England’s Thirst for News: Dutch News and the English Public Sphere

Significant changes in the production, circulation, and consumption of news occurred in the early modern period, as a public sphere developed. The Dutch led the way in the creation of periodical news publications, helping to establish the credibility of the news they circulated. In England, news translated out of Dutch accounts gained greater currency. In addition to a demand for news of the confessional war beginning in Bohemia, the English public took an interest in Dutch actions around the globe. When news of the violent incident on Ambon reached England, both the English East India Company and the Dutch VOC appealed to the English public sphere. The English learned to appreciate Dutch news periodicals and became susceptible to slanted news about the Dutch.