HISTORY132 - Dissemination of News

Online news from news apps and the more recent onslaught of social media news outlets seem to have overtaken and wiped-out traditional news outlets such as printed newspapers, radio, and television.  I thought it would useful to explore how we got to this point.

 

So, this blog will document the history of dissemination of news.  After a short introduction, I will cover this history in several evolutionary stages: ancient and Medieval foundations, print news, radio news, television news, and online digital news.  I will end with a summary of news dissemination today and a look at future ways news might be disseminated.

As usual, I will list my principal sources at the end.

 

Introduction

News is newly-received or noteworthy information, especially about recent or important events.  The word news is derived from the Middle English newes, meaning "new things.” (It is not an acronym for North, East, West, South - a common myth.)  Journalism is the activity or profession of writing or preparing news to be disseminated. 

Journalists today often use specific "news values" to determine if an event is "newsworthy." 

·         Timeliness: Events that are happening now or very recently.

·         Impact/Magnitude: How many people the event affects.

·         Proximity: Events occurring close to the audience.

·         Conflict: Disagreements, wars, or rivalries.

·         Prominence: Information involving well-known people or public figures.

·         Unusualness: The "Man Bites Dog" principle - things that are out of the ordinary. 

Common distinctions include:

·         Hard News: Serious, urgent reports on topics like politics, war, and the economy.

·         Soft News: Lighter content focused on lifestyle, entertainment, or celebrity gossip.

·   News vs. Opinion: Traditionally, news is meant to be factual and objective, while opinion or commentary provides an interpretation of those facts. 

From ancient stone tablets to digital scrolls, the history of news dissemination is a timeline of technological breakthroughs and the constant human drive for information. 

 

Ancient & Medieval Foundations

News dissemination in ancient and medieval times relied on slow, mostly oral, and limited written methods, prioritizing personal communication, public decrees, and traveler gossip.

Key methods of news dissemination in ancient times included: 

Imperial Couriers: Empires like the Persians and Romans used vast road networks to deliver official news via horse-mounted messengers.

The First "Newspapers:” Around 59 BC, the ancient Romans produced the Acta Diurna ("Daily Acts"), daily chronicles containing an officially authorized narrative of noteworthy events at Rome.  Its contents were partly official (court news, decrees of the Roman emperor, Roman Senate, and Roman magistrates), and partly private (notices of births, marriages, and deaths).  The Acta Diurna, functioning as a sort of daily gazette, were inscribed in stone or metal and displayed in public squares such as the Forum of Rome.  The Acta were begun in 59 BC and continued until AD 222.

Representation of an acta Diurna inscribed in stone.

Key methods of news dissemination in Medieval times included: 

Oral Tradition and Town Criers: In many societies, information was passed verbally.  Town criers were authorized officers, often wearing highly visible livery to represent the crown or local court, frequently holding a handbell and a scroll to announce news to the illiterate populace. 

Messengers and Couriers: The primary method for long-distance, official, or elite news was personal delivery by messengers.  In the Middle Ages, rulers sent written, sealed, and signed proclamations that were read aloud to the public.

Travelers and Merchants: Sailors, traders, and pilgrims were major sources of information regarding distant events.

Written Newsletters: Handwritten letters and newsletters circulated among elite, merchant, and diplomatic circles, particularly during the late Medieval and early Renaissance periods.

These early methods suffered from significant limitations.  Long distance news dissemination travelled only as fast as a person, horse, or ship could move.  The lack of standardized, objective reporting meant that news was often subject to distortion through rumors, gossip, and the subjective interpretation of the messenger.  Most people in the ancient and Medieval world were illiterate, meaning they relied entirely on oral dissemination or public readings. 

 

Print News

The invention of a practical printing press, by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440, revolutionized news dissemination by enabling mass production of printed materials, transitioning from slow, handwritten, or oral news to rapid, widespread, and standardized news, such as early newspapers and pamphlets. This shift broke the elite's monopoly on information, democratizing knowledge, and fueling major societal shifts like the Reformation. 

