Investigative journalism is truly and irrevocably intimidating
but interesting at the same time. All the President’s Men depicts that
investigative journalism is a cat and
mouse chase. It is a crucial step by step process that have to be made against all odds.
The Watergate scandal showed the importance of investigative
journalism in uncovering controversies. Journalism has been viewed as the “watchdog”
of the government. It doesn’t report what was underneath the respectable
throne. Shifting into a different paradigm, investigative journalism has taken
journalism into a whole new level. Mainly, it doesn’t make the authority
heroes. IJ levels the hierarchy by showing people that the higher ups aren’t
clean as they look like.
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein had the time of their life
during the term of President Nixon. Who would have thought that their report
could spark a massive fire? Woodward was portrayed as a newbie journalist who
was hungry for details and has a lot of connections. Bernstein was portrayed as
a skilled writer who will do anything to grasp vital information. Together,
they make such a great team.
As an investigative journalist, it is given that you should
have an intense curiosity that leads you to endless discoveries. The
questioning doesn’t stop until you get to the very end. Investigative
journalists are known as nosy little rascals. They follow people around and
convince them over and over again until they (sources) spill something out. At
times like that, life could be at risk. An investigative journalist is brave
enough to pursue a witness and knows how to find his/her way out. Connections and
sources would build an investigative story; there should always be a thorough
investigation from contacts to what actually took place. Consistency,
curiosity, eagerness: attitudes that makes up a good investigative journalist.
In exchange of information, an investigative
journalist must protect his/her sources. It isn’t just about the writer’s sake.
Everyone who has given out information is part of his/her responsibility. However,
making people (readers) believe in the story is a bit tricky. People wouldn’t buy
statements from unknown sources especially when the authority denies all of
them.
Investigative journalism is like a research. You can’t
verify something until you can prove it with facts. But if you can’t, then it
doesn’t make sense. Verifying facts is a trial and error method and, of course,
assuming a little can lead you to somewhere. Scratching the surface isn’t
investigative journalism. Investigative journalism unwraps the whole thing and
connects pieces of information to reveal the bigger picture/the truth. It presents
all sides, picks out the highlights, emphasizes the controversy, solves the
problem and presents the truth.
Investigative journalism- a kind of investigation presented
publicly so that people would know what really happened; a tool that initiates
further uncovering and resolving scandals/issues/story. That makes it intimidating. The interesting part is the impact of investigative journalism. It gives people the power over authority.
