Standing in front of every shadowy network of international criminals are legitimate businesses, such as banks and law firms. But these gatekeepers can also provide a way into your story, writes Megan Clement for GIJN.
When the Bureau of Investigative Journalism asked to see a contract between property developers and the North London borough of Haringey, its reporters were disappointed to receive a heavily-redacted document. This was part of a drive by the UK nonprofit to test the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, which gives citizens and journalists the right to access the accounts and related documents of city councils and other local authorities.
How did I end up talking about empathy, compassion, and how to help each other in front of a crowd at the farewell of the 11th Global Investigative Journalism Conference that just ended in Hamburg, Germany?
One of the most fundamental parts of investigating disinformation is looking for the network around a social media account or website. Craig Silverman, media editor at BuzzFeed News, offers up some tips and tools on digging in.
Russ Buettner showed up at strangers’ doorsteps with an overstuffed file under his arm, while he was reporting the Pulitzer Prize-winning expose on how Donald Trump got his money. It was part of a “first contact” strategy for the team of three New York Times reporters to ensure that high value sources helped with key details.
GIJN’s member organizations voted to re-elect six current board members who were up for election this year, and one new board member. Congratulations to Marina Walker Guevara, Brant Houston, Paul Radu, Fernando Rodrigues, Rana Sabbagh, Julia Stein and Estacio Valoi.
Over the past four days, 1,700 journalists from 130 countries gathered in Hamburg, Germany, to share experiences, learn from expert speakers, network with kindred spirits, and find new partners for their next investigations. It was the most diverse and largest-ever international gathering of investigative journalists, and a perfect place to be inspired.
Before she could even start to speak, Maria Ressa received a standing ovation, which brought tears to her eyes. She was out on bail, and was forced to pay a travel bond in order to leave the Philippines and come to Hamburg, where she gave a keynote address to an auditorium full of fellow investigative journalists from around the world.
Stories on Latin American corruption, extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, and state capture in South Africa won the eighth Global Shining Light Awards, announced tonight at the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Hamburg, Germany. The prize honors investigative journalism conducted in developing or transitioning countries, done under threat, duress, or in the direst of conditions.
In some countries, foreigners can use the national freedom of information law to file requests, according to a new GIJN resource, GIJN’s Guide to National Rules on Where Foreigners Can Make FOI Requests. Check out the color-coded chart, which includes the pertinent language of the laws in countries around the world.
