The Time For Fancy Titles Is Not Now: Investigative Journalism

So, several weeks after this lecture, I return with some of the highlights. The most important fact about investigative journalism was, I think, explained at the beginning: all good journalism should be investigative journalism. All journalism should involve investigation, time, research, investigative journalism is just a more in-depth, generally more time-consuming form of research.

Another nugget of common sense offered was this: money, sex and power are the things most often investigated, the thing most stories are about.

Investigative Journalism

He also told us about some of the ins and outs of investigative journalism

Ha! Ha! My lecturer is hilarious.

As in, what investigative journalism should be, what you should do.

- Intelligent: well thought out, well researched

- Informed: need to know the facts, who you think is involved

- Intuitive: good gut instincts, figuring out if people are telling you the truth, knowing when to fold ‘em and when to run…

- Inside: you need to get inside, get to know the players well, have them trust you and know you won’t tell a biased story

- Invest: you need to be prepared to invest yourself in an investigation, your time:money:relationships may be used up

Deeper definitions and purpose

- Critical and thorough journalism

·      the journalist is an active participant of what’s going on

·      the journalist makes a substantial effort to get the story

·      ‘active intervention’

- Custodians of conscience

·      Investigation ta kes society’s morals and norms and holds breaches up to public scrutiny; in other words, what they call ‘civic vice’ is exposed for society to respond.

·      ‘exposure’

- To provide a voice for those without one and to hold the powerful to account

·      social justice – power to the powerless, voices to the voiceless

- Fourth Estate/Watchdog

·      journalists represent the interests of those without power to balance the power of government

·      journalists ensure free flows of information necessary for the functioning of democracy by interrogating the judiciary, executive and legislature

·      journalists make accountable public personalities and institutions whose functions impact social and political life

·      A quick rehash of the Fourth Estate, in case anyone's forgotten

Threats to investigative journalism

I tell a lie, it won't be that sort of threat.

Online news: less money= less journalists and less time = less investigative journalism
And therein lies the threat.

And a final nugget of joy:
Investigative journalism can change the world. And we are all journalists.
Rather daunting I know, but he may have a point.