Yellow Journalism. You’ve probably heard the phrase “yellow press.” Most often, it carries a negative connotation. But if asked why this term came to be and why the press became “yellow,” few would have an immediate answer.
Let’s try to unravel it, even though this concept is somewhat vague and, in modern times, has merged with reality. What is this phenomenon, and what is its history, present, and possible future?
Yellow Journalism, The Birth of the Printed Word.
In the 1830s, the United States was undergoing rapid urbanization. The country’s territory was expanding, and many newcomers arrived—many of whom did not speak English fluently and struggled to adapt to American life.
It was for them that, in 1833, publisher Benjamin Day began printing The Sun (New York Sun) with the slogan: “The Sun Shines for All.”
Day adopted an original format that reduced printing costs and attracted a broad audience. To be frank, The Sun was far from an example of high-quality journalism. It catered to a readership that craved sensation and entertainment.
Life in small towns in the 19th century wasn’t particularly thrilling. And if real sensations were lacking, they could always be invented.
Major Hoax.
The first large-scale hoax in journalism is linked to popular science reporting. The editor-in-chief of The Sun orchestrated one of the most infamous deceptions in history: “The Great Moon Hoax.”
Over the course of a week, The Sun published six articles, claiming that life had been discovered on the Moon featuring winged humanoids, intelligent beavers, and bat-like creatures.
What made this even more audacious was that the article credited the discovery to renowned astronomer John Herschel.
At the time, he was indeed conducting lunar observations from the Cape of Good Hope, but, of course, he never reported any such findings.
Yet this didn’t stop journalists from fabricating a groundbreaking “discovery” in his name.
Ultimately, The Sun had to admit the deception. But even after the hoax was exposed, many people refused to believe it was false, continuing to spread the myth of Moon-dwelling creatures.
For years, some remained convinced that life on the Moon was real. Despite the temporary success of the hoax, The Sun eventually lost credibility and was shut down.
The New York Herald.
At the time, New York was experiencing a wave of crime, and law enforcement was not particularly effective. The New York Herald capitalized on this by pioneering one of the first serious investigative journalism cases.
Reporters managed to prove the innocence of a man wrongly arrested at the scene of a crime simply because he happened to be nearby. Journalists, not the police, cleared his name.
Joseph Pulitzer and the Birth of the Yellow Press.
One of America’s first newspaper magnates was Joseph Pulitzer. Born and raised in Austria-Hungary, he immigrated to the U.S. at 17 to serve as a mercenary in the Civil War.
After the war, circumstances led him to St. Louis, Missouri, where he landed a job at a city newspaper. This was the beginning of his rise in the publishing industry.
In 1883, he purchased The New York World. For the first time in American journalism, he introduced the concept of an editorial page, distinguishing between news and opinion.
An innovation that remains a hallmark of American journalism today.
In 1887, Pulitzer launched The Evening World and The Sunday World. It was in his newspapers that the “inverted pyramid” news-writing technique—where the most crucial information appears first—was pioneered.
Yellow Journalism a new direction.
The New York World also published the famous comic strip The Yellow Kid, featuring a large-eared child in a nightshirt who humorously commented on daily news.
He was, in a way, the 19th-century equivalent of Bart Simpson.
Initially, The Yellow Kid was printed in black and white and was not widely popular. However, in 1895, the introduction of color printing changed everything.
The character became a staple of the newspaper and helped establish what became known as “yellow baby journalism.” Over time, the term was shortened to “yellow journalism.”
Yellow Journalism and Modern Trends.
Today, yellow journalism is like an ever-present “pop-up ad” on the internet—it always finds its way onto our screens and into our lives, even when we least expect it.
In the past, sensationalist reporters raced to get prime space on newsstands. Today, everyone has their own personal “newsstand” in their pocket.
If anything, today’s headlines are even louder than a grandmother’s TV when she can’t figure out how to lower the volume. Fact. 😊
The Trend of “Shocking News”.
Have you noticed that the world seems to end every day? The word “shocking” is now a mandatory part of every second headline.
If everything is shocking, does anything truly surprise us anymore?
If someone gifts their dog a Gucci bag— shocking. If a cat has more Instagram followers than a human— shocking.
And of course, every celebrity divorce is treated as if it signals the end of the world. By now, the Earth should have collapsed more times than Latvians have visited Donald Trump’s office, yes, over the long weekend.
Want to Know What Your Neighbor Did Last Night?
Find out tomorrow!
Modern yellow journalism is like that nosy neighbor who always knows what’s happening in your house before you do.
If your favorite celebrity takes a deep breath, expect an article on their “revolutionary breathing technique” and how to incorporate it into your life. Expert commentary included, of course—probably from a reality show contestant.
We All Pretend to Hate It, but We Still Read It.
Nobody admits to reading the tabloids, yet somehow, their articles always top the trending charts. We all justify our clicks with: “I accidentally clicked,” or “I just wanted to see how ridiculous it was.”
But deep down, we’re all curious—who got caught shopping at a questionable store? Who had an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction? These “salty” tidbits keep us scrolling.
The Drama of Influencers.
If celebrity scandals are the older siblings, influencer dramas are their younger, wilder sisters.
Since A-list celebrities are now harder to exploit (thanks to PR teams that cover their tracks), the yellow press has turned its attention to influencers.
Who hasn’t followed a feud between two TikTok influencers that mysteriously resolves itself after a few days—with a conveniently placed sponsorship deal?
We know influencers better than our own relatives, and the yellow press ensures we don’t miss a second of their lives.
Faster, Smarter (or Maybe the Opposite), and More Annoying.
Modern yellow journalism is lightning-fast, sneakier (or dumber, depending on your perspective), and often feels like an annoying ad break.
Even if we complain about its quality, we still read it. Because, let’s be honest—what’s better than a juicy celebrity fail or a “shocking” headline to brighten our day?
So, what about you?
Have a great day!
