The Press and Its Influence at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century

By Carolyne Blanchard

For historians, newspapers represent a significant body of information. Through newspapers, historical "facts" can be reconstructed and the attitudes of journalists and the general public can be assessed.

In the nineteenth century, newspapers were, above all, the organs of political parties or the advocates of certain ideologies. These journals of opinion always came in the same form: they were generally four pages long, with six to eight columns and no large headlines, out of a desire to save money. They were aimed especially at an elite (literate, of course) interested in politics. The end of the nineteenth century saw journals of opinion transformed into popular newspapers, which championed all sorts of causes, or into information-centred journals.

At that time technology, as much as the desire to produce informative news aimed at "the people," radically transformed the image of the press. From the beginning of the twentieth century, news and short news items, rather than political debates, filled newspaper pages. Technical developments, such as more rapid presses, increasingly efficient typographical methods, and the possibility of using large characters and headlines that filled an entire page (thanks to the cheaper cost of paper) were all factors enabling attractive newspapers to be produced in large quantities for a continually increasing number of readers. The newspaper now entered many homes. It was aimed more and more at all members of the family, with sections for women and for children. As early as 1914, newspapers had roughly the same appearance as those of today.

With its purchase price constantly dropping, the newspaper was no longer a luxury and the "masses" were able to have access to it. Moreover, these readers were demanding and wanted to find in their daily newspaper news from not only their neighbourhood but also from around the world. Telegraphs, the transatlantic cable, telephones, transportation networks, and the ever-increasing number of journalists permitted this proliferation of information.

These news journals tended to become instruments of dissemination and popular education. They retained certain elements from the journals of opinion, such as the announcement of deaths, births, visits of dignitaries, etc. On the other hand, short news items, criminal events, and events that were out of the ordinary made the front pages and the headlines. Scandals and murders were described and the details given, so as to draw attention and incite the public to buy a copy of the newspaper in order to know all the latest developments in whatever shocking scandal held the public spellbound.

Sources:

Beaulieu, A. and Jean Hamelin. La presse québécoise des origines à nos jours. Québec, Presses de l’Université Laval, 1987.

Bonville, Jean de. La presse québécoise de 1884 à 1914. Genèse d’un média de masse. Québec, Les presses de l’Université Laval, 1988, 416 pages.