Muckraking Journalism
"There is filth on the floor, and it must be scraped up with the muck-rake."
Thus, the name "muckraker" was first publicized by President Theodore Roosevelt through this metaphor. It referred to investigative writers who endeavored to reveal the ugly, dark sides of society not to be pessimistic, but to inform and educate the public.
Thus, the name "muckraker" was first publicized by President Theodore Roosevelt through this metaphor. It referred to investigative writers who endeavored to reveal the ugly, dark sides of society not to be pessimistic, but to inform and educate the public.
During the mid-nineteenth century, a method of media use began to emerge from society's critical state of mind. This method, called muckraking journalism, began with the intention of exposing things like the faults of the government and dishonesty of large corporations; especially those of the food and drug industry. Many journalists involved in this form of public exposure rose to fame, and are now honored for their services to the common people.
Lincoln Steffens (1866-1936)"Lincoln Steffens is generally credited with being the first muckraker, and he became in the public eye the muckraker of muckrakers... Steffens was highly educated, mild-mannered, gently quizzical. He questioned much in the manner of Socrates, disturbing the self-satisfied by his questions since the questions themselves seemed to require surprising answers." -Fred J. Cook
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Jacob Riis (1849-1914)"Jacob August Riis, the writer, photographer, and social activist... drew attention to the poor conditions in New York's tenement dwellings and the hardships faced by European and Asian immigrants. Riis... Became a crime reporter for the New York Tribune [in which he] wrote about murders and robberies in he slums." -Aileen Gallagher |
Edward Bok (1863-1930)Edward Bok, a fearless editor who was determined to spread knowledge about conflict matters of his time, became editor of Ladies' Home Journal in 1889. Bok wrote an article called "The Patent Medicine Curse," in which he illustrated the ignorance of parents in allowing their children to consume products containing alcoholic substances.
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Samuel S. McClure (1857-1949)McClure "was an Irishman who bubbled over with ideas, enthusiasm, and energy... He conceived the idea for a national syndicate which would reprint articles and stories and distribute them to newspaper across the country... McClure decided to take advantage of new developments in photoengraving and printing and to bring out a monthly magazine that almost everybody could afford."
-Fred J. Cook |
"I think that some of the greatest muckrakers and some of the greatest
investigative journalists of all time had strong feelings about civil rights.
There is a role for the journalist-advocate. And as long as you play your cards
on the table, I think that's a role that we should allow." -Pete Earley, American Journalist
investigative journalists of all time had strong feelings about civil rights.
There is a role for the journalist-advocate. And as long as you play your cards
on the table, I think that's a role that we should allow." -Pete Earley, American Journalist