Yellow Journalism is a term used for the use of negligent and flamboyant newspaper reporting, without regard to facts. With yellow journalism the truth is usually misrepresented or concealed, more often than not, there may be no truth to the story at all. In its infancy, the term yellow journalism was used to describe the writing tactics used by William Hearst's New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer's New York World. These men used yellow journalism to exaggerate and misguide the American public on happenings in Cuba; such reporting may have even sparked the Spanish-American war. Yellow journalism is by no means a memory in America's distant past; even the most conservative newspapers still practice it in a refined form today. Tabloids such as the Star and the Inquirer are notorious for sensationalizing and even falsifying headlines. Additionally, every once in a while straight edged newspapers papers such as the Wall Street Journal may get into the act as well. In 1996, ABC News was singled out for reporting that Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu had called then Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin a traitor, further investigation revealed that the accusation was false.
This paper will present a discussion on the past and present uses of yellow journalism and the impact that such reporting has had on history.
History of Yellow Journalism
Yellow journalism originated around 1896 when William Hearst's New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer's New York World begin competing for readership. During these early times it was virtually impossible for individuals to fact check information for accuracy. The newspaper was the main source of information during these times, people trusted and believed what was reported. The reporting styles of these newspapers were filled with promotional stunts mainly focusing on attention grabbing headlines of sex crime and violence. These reports usually were extremely biased, inaccurate and exaggerated. Yellow journalism at that time did not promote journalistic...
The reports said that the Spanish committed almost every type of carnage imaginable to Cuban rebels. In 1898 when the Maine, a U.S. battleship patrolling the Havana harbor exploded, headlines the following day immediately blamed the Spanish, even though the true cause of the explosion was unknown. Newspaper headlines read, "Remember the Maine!" And Americans urged the U.S. government to rally behind Cuba and to assist the rebels in defeating the Spaniards. The entire livelihood of this period of yellow journalism can be characterized by a conversation that William Hearst had with one of his reporters Frederick Remington. Remington was sent to Cuba to report on the war, upon his arrival he realized that there was no war to report, he informed his boss, William Hearst about the lack of events transpiring. In a cable message, Hearst replied to Remington, "Please remain. You furnish the pictures, I'll furnish the war." Such is the heart of yellow journalism; the principles do not lie in factual reporting but rather sensationalizing events for the sole purpose selling newspapers.
Yellow Journalism Today
Today, there are hundreds if not thousands of newspapers in the United States, such fierce competition could explain why yellow journalism seems be making a comeback. Faced with deadlines and the never-ending quest to be first on the scene, reporters today are walking the fine line between accurate, factual reporting and using some subtle forms of yellow journalism. Alan Andrews, Editor of Pacific Stars and Stripes stated that certain journalistic techniques feed into the marginal use of yellow journalism such as the use of unnamed sources, journalists who…
