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Investigative Reporting in the United States

Investigative Reporting in the United States. Steve Doig Cronkite School of Journalism Arizona State University. Good signs. More than 5,000 members of Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) More than 500 investigative projects and reports entered in the IRE contest

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Investigative Reporting in the United States

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  1. Investigative Reporting in the United States Steve Doig Cronkite School of Journalism Arizona State University

  2. Good signs • More than 5,000 members of Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) • More than 500 investigative projects and reports entered in the IRE contest • 400+ reporters attend the National Institute of Computer-Assisted Reporting conference in Cleveland • 1,000+ expected at IRE conference in Phoenix June 7-10

  3. Powerful work • Wall Street Journal investigation of stock-option backdating scandal • Washington Post stories about conditions at Walter Reed military hospital • Birmingham News exposé on corruption in the Alabama two-year college system • Hartford Courant stories on suicides of American soldiers in Iraq • Miami Herald stories on fraud and theft by managers of the city’s public housing program

  4. More problems exposed • Corrupt lobbyists and politicians • Mismanagement of hurricane aid • Secret prisons and domestic spying • Abuse by landlords in Baltimore • Coal mine safety in West Virginia • Counterfeit prescription drugs • Citizenship fraud in Miami • Latino gangs in Los Angeles

  5. Signs of trouble • Layoffs and buyouts as newspapers continue to trim staff and TV audience shrinks • Harder for reporters to get time and funding necessary for investigative reporting • TV too often relies on “cheap” investigations for ratings • Open records laws being restricted on grounds of war against terrorism

  6. Survey of investigative reporters • Done by Cronkite School students • 86 reporters and editors at the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S. • Part of a package of stories about the anniversary of the 1976 assassination of Arizona reporter Don Bolles

  7. Interest in investigative reportingat your newspaper

  8. Support today compared to 10 years ago

  9. Full-time investigative reportersat your newspaper

  10. Does your paper have an investigative team?

  11. Does your paper have an investigations editor?

  12. How many investigative projects in the past year?

  13. Building support • Showcase investigative work • Educate readers/viewers about the need for investigation • Fight for public records access • Get top editors to attend IRE conferences • Make a business case for investigation

  14. If we don’t investigate, who will?

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