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Investigative journalism is far from dead; it's thriving | Roy Greenslade

12:05 AM

Once maligned, digital tools have turned out to be a wonderful addition to our armoury

One of the enduring myths espoused by veteran reporters is that investigative journalism is dead. I think I heard it first in 1987 when I joined the Sunday Times, the newspaper generally considered to have pioneered agenda-setting investigations. Several of my new colleagues were convinced, despite ample evidence to the contrary, that the paper was no longer committed to providing the necessary resources for lengthy probes into institutional bad behaviour. They held fast to the myth even as the paper went on publishing investigations.

Later, I discovered that the same mistaken belief existed across the industry and has persisted over the course of 30 years. It gained ground once the digital revolution took hold, and I admit to sharing concerns about the negative effects of the resulting cuts to editorial staffs. But digital tools have turned out to be a wonderful addition to the reporting armoury and it is possible to argue that investigative journalism today is in a healthier state than ever before. Computer terminals have proven more effective in discovering secrets than shoe leather.

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from US news | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2FGV5Pu

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