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The New York Times - No Yellow Journalism Here!
After its powerful publisher's death, the New York Times was in a weak spot. The number of people who purchased it started to dwindle and dwindle. The Times went up for sale in 1896 and was bought by Adolph S. Ochs for one million dollars. Under the control of Ochs, the Times dropped its inquiry for yellow journalism. Instead, the Times went in a different direction that Ochs described as, "clean, dignified, trustworthy, and impartial." He made sure opinions were at lowest. He pushed solid news! -
Yellow Journalism gets its Name
Primarily, yellow journalism didn't have anything to do with reporting. It originated from a cartoon about life in the slums of New York published by Pulitzer's New York World. As the cartoon was published in color, the most famous character was called the Yellow Kid. The Yellow Kid had a large role in the World's boost in sales. Another newspaper company wanted to hire the cartoon's illustrator, and a battle began over the Yellow Kid. This fight led to the term yellow journalism. -
Yellow Journalism Features
Note: I put the same date as "Yellow Journalism gets its Name" because I wanted to link these features with that event.
Newspapers changed with bold headlines and multiple subtitles. Papers added their own mottos. Sports and women's sections started popping up along with gossip and social columns. Pictures and comics and colors appeared too. Overall, though, sensationalism was the biggest feature. Exaggerating stories was what yellow journalists did best. -
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Yo Spain, Leave Cuba Alone!
The term had stuck and it spread to the exaggerating style practiced by the newspapers of Joeseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst; the publishers who fought over the Yellow Kid. These papers had world coverage but were particularly drawn to Cuba's labor for independence. Many U.S. citizens supported the eviction of Spain, so that's what many papers focused on. They pressed on Spanish cruelty and the revolutionaries' nobility. They often published moving stories that were usually false. -
Remember the Maine
Yellow journalism expressed the most influence when the U.S. Maine sank in Havana harbor. The ship was sent there to show power and was in affiliation with a prepared visit of a Spanish ship in New York to cool down the rising conflict between the countries. On February 15, the Maine exploded and sank. Pulitzer, Hearst, and other papers began to publish rumors of plots to destroy the ship. When a naval investigation stated that the explosion came from a bomb in the harbor, publishers pounced! -
The Milwaukee Leader is Established
Victor Berger was a socialist newspaper owner from Wisconson and was elected to the U.S. senate. As he was a socialist and opposed the war, his occupation in the senate couldn't have been easy since the government was very engaged in the war. His most prominent paper, the Milwaukee Leader, gave him some hope. It was a way to vocalize his opposing opinion on the war. -
Reporter Richard Harding Davis is Captured by the Germans
Note: I couldn't find the month and date. The month and date on the timeline are incorrect.
Richard Harding Davis was a well-respected reporter. He was caught by Germans and accused of being a British spy. The Germans released him shortly after they realized Davis was an American. Davis covered WWI until 1915 because he disagreed with the Allies' restrictions on the press. -
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Propaganda During WWI
During the first World War, British, French, and U.S. propaganda relied on one theme: "Hun atrocities," or otherwise known as Germans. These countries accused Germany of - take this seriously - bayoneting Belgian babies, chopping off children's limbs and eating them, raping Belgian women, shooting kids, executing hostages, and causing massacres. -
1917's Espionage Act Strikes Berger
Note: I couldn't find the exact date.
When the Espionage Act was passed in 1917, Berger's views made him a target. Under this act, Berger and four other socialists were indicted. He was eventually sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Berger appealed and the sentence was overturned on a technicality on January 31, 1921. -
Faithful Shepherd's Class of 2018 goes to the Newseum in Washington D.C.
When we went to the Newseum in Washington D.C., there was a quote about tabloids: "People who read the tabloids deserve to be lied to." - Jerry Seinfeld. Tabloids are examples of yellow journalism. They express sensationalism at its most extreme. An example of a tabloid would be the headline, "Hubby's Bad Breath Kills His Wife". It's something so shocking and unbelievable that it's false. -
Bibliography
http://greyfalcon.us/restored/War.htm
http://history.journalism.ku.edu/1910/1910.shtml
https://books.google.com/books?id=-UlODAAAQBAJ&pg=PT86&lpg=PT86&dq=when+was+the+milwaukee+leader+established&source=bl&ots=3Wo9erSMEn&sig=oeGAiUUJ9iVFhGpIXD5z_AWMQpw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiS-8LC8M_TAhVB6oMKHURbCF8Q6AEIWjAJ#v=onepage&q=December%207%2C%201911&f=false -
