A THREAD about the history of the UK press & journalism, focusing on how the 'radical press' transformed Britain.
I believe we're experiencing something similar now, with outlets like @BylineTimes, @DoubleDownNews & many others challenging the dominant free-market narrative.
A bit of context.
The Guttenberg print press, invented in 1440, changed everything.
Ordinary people now had access to information, ideas & narratives from all sorts of perspectives, thus breaking the stranglehold on the elite's domination.
Gradually at first, there was a profound shift from oral/visual culture toward print culture – kickstart age of reason, & it was transformative, giving birth to the Renaissance & the Enlightenment, & in the17th century gave rise to early #journalism.
People gained access to local, regional, national & international self-expression.
Very early journalism focused on self-improvement, law, medicine, events & entertainment.
In 1550, only 15% of adult population can read; by 1650, nearly 50% of the adult population read.
Early on, more men than women are literate, more upper class than lower, and it takes takes until 1850 for 75% of the British population to read & write.
And this gives rise to the birth of Journalism as we recognise it today.