The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public . These include news agencies , newspapers , news magazines , news channels etc.
67-507: MaineToday Media, Inc. (abbreviated as MTM ) was a privately owned news publisher of daily and weekly newspapers in the U.S. state of Maine , based in the state's largest city, Portland . It included the Portland Press Herald , the state's largest newspaper. In 2023, the group was sold to the nonprofit National Trust for Local News, which consolidated the company with Alliance Media Group and Sun Media Group to form
134-692: A patent medicine —but it was his son, Guy Patterson Gannett, who headed the push into daily journalism. After a stint helping with the magazine after leaving Yale University in 1901, the junior Gannett went into local politics. By 1920, he was a prominent citizen in Augusta, Maine. Two daily newspaper owners representing the Portland Herald and the Portland Daily Press approached him and asked him to buy them out. Gannett invested in both companies. In 1921, he completed his purchase of
201-456: A photographer or camera person. In the second phase, they organize the material, determine the focus or emphasis (identify the peg), and finally write their stories. The story is then edited by news or copy-editors (U.S. style) or sub-editors in Europe, who function from the news desk . The headline of the story is decided by the news desk, and practically never by the reporter or the writer of
268-732: A 135 year run beginning in 1884. Also, the Evening Express of Portland was published by Guy Gannett until it was phased out in favor of the Press Herald . The trust owns The Forecasters , a group of four weeklies aimed at communities in southern Maine, as well as the American Journal of Westbrook , Gorham , and Buxton , and the Lakes Region Weekly for the Lakes Region . They also publish
335-706: A Maine printer and newspaper owner. He already owned newspapers in Rockland and Belfast, Maine . Brower purchased the company through an acquisition company under his control, MTM Acquisition. Sussman had operated the MaineToday via his own controlled company, Maine Values. Brower also purchased the Sun Media Group, parent of the Sun Journal in Lewiston , in 2017. In Spring 2018, MaineToday purchased
402-600: A change affecting the Portland Press Herald , Morning Sentinel , Kennebec Journal , and Sun Journal newspapers. The Times Record was excluded. In March 2023, Brower, then 66, announced he was looking to sell Masthead, though "without urgency or desperation." Finalized in July 2023, Masthead Maine was sold to the National Trust for Local News, in a deal involving 17 weekly newspapers and five dailies,
469-515: A desire to avoid appearing partisan and telling readers how to vote. They stated they would continue to take positions on referendums, people's veto, and bond questions. The company operates an office from 295 Gannett Drive in South Portland . In 2016, the building was sold for cash flow, but it continues to be leased and operated by the trust. This address is listed on the contact page of the Press Herald . News publishing Some of
536-471: A family trust from 1954 until 1998, when the trust left the media business. It sold its television stations to Sinclair Broadcasting , and the newspapers to The Seattle Times Company , for a price later reported at around 213 million dollars. Guy Gannett managers said they sold to the Times Company because of shared values—both companies were fourth-generation family-owned news organizations: "Of all
603-457: A great impact on future policies. During the 1920s, radio became a news medium, and was a significant source of breaking news. Although, during World War I, radio broadcasts in America were only given information about Allied victories because Great Britain had a monopoly on the transatlantic radio lines. For the newspapers, the government suppressed any radical or German papers during and after
670-528: A group that bought a controlling interest in MaineToday Media for an undisclosed price. In March of the same year, S. Donald Sussman paid 3.3 million dollars for a controlling stake of 75%. Concerns were raised as to a conflict of interest, as Sussman was married to U.S. representative from Maine, Chellie Pingree . Following his stake purchase, he invested another $ 13 million into the group. In 2015, Sussman sold MaineToday Media to Reade Brower ,
737-541: A hotel. Financial details of the sale were not released, though a Seattle Times report estimated them at less than half the $ 213 million paid in 1998. At the time of the sale, a spokesman for The Seattle Times Company said the Maine newspapers "provided a very good return during our 10-year tenure. We were very reluctant to sell and are very sad about it. If it were not for the severe recession, we would not have done so." MaineToday promised that it could put its newspapers on
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#1732788039524804-467: A new emphasis on computer-assisted reporting and a new blending of media forms emerged, with one reporter preparing the same story in print, online, and on camera for a newspaper's cable station. A "medium" (plural "media") is a carrier of something. Common things carried by media include information, art, or physical objects. A medium may provide transmission or storage of information or both. The industries which produce news and entertainment content for
