Newsrooms and the Disruption of the Internet: A Short History of Disruptive Technologies, 1990 – 2010 (Routledge, 2022).

Describe the focus of your book.

It is a (very brief) history of the impact of the internet on the news industry and on news workers. It is a sequel to my earlier book on the history of newsroom computerization, A Short History of Disruptive Journalism Technologies: 1960-1990, which was published in 2019. 

How did you come across this subject? Why did it interest you?

Toward the end of my research for my first book for Routledge, I read a number of reports in trade publications such as Editor & Publisher, some of them breathlessly optimistic, others more circumspect, on the arrival of the civilian internet in the early 1990s. The promise and peril of that moment inspired me to write a follow-on book to my newsroom-computerization history, and Bob Franklin, my generous editor for the “Disruptions” series, encouraged me to do so. 

What archives or research materials did you use? 

As with my first Routledge project, I made heavy use of archival material, but also trade publications and other contemporary accounts, including internal corporate documents by Knight Ridder. This latter material was provided by the late Jerry Ceppos, who had been a Knight Ridder executive in the 1990s and who went on to become dean of the Manship School of Mass Communication in Louisiana. His contributions really made the book work, especially in my concluding chapter, as they focus on the difficulties of future casting. This happened during the 1990s, regarding the 2000s, 2010s and beyond (i.e. our time). I will remain immensely grateful to Jerry for his help, and I’ve dedicated my book talks to him. 

How does your book relate to journalism history? How is it relevant to the present?

The book helps explain, I hope, some of the reasons why the internet was so truly disruptive to the journalism industry. While it is not a business history, I hope it also provides insights on how so many smart folks could be so wrong about the importance of something we take for granted (i.e. the internet). I wanted to show, too, what they got right, and what they might mean for us now. 

What advice do you have for other historians that are working on or starting book projects?

As someone who struggles with organization, I would encourage my colleagues to use whatever works best for them for tracking their notes, images and other material along the way. I made heavy use of Evernote, but programs such as Scrivener have been helpful to others. Good luck and Godspeed! Oh, and I’m happy to share a PDF of my book, or to visit your campus, either virtually or in person, to talk about it. Thank you!