Joseph Pulitzer, the father of modern journalism

Young Hungarian immigrant who swam to America

Joseph Pulitzer was born on April 10, 1847, in a small village called Mako, in Hungary, to a Hungarian-Jewish grain merchant father -Fülöp Pulitzer- and a Catholic German, deeply religious mother. As a teenager, Joseph feels that he belongs neither to his parents nor to his parents. “If I am to belong to a nation, it is the nation of explorers, messengers and conquerors. For them, the world is a place to be conquered. Their only problem is where to start.”

Although he did not have a warrior spirit in his youth, his biggest dream is to become a soldier. Because, in his lifetime, he knows that the best way to go far for a broke young man is to become a soldier. Therefore, when the European armies found him too young and did not accept him, he went and enlisted in the Union Army of the United States, which at that time was plagued by the Civil War. He boards a ship sailing to the New World. However, before he could show the patience to wait for the ship to dock in Boston, he throws himself into the sea from a short distance and swims to the shore. When asked why he behaved this way in the future, he explains, "In order to get the $300 promised by the Lincoln government, I can put it in my pocket rather than leaving it to my 'collector'."

It was 1864 when Pulitzer arrived in New York. Luckily, the Civil War ended shortly after he enlisted in the army.

Works at many jobs

When he left the army, Pulitzer, who realized that he could not hold on in New York, settled in the city of Saint Louis in the Missouri region. He becomes a mule driver, a dock worker, a coachman, a delivery man, a clerk… He even works as a waitress. However, from this last job, he is instantly fired for spilling a sauce over the head of a customer he finds disrespectful. Later he becomes a notary public. However, the notary public office is always empty. Because Joseph was educated in Hungarian as well as German and French and still has difficulties in English...

The shelter where he will spend his rare spare time is a bookstore called Mercantile Library. He soon becomes friendly with his Hungarian-born owner like himself. The bookstore is now its second address. No matter what job he has, he spends his lunch break with an apple and uses it to read a book there. Likewise, in the evening, he leaves the book in his hand only when he falls asleep.

In this way, Pulitzer memorizes the economy, political situation, history, customs and traditions of his new country.

The nickname of the young reporter is "Jewish Joey"

Resembling a bean-stalk with his tall stature and thinness, Joseph began to draw attention in the city of Saint Louis with his passion for reading, hard work, mastery of chess, and Central European courtesy. His nickname is "Jewish Joey".

And… By a coincidence, he stepped into journalism, which will become his life's greatest passion in the future. The owners of the German newspaper titled 'Westliche Post', which he reads regularly and finds temporary jobs thanks to its advertisements, are looking for a reporter to convey the news in a 'striking' way. Joseph was 21 when he started doing this reporting as a side job. 

In the 'corrupt and violent' America of the time, scandalous news abounds! Young Joseph, by trumpeting them, soon takes his place among the famous figures of the city.

“In a short time, the new reporter is on the job, arguing about everything, editing all the articles himself, constantly recommending new interview topics… He could work enthusiastically up to 16 hours a day. If something happened in the city, he would show up right away with his messy hair and a long black coat that fluttered like a witch's cloak on his back…” a colleague told.

According to the general opinion, “Jewish Joey” is a reporter born from the womb of his mother, with his working style and method of bringing events to light.

He owns a newspaper…

He is also interested in politics. He was even elected to the parliamentary position of the Republicans, but in a short time he abandoned this pursuit and turned to journalism with his only passion and ran from success to success. The bankrupt 'St. Louis Dispatch' newspaper, after a while, it merged with another newspaper called "The Post" and became "The St. Louis Post-Dispatch' newspaper and finally becomes the boss...

 “The Post-Dispatch will serve the people, not any party,” writes the first editorial of the new newspaper. “It will exist not to support the administration, but to criticize it. It will wage a fierce fight against fraudsters and swindlers.”

“The Post-Dispatch will serve the people, not any party. It will exist not to support the administration, but to criticize it. It will wage a fierce fight against fraudsters and swindlers.”

Newspaper sales skyrocket in a short time. Any subject that may interest the reader is covered. Bribery, clandestine casinos, tax evasion… Pulitzer tinkers with politics and the mafia scene so much that the offices of his newspaper are attacked several times. But nothing intimidates the young Pulitzer. According to him, the main function and reason of existence of the press is to convey what is happening in the society to the reader completely and without lies.

