Exposé

A periodical article, book or investigative report may be termed an exposé if it uncovers facts about unethical, immoral, criminal or negligent conduct on the part of private persons, organizations or their officials. Exposés may asist in securing criminal, civil and social justice but they may also be used to coerce, blackmail, distort and destroy. Exposés are used exploitatively in 'yellow' journalism to increase media consumption, whether of print or of radio or television broadcasting. They are also an important weapon in political contests in democratic societies.