"Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing."
A type of journalism that seeks to expose political corruption, inconsistencies, or wrongdoing.
Understanding the purpose of investigative journalism: Investigative journalism is the process of gathering, analyzing, and reporting information that exposes wrongdoing, corruption, or abuse of power. It is essential in holding those in power accountable and uncovering the truth.
Media ethics: Investigative journalists must follow strict ethical guidelines to maintain credibility and avoid legal issues. Ethics includes privacy, accuracy, fairness, and integrity.
Legal framework: Investigative journalists must have a strong understanding of the legal system, including the Freedom of Information Act, libel, and defamation laws.
The role of the media in democracy: The media plays a critical role in informing citizens and holding those in power accountable. It provides a forum for public debate and serves as a watchdog of government.
Investigative techniques: Journalists must be able to gather information using a wide range of techniques, including undercover operations, interviews, and access to public information.
Research and analysis: Investigative journalists must be skilled researchers, able to sift through vast amounts of data and analyze it to uncover hidden patterns and connections.
Political landscape: Investigative journalism often involves the intersection of media and politics. Understanding the political landscape, including political trends and power structures, is essential.
Investigative reporting methods: Different approaches to investigative journalism include data journalism, computer-assisted reporting, and source-based reporting. Understanding these methods allows a journalist to choose the best approach to a story.
Interview techniques and interpersonal communication: Investigative journalists must be able to build trust with sources and extract information from them. Understanding interview techniques and interpersonal communication is essential.
Whistleblowing: Whistleblowers are often an essential part of investigative journalism. Understanding how to protect whistleblowers and encourage them to come forward is critical.
Investigative reporting cultures from different regions: Investigative journalism varies across regions due to different cultural, legal, and economic factors. Familiarizing yourself with the practices of other regions can provide new insights.
Story development and editing: Journalists must be able to develop compelling stories and present them in a clear and engaging way. Understanding story development and editing is essential in producing high-quality investigative journalism.
The impact of media and investigative journalism: Investigative journalism has had a significant impact on society, prompting policy change and exposing corruption. Understanding the impact of media and investigative journalism is critical.
Media censorship: Understanding media censorship and how to avoid it is essential to ensure that investigative journalism reaches its intended audience.
Digital tools and technologies: Investigative journalism is becoming increasingly reliant on digital tools and technologies, such as data mining, social media analytics, and online research databases.
Collaborative journalism: Collaborative journalism involves journalists from different media organizations and countries working together to produce investigative work. Understanding how to work collaboratively is vital.
Funding and economics of investigative journalism: Investigative journalism can be expensive and time-consuming. Understanding funding sources and the economics of investigative journalism is important to its sustainability.
Watchdog Journalism: A type of investigative journalism that seeks to hold powerful individuals, institutions or businesses accountable for their actions by exposing corruption, fraud, waste or abuse.
Data Journalism: A type of investigative journalism that uses data analysis, visualization and computer programming to uncover and report stories.
Undercover Journalism: A type of investigative journalism where journalists go undercover to gather information and evidence on a particular issue or story.
Environmental Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on environmental issues, including pollution, climate change, wildlife conservation and sustainable development.
Investigative Business Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on business, finance and economics, including corporate misconduct, fraud, insider trading and regulatory issues.
Political Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on politics and government, including election campaigns, lobbying, corruption and accountability.
War and Conflict Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on war, conflict and human rights abuses, including reporting on war crimes, human trafficking, and exploitation.
Social Justice Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on social justice issues, including poverty, inequality, discrimination, and human rights violations.
Health Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on healthcare and public health issues, including medical malpractice, pharmaceutical companies, and research misconduct.
Investigative Sports Journalism: Investigative journalism that focuses on sports, including doping, match-fixing, corruption and abuse within sports organizations.
"Serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing."
"An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report."
"Practitioners sometimes use the terms 'watchdog reporting' or 'accountability reporting'."
"Most investigative journalism has traditionally been conducted by newspapers, wire services, and freelance journalists."
"Due to it being very time-consuming and expensive."
"Journalistic investigations are increasingly carried out by news organizations working together, even internationally (as in the case of the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers)."
"Organizations such as ProPublica, which have not operated previously as news publishers and which rely on the support of the public and benefactors to fund their work."
"Serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing."
"To deeply investigate a single topic of interest."
"Time-consumption and expense."
"Many traditional news services have struggled to fund investigative journalism."
"An example of an international investigation conducted by news organizations."
"Another example of an international investigation, similar to the Panama Papers."
"An organization that relies on public support and benefactors to fund their investigative work."
"By holding individuals and organizations accountable for their actions."
"To act as a monitoring system and ensure transparency and integrity."
"Investigative journalists deeply investigate a single topic of interest."
"It uncovers serious crimes, political corruption, and corporate wrongdoing."
"Increasing collaboration between news organizations and the emergence of non-traditional publishers, relying on public and benefactor support."