Lord Northcliffe, Hearst and Pulitzer- characters of era of WWI
Time of dot press snobbish Daily Mail and picture based Daily Mirror. In 1907 Hannen Swaffer skilled photojournalist seen as a tabloid genius brought popularity to Lord Northcliffe’s newspaper(Alfred Harmsworth’s) with death bed pictures of Edward VII (world record sales at 2mln, Titanic pictures 1912). Swaffer also invented Sports Journalism and Paparazzi. He claimed to be a spiritualist invading privacy at the first time, saying that he could interview dead people. He published a book about interviews with Lord Northcliffe after he had died, and sold millions copies of Titanic. He was also a WWI photographer
In 1903 The daily Mirror, launched as Daily Mail for women and also re-launched as a picture paper moving onto printing first photos. Print was at the stage of “engravings” called cuts, Lord Northcliffe, famous editor of XIX century press was an author of wood comic cuts like “Chips” and “Tit bits” (other cartoon strips “The yellow Kid”- yellow press).
Photojournalism spread its popularity through American Civil War that was the first significant event presented in pictures, in time of American Civil War in 1860s, North America was unsettled in slavery decision. THE SLAVE MARKET painting by Jean-Leon Gerome
As an effect of the Civil War West opened up, California and Sanfrancisco became most polyglot in the world. In addition not long time earlier in 1849 Golden fever had started attracting even more people to come over. Effectively, NewYork was already on its way of becoming a modern centre of the world.
Joseph Pulitzer, a great journalist, who was an immigrant himself, set up a newspaper in a polyglot language crating a “laboratory for language development”. At the same time Times press represented language of New York which was simplified English, also to reach foreign readers.
On the other hand, William Randolph Hearst owner of New York Journal, represented right wing, racist character in charge of political propaganda and above all focused on making money. He was in favour of war in Spain and America becoming a conquer of South America, Philippines and China. He was aiming to provoke the war himself.
His famous words “You supply the story, I’ll supply the war”, illustrates perfectly how press is dominated by a constant chase after sensation even in time of war.
Inspiration:
Winchester University Journalism Course
History and Context of Journalism Part III lecture from week 5
and orientalist art from XIX century,THE SLAVE MARKET painting by Jean-Leon Gerome.