The Gutenberg printing press revolutionized the dissemination of news.

Mass Production and Speed: The printing press allowed for thousands of copies of the news to be produced, enabling information to travel faster and further than ever before

Widespread Availability: News became accessible to a wider audience, with people often gathering in public spaces to hear it read before literacy rates grew.

Standardization: Printed materials ensured consistent information, reducing errors, and enabling the spread of standardized, verified news.

Cultural and Social Impact: The ability to mass-produce news facilitated the rise of literacy and stimulated intellectual debate, supporting major movements like the Renaissance and Reformation.

Rise of Newspapers: The printing press enabled the birth of newspapers, allowing news to become a regular, expected part of daily life.  The first regular weekly newspaper was published in Germany in 1605; London published its first newspaper in 1621.  Early European newspapers were printed weekly, bi-weekly, or tri-weekly.  Daily newspapers would come much later.

Information Democratization: News spread beyond the elite and clergy to the general population, empowering individuals to engage with current events and ideas.

Global Spread: Although originating in Germany, printing technology spread quickly across Europe and the world by the end of the 19^th century. 

Early newspapers were initially distributed through local sales.  Longer distance distribution included post riders to suburban areas, smaller towns, and distant rural locations; and shipping merchants, who transported them to distant ports for local printers to copy and redistribute.  Governments supported early newspaper circulation by allowing low postal rates for delivery.  By the 1700s and 1800s, most revenue came from prepaid subscriptions, though many papers were shared among multiple readers.  Initially, circulation was limited by the slow, manual printing processes, but by the 18^th and 19^th centuries, advancements in printing and transportation (e.g., horse-drawn carriages, trains) made mass distribution feasible. 

The printing press created an "endless demand" for news, establishing the foundation for modern media, journalism, and public opinion. 

Technical leaps in the 1800s and 1900s allowed the news to reach millions daily.  In 1833, steam-powered printing enabled Benjamin Day’s New York Sun to sell for just one penny, transforming news from an elite luxury into a mass-market commodity, targeting a mainstream audience rather than just the political elite.  The Sun, a morning newspaper, was published in New York from 1833 to 1950.

Benjamin Day and the front page of the November 26, 1834 New York Sun.

Daily newspapers became common in the 1830s with the rise of the "penny press."  Rapid industrialization and increased literacy drove this widespread adoption, with major U.S. cities boasting multiple dailies by 1850. 

The high cost of gathering news led to the 1846 formation of the Associated Press, a cooperative that allowed papers to share news via the newly invented telegraph (late 1930s) and newly established wire services.  This enabled sharing news instantly across vast distances, and helped standardize reporting.

Rivalry between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst in the late 1800s introduced sensationalism and "yellow journalism" to boost circulation. 

Yellow journalism is a style of reporting that emphasizes sensationalism, scandal-mongering, and exaggerated headlines over factual accuracy to increase readership.  Core characteristics of yellow journalism include scare headlines, large, dramatic fonts used for relatively minor news; visual dominance, lavish use of pictures, colored illustrations, and maps; and unverified reporting, reliance on unnamed sources, faked interviews, and manufactured stories.

By the early 1800s, especially in the U.S., newspapers like the Sun began selling directly to the public through vendors on street corners.  The industrial revolution in the 19^th century introduced railways, allowing daily newspapers to be transported rapidly across vast distances, enabling wider reach beyond local areas. 

The rise of printed mass media was aided by:

Industrialization and Urbanization: The growth of cities created a concentrated population, facilitating the distribution of newspapers and creating a, large, centralized market for information.

Rising Literacy and Education: Improved education in the 18^th and 19^th centuries increased demand for newspapers and printed materials.

