The History of Yellow Journalism

Yellow journalism is such a common phase in history, that the average person probably does not know exactly what it means and what it is. As a society, we have come to realize that it was a practice that was not based in facts. 

Yellow journalism evolved in the late 19th century and it heavily relied on using sensationalism rather that clear cut facts. Relying on the public opinion can be a really beneficial and crucial thing for the government. 

The term "yellow journalism" originated out of a battle between Joseph Pulitzer's New York World and William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal.  Popular papers as they were, both of them were heavily accused of sensationalizing the news to drive up the circulation. 

The term came from a comic from Pulitzer's New York World called "Hogan's Alley," which showed a character dressed in yellow that was named "the yellow kid." 

Hearst copied Pulitzer and published a cartoon that was exactly like his. Hearst even hired the original cartoonist. This battle was crazy and sensational. The battle of the "yellow kids" led to this journalistic style to be coined as "yellow journalism."

The Yellow Kid 

Erwin Wardman, the editor of the New York Press was the first to publish the term "yellow journalism" to refer to news that is twisted into being more than just the facts. In 1898, an English magazine noted "All American journalism is not 'yellow', though all strictly 'up-to-date' yellow journalism is American." 

Yellow journalists helped sway the public opinion in favor of the United States and Spain in war in Cuba and the Philippines in 1898.

The World's article on The Main Explosion

 Journalist's Pulitzer and Hearst saw a golden opportunity in sensationalizing war. They published articles talking about a false plot to sink a United State's battleship, The Maine, which sank from an explosion.

Pulitzer and Hearst realized that they could drive their name into history by turning the public opinion in favor of war. Yellow journalism at the time had a massive unforeseeable impact. 

The war benefited the United States because the got ahold of overseas territory. This is why the Spanish-American war is often thought of as the first media war. So it is important to not underestimate the affect of journalism. 

I think that yellow journalism is not covered or talked about as much in the present day, because it is so common. I almost expect that everything I read will be false or sensationalized to a degree. 

There are infinite news sources and articles, so it makes sense that things would be written in hyperbole to grab the attention of the reader. 

It is important to realize that wars have been started due to false information feed to us by yellow journalists.