History: Newspapers played a pivotal role in the formation and growth of the United States. The history of the newspaper industry tells the story of how the concept of journalism and the meaning of news evolved.

Industry: Concentration of ownership in the newspaper industry is altering the way news is covered. This chapter looks at who owns today’s papers, how they are staffed, and what changes are occurring in readership patterns.

Controversies: Two challenges facing today’s newspaper industry are how to practice good journalism in an era of corporate ownership and how to bring diversity into newsrooms.