Global Investigative Journalism Network

GIJN Newsletter: Conference Registration, Grants, Awards

By: GIJN Staff | May 15, 2013

Busy months for GIJN. Our just-released newsletter includes the latest on the big Global Investigative Journalism Conference coming to Rio this October, including how to register, apply for a travel grant, and enter awards. You'll find our call for proposals to host GIJC15 (the conference after Rio), some great resources in our Toolbox section, and a calendar of upcoming events. We’re also happy to report that, thanks to all of you, we’ve tripled traffic on our new website here at GIJN.org, which last month hosted visitors from more than 150 countries – that’s three-quarters of the world.

Less than 14% of World Lives in Countries with Free Press

By: Gabriela Manuli | May 7, 2013

The percentage of the global population living in countries with a free press is at the lowest level in more than a decade, according to the findings of Freedom of the Press 2013: A Global Survey of Media Independence, a new report by the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Freedom House. The report found that just 14 percent of the world’s population — about one in six people—live in societies “where coverage of political news is robust, the safety of journalists is guaranteed, state intrusion in media affairs is minimal, and the press is not subject to onerous legal or economic pressures.” The overall decline in press freedom is highlighted by various cases. As a region, Latin America experienced a further tightening of controls on the media, led by Ecuador and Paraguay, which dropped from Party Free to Not Free. Moreover, there was an important downturn in Mali and a significant deterioration in Greece. The report also notes uneven conditions in the Middle East in 2012, which again ranked as the world’s worst region for press freedom. Continue Reading →

Are Wealth Disclosures Dangerous?

By: Sheila Coronel | May 6, 2013

About a third of all countries in the world now require officials to publicly disclose their assets. Institutions like the World Bank and the OECD see this as a good thing. Asset declarations, they say, are crucial tools for fighting corruption and holding officials accountable. As an investigative journalist in the Philippines, I found asset statements vital to digging into conflicts of interest and the illegal accumulation of wealth by those in public office. But pushback on official disclosures is coming from an unlikely quarter. Continue Reading →

World Press Freedom Day: The Dangers of Being a Journalist

By: Gabriela Manuli | May 3, 2013

Join us today in honoring World Press Freedom Day and lend your support to free and independent media around the world. This year, the annual event focuses on the theme of “Safe to Speak: Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media.” As part of that, UNESCO has released an infographic on the dangers of being a journalist in a culture of impunity. Each week, on average, a journalist dies while doing his or her job. Yet, over the past 10 years, only 1 in 10 cases of crimes against journalists, media workers, and online producers has led to a conviction. Join GIJN by supporting World Press Freedom Day — there are events worldwide you can find by checking this collaborative map. Continue Reading →

Registration Opens for Global Investigative Conference

By: GIJN Staff | May 2, 2013

It’s time again. Every two years since 2001, the world’s investigative journalism community has joined together in a different city, and the results have been extraordinary. We’ve spread investigative reporting and data journalism around the world, sparked the creation of dozens of investigative reporting centers, and led to hundreds of great stories and collaborations. Registration is now open for the Global Investigative Journalism Conference. You’ll find our registration and conference pages available in the three main languages of the conference: English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Continue Reading →

Around the World

South African Investigative Journalism’s Deep Roots

A new study shows the surprising depth of investigative journalism in South Africa. In three provinces, a survey found that nearly 60% of the papers analyzed contained investigative material. The findings support what many investigative reporters already know: that investigative journalism depends not on a media outlet’s resources, but on good management, creative newsrooms, and a willingness to accept risk.

Source: journalism.co.za

Mapping the Power Elite in Your Country

Poderopedia, which reveals relationships among elites in a country or region, has broadened its platform and is now offering its content and code to users worldwide to use and improve upon. The project was founded in Chile last year after winning a 2011 Knight News Challenge award.

Source: IJNet

New Yorker Launches Anonymous Tip Box

The New Yorker has joined the ranks of those seeking anonymous tips and documents in the digital age. The famed magazine has launched Strongbox, designed by the late Net freedom activist Aaron Swartz. The system uses "multiple computers, thumb drives, encryption, and Tor," so that even the magazine won't know where the docs came from.

Source: The New Yorker

Whistleblowing: Widely Done but Widely Ignored

A new UK study of 1000 whistleblowers has found that 83% of workers blow the whistle at least twice, yet 74% say nothing is done about the wrongdoing. The study, by the London-based Public Concern at Work, noted that whistleblowing has its risks: 15% of those surveyed say they lost their jobs.

Source: Public Concern at Work

Future Deep Throats: This Is How to Leak to the Press

We now live in a world where public servants informing the public about government behavior or wrongdoing must practice the tradecraft of drug dealers and spies. So how can one safely leak information to the press by email and by phone?

Source: Wired

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