Investigative Reporting Investigative Journalism
Are you at that stage where you cannot decide on your career path? You would like, for example to help unravel crime and put criminal perpetrators to justice, but you do not want to be a law officer, neither do you want to be a lawyer. Do you have a knack for writing, and sorting out problems? You probably would find that investigative journalism is the right field for you.Investigative journalism covers a wide range of challenges. The investigative reporter can be involved in uprooting political corruption and scandals like that of the Watergate political scandal involving former US President Nixon in the 1970s. This scandal which precipitated the popularity of investigative journalism resulted in the resignation of that president. You can be involved in bringing to justice perpetrators of pedophilia or the sex slave trade, seeking out drug cartels, or you can help in unraveling domestic abuse of animals or strange conditions of living or help the downtrodden in their cause.Any of these require special techniques, practices, ethics and as a result training to deal with the obstacles and challenges involved in such a career. This type of job leads you to delve into the personal lives of public figures; and explore the revolving door between politics and journalism. In this type of journalism, you need to do a lot of research and prepare a lot of reports. Sometimes it may take years of deep investigation before you can bring to the surface the truth of a topic of interest, and to fill in the lapses which the police or regular media have missed.You need to be expert at scrutiny of details and fact finding, talking to people to elicit information. Many a time you will need to go undercover just like some lawmen and women do. Similar to the job of lawmen, investigative journalism has its dangers. We all know of the fatal experience of American journalist Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by al Qaeda terrorists in 2002. We also know of the fate of many other journalists. Only recently two American journalists were freed form capture in North Korea, after several months.There is protection for journalists however. The Freedom Forum for example is an international organization which is dedicated to" free press, free speech and free spirit for all people." Moreover, it is active in "efforts to affirm protect and extend such basic liberties as freedom of press and speech."If you think this career is the right one for you, investigate opportunities to have training.The Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)organization can assist in giving further details as regards training for this dynamic career
Are you at that stage where you cannot decide on your career path? You would like, for example to help unravel crime and put criminal perpetrators to justice, but you do not want to be a law officer, neither do you want to be a lawyer. Do you have a knack for writing, and sorting out problems? You probably would find that investigative journalism is the right field for you.
Investigative journalism covers a wide range of challenges. The investigative reporter can be involved in uprooting political corruption and scandals like that of the Watergate political scandal involving former US President Nixon in the 1970s. This scandal which precipitated the popularity of investigative journalism resulted in the resignation of that president. You can be involved in bringing to justice perpetrators of pedophilia or the sex slave trade, seeking out drug cartels, or you can help in unraveling domestic abuse of animals or strange conditions of living or help the downtrodden in their cause.
Any of these require special techniques, practices, ethics and as a result training to deal with the obstacles and challenges involved in such a career. This type of job leads you to delve into the personal lives of public figures; and explore the revolving door between politics and journalism. In this type of journalism, you need to do a lot of research and prepare a lot of reports. Sometimes it may take years of deep investigation before you can bring to the surface the truth of a topic of interest, and to fill in the lapses which the police or regular media have missed.
You need to be expert at scrutiny of details and fact finding, talking to people to elicit information. Many a time you will need to go undercover just like some lawmen and women do. Similar to the job of lawmen, investigative journalism has its dangers. We all know of the fatal experience of American journalist Daniel Pearl who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by al Qaeda terrorists in 2002. We also know of the fate of many other journalists. Only recently two American journalists were freed form capture in North Korea, after several months.
There is protection for journalists however. The Freedom Forum for example is an international organization which is dedicated to" free press, free speech and free spirit for all people." Moreover, it is active in "efforts to affirm protect and extend such basic liberties as freedom of press and speech."
If you think this career is the right one for you, investigate opportunities to have training.The Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)organization can assist in giving further details as regards training for this dynamic career
