Introduction and Newspaper History and Information

Sarah F
Blog Entry 1
LIS 855
June 20, 2009


The news affects our everyday lives. News enters our homes through a multitude of technologies including print, television, internet, cell phones and PDAs. Our views and opinions are based on what we read and hear and how we perceive it. We want to believe that the news that we are reading online, in the newspaper or hearing is from a reputable source. How do we really know that the news we are hearing is true, reputable and following correct copyright laws? This blog is designed to explore how individuals use news on the internet compared to print news and whether it raises copyright concerns.

Almost everyone has read or at least seen a daily newspaper. According to the article entitled, “American Newspapers and the Great Meteor Storm of 1833: A Case Study in Science Journalism it states that, “In 1783, at the official conclusion of the American revolution, there were 35 newspapers in the United States. Three years later, in 1786, as Americans were preparing to draft a Constitution, the number had grown to 50. By 1833, the United States had 1200 newspapers. From the revolution through 1833, newspapers were expensive and available almost exclusively by subscription” (Littmann). Before the huge internet information development, almost every home had a subscription to a daily newspaper.

In our community, people still rely on the daily newspaper as their source of news. At the Public Library where I am employed, our collections of local and national newspapers are being read from opening to closing. Even though we have internet access available to all patrons, many prefer to have the printed copy rather than reading on the internet. Our senior citizens do not feel comfortable using the computers to “read” their daily papers. Most of our print news readers are apprehensive using the internet as they are not certain if the articles are from credible sources and are complete items. People think that when a story is written in paper the person who wrote it has their name published by the story and they can see the entire work in front of them. I think patrons are unsure about the internet because they have been told that the internet news is not always accurate. I know for a fact that E-newspapers are a great tool but sometimes it is missing part of the article and the pictures and extras are not available online. Patrons would be devastated if the print newspaper became an item of the past. According to an article by Leigh Giangreco, Lee Coppola states, “When I hold that newspaper in front of me, it’s different than reading it on a screen” (Giangreco). Due to the struggling economy many patrons must rely on their Library to provide periodicals and get their daily news. I found an interesting article that was printed in the Washington Post written by John Kelly entitled, “History You Can Hold in Your Hand.” It states that, “As artifacts go newspapers are not all that impressive. The newsprint is yellow and crumbly. The stories they relate-the wars, the coups, the triumphs, the tragedies- are quite literally yesterday’s news. We might turn to CNN when news is breaking, but when we want to remember that news-save it, commemorate it, prove that, yes, we were there when it actually happened-we don’t want pixels on glass. We want ink on paper” (Kelly). I think that for many people this statement is true. Even with the internet changing the way news is brought into our homes, patrons still like the idea of holding a newspaper in their hands, drinking a cup of coffee and reading it leisurely.

According to the US Copyright Office, “Copyright is a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression. Copyright covers both published and unpublished works. (http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf) A printed newspaper follows these guidelines because the author writes the story and publishes that story as their own. “Works that are created as part of one’s employment are “works made for hire”. In this case, the employer owns the copyright from the get go, unless there is an agreement that says otherwise” (Russell). This could happen at a newspaper office because individuals are writing stories for a particular newspaper but the author of the article has done the research and the writing. When patrons are going to photocopy information they must think about the issue of Fair Use and make their best judgment.

Unfortunately for the newspaper industry times are changing. A paper boy delivering your newspaper to your home, on his bicycle is now a thing of the past. The internet is here to stay and we can have access to news 24/7 but how accurate is the news that we are receiving?


Bibliography:

Copyright Basics July 2008. Retrieved 20 Jun. 2009
www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1

Giangreco, Leigh. "Out of Print: Newspapers Struggle to Survive in an Internet Age.” Buffalo News 13 May. 2009: N.18.

Kelly, John. "History You Can Hold in Your Hand.” The Washington Post 6 Nov. 2008: B.3.

Littmann, Mark. “American Newspapers and the Great Meteor Storm of 1833: A Case Study in Science Journalism.” Journalism & Communication Monographs Vol. 10 Issue 3 (Autumn2008): 250-284.

Russell, Carrie. Complete Copyright: An Everyday Guide For Librarians. United States: American Library Association, 2004.