Please read the article linked below. In a response due Wed., Nov. 20, by 4 p.m., describe how Smythe's explanation for how journalism operated in the era under examination differs from Streitmatter's.
http://www.uiowa.edu/~c019091s/Reporter.html
Link to "Front Page"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZsq52_-rz0
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Smythe examines the working condition for the average journalist—wages, hours, working conditions. He describes journalism as a cut-throat profession, where individual journalists were often competing with one another for space in the paper or the best story. While Smythe details the morally ambiguous lengths journalists would go to, more often than not, make money, he does not categorize journalism in the last nineteenth, early twentieth centuries like Streitmatter. “Journalism as Warmonger,” Streitmatter titled his fifth chapter. “Muckraking: The Golden Age of Reform Journalism,” the sixth chapter is titled. Streitmatter shifts perspectives of journalism, from a Machiavellian enemy, publishing fabricated information to start a war, to a heroic profession that exposes corruption in politics. Smythe concentrates on the plight of the individual journalism within a twenty year time span. As well, Streitmatter concentrates on the large occurrences in journalism which hold historical importance, which shaped how journalism is practiced today (such as the era of yellow journalism and muckraking). However, Smythe also addresses, although not by name, the concept of yellow journalism through the sensationalism and reporters creating their own news or exaggerating the occurrence that is meant to be reported, like the hype by Pulitzer and Hearst with the Spanish-American War. But Smythe explores yellow journalism as having, in part, stemmed from impractically low wages and poor working conditions. In that way, Smythe explores the history of the 1880-1900 journalism through the lens of regularly employed and relatively unnamed “ordinary” journalists, unlike Streitmatter’s overview of journalism through the larger historical, more well-known journalists whose impact is still studied today.
Both Streitmatter and Smythe take on discussing the early onset of journalism in America. But while Streitmatter talks about how journalism or “muckraking” shed light on important issues and checked the authority of the government against the rights of the people, Smythe speaks more about the behind the scenes type stuff that shows that journalism is not always the glamorous and heroic seeming profession Streitmatter seems to speak of. Smythe focuses in his piece on how the working conditions of journalists not only effected the lives of the reporters outside of work, but kept journalists of the 1800 and 1900s in a sort of middle ground between skilled worker, i.e. a plumber, and someone like a doctor, who had a specialized talent in the art of writing, and thus effecting their working lives. Journalists were not well paid but worked long hours, and much like today, felt that their job was always at risk. But these factors, although unfortunate for reporters at the time, often provided the resources and instinct from journalists to speak about the common class of people who were reading the papers and lead to what Streitmatter calls “valiant journalism” – pieces on faulty drugs and food being fed to the masses, articles on racism and the groups that promote it. It is for this reason that I found it curious that Smythe really seemed to what the reader of his piece to feel bad for the journalists of the time and didn’t at length speak about the positives that all these negatives of being a reporter during this era created. If anything, he spoke about how these conditions and the poor managerial system drove to sensationalism, an overblown and untrue account of things that happened. While I think Streitmatter would agree that things like that did occur because of the way journalism was reported and created at the time, I think overlooking what muckraking has accomplished and how some of the greatest journalism that we have today resembles muckraking and yellow journalism and the way things were done back then is not a truly honest and reflective interpretation of how journalism came to be and how the past relates to the present.
Although Smythe and Streitmatter both discuss how journalism operated in the past, they tend to shed light to different things. In Smythe’s piece, he talks a lot about the working conditions of the journalists involved. He repeatedly brings up how the working conditions were typically very poor. “Pay was low, jobs were tenuous, hours were long and arduous. Reporters – with notable exceptions – knew they were not worth much to their publishers,” he writes. He also brings up the fact that these poor working conditions were often what led to sensationalism in the news. Unlike today where shorter articles are typically more favored and we’re often cutting pieces to make them fit, in the past many reporters “received pay based on the number of column inches they printed.” This was incentive for many reporters to sensationalize a bit in order to get more money. Streitmatter looks at things in more of a heroic light, as we’ve mentioned in class. In chapter five of Mightier Than the Sword he talks about reporters getting hurt in the battlefield of the Spanish-American war. This shows that while working conditions were poor, reporters were doing anything they possibly could to get the story out there to the American public. And while that it wasn’t necessarily good that they were using yellow journalism or being injured, numbers were increasing for papers, which was a positive. Streitmatter brings up the positivists of how journalism operated in the past, while Smythe seems to juxtapose this notion with the more negative side of things.
