Yellow Journalism and Muckraking: Week 11

 The difference between yellow journalism and muckraking is primarily the presentation of the information. Muckraking is the deliberate search of possible shocking and malicious information about an individual or group of individuals. Yellow journalism, however, has been identified based off of 5 characteristics by Frank Luther Mott. 

1. Scare headlines in large print

2. Use of lavish pictures or imaginary drawings

3. Fake interviews, pseudoscience, and misleading titles

4. Emphasis on color strips and Sunday editions

5. Emphasized sympathy with the "underdog," in the issue. 

Despite their differences, yellow journalism and muckraking can be considered heinous forms of journalism, because of their outstanding goal to identify and expose information. Yellow journalism tries to stir public sensationalism, but muckraking reveals information usually harmful to ones societal stature or reputation. 

The people who would consider these two forms of journalism as "bad," would most likely be those who were exposed or affected by it. In historical terms, based off of which has lead to what occurrences, it can be inferred that muckraking to more harmful than yellow journalism. 

The characteristics are present that make the two distinct; reporting to appeal/shock the public and possibly revealing information that could be detrimental (yellow journalism) vs. purposefully making sure the information revealed is harmful to the subject (muckraking). The 5 identifying characteristics of yellow journalism, if emphasized, offer a quite obvious barrier between it and muckraking. 

                                                               Cover of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle,"

Muckraking can also be identified as "watchdog journalism," requiring the reporters to continuously monitor and be aware of anything they can use. Since most political figures are large in power, and muckraking focuses mostly on those with societal or political significance, they should be highly involved in politics. For example, it is inferable that muckrakers pulled up the dozens of past rape allegations that former President Trump had. 

The term "muckraker," can be comparable to the term "whistleblower," because both groups of people dig up information and "leak," it to the public or make it more well-known, to create a negative outlook on them. 

However, they can be considered different because of who and how has been part of them. Famed muckraker, Upton Sinclair, is praised constantly by those of his time and those of modern times for his works, but modern day whistleblower Julian Assange is considered a menace and a threat to public safety. This reveals the infidelity, hypocrisy, and real colors of the U.S. Government.

Upton Sinclair was a renown writer of his time, but his most important writing of his was, "The Jungle." This report exposed the horrors of the meat packing industry. Since it was not directly related to the government, as Julian Assange's "exposing," is, it was not much of a governmental concern. Since Assange directly exposed the government for war crimes, the government was afraid how it would look to not only their own citizens, but those of different countries, that might begin conflict due to their actions.