Low literacy forced preindustrial cities to make streets the news medium

Evidence

Given the lack or minimal use of the printed word and given the generally low levels of literacy among the populace, the public space of the preindustrial city understandably enough was further enlivened by the distribution and collection of news. Town criers relayed elite pronouncements to the citizenry, warned of fires or other dangers, and spread news of interesting, if mundane, events: The town crier [in medieval Prato] … — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 196

Categorization

• XREF: Oral news circulation ties to the broader commedia/delivery of information claims elsewhere in the book; also connects to how sound (town criers, shouters) structured pre-electric public space, paralleling Schafer’s keynote/signal distinctions. — connects to: Education once occurred in public streets rather than private buildings; Cramped housing pushed preindustrial urbanites into the streets for socializing; Unemployed floating populations fueled preindustrial urban riots (+4 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Lyn H. Lofland, World of Strangers_ Order and Action in…, 196

Broader Connections

• Preindustrial city streets served as venues for activities modern cities segregate into specialized spaces #expands (0.75)
• Walking dominated preindustrial urban life because communication and supplies required physical presence #corroborates (0.70)
• Cramped housing pushed preindustrial urbanites into the streets for socializing #expands (0.60)
• Preindustrial urban speech patterns immediately revealed a stranger’s social category #expands (0.60)
• Unemployed floating populations fueled preindustrial urban riots #expands (0.55)
• Preindustrial cities harbored large rootless populations that hung about the edges of crowds #expands (0.50)