Introduction -- Securing humane care for the mentally ill : Entering the newspaper world ; Growing restless ; Going undercover to do good ; Exposing doctors as incompetent ; Exposing patient food as inedible ; Exposing living conditions as inhumane ; Exposing treatment as abusive ; Creating a national sensation ; Propelling positive change -- Waging war on urban slums : Getting a close-up view of the slums ; Pioneering as a photojournalist ; Reaching a national audience ; Turning to long-form journalism ; Finding a champion in Teddy Roosevelt ; Propelling a positive change -- Protecting America's children : Giving voice to young workers ; Illuminating the "nation's shame" ; Condemning child labor as "early slavery" ; Campaigning for child labor laws ; Propelling positive change -- Creating a better life for African Americans : Developing an innovative strategy ; Becoming an influential voice ; Vilifying the South ; Glorifying the North ; Creating "migration fever" ; Resisting the backlash ; Ending the "come North!" campaign ; Propelling positive change -- Closing down the original Ponzi scheme : Charles Ponzi has a creative idea ; Charles Ponzi gets rich quick ; The Boston Post gives Charles Ponzi a boost ; Charles Ponzi gets richer ; The Boston Post exposes the "Ponzi scheme" ; The Boston Post reveals Charles Ponzi's criminal past ; Charles Ponzi is disgraced ; The Boston Post wins accolades -- Assuring citizens that "G-men" were keeping them safe : "Machine Gun" Kelly creates the "G-Man" ; G-Men track down "Bonnie and Clyde" ; John Dillinger gunned down on a city street ; J. Edgar Hoover glorified as America's no.1 G-Man ; J. Edgar Hoover becomes the FBI's no.1 PR man ; More criminals gunned down ; Propelling positive change -- Stopping smokers from killing themselves : Informing readers that smoking shortens life ; REporting a possible link between cigarettes and lung cancer ; Warning readers that cigarettes kill ; Reinforcing the dangers of cigarette smoking ; Reader's digest crusading against cigarettes ; Failing to propel positive change -- Celebrating a Jewish Miss America : Becoming a beauty queen ; Winning the Miss America crown ; Making Miss America 1945 a major news story ; Bess Myerson being beautiful ; Bess Myerson having simple tastes ; Bess Myerson choosing music over stardom ; Bess Myerson being patriotic ; Bess Myerson promoting tolerance ; Propelling positive change --
Breaking the color barrier in major league baseball : Branch Rickey undertakes a "noble experiment" ; Embracing a "really great prospect" ; Praising an African-American Montreal Royal ; Cheering for an African-American Brooklyn Dodger ; Portraying Jackie Robinson as humble ; Portraying Jackie Robinson as congenial ; Portraying Jackie Robinson as wholesome ; Downplaying negative stories ; Propelling positive change
Giving average citizens more say in choosing their president : TV viewers help select the Democratic nominee ; TV viewers help select the Republican nominee ; Dwight Eisenhower embraces TV techniques ; Dwight Eisenhower uses TV to help win the White House ; TV places the power in the hands of average Americans
Improving the lives of migrant farm workers : Opening a window onto a shocking world ; Giving voice to the downtrodden ; Portraying workers as struggling to survive ; Exposing a cycle of poverty ; Advocating for change ; Allowing the other side to speak ; Winning praise and support ; Failing to propel positive change
Popularizing the birth control pill : Becoming national news ; Downplaying the downside ; Launching a revolution ; Portraying use of the pill as a feminist act ; Combatting the Catholic Church ; Propelling positive change
Fueling the space race : Capturing the public imagination ; Continuing to promote the space race ; Going where TV hadn't gone before ; Racing toward the moon ; Experiencing a tragic setback ; Resuming the race to the moon ; Taking a giant leap for mankind ; Propelling America toward a global triumph
Achieving justice for Japanese Americans interned during World War II : Proposing reparations ; Telling poignant stories of hardship and loss ; Reporting on internment defenders ; Exposing racism and politics as motivating factors ; Labeling internment a "grave injustice" ; Showcasing the recommendations ; Supporting reparations through editorials ; Keeping the issue in the public eye ; Politicians taking action ; Propelling positive change
Stopping Catholic priests from sexually abusing little boys : Catholic officials paying "hush money" ; Other publications expand the coverage ; TV news explores more facets of the story ; Online venues take the story in new directions ; ALlowing victims to tell their stories ; Propelling positive change
Redefining the American lesbian : Coming out on TV: and getting lost of applause ; Experiencing tough times: but not with the news media ; Helping to heal a nation ; Triumphing as a talk show host ; Coupling with her "perfect fit" ; Propelling positive change