What does "yielding" mean in this context?

[Cooliegirly]

"The sensational and mawkish tales of misfortune that were a hallmark of yellow journalism were yielding to the refined sensibilities of those such as *****"

[Mister Micawber]

.
Hard to tell-- not enough context. Yield here could mean either

-- to give up, as to superior power or authority; to give up or over; relinquish or resign
or
-- to cause; give rise to
or
-- to give way to influence, entreaty, argument, or the like
.
_________________
Canadian-American native speaker
who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's
ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber