What is Yellow Journalism?

Sensational Journalism: The Yellow Journalism

Yellow journalism is a face of journalism best known for highlighting little or no legitimate news that includes exaggeration, sensationalism and scandals over the genuine news.

Some call it ‘fake news’ or ‘exploitative news reporting’ and some call it the ‘sensational reporting’. It is said that today, media has adopted the yellow journalism face over the actual journalism ethics and elements.

“Yellow journalism” cartoon about Spanish–American War of 1898 (Independence Seaport Museum).
Image source: Wikipedia

Roots of Yellow Journalism:

It started establishing its roots in the end of the 19^th century, from 1895 to 1898 due to the conflicts between the rival newspaper publishers regarding the competition for sales during the Spanish- American War in 1898. William Randolph Hearst, publisher of the New York Morning Journal, and Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World, took advantage of the turmoil in Cuba and came up with exaggerated stories and exploited reporting. They started fabricating the truth and presented news in the form that was more exciting than genuine to provoke the interest of the public, which even turned to absolutely no true details at all.

According to Frank Luther Mott, a well-known Journalist of that time, the yellow journalism is based on the following categories:

Scare headlines in huge print, often of minor news
Lavish use of pictures, or imaginary drawings
Use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, pseudoscience, and a parade of false learning from so-called experts
Emphasis on full-color Sunday supplements, usually with comic strips
Dramatic sympathy with the “underdog” against the system.

Yellow Journalism in India:

Being originated in America, Yellow Journalism has spread to the world and India is no exception to it. Not only the news channels and the newspapers are impacted, but the new media is also experiencing a huge impact of fake and sensational news reporting. It has been practised in the favour of earning money and attracting more and more audience ignoring the originality and genuineness of the news covered. All is done just to grab an audience and convert traffic.

The 4^th pillar of democracy has become the weakest and fake aspect of democracy that public trust blindly.

Some of the recent examples of Yellow Journalism in India are:

Television Journalism:

Image Source: ScoopWhoop

Image Source: Google

These are a few Television based examples of Yellow journalism. These types of news are more entertaining than credible.

For the same reason, a channel named India TV was in question for a long period of time for a news ‘DELHI ME GIRI BARAF’ from a cycle.

Image Source: Jokofy Pictures

Newspaper Journalism:

Image Source: Google

The newspaper took advantage of a serious situation to make the news.

The hype of Arushi murder case by media.

New media:

Instead of stating the seriousness of the boy’s death, it is reported that he was a fan of Gautam Gambhir and his journey.

Image Source: Google
Here, the news is no good to be reported.

Image Source: Quora

The news of an AAP worker Jasleen Kaur accusing a boy of molesting her. The media hyped the news more than required with the tags demanding justice for the girl. Later on, the allegations were proved wrong.

Image Source: Quora

The internet and social media have become a serious contributor to the yellow journalism promotion. There are so many recent examples that all of them can’t even be stated as it’s more than a lot in number. Daily something new is trending and is forgotten the other day.

Conclusion:

Media is the 4^th Pillar of Democracy and with the position it holds, it carries a level of responsibility and it has no right to not act in accordance with the given authority.

What we are looking forward to, is, how will the rote be cured and who will take responsibility? If the authorities come up with a code of conduct, it is always opposed and is never practised. There should be some code against the news that is published and that the media should practice.

Source:

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism
Google