871-518: A new publication, the Old Port Times , which was apparently "selling editorial coverage to advertisers", and which The Bollard marked as a move that "trade[d] credibility for cash". On 17 March 2008, the Times Company announced that it was looking to sell Blethen Maine Newspapers. On 15 June 2009, MaineToday Media was formed with the sale finalization of the Blethen papers; the new company
938-499: A new style of investigative journalism that revealed the corrupt practices of government officials. These exposing articles became featured in many newspapers and magazines. The people who wrote them became labeled as "muckrakers". They became very influential and were a vital force in the Progressive reform movement. However, after 1912 muckraking declined. The public began to think the exposés were sensationalized, but they did make
1005-426: A nonprofit. The Maine Journalism Foundation originally tried to purchase Masthead, but dissolved after the completion of sale to another nonprofit. Their president, Bill Neimitz stated: "Our goal going into this was for the Press Herald and all the other Masthead Maine properties to convert to nonprofit ownership," and as the deal was completed with a not-for-profit entity, Neimitz was satisfied, stating on behalf of
1072-619: A sound financial footing, but over the next two and a half years there were more than 160 job cuts at the Portland Press Herald , the company was sued for failing to pay a paper bill, and the local guild president said his members "feel their investment in Rich Connor was squandered and they're angry about it." Connor stepped down as publisher of the newspapers for undisclosed reasons in October 2011. In April 2013, Connor
1139-486: A workplace may broadcast very limited ad hoc soundbites to a small population within its range. The sequencing of content in a broadcast is called a schedule . Television and radio programs are distributed through radio broadcasting or cable , often simultaneously. By coding signals and having decoding equipment in homes, the latter also enables subscription -based channels and pay-per-view services. A broadcasting organization may broadcast several programs at
1206-700: Is a lightweight and disposable publication (more specifically, a periodical ), usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint . It may be general or of special interest, and may be published daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly. General-interest newspapers are usually journals of current news on a variety of topics. Those can include political events , crime , business , sports , and opinions (either editorials , columns , or political cartoons ). Many also include weather news and forecasts . Newspapers increasingly use photographs to illustrate stories; they also often include comic strips and other entertainment, such as crosswords . A story
1273-498: Is a single article, news item or feature , usually concerning a single event , issue, theme , or profile of a person. Correspondents report news occurring in the main, locally, from their own country, or from foreign cities where they are stationed. Most reporters file information or write their stories electronically from remote locations. In many cases, breaking stories are written by staff members, through information collected and submitted by other reporters who are out on
1340-531: Is given a byline for the piece that is published; his or her name appears alongside the article. This process takes place according to the frequency of the publication. News can be published in a variety of formats ( broadsheet , tabloid , magazine and periodical publications) as well as periods (daily, weekly, semi-weekly, fortnightly or monthly). A newsmagazine , is a usually weekly magazine featuring articles on current events. News magazines generally go more in-depth into stories than newspapers, trying to give
1407-417: Is often used. Broadcasting forms a very large segment of the mass media . Broadcasting to a very narrow range of audience is called narrowcasting . In a broadcast system (television), journalists or reporters are also involved with editing the video material that has been shot alongside their research, and in working on the visual narrative of the story. Broadcast journalists often make an appearance in
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#17327880395241474-422: Is whether someone coming in from the outside will be willing to do that. Although they entertained offers from Journal Register Company and MediaNews Group , which had strong properties in nearby Massachusetts , Guy Gannett's managers decided to sell their newspapers to The Seattle Times Company , which had previously operated only within the state of Washington . Seattle Times, run by the fourth generation of
