Chapter 4 Flashcards
Seditious Libel Laws
Laws established in colonial America that made it illegal to criticize government or its representatives.
Mercantile Press
Newspapers that provided news of business and shipping.
Federalist Papers
Essays that explained the new federal government to early Americans; published in 1788 as The Federalist.
Partisan Press
Newspapers owned or supported by political parties.
Editorial Page
Section of newspaper reserved for the opinion of pieces.
Hard News
Stories about current events that have impact on people’s lives.
Feature News
Stories directed toward human interest and curiosity; also known as soft news.
Penny Press
Inexpensive, advertiser-supported newspapers that appeared in the 1830’s.
Newsprint
Inexpensive paper used for newspapers.
News Hole
Total amount of space in a newspaper that can be devoted to editorial content versus advertising.
Sensationalism
Use of exaggeration and lurid elements to produce a startling effect.
Objectivity
Writing style that separates fact from opinion.
Byline
A line at the beginning of a news story giving the author’s name.
Inverted Pyramid
News style that packs the most important information into the first paragraph.
Yellow Journalism
A style of reporting characterized by unprecedented sensationalism; it reached its peak in the Hearst-Pulitzer circulation wars of the 1890’s.
Investigative Journalism
Reporting that uncovers information that sources have tried to conceal.
Tabloids
Newspapers characterized by a smaller size than a standard newspaper, a single fold, and abundant photographs.
Chain
One company that owns the same type of company in more than one market area.
Shoppers
Free-distribution newspapers consisting mostly of ads.
Organizational Papers
Newspapers published as part of an organization’s communication with members.
Alternative Press
Publications that provide a different viewpoint on the news, usually one that is politically radical or otherwise out of the mainstream.
Underground Press
Alternative newspapers of the 1960’s and 1970’s that passionately criticized cultural and political norms.
Ethnic Press
That part of the newspaper industry aimed at particular cultural groups.
Chicano Press
Part of Hispanic American newspaper industry that targets Mexican Americans.
