The Origin of Negative News

I have written here before about the tactics of mass media and how they influence our decision-making. But before the mid-19th century, most media were purely informational. Newspapers came out weekly, cost on average 6 cents, and covered business and politics.

In 1833, a man named Benjamin Day created Penny Press, a newspaper that cost 1 cent. Suddenly the masses were able to read the newspaper as the cost to purchase one plummeted. The only problem was that Day was selling the newspaper at a substantial loss. At this point, he introduced what is now a widely accepted revenue model known as advertisement. He sold ad space in the newspaper that readers would see.

However, to attract advertisers, Day needed more readers. It was at this point that the type of news reported began to change drastically. Day realized that business and politics were boring and didn’t change much. He realized that sensational and attention-grabbing headlines could draw more readers, so he began covering murders, affairs, and fights – anything that would draw more interest. Below is a clipping from a column in an 1859 paper titled “News and Gossip” where he reported on a random citizen falling and dying from his buggy.

Newspapers all over started adopting this sensationalist practice, realizing that humans are wired to pay more attention to negative information. This phenomenon, known as negativity bias, suggests that people tend to give more weight to negative news due to its potential threat. Day's realization of this inherent human tendency played a crucial role in shaping how we consume media today.

When we turn on CNBC, MSNBC, FOX, or any other news outlet, we must accept that their job is solely to keep our attention, and the easiest way to do that is to circulate negative news. I do not want to make light of the serious issues we face today, but rather help us all ignore media outlets broadcasting data without context simply to invoke fear. Many economic and social issues are serious and demand our attention. But for every one of those, there are 100 headlines to ignore.

Happy planning,

Alex

This blog post is not advice. Please read disclaimers.