The onset of the twentieth century brought diversification, modernization, and expansion to print journalism in Georgia. The growing democratization of the press resulted in publications from exciting new sources, including underrepresented religious communities and colleges and universities. Modernization also brought new methods for delivering the news, including the increased use of photography, cartoon art, and headline fonts. These methods were deployed to dramatic effect through the yellow journalism of the Atlanta Georgian. The paper aided the incitement of the Atlanta Race Riot of 1906, and after its purchase by William Randolph Hearst in 1912, the Georgian provided daily headline coverage of the Leo Frank Trial. Georgia's papers were also a platform for the expanding consumerism of the mid-twentieth century. Advertisements became increasingly distinct and artistic, reflecting the growth of corporations like Coca-Cola in the state. As Georgia became a center of civil rights movement activism, the state’s modernized press became essential reading for local and national audiences.

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