Benjamin Franklin: An American Life

Denham died shortly after returning to Philadelphia, and Franklin found employment with Keimer again. However, Franklin soon broke from him and opened his own print shop. At the time, his two competitors, Bradford and Keimer, published newspapers. Franklin decided to contribute essays to Bradford’s paper under the pen name Busy Body to draw attention away from Keimer’s paper and simultaneously highlight the inadequacies of Bradford’s. His scheme worked with Keimer forced out of business. In place of Keimer, Franklin became the publisher of the Pennsylvania Gazette in October 1729.

Recognizing the advantages of controlling production, content, and distribution, Franklin set out to build a “media conglomerate” (60). He was in business to make money but also to inform the public. He understood how sex, sensational crime, and gossip lured readers, and he incorporated these elements into his paper. He strove for a “lighthearted tone” (71), poking fun even at himself. Given his social and political skills, he was able to win the role of the official printer for the Pennsylvania Assembly. His business was thriving by the 1730s.

In 1732, he began publishing Poor Richard’s Almanack. Consistent with his overall philosophy, Franklin hoped that it would both be lucrative and contribute to the promotion of virtue.