Sunday Newspaper Are Unethical
Back in the 1800s, there was a good long ethical debate over newspapers. It had nothing to do with the sanctity of journalism. It was, in fact, all about whether newspapers should be published on Sunday.
‘All the morning newspapers,’ he is reported to have said, ‘are Sabbath breakers. The Sunday newspaper is unnecessary, is issued in violation of divine law, and is disreputable, in some cases unspeakably so . .’
“W. R. Hearst, New York Journal, N.Y.: ‘Everything is quiet. There is no trouble here. There will be no war. I wish to return. ‘Remington.’
Remington, Havana: ‘Please remain. You furnish the pictures, and I’ll furnish the war. ‘W. R. Hearst.’”
This is one of the most famous exchanges in newspaper history, purportedly between photographer Fredrick Remington and newspaper baron William Randolf Hearst. Supposedly it took place in 1897 and it’s cited as one of the major reasons that the U.S. entered the war in Spain in 1898.
There is a good chance that this exchange never really happened.
