Yellow Journalism: Puncturing the Myths, Defining the Legacies

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The yellow press period in American journalism history has produced many powerful and enduring myths-almost none of them true. This study explores these legends, presenting extensive evidence that: The yellow press did not foment-could not have fomented-the Spanish-American War in 1898, contrary of the arguments of many media historians. The famous exchange of telegrams between the artist Frederic Remington and newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst-in which Hearst is said to have vowed to furnish the war with Spain-almost certainly never took place. The readership of the yellow press was not confined to immigrants and people having an uncertain command of English, as many media historians maintain. rather yellow journals were most likely read across the social strata of urban America. The term yellow journalism emerged and took hold during a period of raging competition and intolerance among newspaper editors in New York City-and did not directly result from the rivalry between Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, as most media historians claim. The study also presents the results of a detailed content analysis of seven leading U. S. newspapers at 10 year intervals, from 1899 to 1999. The content analysis-which included the Denver Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Raleigh News and Observer, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, San Francisco Examiner and Washington Post-reveal that some elements characteristic of yellow journalism have been generally adopted by leading U. S. newspapers. This critical assessment encourages a more precise understanding of the history of yellow journalism, appealing to scholars of American journalism, journalism history, and practicing journalists.

Reviews

"Yellow Journalism, Puncturing the Myths, Defining the Legacies is an extensively researched, well-written, and myth-shattering study of the phenomenon of yellow journalism. W. Joseph Campbell uses a careful reading of the newspapers and periodicals of the era to create the best picture to date of the yellow journalism era. He corrects errors in interpretation and establishes a clearer, more accurate picture of the time period and the phenomenon. This is a must read' for all interested in this topic."-Dr. Margaret Blanchard William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.,."every journalism historian should at least read chapter three of the book, which is a compelling and definitive treatment of the Hearst-Remington telegram."-Journalism History
.,."this book is an excellent companion to recent books about the press at the turn of the century....Highly recommended for journalism history collections serving both undergraduates and advanced scholars."-Choice
...every journalism historian should at least read chapter three of the book, which is a compelling and definitive treatment of the Hearst-Remington telegram.-Journalism History
...this book is an excellent companion to recent books about the press at the turn of the century....Highly recommended for journalism history collections serving both undergraduates and advanced scholars.-Choice
[c]hallenges several popular misconceptions about this era of American journalism, particulary the charge that yellow press coverage propelled the United States into the Spanish-American war. Moreover, the author argues that yellow journalism had a more lasting impact on the American press than is commonly realized, as seen in a variety of innovative news practices and layout elements that have been passed along largely intact to this day.-Harvard Journal of Press/Politics
Combining content analysis with archival research, this study...challenges several popular misconceptions about this era of American journalism, particularly the charge that yellow press coverage propelled the United States into the Spanish-American War.-Harvard Journal of Press/Politics
Scholars who have followed Joseph Campbell's convention papers will find much that is familiar in Yellow Journalism. That earlier work, completed over five years, is integrated into this difinitive treatment. His research is comprehensive, his assessment keen. Campbell pricks flawed generalizations that have misrepresented the Yellow Press since historians first identified it as a distinctive period in U.S. media history. Because of Campbell's work, almost everyone who has written about the period, including me, will need to revise what's been said before. This work is that significant.-American Journalism
"challenges several popular misconceptions about this era of American journalism, particulary the charge that yellow press coverage propelled the United States into the Spanish-American war. Moreover, the author argues that yellow journalism had a more lasting impact on the American press than is commonly realized, as seen in a variety of innovative news practices and layout elements that have been passed along largely intact to this day."-Harvard Journal of Press/Politics
..."every journalism historian should at least read chapter three of the book, which is a compelling and definitive treatment of the Hearst-Remington telegram."-Journalism History
..."this book is an excellent companion to recent books about the press at the turn of the century....Highly recommended for journalism history collections serving both undergraduates and advanced scholars."-Choice
"[c]hallenges several popular misconceptions about this era of American journalism, particulary the charge that yellow press coverage propelled the United States into the Spanish-American war. Moreover, the author argues that yellow journalism had a more lasting impact on the American press than is commonly realized, as seen in a variety of innovative news practices and layout elements that have been passed along largely intact to this day."-Harvard Journal of Press/Politics
"Combining content analysis with archival research, this study...challenges several popular misconceptions about this era of American journalism, particularly the charge that yellow press coverage propelled the United States into the Spanish-American War."-Harvard Journal of Press/Politics
"Scholars who have followed Joseph Campbell's convention papers will find much that is familiar in Yellow Journalism. That earlier work, completed over five years, is integrated into this difinitive treatment. His research is comprehensive, his assessment keen. Campbell pricks flawed generalizations that have misrepresented the Yellow Press since historians first identified it as a distinctive period in U.S. media history. Because of Campbell's work, almost everyone who has written about the period, including me, will need to revise what's been said before. This work is that significant."-American Journalism

Author Bio

W. JOSEPH CAMPBELL an award-winning reporter during his 20-year career in journalism, is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at American University. He is the author of The Emergent Independent Press in Benin and Cote d'Ivoire: From Voice of the State to Advocate of Democracy (Praeger, 1998).