The Newspaper War

8 Pages 2120 Words

The Newspaper War

When the Battle Ship U.S.S. Maine suddenly exploded in Havana Cuba, Americans cried out for war, as with Pearl Harbor and the Alamo, solders went of to war with the battle cry “remember the Maine”. But unlike other wars this one was not declared by congress, it was the citizens of American who push their country to war with Spain. It was not warmongering on behalf of The American public that caused them to demand war on their European neighbor. Two newsmen and the American Media made the decision for them.
At the end of the nineteenth century, the phenomenon of yellow journalism hit American newsstands. Bolstered by a rise in the literacy rate, Thousands of newspapers sprang up around the country. Advertising firms wanted there ads to be seen by as many consumers as possible, and consequently would only want to advertise in a paper with a large circulation. Since the most of revenue newspaper makes comes form selling ads, the 3ability of a paper to survive financially relied heavily on it ability to sell. . Because of their abundance, a fierce competition arose, the major newspapers fought to out sell each other As a result scruples, morels and journalistic integrity where often put aside, is was not uncommon for a report to the editors opinion rather then objective journalism. In order to sell papers editors constantly put out exaggerated and sensational articles. Yellow journalism was so prevalent that even respectable writer of the time where not above it. A good example would be the venerated American author Samuel Clemens, who in his early carrier wrote for a newspaper in the Midwest. Where he reported on the amazing archeological find of a petrified, Stone Age giant. But when it was discovered to be only a concrete statue that he had buried in a field. Samuel Clemens had to flee town and change his name to Mark Twain.
Mark Twain was only an armature when it came to sensationalistic headlines. New Yor...