Investigative journalism

From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.

Investigative journalism is a branch of journalism that usually concentrates on a very specific topic (almost always scandalous), and typically requires a lot of work to yield results. The classic example is the uncovering of the Watergate Scandal by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, resulting in reports being published in the Washington Post.

In The Reporter's Handbook: An Investigator's Guide to Documents and Techniques, Steve Weinberg defined it as:

"Reporting, through one's own initiative and work product, matters of importance to readers, viewers or listeners. In many cases, the subjects of the reporting wish the matters under scrutiny to remain undisclosed."

Some of the means reporters can use for their fact-finding:

• studying neglected sources, such as archives
• anonymous sources (for example whistleblowers)
• going undercover

de:Investigativer Journalismus