Number fourty

Jour1111 week12

Investigative journalism

What is investigative journalism

Deeper meanings and purposes

Some historical investigations

What do we investigate?

Threats to investigative journalism

The future of investigative journalism

"Isn’t all journalism meant to involve questioning investigation of facts and opinions presented to us?"- Ross Coulthart

Investigative: 

• intelligent 
• informed
• intuitive 
• inside- they need to trust you
• invest

Deeper definitions and purposes:

1. 1.
       Critical and thorough journalism- “active intervention”
2. 2.       Custodians of conscience- “exposure”
3. 3.       To provide a voice for those without one and to hold the powerful to account- “public interest”
4. 4.       Fourth estate/ fourth branch of government/ watchdog- represent those without power, free flows of information, make accountable

‘shoe leather’ journalism- get out there, talk to people, standing back, looking at the big picture, taking nothing for granted

SCEPTICAL AND NOT CYNICAL

Some Historical Trailblazers:

-Edward Hall Smith

-W.T Stead and the Salvos (William Booth)

-Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein

-Chris Masters, Phil Dickie, Shaun Hoyt

Is Wikileaks Journalism?

What do their investigations have in common? They changed the world

What do we investigate?

• Types of investigation interaction:
• Interviews
• Observations
• Documents
• Briefings
• Leaks
• Trespass
• Theft

Growth in PR= Shrinkage in Journalism

PR- resistance to exposure, dodging questions, massaging ‘talent’, cleaning up stories

Journalism-  no intervention, no shoe leather, lack of depth, forumlaic reporting

The future of investigative journalism

Youtube investigative journalism channel- there is really nothing out there- legal frameworks that go with it

 I strongly agree with what Dr BR said at the start of the lecture about all journalism effectively should be investigative journalism. Ever story, every article, every blogpost or tweet that a journalist writes, to retell an event for public viewing, should be researched and informed enough to classify as investigative journalism. 

I have an interest in print reporting and hope to one day write for newspapers and magazines. What draws me to print and investigative journalism alike, is the opportunity for time. Long, well research, well written investigative articles allow for more time to be certain the article is perfectly presented and constructed, rather than reporting from a newsroom, where speed and churning out the news is the key to success.