Hearst's Magazine, 1912–1914

Abstract

Journalism historians specify 1903 to 1912 as an era of muckraking when national magazines crusaded for economic, political, and social reforms. The era began when McClure's devoted its entire January 1903 issue to exposé articles. Soon, several other monthly periodicals informed readers about numerous examples of bribery, price fixing of consumer products by corporations, and other corrupt practices. For a variety of reasons, magazines had ended their muckraking efforts by the time Hearst's Magazine began its exposé serials during 1912. Hearst's standards of muckraking differed considerably from those of other magazines, however, featuring a lack of documentary evidence, melodramatic storytelling, and outright fabrication of information. Also, publisher William Randolph Hearst used some exposé articles to attack his political enemies. Hearst's continued these serials until 1914.