Marcel Broersma, ‘A Daily Truth. The Persuasive Power of Early Modern Newspapers’, in: J. W. Koopmans and N. H. Petersen eds., Commonplace Culture in Western Europe in the Early Modern Period: Legitimation of Authority (Leuven, Paris and Dudley, MA: Peeters, 2011), pp. 19-36. (original) (raw)

This work explores the intersection of early modern newspapers and their role in shaping public perception and skepticism toward information dissemination. Through an analysis of Ben Jonson's satirical play "The Staple of News," the author highlights the commodification of news and its implications on societal communication, particularly considering the censorship of the Jacobean period. The paper argues that while newspapers offered access to diverse viewpoints, they also posed risks to civil discourse, fostering an environment of doubt rather than informed public debate.