1. Welcome to SportsJournalists.com, a friendly forum for discussing all things sports and journalism.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register for a free account to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Access to private conversations with other members.
    • Fewer ads.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

investigative journalism

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by writing irish, Jul 24, 2008.

  1. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    Best thing I ever did was start as a general reporter. It helped immensely when I became a sports writer.

    The point I'm making is that solid reporting (journalism) is investigative by nature. Of course you're going to report what happened as a news event unfolds. Then, if you're any good at what you do, you're going to dig a little and find out why it unfolded that way.

    All reporters, whether they're in sports, news, business, hell, even lifestyle, should consider themselves "investigative." And all reporters should learn to use the tools available to them. That's why I consider it a redundant term.

    The thing that made Buster Olney's game stories so good when he was at the NY Times was that he always did his homework, asked a lot of questions, and went about three layers deeper than the competition.
     
  2. writing irish

    writing irish Active Member

    Point taken. If I'd done more research back in the days when I wrote gamers, I'm sure my pieces would have been better.
     
  3. Walter Burns

    Walter Burns Member

    There was a line in "Heat" where DeNiro asked how his source found out all the background on the bank they were robbing.
    "It's all out there," he said. "You just have to reach out and grab it."
    That's the mindset you need for investigative journalism. Everyone -- unless they're trying really hard -- has a paper trail. Arrest reports, court filings, government filings. An awful lot of stuff is public record, and all you have to do is wade through it.
    Google everyone. Check everyone in your paper's archive. Go blind on microfilm if you have to. But do as much research as you think you need...and then do a little more.
    Just about every reporter worth their salt has the skills to do investigative journalism. The question is where do you find the time? It sounds like you have the time. I'm sure you have the skills as well, even if you aren't sure.
    Just keep digging.
     
  4. ink-stained wretch

    ink-stained wretch Active Member

    Where to start?

    Learn to read a P&L statement.

    Excel is your friend. Learn it and how to data mine volumes from the Census Bureau, Uniform Crime Reports and the like.

    Find people smarter than you (no problem for me) and pick their brains.

    Cops, court reporters, secretaries, party leaders, disaffected employees. Be their friend.

    Talk to people every day. Face to Face.

    Woodward remembers: "We knew we had something when we started knocking on doors and saw fear in people's eyes."

    Start small. People learn you will listen and protect them, they'll start talking.

    Pass out business cards everywhere. Put your cell phone number on it. That 2 a.m. call my be the one. Or not.

    Be a reporter, not a writer. Wear out shoes. Be one with your computer.
     
  5. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    It's not cheap. It's also the Bible.

    Investigative Reporters Handbook.

    http://www.amazon.com/Investigative-Reporters-Handbook-Documents-Techniques/dp/0312248237

    It was created by IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors), which I used to belong to a long time ago and wish I still did. I had more fun and interesting times at their conventions than most of the sports conventions I attended. Just because they were so different.

    A lot of the stuff mentioned above is in it, plus a lot more. It's a roadmap to public records investigations and all kinds of other things, and updated with the times, I'm assuming.
     
  6. JayFarrar

    JayFarrar Well-Known Member

    I'd also add narrow down a topic.
    You can't just say city government or state government, look at specific areas.
    Lots of things start with little tips, someone says something in passing, or you catch some local blogger ranting on about something.
    Then dig, learn how to use guidestar.org, and learn to read the 990 tax forms non-profits are required to file. And do the other things already noted.
    Why editors tend to frown on investigative work is sometimes the trail runs cold, or you can't find out the things that make a story.
    So you put a bunch of time into it, and nothing comes out.
    I have a great investigative story idea right now, but the man hours it will take just to find out if it is a story, is too large a mountain for me to climb, so when I can, I dig and do this and that, but the story is dead in the water right now.
     
  7. STLIrish

    STLIrish Active Member

    What Jay said. "Investigative" is awfully broad. To get anywhere, you need to get specific.
    But it sounds like you're digging into companies thought to be knowingly hiring illegal immigrants. That's a tough one, because, unless they've been sued, fined or investigated by someone over it, there's not likely to be much of a paper trail that you can see. You might have some luck with OSHA inspections, you never know.
    Better for this kind of story, though, is people.
    Best bet may be to go to where the workers are when they're not working. Hang out at restaurants and grocery stores in their community. Look for flyers advertising jobs. Talk to social service agencies and churches that serve the poorer rungs of the immigrant community. Find out where those people work. Then see if they'll talk with you about their jobs.
    People who used to work there can be a good resource, too, as could former managers who've moved on. If you can get someone to open doors and show you documents, you're in.
     
  8. Piotr Rasputin

    Piotr Rasputin New Member

    Buy IRE's Computer-Assisted Reporting book too.

    Documents and databases are your friends. And journalists who can do CAR and understand and interpret databases, often find themselves with jobs.
     
  9. Apex

    Apex Member

    Inky is spot-on in his post.

    As Deep Throat said in ATPM, "Follow the money."

    Go on EDGAR and ead the 10-ks and the 10-qs.

    Investigative stories mostly come from a bit of information you hear on your beat that doesn't sound quite right. Or a rich dataset you can pick apart. Good luck.

    In your case, it'll be a line in the 10-k that doesn't look right. Track how much their budget for independent contractors goes up. That's where such companies often put their under the table money.
     
  10. SF_Express

    SF_Express Active Member

    With all respect, Apex, you left out an important part:

    Nothing's riding on this except the, uh, first amendment to the Constitution, freedom of the press, and maybe the future of the country. Not that any of that matters, but if you guys fuck up again, I'm going to get mad. Goodnight.
     
  11. dixiehack

    dixiehack Well-Known Member

  12. Apex

    Apex Member

    Oh I know. Damn signature text limits.

    Also, writing irish, become a member of IRE and go through their tip sheets. They have a wealth of information.

    And check out http://www.depthreporting.com/. there's some good stuff thrown in there.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page