What do the following have in common:  Watergate, the Catholic Church, Harvey Weinstein, Theranos? Major corruption, abuse and/or fraud were discovered with each thanks to reporters engaged in the deep work of investigative journalism.  

“we've been fed the idea that information should be free, but the truth costs money. Yes, information should be affordable and accessible. but to say it costs nothing devalues the work of trained journalists, editors, photographers and fact checkers.”

Anna Nordberg
freelance journalist

What is Investigative Journalism?

Investigative journalism is systematic, in-depth, and original research and reporting. It can involve months (or even years) of research by a journalist or team of journalists as they delve deeply into a single issue of public interest, exposing public matters that have been concealed, deliberately or accidentally. The results of investigative journalism may be shared in a variety of formats including news articles, television reporting, documentaries, podcasts, data visualizations and other media. 

This is a particularly powerful form of journalism. Investigative reporting has exposed campaign finance scandals, unlawful prison conditions, human rights violations, environmental abuses and much more. And it has proven over and over again that it can spark change including new policy and government reforms, resignation of corrupt officials, restoration of rights, and more.

Investigative Journalism Under Threat

The revenue crisis in the news industry discussed earlier hit investigative journalism hard. This kind of reporting is labor intensive and time consuming. It requires a high level of journalistic skill, including an ability to analyze immense sets of data, and many months to break a single story. It also involves risk as journalists try to shine light on issues that can damage powerful individuals or companies. The payoff in terms of revenue through increased readership or advertising is negligible, even as the benefits to society are significant. As a result, investigative journalism has been squeezed out of many newsrooms.

Source: James T. Hamilton, Democracy’s Detectives: The Economics of Investigative Journalism

This type of journalism is also under threat in the form of restrictions to accessing information, and attacks on the credibility of factual reporting — challenges that are not exclusive to investigative journalists. In fact, the U.S. is ranked 44th in press freedom (down from 32nd in 2013) with Reporters Without Borders noting a key threat as, “A slow and unresponsive freedom of information system, which is preventing the release of information that is in the public interest.”

The model for investigative journalism has been changing and innovating as well. Nonprofit newsrooms are again springing up to help fill the void: eight out of ten nonprofit newsrooms have at least one investigative reporter on staff and some are entirely dedicated to investigative reporting. The skills for investigative reporting have also shifted. Data journalism — the ability to sift through massive amounts of data — has become a crucial element of investigations. Collaboration has become more common as well, something that was not a mainstay of journalism in the years of past.

Our support can:

Indeed, many of the areas where philanthropy can help local news are likewise important for Investigative Journalism, and in some cases even more critical — especially legal protections from threats and harassment, and legal support for accessing information.