1541-978: The Advertiser Democrat of the Oxford Hills, The Bethel Citizen of Bethel , The Franklin Journal of Franklin County , the Livermore Falls Advertiser of Livermore Falls , the Rangeley Highlander of Rangeley , and the Rumford Falls Times of the River Valley . It previously published The Community Leader , a weekly a lifestyle , entertainment, and arts magazine in Falmouth (part of
1608-462: The 2004 United States presidential election , published June 1, 2006. By June 8, there had been no mainstream coverage of the documented allegations by President John F. Kennedy's nephew. On June 9, this sub-story was covered by a Seattle Post-Intelligencer article. Media coverage during the 2008 Mumbai attacks highlighted the use of new media and Internet social networking tools, including Twitter and Flickr , in spreading information about
1675-696: The Forecasters , American Journal , Lakes Region Weekly , and the Mainely Media papers. SunJournal.com hosts the Sun Journal as well as the Western Maine Weeklies. Masthead Maine's newspaper properties were, for most of the 20th century, the core of Guy Gannett Communications , a local family-owned business not related to the larger Gannett chain. The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett in 1921, and managed by
1742-566: The Internet . The Internet has allowed the formal and informal publication of news stories through mainstream media outlets, social media platforms, as well as blogs , vlogs , and other self-published news stories. By covering news, politics, weather, sports, entertainment, and vital events, the daily media shape the dominant cultural, social and political picture of society. Beyond the media networks, independent news sources have evolved to report on events which escape attention or underlie
1809-852: The Maine Trust for Local News . The trust owns 5 of out 6 daily newspapers in Maine, the exclusion being the Bangor Daily News . They own the flagship Portland Press Herald and its Sunday edition the Maine Sunday Telegram, as well as the Morning Sentinel of Waterville , the Kennebec Journal of Augusta , the Sun Journal of Lewiston , and the Times Record of Brunswick . The Journal Tribune of Biddeford ceased in 2019, after
1876-750: The South East European Network for Professionalization of Media (SEENPM) . Guy Gannett Communications Guy Gannett Communications was a family-owned business consisting of newspapers in Maine and a handful of television stations in the eastern United States . The company was founded by its namesake, Guy P. Gannett, in 1921, and was managed by a family trust from 1954 to 1998, when it sold most of its properties to The Seattle Times Company and Sinclair Broadcast Group . William Howard Gannett, of Augusta, Maine , first published Comfort magazine in 1888—an eight-page advertisement for
1943-790: The Switch ceased publication. Online, it operates three websites, CentralMaine.com, PressHerald.com, and SunJournal.com. The former websites of both MaineToday and Masthead Maine now redirect to the Maine Trust's website. CentralMaine.com hosts the Central Maine Sunday , the Morning Sentinel , and the Kennebec Journal . PressHerald.com, on top of the Press Herald itself, hosts the Times Record and
2010-488: The mass media are often called "the media" (in much the same way the newspaper industry is called "the press "). In the late 20th century it became commonplace for this usage to be construed as singular ("The media is...") rather than as the traditional plural. "Press" is the collective designation of media vehicles that carry out journalism and other functions of informative communication, in contrast to pure propaganda or entertainment communication. The term press comes from
2077-513: The printing press of Johannes Gutenberg in the sixteenth century and which, from the eighteenth century, was used to print newspapers, then the only existing journalistic vehicles. From the middle of the 20th century onwards, newspapers also began to be broadcast (radio news and television news). The advent of the World Wide Web brought with it online newspapers, which then expanded to include online news videos and online streaming news in
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2144-466: The public interest and democratic process , making it resilient to institutional corruption within the media system, economy of influence, conflicting dependence and political clientelism . Media integrity encompasses following qualities of a media outlet: The concept was devised particularly for the media systems in the region of South East Europe , within the project South East European Media Observatory , gathering organisations which are part of
2211-443: The silent era until the 1960s when television news broadcasting completely supplanted its role. As technology improved, newsreels began to incorporate sound and color, making them even more engaging for audiences. However, with the rise of television news, the popularity of newsreels began to decline, and they were eventually phased out altogether. Online journalism is reporting and other journalism produced or distributed via
