yellow journalism
/ˈjɛləʊ ˈdʒɜːnəlɪzəm/
noun
Origin
English
Yellow Kid — Referencing the comic strip character 'The Yellow Kid' who wore a yellow nightshirt.
Overview
Meaning Now
- Journalism that is based upon sensationalism and crude exaggeration.
- A style of newspaper reporting that relies on screaming headlines, sensational stories, and illustrations to attract a large readership.
Language path
English
Earliest form
yellow journalism
Earliest period
1890s
Journey
The term originated in New York City in the late 19th century during a fierce circulation war between Joseph Pulitzer's New York World and William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal. Both papers featured Richard F. Outcault's popular comic strip 'Hogan's Alley,' which featured a character known as 'The Yellow Kid.' When the strip moved between the papers, the term 'yellow' became shorthand for the sensational, unethical reporting tactics both papers employed to win readers.
Evolution
- 1895
The Yellow Kid
“A comic strip character created by Richard F. Outcault.”
The character's yellow nightshirt became the icon of the sensationalist press.
- 1897
yellow journalism
“Journalism characterized by sensationalism.”
Coined by editors of rival papers to disparage the practices of Pulitzer and Hearst.
Connections
Word parts
yellow
other
referencing the yellow ink/character
journalism
other
the activity of gathering and reporting news
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Related to yellow journalism
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.