This document provides a brief history and overview of newspapers from their origins in Europe and Rome hundreds of years ago to their modern online forms. It traces the development of early newspapers in colonial America in the late 1600s and 1700s, including the challenges of obtaining paper and low literacy rates. The document also highlights the invention of the printing press, which helped make printing newspapers easier. In recent decades, many get their news from websites, apps, or podcasts rather than traditional printed papers.

1. Hear-Yee, Hear-Yee!:The History of the Newspaper Lauren Keane EDUC 515: Evolving Educational Technologies San Diego Special Education Technology Jeff McKendricks Summer 2009

2. How do you get your daily news? Internet, phone, television, magazines, radio, or how about an “old-fashioned” newspaper? We all depend on the news to keep us updated on world, U.S., and local news, business, weather, sports, and entertainment. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfBPDOeY__U

3. Where it all began…. There are a few discrepancies as to who can take claim to having the first newspaper…. Some say it all began 500 years ago in Europe. It was in Germany where in the late 1400’s then pamphlets were given away to tell the news of the town…. (http://library.thinkquest.org) Some say it was in Rome in 59 BC when Julius Caesar ordered to post happenings around the city….. It has also been said that the first known printed newspaper was in 748 in Bejiing….. (http://www.newspaper-industry.org/history.html)

4. In the Americas…… On September 25, 1690, Richard Pierce and Benjamin Harris printed the 1st paper called Publick Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestick. Only one issue was made. The Boston News-Letter was published in 1704 by Postmaster John Campbell (weekly with only 1 advertisement!) The new Postmaster took over his position and called it The Boston Gazette. James Franklin wrote a piece in the New England Courant that criticized the government and was sent to jail. (http://library.thinkquest.org)

5. Young Benjamin Franklin James’ 13 year old brother took over the newspaper as editor and publisher… There were many problems with newspapers: Paper was really hard to get and expensive Many people were illiterate Printing was very difficult…. Good thing Johann Gutenberg came up with the Gutenberg Press back in the 1440’s…. It was revamped and made into a movable press to making printing easier! (http://library.thinkquest.org)

6. Let’s fast forward to the last few decades…. Some of you may also use your cell phones, personal digital assistant, www.ebscohost.com (a website filled with thousands of articles), or a Kindle for your reading pleasure! There’s a good chance that when you hop on your computer these days, the 1st place you go is email or check a news site….. Some of my favorites are: www.npr.org www.bbc.co.uk www.cnn.com www.theonion.com (just for kicks!)

7. What is Hear-Yee? The “first pod casting town crier” A new text to speech technology that converts your RSS feeds into spoken podcasts…. People can add any type of text or article to their feed (any kind) and it will automatically translate it to speech! http://hear-yee.com/demo.php

8. References Newspaper: the history. (n.d.) Retrieved June 26, 2009 from www.library.thinkquest.org/18764/print/history.html A Brief History of Newspapers. (n.d.) Retrieved June 26, 2009 from http://www.newspapeindustry.org/history.html www.wikipedia.org http://hear-yee.com/demo.php