2278-547: The "Southern Maine Weeklies" through Mainely Media: the Biddeford-Saco-OOB Courier ( Biddeford Courier ), Scarborough Leader , South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Sentry ( South Portland Sentry ), and the Kennebunk Post , for the communities of Biddeford – Saco – Old Orchard Beach , Scarborough , South Portland – Cape Elizabeth , and Kennebunk , respectively. The "Western Maine Weeklies" include
2345-566: The 1640s and 1650s. In 1690, the first American newspaper was published by Richard Pierce and Benjamin Harris in Boston. However, it did not have permission from the government to be published and was immediately suppressed. In 1729, Benjamin Franklin began writing a new form of newspaper that was more satirical and more involved in civic affairs than previously seen. In 1735, John Peter Zenger
2412-490: The 1830s, newspapers started seeking commercial success and turned toward reportage. This began with the New York Sun in 1833. Advancements in technology made it cheaper to print newspapers and "penny papers" emerged. These issues sought out local news and coverage of society. Later, news-gathering became a central function of newspapers. With the invention of the telegraph in 1845, the " inverted pyramid " structure of news
2479-440: The 2010s. The use of the term "press", however, was maintained. Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video signals (programs) to a number of recipients ("listeners" or "viewers") that belong to a large group. This group may be the public in general, or a relatively large audience within the public. Thus, an Internet channel may distribute text or music worldwide, while a public address system in (for example)
2546-795: The Biddeford Journal Tribune and the Brunswick's The Times Record , which became parts of the Alliance Press media group. Included in the purchase were the weeklies of Mainely Media. In late 2018, Alliance's operations were merged into MaineToday's. In January 2019, Brower consolidated the MaineToday, Sun, and Alliance media groups into Masthead Maine, a single network aimed to unify advertising across Maine newspapers. In 2020, Masthead announced it would stop printing Monday editions for four out of five of its daily newspapers, opting instead for digital-only Monday editions,
2613-493: The Blethen family, which had its roots in Maine, won out because of shared values. "Of all the companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara. Frank Blethen, the Seattle Times publisher, agreed: "One of our key phrases is that we make money to print newspapers, not
2680-485: The Central Maine Newspapers market), which was later moved to Portland and renamed The Maine Switch . The Bollard described the Switch in 2008 as a "free pile of cheap wrapping paper", describing the paper as "following fads, exploring yoga and toiling away at an endless list of home improvement projects between marathon bouts of Art Walking and pandering to potential advertisers." In August 2009,
2747-459: The Masthead name as of October 2023. Lisa DeSisto was CEO of Masthead Maine and continued her role, becoming CEO of the Maine Trust after the transition. DeSisto said that Masthead Maine's sale to the National Trust was "the best possible outcome". The MaineToday editorial board announced in an August 2014 editorial that they would no longer endorse candidates for political office, citing
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2814-527: The Vietnam War, the media reporting directly challenged the government, drawing attention to the "credibility gap" — official lies and half-truths about the war. Television news continued to expand during the 1970s, and by 1990, more than half of American homes had cable systems and nationally oriented newspapers expanded their reach. With technological advancements in the newsroom, notably the Internet,
2881-418: The attacks, observing that Internet coverage was often ahead of more traditional media sources. In response, traditional media outlets included such coverage in their reports. However, several outlets were criticized as they did not check for the reliability and verifiability of the information. Some public opinion research companies have found that a majority or plurality of people in various countries distrust
2948-406: The companies in the newspaper business, The Seattle Times is one most like our company in the sense of independence, of family ownership, and commitment to the community," said Guy Gannett spokesman Tim O'Meara. The Times Company, then headed by CEO Frank Blethen , set up a subsidiary named Blethen Maine Newspapers to run its Maine operations. Frank Blethen is a descendant of Alden J. Blethen , who
3015-528: The deal was not disclosed publicly but was later estimated at $ 213 million, based on company documents. A week after the Blethen sale, Guy Gannett unloaded most of its television stations in a US$ 310 million deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group . At the time of its sale in 1998, Guy Gannett Communications consisted of three daily newspapers in Maine, a few related publishing products, and seven television stations . The newspapers and related companies were sold to The Seattle Times Company and reorganized as
