To what extend did yellow journalism start the Spanish-American War?
To What Extent Did Yellow Journalism Start The Spanish-American War?
Section A: Plan of Investigation (104 words) This investigation will explore the question: To what extent did yellow journalism start the Spanish-American war. The scope of this investigation will include the aims of publishers William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, and the methods used by of their newspapers The Journal and The World to report the incidents related to the conflict that occurred between Cuba and Spain. The years 1895 – 1898 will be the primary focus of this investigation. The method will include the analysis of mostly secondary sources, such as historical journals, and the origin and purpose of the sources will be evaluated in order to determine their limitations and values.
Section B: Summary of Evidence (555 words)
Publishers William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer:
William Hearst bought the New York Morning Journal in 1895 (Cohen).
Hearst understood that people wanted “excitement and sensationalism in a form that was easy to understand and impossible to ignore” (Cohen).
Hearst saw that a war with Cuba would “move him into a position of national prominence” while also selling hundreds of papers (Cohen).
By offering them large salaries Hearst was able to buy off “writers, editors, and artists” in order to make his paper superior to The World which was owned by Pulitzer, a rival publisher (Cohen).
Joseph Pulitzer was seen as both a “blind, tyrannical millionaire” and a “publishing genius” (Cohen).
Pulitzer bought the New York World in1883 (Giessel).
Pulitzer and Hearst’s rivalry began when Hearst used the promise of a larger salary to steal artist R.F Outcault (who drew The Yellow Kid
Section A: Plan of Investigation (104 words) This investigation will explore the question: To what extent did yellow journalism start the Spanish-American war. The scope of this investigation will include the aims of publishers William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, and the methods used by of their newspapers The Journal and The World to report the incidents related to the conflict that occurred between Cuba and Spain. The years 1895 – 1898 will be the primary focus of this investigation. The method will include the analysis of mostly secondary sources, such as historical journals, and the origin and purpose of the sources will be evaluated in order to determine their limitations and values.
Section B: Summary of Evidence (555 words)
Publishers William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer:
William Hearst bought the New York Morning Journal in 1895 (Cohen).
Hearst understood that people wanted “excitement and sensationalism in a form that was easy to understand and impossible to ignore” (Cohen).
Hearst saw that a war with Cuba would “move him into a position of national prominence” while also selling hundreds of papers (Cohen).
By offering them large salaries Hearst was able to buy off “writers, editors, and artists” in order to make his paper superior to The World which was owned by Pulitzer, a rival publisher (Cohen).
Joseph Pulitzer was seen as both a “blind, tyrannical millionaire” and a “publishing genius” (Cohen).
Pulitzer bought the New York World in1883 (Giessel).
Pulitzer and Hearst’s rivalry began when Hearst used the promise of a larger salary to steal artist R.F Outcault (who drew The Yellow Kid
Cited: Page Giessel, Jess. "Yellow Press." Yellow Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Jan. 2014. . Cohen, Daniel. "The Yellow Kid." Lerner Publishing Group, 2000. Web. 20 Dec. 2014. Perloff, James. "Trial Run For Interventionism." The New American 22 Aug. 2012: n. pag. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. Miller, Bonnie. From Liberation to Conquest. Diss. University of Massachusetts, 2011. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.