Investigative journalism is about reporting on matters that people want to keep secret. These can range from personal issues such as relations within a family to decisions that affect society, including government, business and other organisations.
It’s essential for investigative journalists to know how to find the right documents, how to do data analysis and understand legal processes when they are investigating. They also need to be able to cultivate whistleblowers, conduct difficult interviews and uncover human drama. They will need to be able to present their findings in compelling pieces across multiple media platforms, including print and online.
At the heart of it, good investigative journalism starts with a tip-off, which is then carefully judged by news judgment to see whether it warrants further investigation. Most newspaper, radio and television editors receive numerous tips from people about alleged wrongdoing but they cannot investigate every one of them; they must use their news judgement to determine which ones are worth further investigation.
This involves deciding the feasibility of the story – whether it is possible to do the investigation and if there are enough sources available to make it viable. It also includes doing a risk assessment, which recognises any physical danger or threat to the journalist as a result of the investigation.
Published investigative journalism has the power to scrutinise powerful individuals, uncover secret scandals and drive social change. From the muckraking articles of McClure’s Magazine at the turn of the 20th century to the recent investigations that have seen President Trump removed from office, it has a long history of holding those in power to account.
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