A History of News - Softcover

Praise for previous editions: ". . . thorough, scrupulous, and witty. . . A History of News is in all respects first-rate, and original, work."--Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post ". . . as a critical historian, his analysis is not only astute, but often elegant and even downright poignant . . . a book indispensable for its lucid demonstration that the news, while promising enlightenment, also promotes confusion."--Mark Crispin Miller, New York Times Book Review "Stephens has produced a study of the concept of 'news' from prehistoric times to our own, and the book succeeds as a thoroughly accessible work about the history, anthropology, economics, psychology, and practical techniques of journalism."--Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times "Stephens . . . has given us an insightful and very different look at our communication past. . . . We do not have another communication history like this. . . . Perhaps we should make our students dive deeper. Perhaps we should ourselves. This book does."--Donald Lewis Shaw, Journalism Quarterly

This book is a revision of a versatile and unique text that is suited for introductory courses on the history of journalism and media and society, which are fundamental courses in undergraduate and graduate journalism/mass communication departments. The author's approach in this text is distinctive as he traces the history of the news from preliterate cultures to the current information explosion. Most importantly, he examines news in all of its manifestations - spoken, written, visual - from an international perspective. In this edition, Stephens broadens the scope of international coverage. expands the section on television news, and adds an entire chapter on the Internet and The Digital Revolution.