Newsworkers during the interwar era: A critique of traditional media history

This essay offers an ideological critique of representations of United States newsworkers during the interwar period that have been presented in communication histories. Focusing on elements of structure, content, style, language, and absence, it explores the implications of a traditional liberal pluralist approach to media historiography. It suggests that although the role of newsworkers is central to understanding the political and economic development of the media, during this era, reporters are found to occupy a marginal role in conceptions of United States journalism history.

Key concepts:

• Critical media historiography
• American newsworkers
• journalism history
• liberal pluralism
• cultural history