Lecture Eleven

This lecture was an introduction to Investigate Journalism. I thoroughly enjoyed this lecture because I liked hearing about all the ways that journalists have changed the world and made a difference by exposing things to the public that would otherwise remain unearthed. It is lectures such as this one which encourage me to continue studying Journalism as I am now inspired by the idea of being a part of far-reaching, international change for the better!

What is investigative journalism?

We began the lecture by looking at what investigative journalism essentially is. Many revered journalists have offered different definitions. Ross Coulthart, an Australian journalist, argues that all good journalism should be inherently investigative: “Isn’t all journalism meant to involve questioning investigation of facts and opinions presented to us?” Comparatively, Hugo de Burgh, a British Media Theorist, opines that investigative journalism is the discovering of truth and the identification of lapses from it in whatever media may be available.” Further, Lord Northcliff, owner of The Times and The Daily Mail, emotively defines investigative journalism as “what somebody wants to suppress.”

The ‘Ins’ of Investigative Journalism:

Intelligent – An investigative journalist must intelligently weigh up all aspects of their investigation, including what Dr. Redman describes as the “three-headed monster of money, sex and power.”

Informed – To effectively inform the public an investigative journalist must be informed of all of the facts of the story. This allows the real story to be told.

Intuitive – This is about being able to “sniff-out” a story. Such an ability comes with experience and is a vital skill for investigative journalists.

Inside (intimate) – To be a successful investigative journalist one needs to be able to get within people’s lives and heads.

Invest – Investigative journalism requires many investments such as time, energy and money.

The Deeper Meaning and Purpose:

Investigative journalism is grounded by essentially four purposes. It involves critical and thorough journalism, requiring journalists to actively participate and positively invest in the story. Investigate journalists are seen as being the custodians of conscience with a purpose to expose areas of corruption, violence and exploitation which may otherwise remain hidden. This area of journalism provides a voice for those without one - those who have been marginalised and silenced. It is a watchdog and a fourth branch of government that is able to hold all accountable, including the press and independent judiciary, for their actions.

The key concepts of investigative journalism can be broken into two levels: Primary and Secondary. Factors that fall into the primary level are those to do with intervention. The secondary level, on the other hand, includes factors such as standing back (looking at the the big picture) and taking nothing for granted.

The fundamental philosophy that underpins investigative journalism is that journalists must be skeptical of everything BUT not cynical. As stated in the Fitzgerald Inquiry (1989), an investigation into the corruption in Queensland, journalists must always question their sources critically: “Journalists’ uncritical dependence on their sources … can lead to [the media] becoming a mouthpiece for vested interests.”

W.T. Stead

It is very interesting to look at the role of investigative journalism through out history. Edward Hall Smith can be seen to be one of the first investigative journalists in Australia. Smith was responsible for exposing the mistreatment of convicts by authorities in an article he wrote for “The Sydney Monitor” in 1826. W.T. Stead, a journalist and social reformer in England, through investigative journalism unearthed the underworld of child prostitution in England which resulted in the age of sexual consent increasing from 12 to 16. (Fun fact: W.T. Stead died on the Titanic). Other historical investigative trailblazers include Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who reported on numerous political ‘dirty tricks’ used by the Nixon re-election committee during his campaign for re-election. Their reporting was responsible for “Watergate.”  Arguably the investigative journalists in Australia that have provoked the greatest change would be Chris Masters, Phil Dickie and Shaun Hoyt. Their Four Corners Episode, “The Moonlight State,” was the stimulus for the Fitzgerald Inquiry.  Essentially, what all this trailblazer investigative journalists have in common is that their investigations changed the world! 

What do we investigate?

Investigative journalists investigate everything! No stone is left unturned. Nothing can be assumed! As the Journalism saying goes, “If your mother says she loves you, check it out!”

Threats to Investigative Journalism:

Essentially the biggest threat posed to investigative journalism is that of PR. With the growth of PR, Journalism has consequently begun to shrink. This is arguably because of their differing purposes and motivations, as shown in table form below:

The Future of Investigative Journalism:

Increasingly, citizens are starting themselves to adopt the role of investigative journalists. Thanks to developments such as YouTube, ordinary citizens are now able to do their own investigations into matters which interest them and then post their findings for all the world to see. The problem, however, with citizen journalism is that citizens lacks the funding, credibility and support work that comes with being a professional investigative journalist.