Story-based inquiry [elektronische middelen] : a manual for investigative journalists

2011·3.3 MB·English

by  Hunter, Mark Lee

EducatCiulotnuarla,UlnSOicritegenadtniNifaziatctiaionondns
withNilsHanson,RanaSabbagh,LuukSengers,
DrewSullivan,FlemmingTaitSvithandPiaThordsen
TableofContents
APPrreMefsaaencnuetail/ngpf.o“lrSItnovreys-tBiagsaetdivIenqJuoiurryn:alists" CQhuapatlerit7y/pC.7o5ntrol:
byJanisKarklins,AssistantDirector-General TechniquesandEthics
forCommunicationandInformation,UNESCO byNilsHanson,MarkLeeHunter,
IbyntMraordkucLteeioHnun/tepr.2 CPihaaTphtoerrds8enapn.d83DrewSullivan
PIrnevfeascteintgoItnhIenfvierssttiegadtiitvieonJo/upr.n5alism byMarkLeeHunter
byYosriFouda Selectedbibliography/p.87
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Journalism?
byMarkLeeHunterandNilsHanson
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byMarkLeeHunter PrintedinFrance
"Story-BasedInquiry:aManualforInvestigativeJournalists»
UNESCOhasconstantlyfostereddebateonmediaaccountabilityandpro-
fessionalandethicalstandards,whichprovidejournalistswithguiding
principlesonhowtobestexercisetheirprofession.Incollaborationwith
ArabReportersforInvestigativeJournalism(ARIJ),UNESCOlaunchedthe
firstmanualforinvestigativejournalistsinArabStatesentitled“Story-
BasedInquiry:AManualforInvestigativeJournalists”in2009.
InvestigativeJournalismmeanstheunveilingofmattersthatareconcealed
eitherdeliberatelybysomeoneinapositionofpower,oraccidentally,
behindachaoticmassoffactsandcircumstances-andtheanalysisand
exposureofallrelevantfactstothepublic.Inthiswayinvestigativejourna-
lismcruciallycontributestofreedomofexpressionandfreedomofinforma-
tion.whichareattheheartofUNESCO'smandate.Therolemediacanplay
aUsNEaSwCaOtcfhudlolygissupipnodritsspeninsiatbilateifvoersdteomsotcrreancgythaenndiintviessftoigratthiivserjeoausronnaltihsamt
throughouttheworld.Ibelievethispublicationmakesasignificantcontri-
butiontopromotinginvestigativejournalismandIhopeitwillbeavaluable
resourceforjournalistsandmediaprofessionals,aswellasforjournalism
trainersandeducators.
JanisKarklins
AssistantDirector-GeneralforCommunicationandInformation,UNESCO
Story-Based Inquiry:
Amanualforinvestigativejournalists
BYMARKLEEHUNTER
WITH(INALPHABETICALORDER)
NILSHANSON,RANASABBAGH,LUUKSENGERS,
DREWSULLIVAN,FLEMMINGTAITSVITHANDPIATHORDSE
PREFACEBYYOSRIFOUDA
T
hismanualprovidesaguidetobasicmethodsandtechniquesof
investigativejournalism,anditconsciouslyfillsagapinthelite-
ratureoftheprofession.Themajorityofinvestigativemanuals
devotealotofspacetothesubjectofwheretofindinformation.They
assumethatonceareporterfindstheinformationheorsheseeks,he
orshewillbeabletocomposeaviablestory.Wedonotsharethat
assumption.Wedonotthinkthatthebasicissueisfindinginformation.
Instead,wethinkthecoretaskistellingastory.Thatleadstothebasic
methodologicalinnovationofthismanual:
Weusestoriesasthecementwhichholdstogethereverystepofthe
investigativeprocess,fromconceptiontoresearch,writing,quality
controlandpublication.Wealsocallthisapproachhypothesis-based
inquiry,becausewebeginbyformulatingthestorywehopetowriteas
ahypothesisthatwillbeverifiedordisproved.Thisisthefirststepin
anintegratedprocess,asfollows:
•Byanalysingahypotheticalstory,areportercanmoreeasilyseewhich
informationheorsheneedstoseek.
•Aneditororpublishercanmoreeasilyassessthefeasibility,costs,
rewardsandprogressoftheinvestigativeproject.
•Asresearchprogresses,thereporterorinvestigativeteamwillbe
organisingtheirmaterialforcomposition,andcomposingspecific
partsofthefinalstory.
•This,inturn,willfacilitatequalitycontrol,andenablecloserinsight
intowhetherthestorymeetslegalandethicalcriteria.
