ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to break new ground in developing an overview of the historiography of journalism. It considers some of the foundational texts of journalism history from various methodological and national contexts, and highlights the challenges and limitations of digitization as a spur to contemporary approaches. Journalism had existed in practice if not in name for several centuries before there were consistent attempts to chart its historical evolution. In the British context, historians started to signal an interest in journalism as something other than a background for their own work, with work such as Cranfield’s on both local and national newspapers. The difficulties of accessing the content of broadcast journalism over time have not been replicated in print journalism’s histories. In Australia, the Centre for Media History was set up in 2007 out of Macquarie University. Although a broad media operation, it has a strong commitment to journalism within that portfolio.