Economic Factors (Advertising Model): As mass production of goods grew, advertising became the financial backbone of the media industry.  This model allowed newspapers to be sold at a low cost to readers, driving mass circulation.

Social and Political Factors: The expansion of democracy and the need for public discourse fueled the demand for news.  The shift toward objectivity in reporting was driven by the need to appeal to a broad, diverse audience, rather than just a partisan one.

Key, enduring, and national daily papers like the New York Times (1851), the Washington Post (1877), the Los Angeles Times (1881), the Wall Street Journal (1889), and USA Today (1982) shaped the modern media landscape. 

In the 20^th century, U.S. print news evolved from a high-circulation "golden age" into a consolidated industry shaped by technological advancements like offset printing, before facing steep declines because of the emergence of radio, television, and the digital age. See below.  From 1900-1950s, newspapers were dominant, with high readership (130 papers per 100 households by 1920) and a mix of investigative "muckraking" and sensationalist "yellow journalism.”  Technologies like the Linotype machine enabled faster, larger, and more efficient production.  In the 1920-1950s, the emergence of radio, followed by television, began challenging the monopoly of newspapers on breaking news.  In the 1960s-1990s, independent papers were bought up, forming large media chains and conglomerates. 

In the 21^st century, the rise of the internet and online news caused a dramatic drop in print news circulation (55.8 million in 2000 to 24.2 million by 2020).  Advertising also declined, particularly classified ads.  See online digital news below.

 

Radio News

Beginning in 1920, radio revolutionized news dissemination by delivering information instantly, bypassing the delays of print media and enabling real-time, nationwide, and international coverage.  It bridged vast distances, creating shared experiences through live reports on major events, political speeches, and, crucially, direct coverage of World War II, fostering a more informed citizenry. 

Key contributions of radio to news dissemination include:

Real-Time Speed: Unlike newspapers, radio provided immediate updates, such as breaking news on the Hindenburg disaster or election results.

National Unity and Reach: Networks like NBC and CBS created a shared national experience by broadcasting the same news nationwide, connecting rural and urban areas.

Intimacy and Accessibility: Radio brought the voices of leaders (like FDR’s "fireside chats") directly into homes, making news personal and accessible to the illiterate.

Live Frontline Reporting: During World War II, correspondents provided vivid, on-the-spot reports, making radio the primary news source.

Overcoming Geography: It allowed for rapid dissemination of information across borders, often used to inform or influence populations in distant regions. 

Furthermore, radio introduced the role of the radio commentator or journalist, who interpreted events for the public, significantly shaping public opinion. 

Key milestones in radio news history include:

1920: First Commercial News Broadcast: KDKA in Pittsburgh aired the first commercial radio news broadcast, providing live returns for the Harding-Cox presidential election.

 

Pittsburgh radio station KDKA broadcast the first commercial radio news in 1920.

1938: CBS World News Roundup: The premiere of this program established the standard for comprehensive, international, and on-the-scene news reporting, particularly during the rise of World War II.

1938: War of the Worlds Panic: Orson Welles' broadcast demonstrated the immense power and reach of live radio, despite the actual panic being less widespread than reported.

1940s: WWII and Live Reporting: Reporters like Edward R. Murrow brought live, dramatic reports from under Nazi bombing in London, making radio the primary source for war news.

1945: V-E Day: Radio provided immediate, live coverage of President Truman announcing the end of World War II in Europe.

1963: Historic Events Coverage: Radio stations extensively covered major events, including the "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

1973: Watergate Hearings: Radio brought the extensive, hours-long Watergate hearings directly to audiences, cementing its role in political journalism.

Over the years, there was an evolution of radio news formats including:

Sponsored News (1920s-30s): Initial news was often funded directly by advertisers, with networks like NBC and CBS beginning regular news programs.

The "Roundup" Format: The rise of international correspondents allowed for rapid-fire, multi-location reporting.

Instant Updates: By 1941, radio was delivering continuous, live updates, such as during the Pearl Harbor attack. 

