Reasons why there weren't newspapers:
* Printing technology: Printing technology, particularly movable type, was not invented until the 15th century. Before that, books and other written documents were painstakingly copied by hand, making them very expensive and rare.
* Limited literacy: Literacy rates were low in the Roman Empire, with most people being illiterate. A newspaper would have been inaccessible to the vast majority of the population.
* Lack of infrastructure: Communication was slow and difficult in the Roman Empire. There was no system for quickly distributing news over long distances.
* Political control: The Roman government closely controlled the dissemination of information and would likely have suppressed any independent news publication.
Forms of communication in Jesus' time:
* Oral traditions: News and information were primarily spread by word of mouth, through travelers, merchants, and other messengers.
* Papyrus scrolls: These were used for official documents, letters, and literary works, but they were not suitable for mass dissemination of news.
* Public announcements: News and decrees were sometimes proclaimed in public squares or by town criers.
While there were no newspapers in the time of Jesus, the New Testament itself can be seen as a form of early Christian "journalism," recording the life, teachings, and death of Jesus.