Unlike conventional news reporting, investigative journalism involves deep research and careful fact-checking to uncover truths that expose corruption, wrongdoing and other injustices. The result of these efforts are stories that can spark change on a local, national or even global scale. In the modern era, this form of journalism is often known as watchdog or accountability journalism, and it has a long history that includes Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle highlighting the terrible conditions in Chicago meatpacking plants and Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein’s work in exposing the Watergate scandal.
A career in investigative journalism can involve a wide variety of topics, from the local economy and political corruption to international crime and human rights issues. In many cases, investigative journalists spend weeks (if not months) digging into their subjects and attempting to unearth any information that might prove damaging to the people or businesses involved in their story. These methods typically include meticulous searching and cross-referencing of documents in the public domain; the use of freedom of information laws to place additional materials in the hands of journalists; obtaining leaks from whistleblowers; persuading sources to talk either on or off the record; and sometimes subterfuge or secret filming and recording.
In the more technologically advanced era of twenty-first century investigative journalism, data analysis plays an increasingly important role. As part of their efforts to uncover the truth, journalists must carefully evaluate large datasets and identify patterns or anomalies that may reveal significant information. These efforts often require collaboration with researchers and other experts.