9781422272688

governor had the power to approve all editions of the paper before they were distributed. Newspapers were used to spread information about events occurring throughout the states. When the British implemented the Stamp Act of 1765, newspapers spread information to colonists, who would go on to revolt. Patriotism was rampant in newspapers published weekly in the time leading up to the American Revolution. The Virginia Gazette was especially known for denouncing the king and his governors. In this case, newspapers and pamphlets helped fuel the tensions between colonists and those loyal to England. The use of newspapers to disseminate ideas extended beyond the Revolutionary War. Division arose during the Constitutional Convention with the publication of the Federalist Papers throughout the 1780s as well as its counter, the Anti-Federalist Papers. This established the party press era, in which editorials were steeped in partisanship . Media bias is certainly not a new concept. The press became such an important part of early America that the First Amendment to the US Constitution called for freedom of the press. The First Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, to preserve the liberties of the press. This right was so important because the British government had previously worked hard to prevent newspapers from publishing any unfavorable information about the government. The Founding Fathers wanted to

14

Contemporary Issues: Media Bias