Page 21 - Historical Dictionary of Political Communication in the United States

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BACKLASH. A term used by political scholars and journalists to define the
phenomenon of the white ' 'countermovement'' against civil rights laws and acts
that protect the rights of minorities, such as African Americans and women.
The term is often used to describe such social trends as ' 'reverse discrimination''
and the rise of hate groups. Although the term was coined in the 1960s, it still
is applicable today and has been the source of many modern articles and books,
including Susan Faludi's Backlash, which looks at the political setbacks women
have faced since the Civil Rights movement.
SOURCES: William Safire, Safire's New Political Dictionary, 1993; Jay M. Shafritz,
The HarperCollins Dictionary of American Government and Politics, 1992.
Jacqueline Nash Gifford

BENNETT, JAMES GORDON founded the New York Herald in 1835. He
revolutionized news coverage. He made it clear at the outset that he intended
his paper to be politically nonpartisan. He pioneered coverage of Wall Street,
high society, religion, police, and sports. His influence on coverage of those
areas is still evident in the media today. His approach to news succeeded in
making the Herald the daily newspaper with the largest circulation. More im-
portant for our purposes, Bennett's notions of news included coverage of Con-
gress. He found that while reporters were permitted to attend House sessions,
only reporters from Washington newspapers were permitted at Senate sessions.
He waged a two-month campaign in 1841, with a number of editorials denounc-
ing the exclusion, and in July 1841 the Senate changed its rules to permit all
bona fide reporters in its meetings. The change was permanent. Bennett's cam-
paign had established the right of media to cover the Senate, and other media
were to follow the Herald's lead.