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Season 2023 – Talk 16 – When newspapers were pressed to be ‘right minded’
In ‘When newspapers were pressed to be ‘right minded” Andrew Cole tells us about the state’s efforts to control the press using taxes. A situation lasting for 140 years. We learn of the efforts to achieve today’s press freedom.
The issue:
Andrew tells us that we take today’s relatively free press in Britain today for granted. The authorities see the arrival of the printing press as a threat to those in authority. Their desire – control.
This talk explores how this is achieved. In particular Andrew looks at the use of taxation to suppress unwanted publications and encourage, in the view of the establishment, a ‘right minded press’. To many these taxes are taxes on knowledge.
Many see this as a fight for freedom bringing liberty, due scrutiny, and enabling the political awakening of the masses.
The story isn’t as glossy as that and historians, as always, have quite differing interpretations.
Taxes:
The attempt to control newspapers and their narrative involves taxation. This situation runs from 1712 to 1861, 140 years. Andrew tells us about the introduction of the taxes and their working. Andrew then tells us about their repeal and the consequences.
We learn of the taxes on the type of publication, on paper and on advertising. You need to listen carefully as some of the ways that the taxes operate and some of the wheezes to avoid them are complex.
We also learn about the growth of the press following the repeal of the taxes.
Listen to the podcast and hear the whole story from Andrew.
About this podcast:
This is an edited recording of a talk given to the Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group.
This podcast is also available through Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Deezer, Podchaser, Spotify, Stitcher , Vurbl , You Tube and others.
AKM Music licenses Media Magazine for use the music in this talk.
© The MrT Podcast Studio and Farnham u3a World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern Group Group 2018 – 2024