3082-488: The family trust decided to sell the company, leading to worries among some, such as Press Herald managing editor Curt Hazlett, that the Guy Gannett papers could lose the qualities he associated with family-owned journalism: This place has been committed to quality, which means we're a little fat on the news side. That's a price this company has been willing to pay because we cover the community pretty well. The question
3149-468: The field gathering information for an event that has just occurred and needs to be broadcast instantly. Radio and television reporters often compose stories and report "live" from the scene. Some journalists also interpret the news or offer opinions and analysis to readers, viewers, or listeners. In this role, they are called commentators or columnists. Reporters take notes and also take photographs or shoot videos, either on their own, by citizens or through
3216-673: The first news circulations occurred in Renaissance Europe. These handwritten newsletters contained news about wars, economic conditions, and social customs and were circulated among merchants. The first printed news appeared by the late 1400s in German pamphlets that contained content that was often highly sensationalized. The first newspaper written in English was The Weekly News, published in London in 1621. Several papers followed in
3283-587: The foundation that they were "absolutely thrilled" with the outcome. The remaining 171 thousand dollars of the foundation were transferred to the Maine Trust. The National Trust, headquartered in Denver , already owned about two dozen newspapers in Colorado. Following the takeover, Masthead Maine continues some services under the former name, notably Masthead Maine Press, a company in the Masthead network which offers commercial printing, and continues to operate under
3350-416: The internet is true. A major problem is the issue of unbiased articles showing up in a timeline next to fake articles. This makes it hard for others to determine between what is fact and what is opinion. Specifically, the media coverage during the 2016 United States presidential election saw numerous misleading articles for both candidates. Media integrity refers to the ability of a news media outlet to serve
3417-479: The major stories. In recent years, the blogosphere has taken reporting a step further, mining down to the experiences and perceptions of individual citizens. A growing phenomenon, the blogosphere can report news overlooked by the press and TV networks. Due to the rise of social media involvement in news, the most common news value has become entertainment in recent years. Apropos of this was Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 's 11,000-word Rolling Stone article apropos of
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#17327880395243484-516: The majority of Maine's daily newspapers. The Trust acquired every daily paper in Maine except for the Bangor Daily News . The National Trust operates these papers through its subsidiary, the Maine Trust for Local News. This trust received criticism for its backing by Democratic politicians, raising concerns of bias. Despite the criticism, the News Guild of Maine greeted the changes with relief, stating that they were grateful Brower chose to sell to
3551-557: The news media. Fake news articles are untruthful-on-purpose stories. They have the purpose of misleading the reader to think one way. With the rise of new media through social media, there has been an increase in fake news. This increase in fake news has progressed over time and continues to show, especially in today's media. The use of Twitter, Facebook, etc. has made it easier for false or misleading articles to be seen. The amount of misleading news articles that are produced are causing audiences to believe that every piece of information on
3618-503: The news story at the beginning or end of the video clip. In television or broadcast journalism , news analysts (also called newscasters or news anchors) examine, interpret, and broadcast news received from various sources of information. Anchors present this as news, either videotaped or live, through transmissions from on-the-scene reporters (news correspondents). News films ("clips") can vary in length; there are some which may be as long as ten minutes, others that need to fit in all
3685-553: The other way around," he said. Blethen said he had developed "a real emotional connection" to the Maine papers after making several "family pilgrimages" to the home of his ancestor, Col. Alden Blethen, who had been a schoolteacher and lawyer in Maine before purchasing The Seattle Press-Times in 1896. The Kennebec Journal , Maine Sunday Telegram , Morning Sentinel and Portland Press Herald , along with associated weeklies, were reorganized as Blethen Maine Newspapers , an independent division of The Seattle Times Company. The price of
3752-413: The piece. Often, the news desk also heavily re-writes or changes the style and tone of the first draft prepared by the reporter / writer originally. Finally, a collection of stories that have been picked for the newspaper or magazine edition , are laid out on dummy (trial) pages, and after the chief editor has approved the content, style and language in the material, it is sent for publishing . The writer
