ABSTRACT
We can further and more comprehensively understand what the news is (as well as what makes news) by looking at what news journalists actually do, when they started to do it and why. While a historical approach is not new (see Cranfield 1962; Harris 1977; Boyce et al 1978; McNair 1996; Curran and Seaton 1997; Allan 1999; Rudin and Ibbotson 2002), it still remains valid if we are to have a full account of what news is. By adopting a historical approach I wish to identify how the development of particular habits, precedents, practices, traditions and rituals of journalism enables us to further understand the core values of news and news journalism, and its relationship to accuracy, sincerity, space (here) and time (now).
