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
1. 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. _____
2. Find word(s) from the text that have the same meaning as the following:
The number of sold copies of a newspaper =
Worrying =
Masked =
Finding a hidden meaning in something said or written =
Doubtful =
Plan =
Increasing =
3. Put the words in brackets into the correct form.
a) “The judges of the competition were very biased. I wish they were more ____________________
(object) towards some candidates”.
b) ____________________ (sensation) is a way of getting people's interest by using exaggeration
and shocking words.
c) Tabloids are ____________________ (extreme) popular due to the nature of the stories they
cover.
d) The yellow press was ____________________ (routine) fabricating news stories in order to
increase sales.
e) This article provides an ____________________ (investigate) analysis of the latest fraud
committed within the Ministry of Finance.
f)
Broadsheets are ____________________ (rely), larger-sized newspapers that print quality
material.
4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.
The tabloids vulnerable to lawsuits, but they ___________________ (not be) sued nearly as
often as you might think. What's their secret?
In the days of the 1950s and 60s, some tabloids ___________________ (realise) that they
could write pretty much anything about anyone with little fear of legal action. In his book "I
Watched a Wild Hog Eat My Baby," former National Enquirer editor Bill Sloan
___________________ (write) that the publishers ___________________ (realise) "there
___________________ (be) two overwhelming reasons why no celebrity of any stature
would stoop to suing a publication like the Informer even in clear-cut cases of libel. For one
thing, the publicity surrounding this type of suit could prove a thousand times more damaging
than the original fabrication. For another, the publisher probably ___________________ (not
have) any money to pay damages anyway."
In the 1980s and 90s, supermarket tabloid circulation ___________________ (reach) the
tens of millions, and the companies that owned them had billions of dollars in assets. Those
two factors obviously no longer ___________________ (apply), and actress Carol Burnett
___________________ (strike) the first blow when she ___________________ (sue) the
National Enquirer in 1981 for printing a story accusing her of public drunkenness. She
_______________________(initially award) $1.6 million, but the amount was later reduced
on appeal and settled out of court. Singer Aretha Franklin ___________________ (file) a
similar suit against Star in 2001. She ___________________ (ask) for $50 million after the
publication of a story that ___________________ (claim) she had a serious drinking problem
that ___________________ (affect) her performances. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise
and Nicole Kidman ______________________ (all successfully sue) tabloids as well.
The topic of libel in newspapers is a complicated one -- complicated enough that most major
tabloids employ lawyers to read through each article before it ___________________
(publish). Although some of the stories may seem libelous, tabloid writers and lawyers
usually know just how far they can go before they ___________________ (cross) the line
into libelous territory.
When it ___________________ (come) to the truly outrageous stories in tabloids like the
Weekly World News, there ___________________ (be) little fear of legal retribution. Stories
about UFOs or bizarre cults can neither ___________________ (prove) nor
___________________ (disprove). Even if someone could prove that a story was fake, there
___________________ (not be) really any law against making up fake news stories, as long
as real people ___________________ (mention) in the story haven't been libeled.
Source: http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/tabloid2.htm
ANSWERS
1. 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.(T)
b) In order to achieve its goals, yellow journalism relies on solid and verified facts. (F)
c) The term “yellow journalism” was coined from an old TV cartoon whose main character was “The
Yellow Kid”. (F)
d) Richard F. Outcault was working for New York World when he was offered a job at New York
Journal. (T)
e) William Randolph Hearst was the artist who created the character “The Yellow Kid”. (F)
f)
George Luks was recruited by New York World to continue the production of the cartoon. (T)
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. (T)
h) American people did not like the idea of an absolutely free press. (F)
i)
Banner headlines and coloured supplements in today’s newspapers were inspired from the yellow
press. (T)
j)
Modern newspapers do not use catchy headlines, which is a sign that they are only concerned
with the truth. (F)
2. Find word(s) from the text that have the same meaning as the following:
The number of sold copies of a newspaper = circulation
Worrying = disturbing
Masked = camouflaged
Finding a hidden meaning in something said or written = reading between the lines
Doubtful = sceptical
Plan = agenda
Increasing = boosting
3. Put the words in brackets into the correct form.
a) “The judges of the competition were very biased. I wish they were more objective towards some
candidates”.