3819-533: The reader an understanding of the context surrounding important events, rather than just the facts. A newsreel was a documentary film common in the first half of the 20th century, that regularly released in a public presentation place containing filmed news stories. Created by Pathé Frères of France in 1908, this form of film was a staple of the typical North American, British , and Commonwealth countries (especially Canada, Australia and New Zealand) , and throughout European cinema programming schedule from
3886-436: The relevant information and material in two or three minutes. News channels these days have also begun to host special documentary films that stretch for much longer durations and are able to explore a news subject or issue in greater detail. The desk persons categorise news stories with various formats according to the merit of the story. Such formats include AVO, AVO Byte, Pkg, VO SOT, VOX POP, and Ancho Visual. A newspaper
3953-410: The same time, through several channels ( frequencies ), for example BBC One and Two . On the other hand, two or more organizations may share a channel and each use it during a fixed part of the day. Digital radio and digital television may also transmit multiplexed programming, with several channels compressed into one ensemble . When broadcasting is done via the Internet the term webcasting
4020-763: The two Portland papers, merging them into one Portland Press Herald , and also bought the Waterville Morning Sentinel in Waterville, Maine . In 1925 he added, for US$ 550,000, the Portland Evening Express and Daily Advertiser and Portland Sunday Telegram . Four years later, Guy Gannett Publishing Co. tacked on the Kennebec Journal in Augusta. At first, the company expanded beyond newspapers with WGAN radio (1938) and television (1954) stations in Portland only (WGAN-TV
4087-474: The war. With the introduction of the television came The Communications Act of 1934. It was an agreement between commercial television and the people of the United States that established that: The airways are public property; Commercial broadcasters are licensed to use the airways; The main condition for use will be whether the broadcaster served "the public interest, convenience, and necessity." During
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#17327880395244154-536: Was accused of misappropriation of about $ 530,000 of the newspapers' funds for personal expenses and unauthorized salary increases for himself. In a memo to company employees, MaineToday publisher Lisa DeSisto wrote the newspapers were paid $ 537,988.68 under the company’s employee theft insurance policy, to recoup money that she wrote "Connor took for unauthorized personal use." In January 2012, Massachusetts businessman Aaron Kusher, who had previously made an unsuccessful 200 million dollar bid to buy The Boston Globe , led
4221-527: Was accused of seditious libel by the governor of New York, William Cosby . Zenger was found not guilty, largely in part to his attorney Andrew Hamilton, who later wrote a paper in which he argued that newspapers should be free to criticize the government as long as it was true. Later, with the ratification of the Bill of Rights in 1791, freedom of the press would be guaranteed by the First Amendment. In
4288-413: Was born in Maine in 1845, and later bought The Seattle Times and founded the Times Company in 1896. Blethen Maine Newspapers operated a subsidiary, Maine Community Publications, which operated The Community Leader/Maine Switch , and The Coastal Journal , a paper which was later merged into The Forecaster network. In the summer of 2006, The Bollard criticized Maine Community Publications for starting
4355-454: Was developed. Through the latter half of the 1800s, politics played a role in what newspapers published. By the end of the century, modern aspects of newspapers, such as banner headlines, extensive use of illustrations, "funny pages", and expanded coverage of organized sporting events, began to appear. Also, media consolidation began with many independent newspapers becoming part of "chains". The early 1900s saw Progressive Era journalists using
4422-760: Was headed by Maine native Richard L. Connor, publisher of the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania . As part of the sale, members of the Portland Newspaper Guild took a 10 percent pay cut in exchange for 15 percent ownership in the company. Their buildings at 385 and 390 Congress Street (part of the Press Herald Building complex) were sold in 2009, and the company established a headquarters at One City Center in downtown Portland in 2010. The former building at 390 became
4489-518: Was renamed WGME in 1983). In 1967, Guy Gannett Communications began to buy television properties outside Maine. On February 1, 1991, succumbing to industry-wide declines in revenues at afternoon newspapers, Guy Gannett Communications closed the Evening Express and merged it with the Portland Press Herald . Daily circulation of the Express was given at 22,000 to 23,000. In early 1998,
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