
Political campaigns were now becoming media scripted events.
Important politicians also had close ties with newspapers.
Often as editor-in-chief or financial backer.
At the end of the nineteenth century,
the mass media were widely acknowledged
as an economically, politically and socially powerful institute.
Scholarly thought now recognized mass communication
as an integral part of our society.
The stage was set for the further development of scientific thought
on communication in the twentieth century.
We’ll talk about that topic next week.
I hope to see you then.