Reasons for Yellow Journalism on the Internet
Dan
Student ID: 2011301001
Class number: 54915
Reasons for yellow journalism existing in the Internet
Being unfamiliar with modern, yellow journalism is a controversial kind of journal which was popular with many publishers in the United States in 1890s. Seeing “yellow journalism”, most of us might think that it’s a sort of journal whose content is full of sexual issues. In addition to sex, yellow journalism refers to “exaggerations of news events, scandals or sensationalism as well” (Shirley Biagi, 2011). In the history, it was once considered as the cause of Spanish-American War due to sensational stories incited Americans’ emotions (Stephen L. Vaughn, 2008). Michael Emery and Edwin Emery, the authors of The Press and America, called yellow journalism “the new journalism without souls”. Why this kind of unethical thing can exist in the internet? The attractiveness of yellow journalism, Internet companies’ utilitarianism and people’s preference are the main reasons for it.
First of all, what’s the attractiveness of yellow journalism? “Firstly, apply scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news. Secondly, abuse pictures, or imaginary drawings. Thirdly, use faked interviews, misleading headlines, and false learning from so-called experts.” These are three characteristics yellow journalism has (Mott, Frank Luther (1941). How does yellow journalism attract readers by its characteristics? Take yellow journalism from Hearst in 1989 for instance, the journalism used” Spaniards search women on American steamers” as a huge print headlines. Under the headline, there was a picture which showed “Male Spanish officials strip and search an American woman tourist in Cuba looking for messages from rebels”. It fitted three characteristics; as a result, it incited Americans successfully. At that time most of Americans called on war with Spain, finally the government did send troops. Yellow journalism use exaggerations to touch readers’ hearts. The cornerstone of its
Student ID: 2011301001
Class number: 54915
Reasons for yellow journalism existing in the Internet
Being unfamiliar with modern, yellow journalism is a controversial kind of journal which was popular with many publishers in the United States in 1890s. Seeing “yellow journalism”, most of us might think that it’s a sort of journal whose content is full of sexual issues. In addition to sex, yellow journalism refers to “exaggerations of news events, scandals or sensationalism as well” (Shirley Biagi, 2011). In the history, it was once considered as the cause of Spanish-American War due to sensational stories incited Americans’ emotions (Stephen L. Vaughn, 2008). Michael Emery and Edwin Emery, the authors of The Press and America, called yellow journalism “the new journalism without souls”. Why this kind of unethical thing can exist in the internet? The attractiveness of yellow journalism, Internet companies’ utilitarianism and people’s preference are the main reasons for it.
First of all, what’s the attractiveness of yellow journalism? “Firstly, apply scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news. Secondly, abuse pictures, or imaginary drawings. Thirdly, use faked interviews, misleading headlines, and false learning from so-called experts.” These are three characteristics yellow journalism has (Mott, Frank Luther (1941). How does yellow journalism attract readers by its characteristics? Take yellow journalism from Hearst in 1989 for instance, the journalism used” Spaniards search women on American steamers” as a huge print headlines. Under the headline, there was a picture which showed “Male Spanish officials strip and search an American woman tourist in Cuba looking for messages from rebels”. It fitted three characteristics; as a result, it incited Americans successfully. At that time most of Americans called on war with Spain, finally the government did send troops. Yellow journalism use exaggerations to touch readers’ hearts. The cornerstone of its
References: Davenport, T. H. &Beck, J. C.(2001) The Attention Economy: Understanding the New Currency of Business. Mott, Frank Luther. (1941) American Journalism Shirley Biagi.(2011) Media Impact: An Introduction to Mass Media P56 Stephen L. Vaughn.2008. Encyclopedia of American journalism P608 Zhangying, Zhangshunan The harm of yellow journalism