Reading for the Week

The IRE website is an excellent resource for finding investigative journalism. I have complained in entries before that in-depth coverage just isn't as present as it used to be. Well, not if you know where to look. More people should know about IRE.org. My favorite topic on the site was about gas prices. Gas prices are a subject that is so prevalent in the news- stories are delivered to consumers the fact that gas prices are going up, down, etc. But they never call into question any other aspects of this. One article on the IRE site discusses the accuracy of gas pumps, saying that in FLA, 2500 are dispensing more gas than people are paying for, and 477 are giving less. I am fascinated by the creativity of this journalist - I would never have come up with a topic like this, and I am impressed with the depth of research that would have to be done to produce such a piece. I would also like to express my appreciation for the IRE's attention to multimedia - video is utilized on the site, as well as print and photographs, which is a tall task for such in-depth stories. Finally, when the visitor clicks on the gas story, there is a sidebar with tips on how to make sure you are getting the amount of gas that is appropriate for your money. This is bringing the story to the reader's level, making it more relate-able, a key, but often forgotten part of journalism as a trade.

Also on this site, there is an index of topics which are widely covered, where top, breaking and investigative pieces are compiled. The database is extensive, and it contains everything from aviation to consumer safety, from terrorism to immigration. It is a great resource to have this index at a journalist's fingertips. But not only are stories compiled under each individual heading, but so are potential story topics for your area, and tip and fact sheets. This information is extremely valuable, especially for journalists who are interested in pursuing this type of work.

The final and perhaps most useful facet of the IRE's website is its search database. Visitors can look up specific beats that they are interested in covering. You can even search tip-sheets specifically to filter your search. And there are beat-specific searches to search within a beat database. Again, I must reiterate that it disappointing that this site is not extremely well known, because it could be responsible for enhancing the quality of journalism, something that is vital in the current world.

Chapter 18 in News Reporting and Writing deals with investigative reporting as well, but deals more with the mechanics and style of it. The earlier part of this entry deals with the "sniff" or the stage in which "you nose around in search of a trail worth following." The IRE is a great resource for this. In carrying out the investigation, be sure to look into a variety of sources, both human and written, and evaluate their usefulness to ensure accuracy, which is the most important part of reporting. The issue of writing is addressed in a simple matter in this chapter. "How do you write the results of a complicated investigation? The general rule is, as simply as you can." This means that since journalism is geared for the public, it should be synthesized so that the public can get a firm grasp on the subject matter. The other important thing is to bring people into the story by telling them exactly what it means and how it can apply to their everyday life. Another important and little known tip for investigative journalism is to understand laws in your state/area in reference to the Freedom of Information Act. The act was designed to improve access to government records, although the open access that journalists desire is still not entirely fulfilled. I smiled when I read, "Objectivity doesn't mean neutrality," because I have said this before and I find it to be a very very important aspect of journalism. Of course journalists should always look at both sides and give ample notice to both, but this doesn't mean that in exposing injustice or unfairness, that emotional involvement cannot possibly exist. It is simply human nature. To be an investigative journalist means to connect with the American public, which should be done at all times. It may mean overcoming money and staffing issues, or even fear and anxiety, but, as the text states, "more reporters than ever are finding support to do it...you can, too."