Simply put, yellow journalism was the "fake news" of the 19th century. The idea of media outlets adopting sensationalism to the point of fantasy is nothing new.
The phrase was first coined in the 1890s to describe "the tactics employed in the furious competition between two New York City newspapers, the World and the Journal." This profit-driven tactic to selling papers often focused less on facts and more on capturing the audience's attention.
Watch the video below to learn more about yellow journalism and its history:
For context, American newspaper editor and publisher Joseph Pulitzer had purchased the New York World in 1883. Pulitzer was known for using colorful, sensational reporting and "crusades against political corruption and social injustice," and had won the recognition for the largest newspaper circulation in the United States.
 |
| The Yellow Kid is an American comic strip character that appeared in Pulitizer's New York World and later Hearst's New York Journal. The comic strip character is also famous for its connection to yellow journalism. Image created by Richard F. Outcault |
However, Pulitizer's fame was challenged by yours truly, William Randolph Hearst. Hearst, as most of us know, was a huge fan of sensationalism like Pulitizer.
The era of yellow journalism was said to have ended after the turn of the 20th century, particularly because of the World's retirement from the competition in sensationalism. Some techniques became permanent such as banner headlines, colored comics and lots of illustration. In other media, like television and the Internet, many sensationalist practices of yellow journalism is still used to this day.
Yellow journalism isn't something of the past, it is very much present to this day.
Comments
Post a Comment