What: Lecture 11
Who: Dr. Bruce Redman
Originally, this weeks lecture was going to be about the Political Economy but instead Dr. Bruce Redman changed it to Investigative Journalism. I was quite happy about the topic of the lecture being changed to Investigative Journalism as I am not very fond of politics. The lecture was the second last lecture of the JOUR1111 semester and was very entertaining, interesting and fun.
What is Investigative Journalism?
The Five In's of Investigative Journalism
During the lecture, Dr. Bruce Redman described and explained investigative journalism by identifying the five in's, and this is what they are:
Intelligent
The story and investigation have to be weighed up and thought out before the journalist barges into peoples lives.
Informed
The journalist has to be aware of all of the facts, the people who were involved and other major contributing factors to the story and investigation.
Intuitive
With experience, the journalist becomes intuitive. The journalist will be able to rely on their instincts when deciding whether a situation is dangerous to themselves and dangerous to other people.
Inside
When investigating something, the journalist has to get on the inside or have an intimate point of view. The journalist has to be trusted by those who are bearing their stories and lives.
Invest
In investigative pieces or stories, journalists have to invest a lot of themselves into their work. This includes their money, time and even health depending on the situation and legal risks, just to name a few.
Deeper Meanings and Purpose
1. Critical and Thorough Journalism
Critical and thorough journalism means that the journalist is an active participant and is extremely involved in what they are investigating. It also means that the journalist is making an effort beacause they are consulting their sources and they are checking their facts. Active intervention is the key idea of critical and thorough journalism.
2. Custodians of Conscience
Custodians of conscience mean that the journalist identifies and exposes civic vice to the public for scrutiny. An example of this would be "The Moonlight State" (1987) where investigative journalist Chris Masters, investigated the corruption of the Queensland police.
Exposure is the key idea of custodians of conscience.
3. To Provide a Voice For Those Without One and to Hold the Powerful to Account
To provide a voice for those without one and to hold the powerful to account is pretty self explanatory. It means that social justice provides power to those who are powerless and provides a voice to those who are voiceless. Public interest is the key idea.
4. Fourth Estate/Fourth Branch of Government/Watchdog
Fourth Estate
In contemporary times, the Fourth Estate refers to the media and press. In the Fourth Estate, the journalists represent the interest of those without power to balance the power of government.
The Fourth Branch of Government
The Fourth Branch of Government refers to a group (the press or Fourth Estate, the people, and interest or advocacy groups) that influences the three branches of government judiciary, executive and legislature. Journalists ensure the free flow of information necessary for the function of democracy by interrogating these three branches.
Watchdog
Watchdog journalists make public personalities and institutions whose functions have impacted social and political life, accountable for their actions.
Some Historical Investigations
Investigative Journalism stories like "The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon" campaign, "Watergate", "The Moonlight State" and "WikiLeaks" have remained prominent in contemporary times because they have changed the world we live in.
Local Examples of Investigative Journalism
On April 16th (2012), Australian broadcast journalist Hamish MacDonald, released an article about an indonesian boy who may have been 13 years old when he was arrested and then jailed in a maximum-security prison for adults in Western Australia. This story is a contemporary form of Investigative Journalism and is currently available on "The Global Mail". "The Global Mail" is a site that provides the public with a vast range of Investigative Journalism stories.
'If your mother says she loves you, check it out'.
This old journalism statement means that a journalist should always check their facts, assume nothing and should always expect whistleblowers to be/go crazy.
Types of Investigation Interaction
Interviews
Interviews are a very important when it comes to investigative journalism. The interviews may be with on-the-record sources and people who are involved, or the interview may be with a whistleblower.
Observations
A journalist has to physically see what is going on in the world instead of viewing it second hand in the safety of their office or home. Whether the situation was dangerous or safe, the journalist has to experience and see it for themselves.
Documents
Like interviews, documents are an important part of investigative journalism. These documents may include law suits, legal documents, corporate financials, tax records and FOI (freedom of information) material and all of which can be checked and analysed by the journalist.
Briefings
When it comes to investigative journalism, briefings could be conducted by officials or anyone on the whole and could be about anything.
Leaks
Leaks are when on-the-record sources and whistleblowers share or 'leak' information and facts.
Trespass
Investigative journalists in films and television programs usually trespass. In Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Lois and Clark would break into offices, homes and buildings to gain unknown information about the story they were investigating. In real life, investigative journalists don't trespass that often, and this is because their bosses don't usually allow them to do it.
Theft
Theft isn't something an investigative journalist should be doing in contemporary times. During the lecture, Dr. Bruce Redman stated that instead of stealing a photo from a person's mantlepiece, take a photo of it using your mobile phone.
Threats to Investigative Journalism
New media platforms and online news are a major threat to investigative journalism. Online news has led to less journalism, and less time spent on news stories, which in turn means less investigative journalism. Websites like "The Age" have an Investigative page which is free to the public but "The Australian" has an Investigative page that has to be subscribed to before you are able to view the full story.
Another threat to Investigative Journalism is Public Relations. Dr. Bruce Redman mentioned during the News Values lecture that Public Relations can cause propaganda. This is because Public Relations can put a spin on news stories by presenting selective and persuasive facts to the public. In comparison, in Journalism the facts are verified for the public's interest.
The Future of Investigative Journalism
In contemporary times, the future of investigative journalism appears to be rather dim. During the lecture, Dr. Bruce Redman mentioned that "YouTube" had released a new channel that was specifically designed for investigative journalism stories. Unfortunately, since the release of the new "YouTube" channel, investigative journalism pieces and stories haven't been uploaded or posted. The only videos that have been uploaded and posted are those that describe what investigative journalism is. Dr. Bruce Redman stated that this was because citizen journalists are afraid of the legal obligations that are associated with investigative journalism and the release of an investigative story or piece.
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