b) Sensationalism is a way of getting people's interest by using exaggeration and shocking words.
c) Tabloids are extremely popular due to the nature of the stories they cover.
d) The yellow press was routinely fabricating news stories in order to increase sales.
e) This article provides an investigative analysis of the latest fraud committed within the Ministry of
Finance.
f)
Broadsheets are reliable, larger-sized newspapers that print quality material.
4. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.
The tabloids are not immune to lawsuits, but they aren't sued nearly as often as you might
think. What's their secret?
In the days of the 1950s and 60s, some tabloids realised that they could write pretty much
anything about anyone with little fear of legal action. In his book "I Watched a Wild Hog Eat
My Baby," former National Enquirer editor Bill Sloan wrote that the publishers realised
"there are two overwhelming reasons why no celebrity of any stature would stoop to suing a
publication like the Informer even in clear-cut cases of libel. For one thing, the publicity
surrounding this type of suit could prove a thousand times more damaging than the original
fabrication. For another, the publisher probably didn't have any money to pay damages
anyway."
In the 1980s and 90s, supermarket tabloid circulation reached the tens of millions, and the
companies that owned them had billions of dollars in assets. Those two factors obviously no
longer applied, and actress Carol Burnett struck the first blow when she sued the National
Enquirer in 1981 for printing a story accusing her of public drunkenness. She was initially
awarded $1.6 million, but the amount was later reduced on appeal and settled out of court.
Singer Aretha Franklin filed a similar suit against Star in 2001. She asked for $50 million
after the publication of a story that claimed she had a serious drinking problem that was
affecting her performances. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have
all successfully sued tabloids as well.
The topic of libel in newspapers is a complicated one -- complicated enough that most major
tabloids employ lawyers to read through each article before it is published. Although some
of the stories may seem libelous, tabloid writers and lawyers usually know just how far they
can go before they cross the line into libelous territory.
When it comes to the truly outrageous stories in tabloids like the Weekly World News, there
is little fear of legal retribution. Stories about UFOs or bizarre cults can neither be proven
nor disproven. Even if someone could prove that a story was fake, there isn't really any law
against making up fake news stories, as long as real people mentioned in the story haven't
been libeled.
Source: http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/tabloid2.htm
Yellow Journalism
No. of Lessons
Grade
Teachers
Objectives/
Learning Outcomes
Time
1
2nd Gimnazija
Mojca Fink and Amresh Prakash Torul
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to explain what Yellow
Journalism is, where the term comes from and how it is still present in
today’s media.
Teachers activities
English teacher
Foreign teacher
Support the explanation
and write notes on the
board.
Introduction:
Introduce the topic and ask
students about it.
Explain the term Yellow
Journalism with examples.
Support the explanation
with Slovene translation
where necessary and write
notes on the board.
Explain difficult words
Pre-select a list of difficult
words from the text and
explain them. Ask students
to ask about other words
that they don’t understand.
5 min
10 min
20 min
10 min
Instructions for handout
Briefly explain to students
what they should do with
the handout. Then move
around the classroom to
help students.
Feedback/Correction
Correct the exercises
together as a class.
Move around the
classroom to help
students.
Feedback/Correction
Correct the exercises
together as a class.
Student activities
Follow introduction, interact
with teachers and take notes.
Copy explanations of difficult
words.
Complete mind map
Read the comprehension text
and answer all the questions
that follow.
Correct exercises.
Evaluation
Many of the students did not know what yellow journalism is, but once the term was explained, it was
clear that they are familiar with such media. The students responded well to the variety of exercises
included in the handout, though some of them found the vocabulary exercise challenging. The word
formation exercise was completed successfully by most, whereas the grammar part posed some
problems. On the whole, the concept of yellow journalism was well grasped by the students and most
of them could answer all the T/F questions correctly.