Before internet, television, and radio?

Question

Was it likely for an average individual to be aware of things to happening in distant parts of the world, whether it be conflicts, natural disasters, etc. How far reaching were newspapers and things of this sort?

Answer 1

Before CNN most of the natural disasters were not covered. The China earthquake would have got one day coverage in local paper, but local shooting would have bumped it off front page. For propaganda if countries form of government wasn't liked there were follow up stories on mistakes made.

Answer 2

Oh yes, news came through. lol

Even Elizabeth 1st  received news from abroad.

With no pictures though, everything had to be taken at face value.

x x x

Answer 3

Once upon a time there were foreign bureau chiefs who reported directly from their assigned cities. This information was then actually printed in newspapers, which people read twice a day. There were morning papers and evening papers. Major events as you mentioned were shown in the movie theaters prior to the film starting. In addition, news magazines covered global events in detail weekly.  I am not sure how far back you want to go (pre-printing press).  If not, there were scribes sent out into the world to bring back news, this process could take 5, 10 and up to 20 years, but that was more than a 1,000 years ago.

The answer would be a big NO. The average person knew little of what was going on except in their own town/village and  the 'average' person was illiterate and could not read or write beyond the 3rd grade.

Answer 4

I may be old but not that old. I certainly remember when there was no Internet or TV but there was always the radio and before the wireless there was something called the cats whisker, a type of radio but with poor quality. Just what they printed in papers was probably local news as world wide news would have had to come in by ships. I doubt if there are many, if anyone is still alive to remember it.

Answer 5

Newspapers, letters, couriers, and actual conversations.

Train, horseback, ships, trappers, news got spread by word of mouth..thanks