Which term describes investigative journalism that exposed social ills and corruption in early 20th century America, as exemplified by The Jungle?

Which term describes investigative journalism that exposed social ills and corruption in early 20th century America, as exemplified by The Jungle?

• A. Muckraking
• B. Yellow journalism
• C. Investigative reporting
• D. Front-page journalism

Answer: (A)

Muckraking is the label for reform-minded investigative journalism in the Progressive Era that exposed social ills and corruption, with The Jungle serving as the classic example. Upton Sinclair’s expose of the meatpacking industry in 1906 highlighted unsanitary conditions and unsafe practices, sparking public outrage and leading to reforms like the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. The term itself came to describe journalists who aimed to provoke change by laying bare abuses and pushing for regulation. Yellow journalism, by contrast, centers on sensationalism and eye-catching stories to boost sales rather than a sustained reform agenda. Investigative reporting is a broad term for in-depth, fact-finding journalism on any topic, but muckraking specifically refers to that early-20th-century movement focused on exposing social problems to spur reform. Front-page journalism isn’t a standard descriptor for this phenomenon.

Muckraking is the label for reform-minded investigative journalism in the Progressive Era that exposed social ills and corruption, with The Jungle serving as the classic example. Upton Sinclair’s expose of the meatpacking industry in 1906 highlighted unsanitary conditions and unsafe practices, sparking public outrage and leading to reforms like the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act. The term itself came to describe journalists who aimed to provoke change by laying bare abuses and pushing for regulation.

Yellow journalism, by contrast, centers on sensationalism and eye-catching stories to boost sales rather than a sustained reform agenda. Investigative reporting is a broad term for in-depth, fact-finding journalism on any topic, but muckraking specifically refers to that early-20th-century movement focused on exposing social problems to spur reform. Front-page journalism isn’t a standard descriptor for this phenomenon.