9781422283073

In Thomas Carlyle’s 1841 book, On Heroes and Hero Worship , he labeled the media the Fourth Estate, describing how journalism acted as a fourth branch of gov- ernment. He said its job

was to hold politicians accountable and inform citi- zens of issues that matter. The press was founded on basic principles of reporting facts objectively . However, as journalism grew to be more of a moneymaking business, the tactics of reporting changed. In the late 1800s, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer battled for readers in New York by sensationalizing the news. This sensationalism gave birth to the term “Yellow Journalism.” Many people re- acted negatively to this trend, but others enjoyed it no end. Large-size newspapers called tabloids filled their pages with exaggerated stories. Despite calls for more balance, the journalism moneymaking machine continued to grow, aided by

The judgment of what is news has changed over time, as has the practice of journalism.

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