Fake News in an Early Hebrew Newspaper: Sensationalist Journalism in HaTzfira in 1874

Abstract

The history of fake news is longer and more nuanced than usually considered. This article examines a particular case study in the late nineteenth century, in which the publication of fake news in a Hebrew journal, HaTzfira, caused a severe reaction that exposed structural flaws and undercurrents of journalistic confrontation as well as differing approaches toward the role of truth within the profession. By exploring earlier manifestations of fake news, historians gain a new perspective on its causes and also the strategies for fighting it.