This essay gives you the opportunity to construct a historical explanation for a specific journatistic outcome. You may
choose the “outcomes* of your choice. The purpose of this assignment is to help you analyze. synthesize, and evaluate
important issues, problems and concepts in American journalism history.
A “historical outcome’ is basically “something that happened in history”: an event, an occurrence, a conclusion… Your job,
in general, is to explain what happened; why it happened when it did, and what
historical/cultural/politicav’commerciattechnotogical factors (or anything else) led to its happening: and what the effects of
this particular historical outcome have been.
Identify a historical outcome and indicate why it was an important outcome in American journalism history. Define key
terms so that we know the key features or characteristics of the outcome. This “outcome* could be something very
specifically defined, such as the coverage of the death of President Kennedy—or it might be something more nebulous,
such as “the growth of blogging* or “the rise of conservative media.”
In answering why this outcome occurred and the other options did not. identify, in order of importance, the main structural
factors. Give thought to the following:
What role did material factors (e.g.. geography. technology. economics) play in the historical outcome?
What role did institutional factors (e.g.. practices, organization, other institutions) play in the historical outcome?
What role did cultural factors (e.g.. values, attitudes, and ideas) play in the historical outcome?
Make sure you’ve offered plausible theoretical linkages for your argument: i.e., indicate why each factor accounts for the
outcome, rather than an alternative outcome.
Conciude by summarizing your historical argument and explaining what impact this historical outcome has had. Use
scholarly sources. DO NOT exceed 1250 words.
Sample Solution
