The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18

By: Dale Zacher

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Synopsis: A telling look at the inner workings of one of the nation's most dominant news outlets during wartime In an age before radio and television, E. W. Scripps's ownership of twenty-one newspapers, a major news wire service, and a prominent news syndication service represented the first truly national media organization in the United States. In The Scripps Newspapers Go to War, 1914-18, Dale Zacher details the scope, organization, and character of the mighty Scripps empire during World War I to reveal how the pressures of the market, government censorship, propaganda, and progressivism transformed news coverage during wartime. This volume presents the first systematic look at the daily operations of any major newspaper operation during World War I and provides fascinating accounts of how the papers struggled with competition, their patriotic duties, and internal editorial dissent. The book also engages questions about American neutrality and the newspapers' relationship with President Woodrow Wilson, the move to join the war, and the fallout from the disillusionment of actually experiencing war. Ultimately, Zacher shows how the progressive spirit and political independence at the Scripps newspapers came under attack and was forever changed by this crucial period in American history. A volume in the series The History of Communication, edited by Robert W. McChesney and John C. Nerone