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The Maine Press Association Takes A Stand: Promoting Professional Identity In The Nineteenth Century, Stephen Banning

Maine History

This research sought to examine the Maine Press Association in relation to its motivations, particularly in reference to whether the association members saw themselves as professionals. The only other nineteenth century press association which has been examined for evidence of professional aspirations is the Missouri Press Association, in which it has been found that members were actively seeking to professionalize, modeling themselves after the traditional professions of doctors, lawyers and the clergy. References to journalists as professionals are present at an early point in the Maine Press Association’s history, and the number of references increase within a few years after …