- The wealthy and powerful: The upper class was often exempted from critical scrutiny, as muckrakers feared retribution and legal consequences.
- Themselves: Muckraking journalists generally refrained from exposing their own personal lives or those of their colleagues.
- Minorities: Muckrakers often focused on issues affecting the white majority and neglected the struggles faced by marginalized communities.
- Rural communities: Muckraking journalism primarily targeted urban areas and industries, leaving rural communities and agricultural issues relatively unexamined.
- The arts and culture: Muckrakers concentrated on political, social, and economic problems rather than cultural or artistic matters.
- Government officials: While government corruption was a common subject of muckraking journalism, individual government officials were not always directly targeted.
- Religious leaders: Religious institutions and practices were generally avoided, as muckrakers sought to avoid potential religious conflicts.
- Organized crime: Muckrakers primarily focused on corporate corruption and political scandals rather than organized crime activities.
- Small businesses and family-run operations: Muckraking exposés usually centered on large corporations, industries, and powerful individuals, leaving smaller entities largely unexamined.
It's important to note that some muckraking journalists did address marginalized communities and rural issues to some extent, but the overall focus was on exposing the problems faced by the urban working class and the abuses of power by big business and political machines.