Lesson 11 – If you don’t seek, you won’t find!
“What passes for investigative journalism is finding somebody with their pants down - literally or otherwise.” – Robert Scheer.
Since I am also taking a course in ‘Investigative Journalism’ this semester, I found this lecture particularly relevant. The idea of investigative journalism for me is basically what the whole thing is, or should be, about – giving power to the powerless, a voice to the voiceless and informing the general public.
Since I am also taking a course in ‘Investigative Journalism’ this semester, I found this lecture particularly relevant. The idea of investigative journalism for me is basically what the whole thing is, or should be, about – giving power to the powerless, a voice to the voiceless and informing the general public.
This short summary of investigative journalism was very straightforward and helped me to understand journalism as part of the Australian and international media landscape better as a whole.
So, here are a few things about investigative journalism that you might not have been aware of…
Journalism puts the “IN” in “INVESTIGATE” – to do so journalists must:
· BE INTELLIGENT – e.g. – more than just a cat up a tree
· BE INTUITIVE – developing and using observations to draw conclusions
· GET INSIDE A STORY – find out what the real story is!
· BE INFORMED – know your stuff before you begin.
- INVEST ONE’S TIME AND SELF IN THE JOB – get involved; imbed part of yourself in every story.
BOLD, ROMANTIC AND TRUE DEFINITIONS OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM and IT’S PURPOSE:
1. CRITICAL AND THOROUGH JOURNALISM
- Active participation
- Substantial effort made.
2. CUSTODIANS OF CONSCIENCE
- Exposure the key idea
- “…’civic vice’ is exposed for society to respond.”
3. TO PROVIDE A VOICE FOR THOSE WITHOUT ONE AND TO HOLD THE POWERFUL TO ACCOUNT
- Social Justice
- Public Interest the key idea
4. FOURTH ESTATE / FOURTH BRANCH OF GOVT–
- “Watchdog”
- Perform the journalists’ duty
- Enforce right to know
Due to a lack of an upper house in Queensland parliament, anything the lower house puts forward cannot be challenged by anyone other than informed third parties - such as the Australian media. Australian investigative journalist, Ross Coulthart summarised a question that was on my mind during the whole lecture – isn’t all journalism investigative to some extent?
“Isn’t all journalism meant to involve questioning investigation of facts and opinions presented to us?” – Ross Coulthart
What To Remember?
· Sceptical not Cynical
· Fact checking is KEY - "If your mother says she loves you, check it out…”
· Little observations add to a story
· PR is the antithesis of investigative journalism, e.g. – one uncovered the truth and looks for facts, the other hides the truth and manipulates information
· Not every question can be answered by the almighty ‘Google’ – leg work is still a vital part of journalism
· Assume nothing
· Expect whistle-blowers to be crazy!
Types of Investigation Interactions:
· Interviews
· Observations
· Documents
· Briefings
· Leaks
· Trespass
· Theft
What I found interesting is when Bruce made the comment that the growth in PR is equal to the shrinkage in journalism. Public Relations constitute a resistance to exposure, dodging questions, massaging ‘talent’ and cleaning up stories – pretty much everything that investigative journalism doesn’t stand for…
What this growth in PR means for journalism:
· NO INTERVENTION
· NO SHOE LEATHER (field work)
· LACK OF DEPTH (junk news)
· It can also lead to, FORMULAIC REPORTING, as Charlie Brooker so kindly illustrates…
IN CONCLUSION, I’ve learned that real ‘Investigative Journalism’, takes a lot of work to produce a quality, well balanced investigative article, but the results are always worth it. Anyone can Google search a topic, but only it takes a journalist to investigate the truth.
I’ve included a link to the ‘Production Brief’ for my first investigative journalism piece about the reality when it comes to effects of children raised in same-sex families.
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