The popular press, 1833-1865

by William Huntzicker

"Humphrey provides an overview of how newspapers perceived public issues and evolved as an industry. She divides the five decades into nine distinct eras, with an added chapter on how technological changes caused newspapers to expand circulation and improve news reporting ... one highlight is the suggestion that most printers believed the First Amendment usually protected against prior governmental restraints to publish. The author finds that few printers interpreted the First Amendment as a broad protection for freedom of expression. Exceptionally well written with complete annotation; recommended for undergraduate, general, and professional journalism history collections."--Publisher.