The philosophy guiding a great deal of mainstream media, that the public “likes entertainment better than it likes information,” is something I hear people gripe over when forced to watch CNN at the gym.
But this isn’t an observation unique to the 21st century. In a piece comparing the dregs of the Murdoch/News of the World scandal to the work of Yellow Journalism superstars in the late 19th century, Slate digs up a vintage media scandal for the ages, and its headlines were total gems.
“ABSINTHE HIS BANE ITALIAN FATALLY STABBED INQUIRY ABOUT POISON GAS FEROCIOUS DOG MANGLES A BOY.” How could you not want to read this?? Here also though, is juicy evidence that the magnetism of scandal and red-herring newsy-ness has apparently already failed with many shots at masterminding our cultural demise, so take note, peers at the gym. It’s going to be okay.
