In this episode, we explore what newspapers and reporting looked like in the early 1800s, and how technology and lower manufacturing costs in the middle of the century led to the greatest newspaper expansion in history. With the newspaper business booming, and the press becoming more informed and independent, Americans had frequent, consistent and easy access to the news--more so than ever before. 

Sounds great, right? And it was (mostly) until competition for business led a couple of prominent newspaper publishers to develop new tactics.