Final answer:
Yellow journalism was imitated because it used sensationalism and exaggerated stories to appeal to emotions, regardless of factual accuracy, successfully increasing newspaper circulation and influencing public opinion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon of yellow journalism was widely imitated across the nation because it capitalized on human emotions with sensationalism, scandal, and exaggerated stories. This approach to news reporting was not concerned with objective facts but rather focused on attracting readers to sell more newspapers. The leading figures of this media trend, such as William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, used eye-catching headlines and minimal concern for factual reporting to stir up public emotion and boost circulation.
While yellow journalism began as a means to capture readers' attention, it ultimately influenced public perception and opinion during significant historical events, such as the Spanish-American War and the rise of imperialism. Even though yellow journalism was often criticized for its lack of journalistic integrity, it proved to be a highly effective business model that other newspapers sought to replicate in order to compete in the burgeoning industry of mass communication.