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America’s Ifirst Newspaper
It is just too hundred and eighty years this month since America’s first real newspaper was printed. The story of its publication is soon told, for it was a short-lived venture.
This pioneer paper was called Publick Occurances Both Foreign and Domestick. It was printed in Boston by Benjamin Harris, and was to be “furnished once a month (or C- if any Glut of Occurances happen, ofte-ner.)”
Fditor Harris issued his newspaper on September 25, 1690, and a copy of it was tacked on the wall of the London Coffee House in old Boston town. It was a colonial custom for many years afterwards to post copies of newspapers in prominent places for all to read without subscribing.
Compared with modern metropolitan newspapers, Publick Occurrances was not much of a paper. It consisted altogether of just three pages, with two columns to a page, and one plain page which was left blank for private correspondence. It measured 6 in. by 9 and one-half in when folded. Most of its “occurrances” were several months old by the time they reached the printed page.
The first issue of America’s pioneer newspaper had the unfortunate distinction of also being the last issue. Its career might have been long and honorable had Editor Harris been willing to listen to the advice of the authorities before going to press.
Instead, the newspaper was suppressed because Harris chose to print a rather candid report of a British military expedition against the French and Indians. Publick Occurrences never appeared again after the first issue.
Though his venture into the newsnaoer business was so ill-starred. Beniamin Harris wrote the opening chanter in the storv of American iournalism. To the credit of the Boston editor, it is worth nnt.irnr that the onlv reason for his nark's suntiression was his determination to record the news truthfullv.