Newsreel: meaning, definitions and examples
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newsreel
[ ˈnjuːzriːl ]
film media
A newsreel is a short film that presents news stories, typically produced for theatrical release. They became popular during the early 20th century, particularly before television became a primary source of news. Newsreels were often shown in movie theaters before the main feature, and they provided audiences with current events, sports highlights, and entertainment news. The format allowed filmmakers to use visual storytelling to engage viewers and convey important information. As television started to dominate the media landscape, the production of newsreels declined significantly.
Synonyms
current events film, documentary, film report, news clip
Examples of usage
- The newsreel covered the latest political events.
- People gathered at the cinema to watch the newsreel.
- The old newsreels provide a fascinating glimpse into history.
- In the 1940s, newsreels were an essential part of cinema.
Translations
Translations of the word "newsreel" in other languages:
🇵🇹 noticiário
🇮🇳 समाचार रील
🇩🇪 Nachrichtenfilm
🇮🇩 berita film
🇺🇦 хроніка
🇵🇱 film informacyjny
🇯🇵 ニュース映画
🇫🇷 film d'actualités
🇪🇸 noticiero
🇹🇷 haber filmi
🇰🇷 뉴스 필름
🇸🇦 فيلم إخباري
🇨🇿 zpravodajský film
🇸🇰 spravodajský film
🇨🇳 新闻片
🇸🇮 novičarska filmska traka
🇮🇸 fréttamynd
🇰🇿 жаңалық фильмі
🇬🇪 ახალგაზრდული ფილმი
🇦🇿 məlumat filmi
🇲🇽 noticiero
Etymology
The term 'newsreel' first emerged in the early 1900s, combining the words 'news' and 'reel' – the latter referring to the reels of film that were used in cinema. The first commercially successful newsreels were produced in the United States by Hearst Metrotone News in 1919. Newsreels quickly became a staple in theaters, with many companies, such as Pathé and Universal, competing for audiences' attention. They played a crucial role in how the public received information about major events, especially during World War I and World War II. By providing moving images and sound, newsreels brought events to life in a way that print media could not. However, with the advent of television in the late 1940s and 1950s, the popularity of newsreels waned, as people began to prefer the immediacy and convenience of televised news coverage. By the 1970s, newsreels largely disappeared from theaters, although they continue to exist in archival forms and are studied for their historical significance.