“写作、编辑或出版报纸或公共期刊的业务”，这个词最早出现在1821年，起初被视为英语中的法语词汇，源自法语 journalisme（1781年），而 journal 则意指“日报”（参见 journal）。可以与 journalist 进行比较。
Where men are insulated they are easily oppressed; when roads become good, and intercourse is easy, their force is increased more than a hundred fold: when, without personal communication, their opinions can be interchanged, and the people thus become one mass, breathing one breath and one spirit, their might increases in a ratio of which it is difficult to find the measure or the limit. Journalism does this office .... ["New Monthly Magazine," London, 1831]
当人们被孤立时，他们很容易受到压迫；而当道路变得畅通，交流变得便利时，他们的力量会成百上千倍地增强：当人们能够在没有面对面交流的情况下互换意见，最终形成一个统一的整体，大家同呼吸、共命运时，他们的力量增长的速度是难以测量或限制的。新闻 journalism 正是实现这一目标的工具……【《新月刊》，伦敦，1831年】
[Géo] London was in western France covering the trial of a parricide that began in mid-afternoon. Because he had an early deadline, he telephoned a story that he was certain would take place: an angry crowd cursing the accused as he was marched to the courthouse from his holding cell at the police station. London then relaxed over lunch until he saw with dismay the guards and the prisoner coming but "not even the shadow of a gawker." His reputation at stake, he stalked to the door, cried out, "Kill him!" and returned to his table. [Benjamin F. Martin, "France in 1938"]
[乔治]·伦敦当时在法国西部，正在报道一起父杀子案件的审判，该审判从下午开始。由于他面临早期截稿的压力，他提前打电话报导了一则他确信会发生的新闻：愤怒的群众在被告从警察局的拘留所被押送到法院时，痛骂他。伦敦随后在午餐时放松心情，直到他惊愕地看到警卫和被告走来，但“连一个围观者的影子都没有。”为了维护自己的声誉，他冲到门口大喊：“杀了他！”然后又回到自己的桌子上。【本杰明·F·马丁，《1938年的法国》】