Smythe and Streitmatter both discuss how journalism functioned in the past by focusing their main points on different aspects of the subject. Smythe talks a lot about the working conditions of journalists in the past and how they were usually poor. He illustrates how the journalists worked long, strenuous hours for an amount of money that was not ideal. They would have to fight tirelessly and endlessly to get the scoop over a rival paper. He also states that "not one of them had a cent, or was expected to have one, except on payday." This to me makes it seem like journalists were depicted as maybe a lower- middle class who were hard workers. It was explained that they were payed according to the number of columns that they printed, which was means for incentive to do a better job. Streitmatter views journalists as more of heros in their line of profession. In chapter five, he focuses on how journalist would go to any means, whether it risked their health and welfare or not, to get a story. He warrants this by discussing the reporters who were injured during the Spanish- American War trying to get a story. Therefore one can see the differences in views that Streitmatter and Smythe hold. Streitmatter portrays the profession as heroic and benefiting while Smythe views it as hard working and underpaid.
Both Smythe and Streitmatter show perspectives on the history of journalism and how history has been, in a way, defined by journalism. Each chapter of Mightier Than the Sword focuses on a milestone in the evolution of America that was significantly influenced by journalism paying attention to it. While Streitmatter focuses on events that have been influenced by different types of journalism and media, Smythe’s explanation for hour journalism operated was more focused on the social conditions of the journalists themselves. Most worked long hours living paycheck to paycheck all on top of fear of backlash from doing their jobs. At the time, “reporters did not wish to compare themselves with the crafts; they wished to be compared with professionals, such as physicians, clergy, lawyers and teachers.” Yet they were paid so little. The cumulative impact of the system of pay, coupled with working conditions, fostering sensationalism in the press. “When reporters received pay based on the number of column inches they printed, there was a powerful economic force at work which caused many of them – perhaps most of them – to fully capitulate to the news values of the day; they worked not for social ideals, with a sense of public responsibility, but rather for column inches.” Streitmatter has a more positive approach towards the operation of journalism in the past. He said journalism helped millions of women into the WWII- era workforce and even helped defeat the Klu Klux Klan in the 1920’s.
Smythe and Streitmatter both look at the the same time period in journalism history. However, much like the gathering of facts in reporting a story, you have to look at both sides to get a complete picture.
Smythe focuses on the "mundane" of the era. Without trivializing their impact, conditions in newsrooms and competition among journalists doesn't hold a candle to the overall import of the stories that the muckrakers wrote. Streitmatter chooses to focus on those reporters, who are a bit more famous in American history.
There is merit in both depictions of early American journalism. Muckrakers have the ability to inspire journalists of all ages, as seen in Dr. Miraldi's recent talk. Only once you enter the field, and start honing yourself, do you learn of the intricacies.
Both Smythe and Streitmatter showed journalistic operations in very different lights. Smyth discussed primarily on the poor working conditions of journalists. In addition to how they barely made enough money to support their own livelihood. Thus the space rate system developed and journalists wrote with sensationalism so that they can make their pay. Smythe says, “Whether intended or not, the space system reinforced the reporter’s natural tendencies toward sensationalism. It rewarded those who could gather and present exciting news; the time rate was so minimal that reporters were tempted to create stores when news was not generated in the normal course of events.” In that case people were not receiving the full truth or just plain stories, “When reporters received pay based on the number of column inches they printed, there was a powerful economic force at work which caused many of them – perhaps most of them – to fully capitulate to the news values of the day; they worked not for social ideals, with a sense of public responsibility, but rather for column inches.”
In contrast, Streitmatter highlighted in chapter 6 all of the famous muckrakers and their most notable achievements. Here he introduces them, “Armed with literacy talent and investigative skill, reformminded journalists boldly accused the nation of auctioning off its birthright for private gain.” They all varied from exposing truths from greedy industrialists, wrong-doings in government, monopolizing oil companies, food/medicine packaging, and treason among senators. They were all able to capture the attention of their readers because it was actually interesting and affordable at the time. With these topics in the agenda, journalists made it possible to make great significant changes in America. Streitmatter says, “The historian said the journalist phenomenon played a profoundly important role in saving democracy from the clutches of the robber barons and returning it to the common people who rightly governed America.”
Smythe describes journalism in the 1880-1900 era as being shaped by the unethical, fiscally-centered practices of newspaper management. The stressful economics of newspapers (particularly reward systems such as space-time reporting) led reporters to sensationalism as a natural outcome of these fiscal constraints.
