James Gordon Bennett, Sr. Biography

James Gordon Bennett, Sr. was the founder and editor of the New York Herald; he is also popularly dubbed as the father of modern journalism. Born in Scotland, Bennett Sr. was raised in a seminary for the Roman Catholic priesthood, but in 1819, he immigrated to America. After spending sometime in poor condition and working low-paid jobs, Bennett eventually settled in New York City, where he carried out subordinate work for the periodicals. Over the next ten years, James Gordon Bennett worked at various newspapers; he was Washington correspondent of the New York Enquirer, and later the assistant editor of the New York Courier and Enquirer. Subsequently, he also tried twice to launch his own newspaper but failed, both the times. In 1835, with a limited working capital, Bennett published the first number of a small one-cent paper, bearing the title of ‘The New York Herald’. Thereafter, with his knowledge and creativity, Bennett transformed the paper into a huge commercial success over the years. He understood the importance of deadline journalism and primarily focused on collecting a variety of news with assistance from sensational correspondence, introducing numerous techniques of modern journalism. In 1835, his paper published the first Wall Street financial article in America and later during the Civil War, Bennett maintained a staff of 63 war reporters for fast and efficient broadcasting. Bennett continued to edit the New York Herald almost until his death and in many ways shaped the American newspaper as it is today.