From the end of World War II to the present, the role of radio news evolved from a primary, national source of breaking information to a specialized medium focused on immediacy, community, and in-depth talk, surviving the rise of television and the internet through portability and niche targeting. 

 

Television News

Starting in 1940, television revolutionized news dissemination again by shifting it from a text-and-audio medium to a visual, real-time experience, bringing events directly into living rooms.  It enabled live coverage of major events, introduced 24-hour news cycles via cable, and created powerful, trusted visual journalists who shaped public perception and accelerated news consumption. 

Key contributions of television to news dissemination include:

Real-Time and Live Coverage: Television enabled viewers to experience, rather than just read about, history as it happened.  Key examples included live coverage of the 1963 JFK assassination and, later, 24-hour reporting, which transformed the speed of information.

Visual Impact and Emotional Connection: Television made complex, distant stories accessible and emotional through pictures, such as the Vietnam War, which brought nightly, vivid images of the conflict into American households.

The 24-Hour News Cycle: Beginning in 1980 with CNN, cable networks provided continuous, global coverage, ensuring viewers could access news at any time.

Shaping Public Opinion and Politics: Televised news influenced social, cultural, and political landscapes.  It transformed politics, as seen in the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debates, where visual presence and charisma became crucial to political success.

Establishment of Trusted Voices: Journalists like Walter Cronkite became trusted figures, anchoring evening newscasts that commanded massive audiences for decades.

Electronic Journalism: In the 1970s, the development of electronic newsgathering allowed for faster reporting, as reporters and cameras on location could quickly transmit video footage.

Global Reach: By the early 21^st century, international satellite broadcasting ensured American and global news, such as war coverage, reached hundreds of countries, providing near-instantaneous, worldwide attention. 

Key milestones in TV news history include: 

1940: First TV News Broadcast: WNBT (now WNBC) in New York began broadcasting Lowell Thomas's news program.

WNBT (now WNBC) in New York broadcast the first TV news.

1941: Daily News: WCBT (now WCBS) in New York aired daily news, with minimal visual aids (map on easel).

1947: Longest-Running News Program: Meet the Press debuted on NBC, and remains the longest-running program in television history.

1948: Camel Newsreel Theater: NBC launched the first regular nightly newsreel, featuring off-screen commentary.

1952: Birth of the "Anchor:” Walter Cronkite hosted the Democratic and Republican conventions for CBS, establishing the role of the television news anchor.

1956: Huntley-Brinkley Report: NBC launched this popular, split-screen (NY/DC) evening news, defining the format.

1962: Global News via Satellite: Telstar I enabled live, international television, allowing for global, real-time news coverage.

1963: 30-Minute Format: The CBS Evening News expanded to 30 minutes, soon followed by NBC, cementing the standard evening news duration.

1963: Live Coverage of Tragedy: The assassination of President John F. Kennedy showcased the power of television with four days of live, continuous coverage.

1970s: Electronic News Gathering: The shift from film to video cameras enabled faster, mobile, on-scene reporting.

1996: Cable News Expansion: MSNBC and Fox News were launched, accelerating the 24-hour, often opinion-driven news cycle. 

Television news in the 1990s and 2000s shifted from scheduled, network-dominated broadcasts to 24-hour, instantaneous coverage of wars, terrorist attacks, weather disasters, scandals, and political events - driven by cable, satellite, and the rise of digital technology. 

 

Online Digital News

The launch of the World Wide Web in 1991 provided a standard platform for online digital news, leading to the first dedicated news websites.  Most major newspapers and television news networks established their online presence in the mid-1990s as the internet became publicly accessible. 

These early websites were primarily text-based with limited, if any, video, serving as extensions of their TV news operations.  In the early 2000s, there was a shift from static, text-heavy pages to multimedia (video, audio) and interactive, user-driven content.

