Yellow Journalism And The Spread Of Fake News

Over the last century or so, the faction of media dedicated to journalism has never quite been free from the dangers of embellishing bulletins. It is far from a new problem; it has risen steeply with the advent of social media and the web 2.0. Truth becomes distorted online if not kept in check by responsibly keeping tabs on sources, and half-truths can become “newsworthy”. Politics can also play a part in how information is framed, and biases dictates which direction it should lean to the viewers. In response to this, the media reacts to news.

Fake news is not unlike something called yellow journalism, or sensationalism. Yellow journalism erupted from the intense rivalry between Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst’s news outlets in 1895. The heated enmity stoked the fires of sensationalism and left a rippling impact on the history of journalism. It is defined by Encyclopedia Britannica (1998) as the use of garish reporting and dramatized announcements in newspaper publishing to appeal and encourage rotation. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998). Yellow journalism stopped shortly after 1900; the practices and methods used by the reporters of that style remained.

Clickbait is a similar technique: Computer Hope (2017) elaborates that clickbait is a hyperlink on a webpage that lures a visitor to click to continue reading an article; it can also be referred to as link bait. (Computer Hope, 2017). It does this by using catchy titles, akin to sensationalism, to entice viewers and websites can gain ad revenue off how many times their articles are accessed through these links. Tabloids and seedy magazines are rife with such content. In an analogous manner, television networks use questionable tactics to ensnare their own faction of viewers. The ratings are crucial to them and to those that use their advertising space. Business Insider (2017) expounds that they tactically place commercial breaks before predicted declines in viewership. (Business Insider, 2017).

This then leads into a startling lack of trust in all manners of journalism. Titillation and commodification have wounded and withered journalism’s integrity in the public eye. The Knight Foundation (2018) stated that among those surveyed, accuracy and bias control is important factors to trustworthy journalism. (Knight Foundation, 2018). Politicians that paint the press as an enemy of the people is a hazardous predicament. Sensationalism and poor ethics in journalism has made it easier to extrapolate this; there is ethical news coverage to be discovered.

ThoughtCo (2017) states that, as per America’s first amendment, the press cannot be delimited by the government. (Why Journalism Ethics and Objectivity Matter, March 17, 2017). This can prevent the silencing and muzzling of the truth; it does the same for lies. Moral journalism is all the more imperative because of this, and ThoughtCo (2017) puts it best as the same article refutes that news outlets should control themselves, not just to preserve integrity, but because they risk the government administrations endeavors to control them. (ThoughtCo, 2017). This compels news organizations to take their own personal responsibilities and sense of objectivity. Developments and organizations dedicated to raising trust in the media is rising, such as The Trust Project. (2019) Their goal is to put more transparency into effect in journalism and media and to help. (The Trust Project, 2019).

When viewing news, be it from an organization from with a differing opinion than the viewer or otherwise, it is helpful to conduct one’s own research. Find out if the reporters have properly conducted their enquiry. Questioning if the news outlet has its own biases is a valid concern and asking whether or not double-standards are challenged is important. Cross-examining sources is an excellent practice to test whether or not the information stands on its own. If they repeatedly get their sources wrong, flagrantly or subtly, then throngs of people avoiding that news organization can send a message as their ad revenue plummets. FAIR (2012) asserts that to represent issues fairly and accurately, media must have a wide scope of sources. Otherwise, they serve merely as megaphones for the opinions of the news outlets’ higher ups. (FAIR, 2012).

In conclusion, between yellow journalism, television networks’ shadier practices, and this lack of trust, the media reacts to news. They beckon and attract attention with titillation and big headlines by using half-truths and leaving details and sources out of the picture. It takes personal responsibility for both parties to avoid fake news and to extrapolate the objective truth. With the proper precautions taken, this fake news can be avoided, and quarrelsome sensationalism can be toned down.