Book review: Out of Print, by George Brock

by George Brock
Kogan Page
4 stars

is not, as one might initially suspect, an obituary for the print media. It is the deft handiwork of Professor George Brock, head of the Graduate School of Journalism at London's City University. It encapsulates in professional terms how newspaper journalism has coped with successive threats, including the internet.

The (now ) was founded in the mid-18th century by cotton manufacturers seeking an outlet to boost business. Victorian journalists rose to the challenge: uplifting readers from ignorance or poverty, or both. Between 1853 and 1861 news publishing developed into a major industry.

Real income grew and leisure time increased for many. Kerosene lamps enabled people to read at night at lower cost than candles. Literacy grew steadily and accelerated after the Education Act of 1870 made schooling compulsory for children between the ages of five and 13. The extended voting franchise created a wider pool of potential readers who switched to politics. Political parties began marketing their politics towards friendly publications.

Audiences accelerated communications technology and the foundations were laid for the press barons of the 20th century. But the power of popular newspapers, becoming evident just before the beginning of radio broadcasting in the 1920s, also initiated a debate over the responsibilities of journalists, editors and publishers.

The trend continues and, as a result, editorial autonomy has come to be identified with objectivity, impartiality and detachment.