Meanwhile, more Americans were turning to online sources to get their news updates.  In 2012, 39% of Pew Research survey respondents had consumed online news the day before the survey, surpassing not only printed newspapers but also radio news, both of which had been declining for years.  At that time, television remained the number one news source (though also declining) for Americans.  55% of the respondents in the 2012 survey had watched a news program on TV on the day prior to the survey.

 

The launch of the iPhone in 2007 began the era of mobile journalism, making news accessible anywhere.

News apps were launched in parallel with smartphone adoption in the 2010s.  Key milestones included the shift from web-based newspaper replicas to curated aggregators like Apple News and Google News.

The early 2000s also saw the rise of social media internet-based platforms - such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter (Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok followed later) - that today allow over 5 billion global users to create, share content, and connect.  It impacts society by enabling instant communication, networking, and information sharing.

Social media fundamentally changed how news is shared and consumed, changing news from a daily, scheduled release to instant, real-time dissemination.  The evolution led to a 24/7 news cycle but raised questions about the depth of coverage versus the need for rapid, summary-style updates. 

In the 2020s, companies like OpenAI and Google rolled out generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems, leading to automated news summaries and AI-assisted investigative reporting.

 

News Dissemination Today

A leaner print news still serves as a trusted, tangible alternative to digital media, offering high-credibility, in-depth analysis, and a "slow news" experience that combats digital fatigue and misinformation.  It acts as a curated source of authority for older demographics and those seeking distraction-free, focused reading.  Local newspapers remain vital for fostering community involvement, democracy, and reporting on local issues, often covering areas lacking digital coverage.  Print also remains an effective, high-engagement medium for advertisers seeking to reach specific, often affluent, audiences. 

The radio news landscape today is defined by immediate coverage of political shifts, global crises, and evolving industry trends.  Major outlets like NPR, CBS News Radio, ABC News Radio, and FOX News Radio provide 24/7 hourly updates.  Services like Audacy and iHeartRadio offer live streams of local and national news, while the 1 Radio News app aggregates global English-language broadcasts. 

Television news today serves as a critical yet evolving pillar of information, balancing its traditional "watchdog" duties with the pressure of a digital-first world.  Television remains a dominant medium for visual verification, crisis management, and local community engagement.  TV broadcasters still hold significant power in determining which stories gain national prominence.  By selecting and framing specific issues - such as climate change, immigration, or economic policy - TV networks shape the "public agenda," influencing what citizens and policymakers prioritize in their daily discourse.  By adhering to journalistic ethics like fact-checking and multi-source verification, they provide a "factual reference point" to counter the rapid spread of unverified claims on social platforms. 

Social media platforms have overtaken television as the primary way Americans consume news.  As of 2025, 54% of Americans use social media as a source of news, surpassing television (50%), online news websites (48%), and print (14%).  News consumption is shifting from traditional brands to "news influencers."  For example, roughly 22% of Americans encountered news or commentary via podcaster Joe Rogan in 2025.  While traffic to news sites from social media has increased, the time spent reading has dropped; the average visitor spends 15 seconds or less on an article and 10 seconds on a video. 

We are becoming “reading-lazy,” often restricting our attention to headlines only, and not going into any depth on the news.  And headlines are often misleading, crafted towards the sensational or negative.

While 86% of all U.S. adults get at least some news digitally, social media is the even more dominant source for 18 to 29-year-olds.  Social media platforms allow anyone with a smartphone to collect and distribute news, shifting the focus from expert-packaged bulletins to real-time, often unverified, updates.  Facebook remains the most popular site for news, followed by YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).

How people use social media news sources today.

Misinformation and “fake news” are issues that affect all news dissemination platforms, but particularly social media.  Today, social media platforms like Facebook, X (Twitter), and TikTok allow false information to go viral quickly because they often prioritize engagement (likes/shares) over accuracy. 

