Yellow journalism, also known as sensationalism or tabloid journalism, is a style of journalism that prioritizes attention-grabbing headlines, exaggerated stories, and scandalous content over accurate, well-researched, and objective news reporting. The term "yellow journalism" originated in the late 19th century in the United States, primarily associated with the newspaper rivalry between Joseph Pulitzer's New York World and [[William Randolph Hearst]]'s New York Journal. ## Key characteristics of yellow journalism 1. **Sensational headlines**: Yellow journalism often uses bold, exaggerated, or alarming headlines to attract readers, even if the content does not support the headline. 2. **Scare tactics**: Stories may focus on fear-inducing topics or exaggerate dangers to provoke a strong emotional response from readers. 3. **Lack of objectivity**: Yellow journalism tends to prioritize a narrative or agenda, often omitting or distorting facts to support that narrative. 4. **Emphasis on scandal and human-interest stories**: Yellow journalism often prioritizes scandalous or sensational stories about celebrities, crime, or other attention-grabbing topics over hard news, [politics](https://doctorparadox.net/category/politics/), or social issues. 5. **Use of eye-catching visuals**: Bold images, photographs, and illustrations are often used to attract attention and support the sensational nature of the stories. The rise of yellow journalism in the late 19th century can be attributed to several factors, including the fierce competition between newspapers, technological advancements in printing, and the growth of urban populations with an appetite for entertaining news. Although yellow journalism has been criticized for its lack of ethical and journalistic standards, it played a significant role in shaping modern journalism, influencing aspects like layout design, headlines, and the use of images in print media. Today, yellow journalism can be found in various forms of media, including tabloids, some online news outlets, and even [[social media]], where [[clickbait]] headlines and sensationalism often drive engagement. [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s [[Fox News]] network has been in and out of courst proceedings for decades, offering an argument that from a legal perspective it considers itself to be entertainment that shouldn't be taken seriously by any sane observer. And of course, the rise of [disinformation](https://doctorparadox.net/dictionaries/disinformation-dictionary/) in recent years has renewed the genre of yellow journalism with even more sophisticated technology -- from creation through [[artificial intelligence (AI)]], targeting through [[Big Data]], and dissemination from a dizzying array of channels and devices. In an incredibly complicated information environment frought with deception, [propaganda](https://doctorparadox.net/dictionaries/authoritarianism/propaganda/), undue influence, and even psychological warfare tactics of both domestic and foreign origin, it's imperative to scrutinize the sources of news and information, cultivate media literacy, and make an effort to get a variety of perspectives on a given topic.