Journalism is defined as "the activity or profession of writing for

newspapers, magazines or broadcasting news on the radio or

television." Without writing, the sharing of history and events that are
important would be impossible. Writing also serves the purpose of
telling information. This relates back to the importance of journalism.
Journalists serve as news sources of information to the general
public. Journalism first began with the creation of the first American
newspaper in 1690. The Publick Occurrences Both Foreign and
Domestick published by Benjamin Harris began in Boston. Although it
only lasts for one issue, the impact led to other newspapers, and
furthered journalism.
The Penny Press had a huge impact on American journalism. Penny
Press papers were cheap, at only a penny each, tabloid-style
newspapers published in the United States starting in the 1830s and
continued on. Being sold cheap, virtually everyone could purchase
and read newspapers offered. This influenced mass production of
inexpensive newspapers, which shifted from handcrafted to steampowered printing. The first Penny Press was the New York Sun,
which began in 1833. The Penny Press is considered the first true
mass media in America.
Yellow journalism affected journalism and news in America in many
ways. There are a couple of ways to describe yellow journalism, it
can be a biased story that only covers one side of the story and
possibly leaves out detrimental facts. Yellow journalism is also known
as a story strictly written for what many call a "shock factor" and will
know have know basis to back up evidence. Many stories written
during this time were sensationalized, distorted and often misleading.
Opinions were often presented as facts. Yellow journalism impacted
the Spanish-American War, since many events were dramatized
around the press. Historians say the war is also known as the first
press-driven war. Without journalism news itself wouldn't exist, all
these events show how the history of journalism has American news
where it is today.