Reporting 101

What sets investigative reporting apart from day-to-day reporting? "It is the reporting, through one's own work product and initiative, matters of importance which some persons or organizations wish to keep secret." But there also is a broader view of what type of story is considered "investigative." Being an investigative reporter means being proactive rather than reactive, whether or not this entails digging up something secret. Essentially, investigative reporting means digging beneath the surface and telling your audience what is really going on by emphasizing the "how" and the "why" and not simply the "who," "what," "when," and "where.

Investigative journalism is without question the news media’s most precious asset. It is society’s watchdog, playing a vital role in a free and democratic society. And while journalistic sleuths cannot be expected to expose every scandal, their very presence keeps government officials, corporate CEOs, powerful individuals and unsavory characters glancing warily over their shoulders.
But the chatter in the nation’s newsrooms is that this kind of journalism is hobbling along on crutches and that investigative reporters are a dying breed. Fewer and fewer journalists are being given the time and the tools to dig for meaningful, newsworthy stories. Instead, they are being sent on assignments that are often trivial, flashy and stupid. And then they go a step further by trying to make them sound important.
There are a host of excuses for the lamentable condition that investigative journalism finds itself in today. The most common is the expense and time involved in doing investigations. Sadly, when confronted with a probe that offers a degree of difficulty, most newspaper editors and TV news producers fold. Instead, they settle on the safe, secure route and stick with the regurgitated and the mundane. This intransigent attitude really has more to do with laziness and lack of motivation on the part of editors, producers and reporters. It takes tremendous effort to get an investigation under way. It means developing solid sources and contacts, and convincing them to trust you with any information they supply. Then there are seemingly endless pitfalls: slammed doors, threats of libel, and dead ends. It’s enough to chill a seasoned veteran. So without the backing of the bosses, it’s often not worth the fight. Instead, it seems that the news media is content to grab on to the reins of these government investigators, taking interest only when the official report is about to be released publicly. Then all the stops are pulled out and packs of journalists are unleashed with one objective in mind–get the report leaked to them in advance so they can boast they got it first. What a journalistic coup! There is nothing more disingenuous than seeing stories dressed up as investigative reporting that are based solely on leaked government reports.
Still, as thorough as these government investigators might be, this is certainly no cause for journalists to sit back and lackadaisically wait for the next release. There are plenty of important stories that these straitlaced gumshoes overlook or would never even tackle. These stories showcase investigative journalism at its best, and they were uncovered through the dogged efforts of reporters who see their work as more than just a job. To them, it’s a calling. But stories of this caliber are few and far between.
If editors simply allowed their reporters to stop hopping from one mundane event to the next in homogeneous packs and let them roam untethered, politicians and bureaucrats would be reluctant to pull these kinds of bogus PR stunts. Yet in the real world of newspapers and TV news, image is paramount. Editors and news directors want their men and women up front reporting live and first. It gives their news outlet currency. I maintain that if they really want to make an impact and gain notoriety and respect, they should let a few of their scribes loose to dig out more noteworthy stories.
There are a number of factors that go into the making of a good investigative reporter. The main two are motivation and a finely honed sixth sense that beeps when you’re onto a good story and buzzes when the lies start flying. Another important attribute is the ability to listen hard to what people are saying and not dismiss them outright because their claims sound farfetched. So often few have latched onto incredible stories that other reporters had tossed off as too unbelievable to be true. Well, they turned out to be true, and they made for amazing headlines and riveting documentaries.
Nothing annoys me more than hearing a reporter state with know-it-all arrogance that because the police arrested a suspect, he must be guilty. Most reporters bought the police news releases hook, line and sinker. They never thought for a moment there might be another side to the story–the side of the accused. All they had to do was seek and listen. I’ve learned one important fact about listening, and that is whatever you’re told, it either has the ring of truth or the static of lies. All it takes is a little time and effort to get at the truth.