•Attheendoftheprocess,theresultwillbeastorythatcanbesummed
upinafewhard-hittingsentences-astorythatcanbepromoted,
defendedandremembered.
Wedonotclaimtohaveinventedhypothesis-basedinquiry.Similar
methodshavebeenusedinbusinessconsulting,thesocialsciences,and
policework.Whatwehavedoneistoworkthroughtheirimplications
forthejournalisticprocess,andforthegoalsofinvestigativejournalism
-toreformaworldthatgeneratesuseless,needlesssuffering,or
conversely,thatignoresavailablesolutionstoitsproblems.
Thishasbeenalongandcollectiveprocess.Forme,itbeganin1990with
amid-careerdoctoralthesisthatcomparedFrenchandAmerican
investigativemethods,underthedirectionofFrancisBalle.That,in
turn, ledtoapositionatthe InstitutfrancaisdePresseofthe
UniversitedeParis/Pantheon-Assas,wherefor12yearsIbenefited
simultaneouslyfromthecompanyofgenerousandcommittedcol-
leagues,andenthusiasticmasters-levelstudents.Theyallowedmeto
field-testthemethodsadvocatedinthismanualonascalebeyond
theactivitiesofanindividualreporter.
Ignlo2b0al01b,usIibneesgsanscwhhoaolt.IAthtoeumgphotrawroyulrdesbeearachsapbobsaittiicoanleavtoIlNvSeEdAiDn,totahne
adjunctprofessorship,andenabledmetobenefitfromtheinsights
andexperienceofcolleagueslikeYvesDoz,LukVanWassenhove,
LudoVanderHayden,KevinKaiser,andothers.Theirinfluenceon
thismanualisindirectbutpowerful.Thesescholarsforcedmeto
thinkatamoreabstractlevelaboutmediapractices,andtoconsider
howprocessescanbeimprovedtocreategreatervalue,includingin
journalism.
Likemyco-authors,Iwassimultaneouslyengagedininvestigative
reportingasapractitioner.Alsoin2001,thecreationoftheGlobal
InvestigativeJournalismNetwork,ofwhichmeandmostofmycoau-
thorswerefoundingmembersalongsidedriversNilsMulvadofthe
DanishInstituteforComputer-AssistedReportingandBrantHouston
ofInvestigativeReportersandEditorsInc.,createdanextraordinary
forumfortheexchangeofbestpractices.
Inparticular,elementsofhypothesis-basedinquiryemergedinseve-
ralcountriessimultaneouslyandindependently-anunmistakable
signofamajordevelopment.TheNetwork’scongressin2005provi-
dedmewithanopportunitytopresentaformalconceptofjournalis-
ticinvestigationbyhypothesisforthefirsttime.Atthesameevent,
LuukSengers(fromHolland)andFlemmingSvith(aDane)showedme
asimpleandrobustresearchdatabasetheyhadcreated,andother
computertools for organising investigations that could also be
appliedtoprojectmanagement.Weallimmediatelyrecognisedthat
ourdiscoveriescouldfittogetherascomponentsofasingleprocess.
Thenandlater,positivefeedbackandcriticismfromparticipantsinthe
Network’sbi-annualcongressesconvincedmethattherewasaneedand
adesireforthematerialinthismanual.Morecollaboratorssurfaced,
too,notleastNilsHansonofSweden,theprincipalco-authorofthis
manual,andanexpertinreconcilingqualityandproductivityinthe
news.Weneverforgotthattoomanypeopleinourindustryconsider
investigativereportingtooslow,expensiveandrisky.Wesetouttoshow
thatinvestigationcanalsobeanefficientprocessinwhichkeyriskscan
bemanaged.
Theongoingprocessofcollectivedevelopmentwaspowerfullyreinforced
bythecreationoftheCentreforInvestigativeReportingofLondonand
itsannualSummerSchool.Overseveralyears,founderGavinMcFadyen
andhisteamallowedustoexplorenewwaystoteachtheprocessof
composingstories.InLondonIfirstheardDrewSullivan(anAmerican
expatriateintheBalkans)setoutreportingpracticesonorganised
crimethatcanbeappliedtomanyothersituations.Afinal,crucial
impetuscamethroughRanaSabbagh,directorofArabReportersfor
InvestigativeJournalism,andherDanishcolleaguePiaThordsen,an
earlysupporterofinvestigationbyhypothesis,whoaskedmetotake
theleadinwritingandeditingthismanualinthespringof2007.Their
seminarsinArabiaprovidedtheopportunitytotestthepresentationof
theideasinthisbookasitwasbeingcomposed.Thisprocess,likeARIJ
itself,wasfundedbyInternationalMediaSupportandtheDanish
Parliament.AndreaCairolaplayedacriticalroleinbringingtheproject
toUNESCO,whereMogensSchmidtandXianhongHuprovedtobeopen
andvaluablecollaborators.
