A history of news

What Hacker News says

1. jollofricepeasSep 2022
   Very interesting.

   Before people point fingers at the SF Chronicle, I just wanted to point out that a lot of early newspapers were started as biased tabloids by very “colorful” characters.

   Read: A History of News by Mitchell Stephens https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1854941W/A_history_of_news

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_French_journalism

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2. jollofricepeasJul 2020
   When has journalism ever stuck to facts? When has the “news” been more than short stories and opinion?

   Hint: Never

   Read: A History of News by Mitchell Stephens https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1854941W/A_history_of_news

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_French_journalism

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3. jollofricepeasJul 2020
   Along with the rest of HN, you have no idea what journalism is.

   When has journalism ever stuck to “facts”?

   When has the “news” and “history” been more than short stories and opinion?

   Hint: Never

   Read: A History of News by Mitchell Stephens https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1854941W/A_history_of_news

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_French_journalism

   The role of press is not to be “right” or even factual.

   The role of the press is dissent and debate.

   The sooner you realize this, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for even those outlets you disagree with.

   Read: RT, Al-Jazeera, Fox News, Guardian, WaPo, NYT, NYPost, WaTimes, National Review, New Yorker, Vice

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4. jollofricepeasJul 2020
   Respectfully, I’m not sure you understand the function of the press.

   When has journalism ever stuck to facts? When has the “news” been more than stories and opinion?

   Hint: Never

   Your assumptions aren’t based in fact and smack of elitism. Press has no responsibility to meet your personal idea of competency.

   Read: A History of News by Mitchell Stephens https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1854941W/A_history_of_news

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_journalism

   Read: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_French_journalism

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5. kibwenJun 2026
   I don't discount that it's possible that NYT headline policy could have changed in the last decade, but sensationalism when it comes to newspaper headlines is the historical norm. "Clickbait" is an ancient phenomenon:

   "In A History of News, Mitchell Stephens notes sensationalism can be found in the Ancient Roman gazette Acta Diurna, where official notices and announcements were presented daily on public message boards, the perceived content of which spread with enthusiasm in illiterate societies."

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensationalism

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