What's the difference between yellow journalism and muckraking?

Let's have a quick history lesson, shall we?

For my journalism majors out there, perhaps you've pondered the difference between muckraking and yellow journalism. Have no fear, I have the answer for you.

What is Muckraking?

By definition, muckraking is, "The action of searching out and publicizing scandalous information about famous people in an underhanded way." Early examples of muckraking journalism are political corruption, fraudulent business practices and even industrial monopolies.

Watch this quick video on the fundamentals of muckraking:

Additionally, muckrakers were journalists and novelists of the Progressive Era, who sought to "expose corruption in big business and government." Some of the most famous muckrakers include names like: Jacob Riis, Ida M. Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, Lincoln Steffens and many others. 

Upton Sinclair was one of the most famous muckrakers of the Progressive era. In 1905, he wrote the infamous The Jungle to raise public awareness "of the exploitation and foul conditions to which workers in the meatpacking industry were subjected."

In response to Sinclair's novel The Jungle, Congress passed the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. Image retrieved from Library of Congress

Readers were mostly concerned about the "trials and tribulations" of the exploited industrial worker, and because of Sinclair's novel it helped spur the public outrage that eventually led to the Meat Inspection Act of 1906. 

While Sinclair was one of the many individuals who were considered to be a muckraker, he was not the only one to leave such a profound impact.

What is yellow journalism?

By definition yellow journalism is, "The use of lurid features and sensationalized news in newspaper publishing to attract readers and increase circulation." 

To read another another blog post on yellow journalism, click here. 

Yellow journalism was mostly used to make the public feel or have a certain opinion on a particular event. For instance, during the Spanish American war, yellow journalism was used to exaggerate the facts over the war, so that the publication would gather more appeal. 

Yellow journalism and muckraking share the similarity that both are a type of narrative journalism, but the major difference between both is the presentation of information. Muckraking involves searching for scandalous information regarding a famous person or general public, while yellow journalism is, simply put, sensationalism over the facts.