“Basic principle: ACCURACY, ACCURACY, ACCURACY”

When Pulitzer turned 36, he married a good family girl named Kate, had four children, and was at the head of a considerable fortune. However, his health was very frayed. He specifically struggles with lung and eye problems, but does not admit that he is sick. According to him, these ailments are sometimes caused by insufficient light, sometimes by very small fonts, or by the humidity-laden air of the city… Doctors find him extremely tired and recommend him to go on a long European journey. Pulitzer stops by New York on the return of this journey. The New York press was a boiling cauldron at that time. Dozens of newspapers published in dozens of languages ​​are bought by immigrants from every country like a piece of cheese. A religious newspaper called 'The World and Courier and Enquirer' draws his attention. He buys it and renames it The World, New York World. He asks his reporters to walk around the Bowery, which is the poorest district of New York City, and interview the people who live there. The editorial line will not change for this new newspaper, either: “Our aim is to make a cheap, smart newspaper that glorifies the ideal of democracy and is in the service of people, not monetary forces!”

“Our aim is to make a cheap, smart newspaper that exalts the ideal of democracy and is in the service of people, not monetary forces!”

A new element is added to this line, which is investigative journalism. “The more risky your research is, the more dangerous the topic you are dealing with, the more reliable the information you present to the reader should be; you have to check over and over whether they are correct,” he keeps repeating to his employees.

“The more risky your research, your survey, the more dangerous the subject, the more reliable the information you present to the reader; You should check over and over whether they are correct.”

In order to remind its employees of this principle, they place boards on the walls of World's offices with the words "ACCURATE, TRUE, TRUE" written.

But Pulitzer has another obsession: to appeal to as many readers as possible. So to speak, “Sell a lot!”

“So sell!” new titles for…

In order to sell a lot, it is not enough to best convey the news to the reader. It is necessary to keep him busy and to enable him to acquire practical knowledge. When informative, sophisticated, but boring articles are brought to him, he throws it away with the back of his hand, “What's the point of giving a lecture in front of empty seats!” says. With this logic, while it publishes sensational news and includes police polls and high society news, it also opens pages with titles such as 'women', 'useful information' and 'health', thus breaking new ground in American journalism once again...

According to him, a newspaper should be noticed first, then bought and then read. It also gives a wide space to the visual.

He starts another first and publishes comics for young people. These newspapers with comics are called the yellow press. Because the yellow printing of the comics also paints the side pages yellow.

However, it would be wrong to see Pulitzer as a media mogul who risks everything to attract the reader. He is also the pioneer of large public service surveys: He has research done and published on sensitive topics such as prisons, casinos, alcoholism, child mortality, etc.

It also launches various campaigns: for example, it raises money for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. It can be safely said that New York partially owes its Statue of Liberty to Pulitzer.

By sending reporters all over the world, he adds unprecedented dimensions to international events.

It also goes into politics…

He also entered politics at that time. His aim is to test his influence and power in the national arena as a media mogul.

His chances of winning in the 1884 Presidential election are slim, and he supports the Democratic nominee, Glover Cleveland. The share of the World newspaper is very large in his narrowly winning the elections.

Thus, at the age of 37, Jew Joey can boast of having nearly 'elect' a US President.

The price paid: The dark years

But the price of Pulitzer's tremendous success is very high. He becomes visually impaired at the age of 43. Now until the end of his life, his vision will consist of vague shapes, shadows, torn by lightning. It immediately takes all necessary precautions regarding the management of its newspapers. He announces that he is retiring and brings a board of directors to the head of World, which he constantly checks. He never gives up control. His scathing, sometimes sarcastic notes make those who attend meetings every morning meeting with fear. Their demands are higher than ever.

The price that this crazy pace of work makes Pulitzer pay is not just about health… Family relations are a complete fiasco. Because their son is lazy and useless, he loses his favorite child, daughter Lucille, at a young age, and his wife leaves him.

He constantly has to deal with problems other than his health and family problems. The man at the head of San Francisco's legendary daily newspaper, The Observer, becomes his biggest rival. Two big media bosses clash with each other in many areas. Even if it wears out a lot, it is Pulitzer who always wins.

He died in 1911 at the age of sixty-seven after a heart attack on his private yacht Liberty, near Charleston, where he spent most of the last three years.

PULITZER AWARD

The Pulitzer Prize, which is given annually by Columbia University (New York) in 21 categories in fields such as journalism, literature and music, is considered the largest and most prestigious award in America. Founded by Joseph Pulitzer and first awarded on June 4, 1917, the award is now announced in April.