ALiutgeursaltly20t0h9e,dwahyeonf2it0s0pwuebblsiictaetsiolnibnkyedUNtoESitC,O“Satsoray-fBraeeseddoIwnnqluoiaryd:iAn
ManualforInvestigativeJournalists”becamethebest-distributedwork
ofitskindinthehistoryofjournalism.Moreover,partsofithavebeen
incorporatedintoothermanualssinceitspublication.Thisisonlya
start:Themethodisstillevolving,stillfindingnewpaths.
Investigativejournalismisaprofession,andaskillset.Itisalsoafamily.
Igrewupinthatfamily,andhavewatcheditgrow.Thismanualisyour
doorintothefamily.Pleasebecomeamemberwecanhonourand
admire,foryourprofessionalism,ethicsandengagement.
MarkLeeHunter
Editorandprincipalauthor
Paris-Aarhus-Amman-London-Lillehammer
BYYOSRIFOUDA,ALJAZEERACHIEFINVESTIGATIVECORRESPPOreNfDaEcNeT:
AfterthelaunchofAlJazeerain1996,Isummonedmycourageandputanoutlandish
ideatoitsmanagement:tobeallowedtodisappearfortwomonthsatatimeinreturn
forabi-monthly,45-minuteinvestigativepiece.ThenorminArabTVthenwasthatyou
wmoenrtehosn'lwyoarltlhoowfedrutsohdeiss(aIpapmeaerxfaogrge4r5atmiinngutoenlsyisflyioghutlpy)r.omRiatsheedrtoexcpoecmteedblayc,kthweitphrotpwoo-
salgeneratedsomekind-heartedlaughs,andIalmostenteredyetanothercycleofpro-
fessionaldepression.
Afewmonthslater,however.ChairmanHamadBinThamerAlThanidecidedforsome
reasontooffermethechancetoproduceapilotreport.Withabudgetofnexttozero,
thispilotreporthadtobeprepared,filmedandeditedwhereIlived-London.Anthrax
soundedlikeagoodtopictome.Apartfromtheobviousinterest,thelocationwouldbe
easilyjustifiableinlightofrecentleakswhichimplicatedthepreviousBritishgovern-
mentinfacilitatingtheexportofso-called“dual-useequipment”toSaddamHussein's
Iraq.UnderUNsanctions,itwasillegaltoexporttoIraqanycivilequipmentwhichcould
beadaptedformilitarypurposes.
Byyesterday’sstandardsthepilotreport,accordingtomany,wassomethingofa
breakthroughontheroadtoanArabconceptofinvestigativejournalism.Somuchso,
thatitwasunexpectedlybroadcastandthenre-broadcastseveraltimes.Atatimewhen
AallsJoarzeeperreasewnatsedotpheenlQyatdaerpilcohraendnaelndinfitehreceClayiraottFaecskteidvalbyformoRsatdiAoraabndgoTvVerPnrmoednutcst,ioint
in1998,andcamebackwithanaward.ThatwasthefirstandlasttimethatAlJazeera
tookpartinsuchacompetition.Butitwasonlythestartofa10-yearseriesfor“Sirri
Lilghaya”(‘TopSecret”).
DespitesomepreviousshyattemptsatthiskindofjournalisminArabnewspapers,the
increasinglypopular,firstpan-Arab24-hournewsandcurrentaffairschannelmanaged
toidentifyanareaofinterestthatwaslargelynewtotheArabaudience.Ihadnoillu-
sionsastothepotentialhazardsandtroublesthatwouldcomeinthesamebag,given
theparticularrealitiesofourpartoftheworld.Atvariouslevels,thesedifficultiesstill
representahugechallengeinthefaceofyoungArabreportersandproducerswho
aspiretobecomeseriousinvestigativejournalists.
