New Zealand newspapers 1840-1880: a sociological analysis of the political and organizational concerns

Abstract

This study is of the New Zealand newspapers over the period 1840-1880. The years indicate, respectively, the first publication of newspapers in the country, and the formation of the United Press Association, an association whereby newspapers muted their competition in favour of a national cooperative interchange of news. It is argued that newspapers began and continued as partisan advocates for a developing ruling class; that newspaper controllers were influential in New Zealand politics; and that New Zealand newspapers are to be understood as the outcome of the ambivalent relationship between the organizational and political concerns of newspaper controllers. The various newspapers began under the influence of the Crown Colony Government or of the New Zealand Company and its offshoots. Prior to the gaining of self-government in 1853, newspapers became a major expression of the political opinion of the settlers. With the introduction of self-government newspaper controllers were disproportionately successful in winning elected political positions. During the early provincial period newspapers became recognized advocates for individual politicians. With later population growth a change towards daily journalism began. Consequent on this and the development of the telegraph, the New Zealand press began a process of nationalization. There arose an ideology that newspapers were not politically partisan. Newspapers, however, did not become politically neutral. Their advocacy changed from a loyal championing of individual politicians to an allegiance to more general political groupings.