KEY POST - "The Five Star Final"

Five Star Final

REFLECTION:

INTRODUCTION:

After watching and analyzing The Five Star Final (1931), I found the concepts to closely align with the information studied in JOU-Never Stay Silent. Throughout journalism history, the penny press era was regarded as a groundbreaking period. This alteration resulted in a new business model, aimed at selling more papers at a lower price. Consequently, publishers were in constant demand for mass readership and circulation, producing dashing headlines, eye-catching images, and attention-grabbing stories. 

YELLOW JOURNALISM:

Alongside this pressure came the prevalence of yellow journalism. In particular, yellow journalism is described as publications that prioritize scandal and outrage over a just-the-facts approach. In The Five Star Final, The New York Evening Gazette allowed viewers to experience a taste of both the penny press era and yellow journalism.

NARRATIVE:

Joseph W. Randall and
Bernard Hinchecliffe

More prominently, The New York Evening Gazette was edited by managing editor Joseph W. Randall and owned by Bernard Hinchecliffe. As circulation declined, Hinchecliffe frantically searched for an appealing storyline. The owner informed Randall that the Gazette must publish a story on the 20-year-old Voohees murder case. Following an in-depth investigation and a breach of journalism guidelines, The New York Evening Gazette published the piece. Once Nancy Voorhees uncovered the newspaper’s objective, she committed suicide, followed by her husband, Michael Townsend. 

Gazette Voorhees Story

In the face of unethical practices and widespread corruption, the investigative journalists gathered the case's details and pressed for new information about Voorhees's life. These invasions of privacy include both the individual's current marriage and her daughter, Jenny Townsend's, upcoming wedding. Each effort significantly affected Voorhee's life, ultimately costing her livelihood and leading to the downfall of her family. 

More prominently, The Five Star Final storyline was embedded with plot twists, death, and unpredictable slander. Following Voorhee's suicide, the journalists unlawfully broke into her apartment, entered the room with her lifeless body, and took photographs. These actions were more than a mere violation. They were immoral, disgusting, and truly disheartening. This team of journalists sacrificed human decency for financial gain, thereby opposing the press's responsibility.

JOURNALISM ETHICS:

Through our course recitations, the media was heavily highlighted as a watchdog, exposing discrepancies in governmental actions, societal issues, and disasters. Instead, The New York Evening Gazette mirrored current journalistic tendencies, inaccurately relaying facts at the expense of others. 

CHARACTER BEHAVIOR: 

Regarding specific actions, Bernard Hinchecliffe’s behavior epitomized the violation of journalistic ethics. His proceedings as a press baron prioritized individual gain over social discourse. Conversely, Joseph W. Randall primarily relied on his employer’s instruction, eventually experiencing guilt and the adverse effects of their publication. According to Randall, "You thought of the murder and I committed it. But I did it for smaller profit. For wages. You did for circulation."

ETHICAL VIOLATIONS:

Concerning ethical obligations, journalists owe respect, accuracy, and humanity to those they write about. The public deserves the same core principles, along with transparency and dependability.

Despite the correlation between these expectations, they may lead to a conflict of interest, resulting in inconsistent publisher actions.

Miss Taylor

On the other hand, the proceedings of The New York Evening Gazette weren’t in the best interest of either party. As stated by Miss Taylor, Randall's secretary, "Well, Mr. Randall's worrying, because the owner's worrying him, because the owner's worrying over circulation." Rather, the Gazette’s leadership targeted mass readership and the resulting monetary gain. Overall, The Five Star Final accurately incorporated the information underscored in JOU-Never Stay Silent while highlighting the dangers of ethical violations in journalistic endeavors.