History Book: Foundations of a free press

Editor's note: The following text is a transcript of a podcast story. To listen to the story, click on the arrow beneath the headline above.

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Monday, November 3rd. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next, the WORLD History Book.

From printing presses to podcasts , the methods of news dissemination have changed dramatically. But how did we get here? Today, we consider the moments that shaped modern news ,from the early fight for press freedom to the first crackle of radio.

Here’s WORLD’s Paul Butler with the story.

PAUL BUTLER: John Peter Zenger is one of America’s first newspapermen. And on November 23rd, 1734, he stands in a New York courtroom awaiting a jury’s verdict, wondering whether he will be charged with the crime of libel.

But colonial libel laws are not on Zenger’s side.

Audio here from Annenberg Classroom. Burt Neuborne is professor at the New York University of Law.

BURT NEUBORNE: They tend to favor established people with strong reputations and strong presence in the society. So, the King. The King’s justices. The richest guy in the country.

In 1733, Zenger prints editorials criticizing the colonial governor, William Cosby. So Cosby takes Zenger to court, accusing him of printing lies about his governance. Eric Foner is a history professor at Columbia University. Audio here from an interview with NBC News Learn.

ERIC FONER: Zenger insulted the governor, no question about it. He called him a thief, a crook, a criminal.

The trial drags on for almost a year. It’s a contentious proceeding, resulting in two disbarred attorneys and a reshuffling of several juries. Finally, on August 4th, 1735, Zenger awaits the final charge.

But after just a half hour, the jury comes back with a verdict of ‘not guilty,’ laying the foundations for freedom of the press in America.

FONER: His trial is important because his lawyer convinced the jury that Zenger was right. That the governor was a lowlife.

Next, on November 2nd, 1920. About 1,000 people tune in to the first commercial radio broadcast. KDKA recreated that moment in this 2012 recording.

KDKA: This is KDKA of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania …

It’s presidential election night, and KDKA teams up with the local newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post, to get the latest updates for listeners. Through a private phone line, they get the results every hour.

KDKA: We’d appreciate it if anyone hearing this broadcast would communicate with us, as we are very anxious to know how far the broadcast is reaching, and how it is being received.

105 years ago, radio was primarily used for ships and navigation. But there are still a number of radio stations in use, mainly to play music.

AUDIO: [The 1920s Channel, Radio music]

Then, the Westinghouse Company decides to harness the airwaves for other means of communication.

On election night, four men pack into a tiny makeshift studio in a shack to get the broadcast going. Leo Rosenberg is among them—America’s first radio announcer. According to him, he was chosen because he had the best voice of the four.

KDKA: Some 30 million Americans are electing a president of the United States … Republican: Warren G. Harding, and Calvin Coolidge. Democratic: James M. Cox …

KDKA eventually starts regular and varied programs, from inviting politicians as guests to commentating on sports. They also regularly air local sermons on their Sunday evening program. And from there, the lure of radio captivates America.

By 1922, more than 500 radio stations fill the airwaves. That eventually leads newspapers to worry about their dominance in the news market, and they start jockeying for position against radio shows.

Eventually broadcasters look for ways to put pictures with sound, and it doesn’t take long before radio evolves to broadcast television. And a whole new generation of journalists emerge.

Here’s newscaster Walter Cronkite from 1962.

WALTER CRONKITE: Good evening from our CBS Newsroom in New York, on this, the first broadcast of network television’s first daily half hour news program.

About 80 years after the broadcast radio boom, the news medium changes once again in the internet age.

ROBIN WILLIAMS: It’s basically, it’s downloadable sound, okay? And also they have things like books on tape, New York Times, Wall Street Journal …

That’s Robin Williams on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, describing the very beginnings of podcasting.

WILLIAMS: It’s basically radio.

JAY LENO: Radio! Now I understand!

WILLIAMS: Now you understand, it’s radio.

LENO: So I can listen to that in the car.

WILLIAMS: Yes!

Journalist Ben Hammersley coined the term “podcast” in a 2004 article for The Guardian. It’s a combination of the words “iPod” and “broadcast.”

And that year proved to be a springboard for podcasting, when USA Today told its readers about these so-called “free amateur chatfests.” Millions started asking Google what a podcast was, and how to listen.

By November of 2004, the British Broadcasting Corporation converted one of its radio shows, called In Our Time, into their first podcast. Each one was available on the internet for a week after publication. But in 2010, the BBC started keeping them up on the website for good.

MELVYN BRAGG: Thanks for downloading the In Our Time podcast.

In 2005, Apple added podcasts to iTunes. News outlets like the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal transformed their radio programs into news podcasts. On the homefront, WORLD Magazine did the same in 2011.

NICK EICHER: From WORLD Magazine, this is the debut of the World and Everything In It, where we take time to explore stories and issues and tell you important things you probably won’t hear about anywhere else. I’m Nick Eicher.

JOSEPH SLIFE: And I’m Joseph Slife.

Today there are more than 4.5 million podcasts globally, with big shows still revolutionizing the medium. Like the Joe Rogan Experience. And NPR’s most popular programs.

AUDIO: [THE JOE ROGAN EXPERIENCE INTRO]

Some experts are predicting a future with more video podcasting, increased use of AI, and highly customizable programming. But no matter how the medium changes, the news will also adapt. For in the words of Walter Cronkite:

CRONKITE: Old anchormen, you see, don’t fade away, they just keep coming back for more. And that’s the way it is.

That’s this week’s WORLD History Book. I’m Paul Butler. Reporting by Emma Eicher.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.