Yellow journalism is sensationalized and biased reporting that distorts facts to attract readers and increase market share. It originated in the late 1800s with William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer’s competition for sales. While less prevalent today, it still exists in some media outlets. Critics argue it can pervert justice and make it difficult to obtain the truth, while proponents say it draws attention to important issues and keeps the public engaged. Checking facts, using different sources, analyzing language, and contacting media companies with complaints are ways to handle questionable reporting.
Crime journalism is exaggerated or biased media reporting masquerading as fact. Born out of intense competition between rival newspapers in the late 1800s, it involves taking a factual story and presenting it either sensationally or distorted. It can be used to invoke fear, disgust, uncertainty, or even sympathy in readers, but often the bottom line is an attempt to grow sales or audiences and gain more market share. While people generally consider this type of reporting unprofessional and a violation of journalistic ethics, it appears frequently today, with perhaps the best example being tabloids.
General characteristics
While the tactics people use in media to capture a reader’s or viewer’s attention may vary slightly from location to location, yellow media generally feature very bold, large headlines and images, and the layouts are designed to immediately capture the reader’s interest. In the case of radio, internet and television, journalists sometimes also use flashing banners and sound alerts. The company providing the news often openly promotes itself and tries to appear more credible by featuring “experts” who are not truly qualified to provide information. Claims are usually exaggerated and melodramatic, and there are generally few or no quotes.
History
Experts generally attribute the initiation of yellow journalism to William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. The industrial revolution brought about a printing press capable of creating thousands of copies of a newspaper overnight. In 1895, Pulitzer’s paper, New York World, was the leading newspaper in New York City and the surrounding area. When Hearst bought the New York Journal, it quickly became Pulitzer’s main competitor.
The term yellow journalism comes from a fight between the two journalists over cartoonist Richard Felton Outcault, who created a comic called “Hogan’s Alley.” It featured the Yellow Boy, a main character who was so named because he wore a big yellow nightgown. Hearst lured Outcault away from Pulitzer to create the comic strip in his newspaper, and Pulitzer then hired a second cartoonist to duplicate Outcault’s work.
The competition between Hearst and Pulitzer quickly spiraled out of control and they were soon at war over who could sell the most copies. To achieve this, they started using sensationalism, by completely altering or making up the facts and writing outrageous or emotional headlines to attract sales. This market share bidding peaked during the Spanish–American War in 1898.
Both Pulitzer and Hearst played a huge part in how the American public viewed Cuba in its bid for independence from Spain. Through their newspapers, both journalists have highlighted the misdeeds of the Spanish army, contemptuous of any faults of Cuban troops. They also called for US intervention, leading to the country’s involvement in the war. The conflict is sometimes referred to as the “media war” because of how strongly the publications have skewed public opinion.
Yellow journalism was a feature of nearly every war in the 20th century, usually portraying the opposing side as evil, subhuman, or similarly worthy of attack. The media has been used not only for political gain, but also for social benefits. Fear and exaggeration of facts is still a popular way to alter what people think individually and collectively.
Modern yellow journalism
While this type of journalism is far less prevalent today than it was in the early 1900s, it is still around. Some newspapers, magazines, Internet sites, and even television news channels may present information with a factual spin to support their views or to increase readership or viewership. Shocking headlines typically sell even more papers than regular ones.
Crime journalism has remained alive in the media in part because, like Pulitzer and Hearst papers, contemporary companies need to have good market share to stay profitable. A large number of free sources of information, many of which are available online around the clock, are available to increase competition. The response has generally been to accept more drama, opinion, and conflict bits.
Concerns and debate
Many media professionals are concerned about crime journalism from an ethical point of view. They generally believe that the public always deserves the truth, and that this type of reporting makes it difficult to obtain. A major concern is that it can pervert justice, leading people to opinions, decisions and actions they would not or would not have done if the reporter had remained objective.
Still, some say big headlines and dramatic content can draw attention to news items that might not otherwise get much attention, which can be beneficial. The typical underdog focus in stories could help correct power imbalances, and if successful, reporting can keep a media company financially afloat. Proponents also say the approach usually taken by journalists is better for keeping the public engaged.
Legal issues
The legal treatment of yellow journalism varies by location. In the United States, for example, the First Amendment protects the right to free speech and thus essentially allows the media to have very free reign over their services. Even so, America has laws relating to liability and libel, which basically state that someone cannot harm a person’s or a company’s reputation by printing or saying something that isn’t true. This helps keep the sensationalist reports down a bit, but defamation lawsuits are notoriously hard to win. Many politically unstable areas have passed or are seeking to pass regulations that would limit what and how journalists report.
How Readers Can Handle Questionable Relationships
Checking the facts and using different sources are both ways to determine if something is truly true or simply a product of yellow journalism. It also often helps readers analyze the news source and consider the reason for a particular interpretation of a story. Paying closer attention to language, especially looking for adjectives that have specific connotations, is another strategy that often reveals biases. People who discover that a news source doesn’t follow good ethical standards can contact the media company with complaints or leave comments on online articles highlighting sensationalism, lack of truth, or similar quotes and issues.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
