Abstract

Chain Building: The Consolidation of the American Newspaper Industry, 1953–1980

This article uses the example of the postwar consolidation of the American newspaper industry to demonstrate that the process of industrial evolution is not simply the consequence of arbitrary market forces nor strictly the result of enterprising individuals' innovative schemes. Rather it is interaction of the two. Moreover, by examining the technological, laborrelated, and regulatory forces behind the industry's dramatic change in ownership structure, the article also illustrates the cumulative and sequential nature of industrial change.