Muckraker to Mole
An Analysis of Investigative Journalist’s Role Throughout History –
What is was, currently is and might be
Introduction: This paper explores the development of investigative journalism from its early 20th-century beginnings of ‘muckraking, ' to its current function in today’s society. First examined is the history behind investigative journalism, detailing the original obligations of reporters such as Upton Sinclair and Seymour Hersh. Regardless of the name muckraker, devised by President Theodore Roosevelt, the many successes of investigative reporters are also mentioned. Discussed next are the government restrictions such as prior restraint, the Espionage Act of 1917, judicial proceedings, privacy and defamation laws …show more content…
To this day, muckraking holds the same meaning but has taken different forms throughout history. In the beginning, muckrakers were radical and passionate about communicating moral justice within society, exposing just about anything. The second wave of investigative journalism covered more political corruption than corporate wrongdoings. Finally, “in the last years of the muckrakers, irresponsible scandal coverage overshadowed substantive public service journalism,” leading to question, what it responsible for this …show more content…
In one of the first court cases to challenge the freedom of speech, Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919) set precedent for not only citizens speech but eventually journalism during a time of war. The defendants of this case, one being Jacob Abrams, were found guilty of violating the Espionage Act of 1917, for distributing flyers in support of Russian government. The act made it a criminal offense to obtain information of national defense and communicating them to the enemy. Justice John Hessin Clarke gave the majority opinion of the
An Analysis of Investigative Journalist’s Role Throughout History –
What is was, currently is and might be
Introduction: This paper explores the development of investigative journalism from its early 20th-century beginnings of ‘muckraking, ' to its current function in today’s society. First examined is the history behind investigative journalism, detailing the original obligations of reporters such as Upton Sinclair and Seymour Hersh. Regardless of the name muckraker, devised by President Theodore Roosevelt, the many successes of investigative reporters are also mentioned. Discussed next are the government restrictions such as prior restraint, the Espionage Act of 1917, judicial proceedings, privacy and defamation laws …show more content…
To this day, muckraking holds the same meaning but has taken different forms throughout history. In the beginning, muckrakers were radical and passionate about communicating moral justice within society, exposing just about anything. The second wave of investigative journalism covered more political corruption than corporate wrongdoings. Finally, “in the last years of the muckrakers, irresponsible scandal coverage overshadowed substantive public service journalism,” leading to question, what it responsible for this …show more content…
In one of the first court cases to challenge the freedom of speech, Abrams v. United States, 250 U.S. 616 (1919) set precedent for not only citizens speech but eventually journalism during a time of war. The defendants of this case, one being Jacob Abrams, were found guilty of violating the Espionage Act of 1917, for distributing flyers in support of Russian government. The act made it a criminal offense to obtain information of national defense and communicating them to the enemy. Justice John Hessin Clarke gave the majority opinion of the