Got to love it. It's the exciting part of journalism... or at least the part that seems most exciting to outsiders. Practicing journalists find most reporting exciting... but this... this is drama.
And it all starts with a question. A hunch. A tip
The basis of investigative reporting comes as instinct to many journalists. We tend to sense when something is off, and we ask why. That inquiry is the first step in investigative reporting. From there it gets tricky. It is the journalists job to find sources. Investigative reporting often means scouring records and sniffing out the right facts.
It is important to remember that with investigative reporting, as with all journalism, people tell the story best. Especially with sensitive stories, it is best to attribute and quote correctly, and to tell the story through other people's voices and stories.
I think the most important obstacle to investigative reporting the book listed is the lack of courage. So many journalists - myself included - are afraid to take on tricky topics. I did it once... and did it poorly ... and it took me a good 6 weeks to take even the most basic reporting assignment from my editors. But I think the more hard stories a reporter takes ... and the more guidance they get from their editors ... the easier it will be for them to build their confidence.
Extra! Extra!
Cool stuff -
- Earmarks added $11.8 billion to defense bill
- One-third of S. Florida gas pumps inaccurate
- Investigation finds animal corpses in Colorado Humane Society trash
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