Lecture Twelve: Investigative Journalism

The work of the revered, faithful, true investigative journalist undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in the preservation of what journalism stands for. The determination, integrity and reliability of many writers is rather fragile, with many different version of events spread across different mediums. I feel this means there is a decline by the general public in their faithfulness in everyday news articles.

Enter the investigative journalist, who I feel somewhat reflects the role of a detective. A determined journo will stop at nothing to uncover a nation-stopping story, going to all ends of the earth to find the truth. There are issues out there that your average citizen could have never thought possible in their wildest dreams. To uncover and tell the world of these unjust and often horrific, shocking and sickening stories is in some way, an effective avenue in generating social change.

Public awareness is the key factor when setting out to uncover these elusive stories, to bring a general consciousness to the injustices of the world around them. Without these special kinds of journalists, who knows where we would be today.

Commendable investigative journalists throughout history 

From the work of Julius Chambers, who had himself committed to the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum in 1872. After ten days, he was released and wrote of the amount of perfectly sane people imprisoned at the facility, the general abuses on the patients, as well as the volumes of unnecessary lobotomies being performed on revolting patients. His writings were published in the ‘New York Times’ , which led to dozen patients being released, and members of the administration being dismissed.

Julius Chambers, 1912

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Herbert Swope, who worked as the editor for New York World 's 21-day crusade against the Ku Klux Klan in October 1921, which won the 'Pulitzer Prize for Public Service' in 1922. A fine example of investigative journalism, it was ranked 81 out the top 100 journalism stories of the 20th century by New York University's journalism sector.

Herbert Swope in LIFE magazine

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Seymour Hersh, who broke the story of the notorious 'My Lai Massacre' on November 12, 1969, in which hundreds of innocent Vietnamese civilians were murdered by US soldiers in March 1968.The report prompted worldwide condemnation and dramatically reduced public support for the Vietnam War. The explosive news of the massacre fuelled the outrage of the US peace movement, which demanded the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam.

Seymour Hersh still at work

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Anna Politkovskaya was a Russian reporter on the Chechnya conflict, and covered the terrible Russian treatment of the Chechen people. Her investigations and heroic efforts led to many investigative reports published in Novaya Gazeta, such as the Russian poisoning of children. Her work was widely recognized by international organizations until she was sadly murdered in 2006. She is not forgotten, as today there is a respect award in her name that  honors other women who report under circumstances of great danger.

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The work of these journalists is astounding to me, their determination is so admirable and inspirational, with many bringing essential awareness and social change. A risky career indeed, it makes me wonder if the risk is worth the story. Then I think, where would we be without risk? Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Eddie Mabo, Oscar Schindler, Germaine Greer - some of the most inspirational revolts and saints of our time would have achieved nothing without risk, without sheer desire to uncover truth, banish injustices and achieve a fair, aware and balanced world.