Week 12 - Investigative Journalism

Just the title of the topic for this week's lecture had me excited. Who wouldn't want to be an investigative journalist, uncovering buried stories and exposing them to the world? We began the lecture with looking at the in's of investigative journalism:
- Intelligence - money sex and power often comes up in investigative journalism
- Informed - research and get the facts
- Intuitive - use your gut feeling
- Inside - get on the inside
- Invest - invest a lot of yourself

I found it interesting that there were four different definitions given for investigative journalism, all of which I agreed with. I have written them below.

Definition 1: Critical and thorough journalism

• Critical - The journalist is an active participant
• Thorough - the journalist makes substantial effort
•  Active intervention - the key idea

Definition 2: Custodians of conscience

• Exposure - the key idea
• Takes societies morals and norms and holds breaches up to public scrutiny
  

Definition 3: Provide a voice for those without one and hold the powerful to account

• Social justice - giving power to the powerless, voice to the voiceless
• Public interest - the key idea

 Defintion 4: Government watchdog/ Fourth branch of government/ 'fourth estate'

•  Balancing the power of the government with the powerless of society
• Interrogating judiciary, executive and legislature to ensure free flow of information in our democracy
• Hold public figures accountable for functions that impact on society
• Watchdog - key idea

 They key ideas of each are different but I don't think any of them are 'wrong' definitions. It is more they are different variations and purposes of investigative journalism.

Bruce Redman showed us some investigative journalist trailblazers who changed the world through the stories they uncovered and exposed. This was both inspiring and a little intimidating as there is so much work involved. I definitely feel that the story a journalist uncovers must have special meaning for them to be able to toil over it so long and meticulously. Some examples of local investigative journalism  were: The Global Mail, Crikey and Australian Story

I think Bruce gave us three very important things to consider when undertaking an investigation:

1. Always check your facts
2.  Assume nothing
3.  Expect whistle blowers to go crazy

You are really putting your reputation, your job and possibly your safety on the line when doing investigative journalism and the three points mentioned above must always be remembered to help stay out of trouble. Checking facts I think is the most important as getting them wrong will give misleading information and possible legal repercussions.

Some types of investigative interaction:
-Interviews (both with on record and anonymous sources)
-Observations
-Documents (laws suits, legal docs, tax records)
-Briefings
-Leaks
-Trespass
-Theft

Possible threats to investigative journalism include:

• Online news - Less money, less journalists and less time

• Growth in PR - Shrinkage in journalism

I think of investigative journalism sort of like the 'extreme' of the journalist stream of work. Its both exciting, hard-work, often takes months or even years, and is hopefully rewarding at the end. What more could you ask for from a job?