Socially conscious journalists who dramatized the need for reform were known as

Muckrakers

During the Progressive Era in the United States from the 1890s - 1920s the progressive and open-minded journalists were called muckrakers. They would usually expose institutions and their leaders as corrupt. Sparking investigating journalism and they had big audiences in many magazines. Magazines were very important for them since they were not very expensive and were looking for talented writers.