Ideas for Media Social History Paper?

[JennyLane]

The goal of the paper is to conduct original research on some aspect of media and social history. I need to pick either medium: newspaper or magazine. Then pick a time period to study, up until 1975. Then I need to pick an American location for study, unless I am looking at a national publication.

Anyone have any great ideas?

I've thought about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and media coverage of Roe vs. Wade. But definitely feel like I want more to choose from.

Thanks!

[Downriver Dave]

It would be interesting (yet difficult) to study the effect of 'Yellow Journalism' as a cause for the Spanish-American War. Many historians blame the war on the circulation battles between Joseph Pulitzer's New York World and William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal (?) newspapers. Both papers ran sensational stories, and often outright lies, on Spanish-American relations to sell papers. Hearst is alledged to have replied to a photographer that if he supplies the photographs, Hearst will supply the war.

Orson Wells brilliant Citizen Kane is based off of Hearst and this time period.

[Sarcasticfinger547]

LIFE magazine during WW2.

MAD magazine in the 1950s.