Muckrakers

One thing I wish to learn more about are muckrakers. I feel that both J1 classes need better detailed explanations on what the muckrakers did. Muckrakers are incredibly important to the history of journalism. I feel in order for us to have a better understanding of investigative journalism we must first explore the career of the people who specialized in getting the dirt. 

One thing in particular I would like to know is how they were beneficial and destructive to the industry. Where they large historical events that we owe to muckrakers? How did they contribute to the modernization of mass media?