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Newsletters like @MorningBrew and @TheHustle are all the hype today, but did you know they were already a thing back in the 1880s?
Time for a little history thread
Time for a little history thread
2/ In 1879, a 28-year-old reporter joined a group of businessmen and researchers on a field trip to Colorado.
He experienced the booming mining business and along the way gained the trust of fellow travelers, among them many successful New York bankers.
He experienced the booming mining business and along the way gained the trust of fellow travelers, among them many successful New York bankers.
3/ This eventually led him to move to New York City in 1880 and join a company delivering financial news to banks and brokerages.
The guy's name was Charles Dow and he soon convinced his former colleague Edward Jones to join him as a reporter.
Do their names ring a bell?
The guy's name was Charles Dow and he soon convinced his former colleague Edward Jones to join him as a reporter.
Do their names ring a bell?
4/ In 1882, they left the company to start their own: Dow, Jones & Co, together with a third business partner: Charles Bergstresser.
Even though he was the main financier of the venture, Bergstresser wanted to remain a silent partner and thus doesn't appear in the company name.
Even though he was the main financier of the venture, Bergstresser wanted to remain a silent partner and thus doesn't appear in the company name.
5/ From their tiny office in a basement, they started publishing news bulletins and hand-delivered them several times throughout the day.
Soon they aggregated these into a "newsletter" - the Customers' Afternoon Letter - pretty much the @MorningBrew of the 1880s!
Soon they aggregated these into a "newsletter" - the Customers' Afternoon Letter - pretty much the @MorningBrew of the 1880s!
6/ While you can't get the original Customers' Afternoon Letter anymore, you can very much still get what this turned into.
In July of 1889, the Wall Street Journal was born - a new name for the afternoon publication that now spanned multiple pages. Price point: 2 cents
In July of 1889, the Wall Street Journal was born - a new name for the afternoon publication that now spanned multiple pages. Price point: 2 cents
7/ I'm excited about the current landscape for business & tech newsletters, and I'm fascinated by the tools creators have access to today.
I'm even more excited to see where they will be in a few years from now.
Which one will have the 100+ year run?
I'm even more excited to see where they will be in a few years from now.
Which one will have the 100+ year run?