Misinformation is the non-deliberate spread of false or inaccurate information, spurred by an overriding desire to be “first with the news.”  

“Fake News” is deliberate misleading information that is presented as legitimate, trustworthy, and factual news.  It is designed to look like real journalism, but it lacks the editorial norms, verification processes, and accuracy.  Fake news is created and shared to harm, manipulate public opinion, or generate profit.  The term “fake news” was popularized during the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election, but its history spans thousands of years, evolving from ancient political smears, to the yellow journalism of the late 1800s, to sophisticated digital disinformation campaigns. 

 

Future of News Dissemination

The following is adapted from “The future of news: Navigating the changing digital landscape” from the LocalMedia Association:

The news industry is undergoing a seismic shift, driven by evolving consumer behaviors, platform algorithms, and technological advancements.  As publishers grapple with these changes, they must adapt their strategies to remain relevant in a world where websites become less relevant as traffic declines.

To navigate this complex landscape, news brands must navigate three significant categories of changes:

Changing consumer habits

·         Video dominance: Video content has emerged as the dominant medium for news consumption.  Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are capturing significant viewership, surpassing traditional television in many cases.

·         Instant gratification: Many news consumers now seek quick, concise information, often delivered directly through search engines or social media platforms.  Users are increasingly impatient and unwilling to wait for slow-loading websites or navigate through ad-heavy, paywalled websites.

·         News fatigue: A growing sense of information overload and negativity has led some to disengage from traditional news sources.  About four in 10 (39%) people now say they sometimes or often avoid the news, according to a 2024 study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

Platform challenges

·         Declining referral traffic: Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are prioritizing their content, particularly video, over external links.  This change has resulted in a significant drop in traffic to news websites.

·         AI-powered search: Search engines are evolving to provide direct answers to user queries, bypassing traditional news articles.  This shift can reduce website traffic and revenue

Technological transformation

·         Generative AI: Artificial intelligence tools enable the automated creation of news articles, summaries, photos, and illustrations.

·         Immersive journalism: Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies offer new ways to tell stories, transporting audiences to different times and places.

·         Smart and wearable devices: Smart and wearable devices are emerging as platforms for news consumption, delivering information directly to users’ connected devices and wrists.

To adapt to these rapid changes, news organizations are adopting various strategies to engage audiences and maintain relevance.  Here are some of the ways they are evolving storytelling:

·         Short-form video: Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have revolutionized news consumption, allowing for concise, visually appealing storytelling.  News organizations can use these platforms to share breaking news updates, explain complex topics in bite-sized videos, and create behind-the-scenes content to humanize their brands.  For example, The New York Times has successfully used TikTok to share historical facts, explain current events, and even offer cooking tips.

·         Social media storytelling: Platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer unique opportunities for storytelling.  News organizations can use these platforms to share photos, slideshows, audio posts, and text-based images with quotes.  Vox uses features like video, graphics, slideshows, and audiograms to create immersive and interactive narratives.

·         Immersive experiences: Virtual reality technologies are opening up new frontiers for journalism. News organizations can use VR to transport audiences to historical events, disaster zones, or remote locations. For example, Time magazine used VR to take readers inside the International Space Station, providing a unique and immersive look at life in orbit.

The future of news is uncertain, but one thing is clear: publishers must adapt to the changing media landscape.  By embracing new technologies, innovative storytelling techniques and direct audience engagement, news organizations can continue to thrive in the next digital evolution.

 

 

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, plus a social media overreaction.

 

 

Sources

My principal sources include: “News media,” en.wikipedia.org; “History of the Distribution of News,” historyofjournalism.onmason.com; “The Evolution of the Media,” opened.cuny.edu; “This is how people in 2025 are getting their news,” weforum.org; “The role of social media platforms in news dissemination,” mediaupdate.co.za; “The future of news: Navigating the changing digital landscape” localmedia.org; plus, numerous other online sources, including answers to many queries using Google in AI-Mode.