Streitmatter focuses on the resulting shame of hypercapitalist newspaper publishers in this time: the news ultimately created a war, costing time, energy, and human life. Rather than showing how reporters adapted to fiscal constraints and ultimately shaped news media, he focuses on the lack of responsibility in newspapers at the time, and how administrative decisions were the vehicle for sensationalism. This counters Smythe’s thesis that reporters “created” sensationalism as a means to a living, rather than being directed to sensationalism for no reason other than the editor-in-chief’s hypercapitalist aspirations.
This article explores the working condition for journalists in the history of the profession. Smythe points toward the low pay, and fierce competition between reporters for sensationalism. Journalists during this era were paid based on how much space their writing physically took up. This was an incentive to cover stories and make them interesting this was not conducive to having these stories being accurately covered. Streitmatter discusses the positive role journalism can play in public policy and social relationships. He highlights that brave journalists have championed the causes of the less represented in the country. Journalism led to reforms in our government, and regulations upon companies to ensure safer products for consumers.
Even though both Smith and Streitmatter studied the history of journalism in the late 1800s, they focused on somewhat different ends of the subject. For example, Smith tended to focus on the more negative working conditions that reporters were subjected to. He points out how the reporters were seen as the lowest rung in the ladder of news and media at the time, often with a short career and always having a small salary. However, he notes that even with these treatments, reporters were glad to go out and report the news, happily living from “hand to mouth”. Streitmatter, on the other hand, focused more on the events that reporters covered. For instance, he investigates reporting during the Spanish American War, muckraking, and other historically important events.
One thing that both writers did note, though, was the emergence of sensationalism, or yellow journalism. Smith shows that there was a positive relationship between the emergence of a “space and time rate” pay system. In this system, reporters were paid by how much they were able to write, and if they were paid hourly, it was menial at best. This encouraged reporters to “go out and find the news” instead of reacting to where stories were. Streitmatter notes yellow journalism much differently. Incorporating the practice into his more heroic look on the period, he claims that while reporters did engage in yellow journalism, they were able to sell more papers that way.
Similar to how Kaitlyn answered that although both authors shed light on the way journalism used to operate, they both shed light on different components of that operation. Streitmatter's book takes the reader from the old to current times of journalism, going through the different stages the field has undergone to where it is now. Our final project is about thew ay journalism has evolved with the rise of current technology and the way that technology is being utilized to appeal to the younger generations politically and socially. Streitmatter's book discusses the ways in which this current technology may not necessarily be a good component of journalism, rather an appealing one.
While Smythe discusses the conditions under which journalists work, he does not mention much after the 1900's, which was before the rise in technology really came into play as an influential factor in the journalistic field. Smythe also focused on the working conditions of journalists years ago in a mainly negative light, including long hours and poor pay.
Although both authors touch upon the sensationalism that journalism tends to display, it seems as though Streitmatter tries to focus on the positive aspects of the field, unlike Smythe. That negative versus positive outlook on the field I believe is the main difference between the two authors' pieces.
Both Smythe and Streitmatter focus on journalism in the same era (1880-1900). However, they seem to have different perspectives on journalists in that era. Focusing on Streitmatter’s perspective, the title of the chapter alone reveals his attitudes towards journalism and journalists during the same era by titling it “Muckracking: The Golden Age of Reform Journalism”. Although, Streitmatter is aware of the downfalls of journalism of that age and the negativity towards yellow journalism in general, he focuses on journalists playing a key role in society in the late 1800s. For example, Streitmatter comments on the lengths journalists would go to go out and fine the news. Journalists of that time had incredible work ethic and would go to extreme lenghths to make some money and find story. Streitmatter focuses on embracing the idea of sensationalism, although there are apparent downfalls. Streitmatter also focuses on the incredible stories that were brought to light such as stories written about the Spanish-American war. Overall Streitmatter maintained optimism of that era and considered it crucial in the progression of journalism.
On the other hand, Smythe’s article “The Reporter” doesn’t focus on these highlights and positive attitudes towards journalism of that era. Smythe detests sensationalism and the introduction of the “Space and Time System” into journalism. He focuses on the horrible working conditions of journalists such as; “All worked fourteen, sixteen, seventeen hours a day at the most grueling work, reporting on a paper in a small city where many yawning columns must be filled each day whether there is anything going on or not”. He also comments on their small salaries and how desperate they were to make money. However, unlike Streitmatter’s view where this desperation helped push journalists into finding news and reporting incredible stories to the press, Smythe focuses on this desperation leading to exaggerated stories that aren’t accurate or truthful. Overall, Smythe found that journalism of that era was a bad thing and he held a pessimistic attitude in general. At least Streitmatter, who was aware of the downfalls of yellow journalism, focused on the positives and the contributions this era provided in the progression of journalism as a whole.
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