Ryan Paice

Date of Award

2018

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Humanities

First Advisor

Dimino, Andrea

Area of Concentration

English

Abstract

Journalists are held responsible for guarding facts from political manipulation, but nevertheless, true objectivity in their work is unachievable. This portfolio thesis focuses on the ways in which journalists failed to fulfill their responsibility to maintain factual accuracy throughout the newsbook journalism of the English Civil Wars (1642-1651), and the newspaper journalism during the United States presidential elections of 1960 and 2016. Chapter One explores American newspaper journalism, discussing the journalistic constructions of Kennedy and Nixon; examining the progression of negativity in the press and popular distrust towards it between 1960 and 2016, and resulting portrayals of Clinton and Trump. Chapter Two explores the English newsbook coverage of the Battle of Edge Hill and the Battle of Worchester—the two bookending battles of the English Civil Wars—and the journalistic portrayals of Oliver Cromwell, and Charles I and II. During this period, monarchal censorship deteriorated, which led to the explosive growth of partisan newsbooks of all affiliations. The conclusion examines the problems found throughout the two chapters, such as “he-said, she-said” journalism, the attribution of activity and passivity, and the support or criticism of public figures’ statements, before speculating as to how these issues might be remedied.

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