First,fromanindustrialpointofview,mostofournewsorganisationsarenotasfamiliar
withthecultureofqualityastheyarewiththecultureofquantity.Amongotherthings,
qualityrequiresahighlyeducatedmanagement,continuoustraining,integratedteams,
realisticbudgetsand-dareIsay-time.Youwillhardlycomeacrossamanageroran
editorwhodoesnotpassionatelypraisein-depthreporting.Butrarelywillyoufindthem
equallyenthusiasticfor,andcapableof,translatingtheirpraiseintoreality.Theyaretra-
ditionallypartoftheproblem,althoughitismuchbettertoseethemaspartofthesolu-
tioninacomprehensiveattempttochangetheculture.Thegoodnewsisthatourback-
wardnessinthisareahasnothingtodowithourgenes.Butthebadnewsisthatifwe
remainincapableofgettingourownkitchenworking,wewillneitherdeservenorachieve
thehonourofbeginningtofaceuptoexternal-andmoreserious-challenges.
Second,fromapersonalsecuritypointofview,thesayingthat“tobeajournalististo
lookfortrouble”couldnotapplytoanyformofjournalismmorethanthisone.Riskcal-
culationthusbecomesacrucialconceptininvestigativejournalism,basedonthefact
thatthereisnosinglestorythatisworththelifeofajournalist.Asdeceptivelysimple
asthisprinciplemayseem,itevokesreasonsforconcerninapartoftheworldthatis
stilllearningaboutinvestigativereporting.TheArabworldisfullofyoung,impressiona-
blejournalistswhoareeagertoprovethemselves,sometimesatanycost,withverylit-
tleknowledgeaboutsafetyandsecurity,orevenmeansofsurvival.Theircourageisa
promisingphenomenonbutitcanalsobearecipefordisaster.Partoftheresponsibility
forresolvingthissituationlieswithmediadepartmentsandtrainingcentres,another
partwithmanagement,butthebiggestpartremainsontheshouldersofthejournalist.
Heorsheistheonewhowillpaytheultimatepriceshouldsomeonedie,andheorshe
istheonewhocandecidetoliveforonemorestory.
Third,fromalegalpointofview,investigativejournalismisaminefield.Itoften
frequentsthesameclubwherecorruption,negligenceandfailureofsystemscanbe
found.Mixingwithsuchbadcompanyisatremendouslegalhazard,astheinvestiga-
toralwayssetsouttofindanswerstoquestionsthatbeginwith“how"and“why".To
dothis,heorshesometimesmustapplylessthantransparentmethodsinthenameof
thegreatergood.Fewjournalistswillbeableandwillingtoseethedifferencebetween
thepublicinterestandthepassinginterestsofthepublic.Fewerwillbeabletolanda
scoopandstaywithinthelawatthesametime.Obviously,legalawarenessiscrucial.
Fourth,fromapoliticalpointofview,mostArabgovernmentsstillseedangerinempo-
weringtheircitizenswithinformation.Itisafactthatshouldalwaysbeobservedand
wiselyputincontextinawaythatdoesnotcompromiseoursacredgoal:toarriveat
whatwehonestlybelievetobethetruth,andrelayittoourreadersandviewers,rulers
andruled.GivenArabpoliticalreality,themarginoferrorisindeedoneofthesmallest
intheworld,whichoffersyetanotherinterestingchallenge.Somejournalistsdocherish
thiskindofchallenge,butthisrequiresknowledgeandexperience-alotofboth.The
mechanismsthatgovernthejournalist’srelationshipswithpoliticiansareinonekey
sensesimilartothosethatgovernhisorherrelationshipswithprostitutes.Theyare
zbeortohssouumrcgeasm,ea.nTdhetrheeyisboatlhwaayismatotuhisredhwiamyorwhhiecrhfowrilolneenatbhliengtohrejaonuortnhaelri.stIttiosanrortivae
atwhatheorsheaimsfor,andtostayalive.
Fifth,fromaculturalpointofview,itisnoteasyforseriousinvestigativejournalismto
flourishinapredominantlyoralculture.Ourculturedoesnotappreciatenumbers,
fFiogrutruensatealnyd,tshtiastidsoteicssnoatshamvuechtogaestiitntihsemwoavy.edOnbythewocrodntsr,arry,hymtahsmterainndgysotruurcttuoroel.s
canhelpturnitintoahugeadvantage.Andthisisanothercuriousareawhichobviously
canbenefitfromsomeinvestment.Wheretherealproblemliesisinthegeneralunders-
tanding-orlackofit-inoursocietiesofwhatinvestigativejournalismisallabout.We
stillhavesomeeducatingtodoinordertohavethegeneralpubliconourside.
