Comm455/History of Journalism

Hurricane Sandy was expected to wreak havoc on millions of people, but the delays and shortages that are still plaguing citizens along the east coast are causing unforeseen issues. New York City and New Jersey seemed to receive the brunt of the storm, with at least 40 fatalities in each state. Much of NYC is […]

For the last week all of the east coast has been bracing themselves for Hurricane Sandy, which has adopted the nickname ‘Frankenstorm’. The category one storm is expected to cause severe damage and possible evacuations. Schools, jobs and many businesses have been shut down Monday and Tuesday, unsure if they will reopen Wednesday. As the […]

Muckraking is considered an early form of investigative journalism. In the early 1900’s before World War I, muckrakers reported on topics concerning crime, politics and corruption in society and were often considered watchdogs. They revealed scandal among the government and important issues that led to reform. Upton Sinclair is a notable muckraker from the early […]

In history, crime and war reporting were, and still are, the most popular topics to report on. News consumers eat up these types of stories. They are filled with scandal, action and tragedy. The first instance of war reporting can be attributed to the Greeks, which can also be attributed to the making of popular […]

With graduation not far down the road for most of us, it is time to start spitting out resumes left and right and pray someone takes us in and sees our worth. As aspiring journalists, we are lucky to live in a world where the ability to deliver news is right at our fingertips. However, […]

With midterms descending upon Mason students, the stress of the semester is beginning to set in for many. Sure we have the weekend to have a little break and get our heads on straight, but sometimes that isn’t enough to keep us sane. Spring break is a ways away, but luckily there are other ways […]

We all know what word of mouth is. A friend tells you some news, whether it be juicy gossip or something they heard on the radio, then you tell someone else and it goes on and on. By the time it goes through a number of people, it can become distorted and completely inaccurate. In […]

Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela When the roman empire fell in the fourth and fifth century, literacy, transportation and trade suffered a severe blow which ultimately put a halt on written news. Most of Europe was left without any knowledge of contemporary news, which was the case until the 12th century. The earliest known form of […]

On April 11, 1836, 23-year-old prostitute Ellen Jewett was found brutally murdered in her bed. With a bloody gash in her head, and her body left charred from arson, police arrested clerk Richard P. Robinson. Usually this would be the end of the case, but as most journalists are, James Gordon Bennett was curious wanted […]