“Investigative journalism is to discover the truth and to identity lapses from it in whatever media may be available.”-Hugo de Burgh, British media theorist
Today, Dr Redman guided us in the area of news whereas he regarded as the “essence of journalism”-investigative journalism. According to Dr Redman, investigative journalism is whereas in-depth and professional journalism and possible social justice can be realized.
l What is investigative journalism?
Feature
Investigative journalism requires its work to be informed, intelligent, intuitive, inside and invest. The construction of such work includes two levels. The primary level is about intervention, it includes four elements:
1. Critical and thorough journalism-journalists need to be an active participant that gets involved or in contact with the actual or inside of the incident; active intervention is the key idea. In addition, such work needs to be done with substantial effort such as time consuming, sources consulted, thorough approach.
2. Custodians of conscience-through exposure of issues which allows public scrutiny, investigative journalism can leave ground for the society to respond to issues by gaining knowledge about related information.
3. To provide a voice for those without one and to hold the powerful to account-by providing speaking power to the powerless, social justice can be performed; the case of such is often of public interest.
4. Fourth Estate / Fourth Branch of Government/ Watchdog-Journalists are to represent the minorities’ interest in order to balance with the government or the power’s interest. In addition, Journalists can be the monitor of the power whose action may impact our society by ensuring free flow of information which is necessary for the functioning of democracy.
Furthermore, the second level of investigative journalism requires journalists to dig deeper. Shoe Leather Journalism is included in this level, it requires the journalists to do thorough and underground research; getting out there and getting involved to see the incidents happening, otherwise you are just getting second-hand information. After being in the middle of the incident, the journalists need to step back to look at the bigger picture in order to analysis it fully without taking it for granted. Moreover, Dr Redman purposed that another vital philosophy about investigative journalism is to be skeptical but not cynical, so it is about being critical and searching for evident instead of putting emotional and partial perspective as a whole.
Moreover, investigative journalism is also about cutting through agenda. According to Dr Redman, news should not only be about reporting plain facts on the surface, but to analysis the news and expose things may be underneath it according to the information gathered.
Method
The key philosophy about investigative journalism is to assume nothing, and always check the facts (ex: further examination of whistleblower’s credibility). Methods of such include interviews, observations, analyzing documents, briefings, leaks, trespass and theft. There is a triangulation about lining up what you were told, what you saw and recorded. Also, Dr Redman urges us not to just look in Wikipedia and Google for that their credibility is questionable.
Example
Example of investigative journalism (trailblazer) throughout the history that make a di fference in the world:
Edward Hall Smith (1826, Sydney)-he exposes the unsatisfactory work that the army and the authorities were doing at that time.
“The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon” Campaign (1885) by W. T Stead – promoting social justice for young girls, resulting in raising age of consent from 12 to 16.
Bod Woodward and Carl Bernstein-The Watergate
The Moonlight State- Four Corner’s report on the corruption of Queensland’s police system and government leads to changes in goverment.
Julian Assange- WikiLeaks journalism exposes things underneath the surface of the society.
Local investigative journalism-Getting into people’s lives or by finding local stories; ex: Australian story/ University student at the time, Brook Hargraves’ report of“Landfill could disguise graves: archaeologists” went all the way PM’s office
l Threats to investigative journalism
Online News
Due to the online news journals, professional journalism industry is reforming or shrinking. This has resulted in less money for hiring journalists and giving them less time to construct a story; thus, investigative journalism which requires larger amount of work is decreasing.
PR
According to Dr. Redman, growth in PR will results in shrinkage in journalism. This is because PR’s spinning method controls the source information and influences the way journalists work. Dr Redman accounts that PR’s work is about limiting exposure of facts, dodging questions, massaging talents and cleaning up story-which is all about masking. And journalists on the other hand, would have less intervention, shoe leather, depth and using formulating report as their sources is limited by PR.
l The future of investigative journalism
The growth of citizen journalism is influencing professional investigative journalism as citizen journalists may be the one that can actually get involved in the incident at the first time and gain insight. Therefore, investigative journalist’s job may be taken part by citizen journalists. Nonetheless, as citizen journalists does not have media institution and forces backing them up in general, their credibility and safety is of concern.
l My view: investigative journalism is a vital tool for the industry to survive
I think investigative journalism is one of the main tools for the professional news industry to survive. Due to the growth of social media and citizen journalists, it is almost impossible for the news institution to be the first one to break the news and send out information. Because with smart phones, people can record audio content, film stuff and send such information out and gather information anytime and anywhere. In these days, everyone has the portable devices to record news (though at this stage not many has the one that is as expensive as what the real journalist uses, smart phone pretty much can do anything about recording news.) Therefore, the advantage for traditional journalism industry to have the “speed” and “equipment” to break news is gone, making the job less unreachable for others. So, I think, the thing that a professional industry can survive is “quality”, and the “skills” to produce good news. Because, quality and skills is something that not anyone can pick it up fast, and such professional features can continue to make journalists to be “unique”, and thus, not replaceable by anyone. And as investigative journalism is about in-depth research, this is whereas real skills play in, it is the “uniqueness” that makes the industry “valuable.
l Extra Material
l Investigative journalism