Ooutthehrowiwsem,anitywiyloluanlgwaEygyspbteiarnasthmearrreiaesdyItsorabeleiancactuisoendal,swlhaislteyeyaoru,oafrebetirnyginagstpoyf.igure
Needlesstosay,therearealsomental,emotional,psychologicalandsocialhazards
attachedtothiscuttingedgeformofjournalism.Itcanbesoridiculouslydemanding
thatiteasilytakesoveryourlife-quiteliterally.Youwanttobesomebodyinthisfield?
Youmightaswellkiss“thepleasuresofordinarylife"goodbye-well,notalways,for-
tunately.Youhaveaburningpassionforit?NotabadstartWhatyouwillbeableto
getinreturnisthejoyofpickingupthreadsandconnectingdotsandtheultimate,
indescribablepleasurewhenyouarriveatamomentofdiscovery.Butaboveall,nothing
islikethathealingfeelingyougetwhensomeonewhowasnotmeanttoknowsuddenly
approachesyoutosay:“Thankyou."Andthatwillbeenoughtosendyoubackonthe
roadforanotherinvestigation.
What is investigativejournalism?
Investigativejournalismisnotreportingasusual
BYMARKLEEHUNTERANDNILSHANSON
WegiveourselvesagoTohdeipdroecaesosfswohfaart:we’redoing,andwhy.
chapter1
Investigative
journalism isnot
reportingas usual
W
hHaotwiissiintvdesotniega?tiWvheyjosuhronualldiswme? Csaoyn,trainrvyesttoigwahtaivtesojomuernparolfiessmsioisnalnsotlikjeustto
doit?Nearlyhalfacenturyafter good,old-fashionedjournalismthatiswell
Watergate,thedefiningmomentinthe done.True,bothformsofjournalismare
historyofthegenre,neitherthepublic focused ontheelements ofwho,what,
norjournalists agree on the answers. where,andwhen.Butthefifthelementof
Whatwethinkisthis: conventionalreporting,the“why”,becomesthe
“how”ininvestigation.Theotherelements
tmIeocsofineuatvcrspthereoesshertwteuieondgarpfdean,ultefbdiiralobvcsiroeettcrpsaaajentcmaondecaunilitsrddyntonegebunac.rtyrlisacirIlsetscltosmyurhm,meaaeisqtnbonutdevianaohrrnedleeicovsnieeccndssuuoasmnatieechpnxneacogpatthsolsaibsoeo.toibdtitsnoih-gn-c jwabnmccuiroeuaostetrtunthestdtaleacihelyshesnvanoeurapaaluiarnnonmmcepdtesteee-eevdrncareatotnnnmrntodsnao,staifeotrastfoqrbhnauauqtetleiutnityandlnvlecaeeii,ae.nwtsiyspstt.T.t,heyhiTlersiTeehtnm.haesoi“Teswmh“pohaeewef“arhnwqts“hohouio”w”esannhrtnaieioetlssrwnii”ii”nnttctooyyaii,,httlss
Conventionalnewsreportingdependslargely notjustanaddress,itisasetting,inwhich
andsometimesentirelyonmaterialsprovided certainthingsbecomemoreorlesspossible.
byothers(suchaspolice,governments, Theseelementsanddetailsgiveinvestigative
companies,etc.);itisfundamentallyreactive, journalism,atitsbest,apowerfulesthetic
ifnotpassive. Investigativereporting,in qualitythatreinforcesitsemotionalimpact.
grc(eoewpnnhoteirrrctaahistntegi,”ds)td.whehrpyoeungidthsitshoeonfrtemepanotretcreairl’alsledogw“anetnhiteneirrtepidartiisovere rpIoefnrpoasofruoctmuai,rnnedgetlrahy,noddutihgfiefhnevtrreweesntoptiogrrsaokttileilervlssse,imwnwoavoroyrklkvdieonhastbbohoimetteshct,oidupamrriesols-ey
Conventionalnewsreportingaimstocreate cessesandgoals. These differencesare
anobjectiveimageoftheworldasitis. detailedinthefollowingtable.Theyshouldnot
journalists mInavteesrtiiaglat-ivtehartepios,rtfiancgtsutsheastoabnjyectrievaesloynatbrluee bRaethreera,dwahsednisatinscitt,uaitriroencocncoirlraeblsepoonpdpsosmitoerse.
observerwouldagreearetrue-towardthe totheleftsideofthetable,itmeansthatthe
subjectivegoalofreformingtheworld.That reporterisdoingconventionalreporting;
investigative isnotalicensetolieinagoodcause.Itisa asthesituationshiftstowardtherightof
Inquiry: responsibility,tolearnthetruthsothatthe thetable,thereporterbeginstoactinan
for worldcanchange. investigativemanner.
Story-Basedmanual
A 8