Bob's extensive background in Washington reporting served as useful background to launch into a discussion of "pamphleteers" in the American colonies and the early days of the U.S. As Bob outlined these characters were oftentimes very acidic in their observations of public figures in and out of politics. When one spread allegations of corruption about Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton due to odd financial transactions he unwittingly forced Hamilton to expose a romantic affair - which terminated his chances to run for the presidency quite firmly. It did gain the pamphleteer some notoriety, though - which helped to extend his career potenital beyond the inefficient presses of the time.
Fast forward to 1830, when far more efficient printing technology allowed much more real news to reach markets cost-effectively, in which environment Benjamin Day created the New York Sun, an oftentimes salacious paper which at undercut its competition's price by half, allowing it to reach mass markets previously untouched by news. The New York Herald followed it shortly, which went more highbrow and soon eclipsed even The Times of London in circulation. Papers were enormously partisan in that era, but gradually the concept of objective journalism evolved thanks to new technology - wire services. The pooled news made available via these services made appeal to broad markets without being restricted by partisan lines a priority, leading to much more objective concepts of impartial journalism a must. By the turn of the 20th century it objectivity was an objective tenet, part and parcel with an era of industrial goods.
In the 20th century mass-market magazines gained broad appeal with exposes of corruption previously relayed only in elite journals such as The Atlantic. But the real appeal of magazines came with journals such as The Saturday Evening Post, which used improved technologies to lower prices and color and upbeat stories that appealed to the consciousness of average Americans who believed in the Horatio Alger success story and the inherent goodness of the growing nation. Yet again, technology made the message possible, this time a glossy self-image that comforted the masses.
New 35-millimeter photo technology made insightful views of major figures and events more appealing in the emerging field of photojournalism, leading to Henry Luce's Life magazine in 1936. It was an enormous success, far beyond Luce's own estimates of demand. Demand went into the millions of copies as fast as he could print them - The Saturday Evening Post was eclipsed as America's magazine. Television eventually killed the general interest magazine business model, though newspapers have survived well into the Web era, only to see today's "pamphleteers" - webloggers - begin a new cycle of technical innovation. "The days of the general interest newspaper is gone," Bob noted, forcing print into high-end audiences and papers trying to focus on segmented audiences in their markets.
Web technology almost took Bob's CQ down but online publishing now represents more than 60 percent of their revenues, generated by a very efficient publishing system. It meant some cannibalization of their core print products, but enhancing their content has shored those up as well to create a modified business model that put emphasis on ad revenues. Revenues are growing at a 15 percent annual rate. "Change never ceases, particularly in the field of technology. It can crush everything in its way but it can be harnessed for success. If you don't, you die, and nobody will linger to lament your passing." Bob makes a persuasive case for the power of technology to transform publishing again and again, but perhaps the ability of individuals to publish globally adds a new angle this time around that publishers have yet to digest fully.
