US
History 2 Name:
Yellow Journalism
Yellow journalism, in short, means biased opinion
camouflaged as objective fact. It involves
sensationalism, distorted stories, and misleading
images for the sole purpose of boosting newspaper
sales and exciting public opinion. The term originates
from a series of events around a cartoon called "The
Yellow Kid".
In 1883 Joseph Pulitzer purchased The New York
World for $346,000. The newspaper concentrated on
human-‐interest stories, scandal and sensational
material. It was extremely popular, especially the
cartoons of its main artist, Richard F. Outcault.
In 1895 William Randolph Hearst purchased The New
York Journal, and using the similar approach adopted
by Joseph Pulitzer, began to compete with the New York World. Pulitzer responded by
producing a colour supplement. This included “The Yellow Kid”, a new cartoon character
drawn by Richard F. Outcault. This cartoon became so popular that William Randolph
Hearst, owner of the New York Journal, offered the artist a considerable amount of money
to join his newspaper. Joseph Pulitzer then had to employ a new artist, George Luks, to
produce the Yellow Kid for New York World.
As a result of the importance of Outcault's Yellow Kid character in these events, this
circulation war between the two newspapers became known as “yellow journalism”.
Sadly though, this period of sensationalist news delivery where the so-‐called yellow press
routinely outsold the more honest newspapers does stand out as a particularly dark era in
journalistic history. The demand of the United States people for absolutely free press
allowed such newspapers to steal headlines and stories directly from other papers, or
simply fabricate stories to fit their particular agenda.
One of the more disturbing features involved with the former practice of yellow journalism
is that there is no definite line between this period of yellow journalism and the period
afterwards. Does this mean that yellow journalism simply faded away, never to return? Or
did it absorb itself into the very heart of our newspapers, where it will remain forever?
Some experts argue that the tactics used by the New York World and New York Journal
partly influenced the content and style of newspapers in many of the USA's major cities.
Indeed, several aspects of yellow journalism, such as banner headlines, sensational stories,
and coloured supplements, have become a permanent feature of many popular newspapers
in the United States and Europe, especially tabloids.
The modern newspaper appearances of catchy headlines, humorous comic strips, special
interest sections and intrusive investigative reporting serve as a constant reminder that one
must always stay sceptical when examining news sources. Double-‐checking sources and
reading between the lines is highly recommended. If one disregards the obvious marketing
that is used to hook readers, newspapers may actually prove to be reliable sources of
information.
Adapted from: http://library.thinkquest.org/C0111500/spanamer/yellow.htm,
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAyellow.htm
Words:
Camouflaged = hidden
Objective = not influenced by personal feelings or opinions in considering and representing
facts
Indicate whether the following statements are true or false.
a) The goal of yellow journalism is to excite the audience and improve newspaper sales,
rather than informing people with real facts. _____
b) In order to achieve its goals, yellow journalism relies on solid and verified facts. _____
c) The term “yellow journalism” was coined from an old TV cartoon whose main character
was “The Yellow Kid”. _____
d) Richard F. Outcault was working for New York World when he was offered a job at New
York Journal. _____
e) William Randolph Hearst was the artist who created the character “The Yellow Kid”.
_____
f) George Luks was recruited by New York World to continue the production of the
cartoon. _____
g) At the time when New York World and New York Journal were publishing “The Yellow
Kid”, honest newspapers were less successful than the yellow press. _____
h) American people did not like the idea of an absolutely free press. _____
i) Banner headlines and coloured supplements in today’s newspapers were inspired from
the yellow press. _____
j) Modern newspapers do not use catchy headlines, which is a sign that they are only
concerned with the truth. _____
