Izzy F.Stone, journalist 1907-1989, editor I.F.Stone’s weekly: ‘Alle regeringen worden geleid door leugenaars
Izzy F.Stone, journalist 1907-1989, editor I.F.Stone’s weekly: ‘Alle regeringen worden geleid door leugenaars
Izzy F.Stone, journalist 1907-1989, editor I.F.Stone’s weekly: ‘Alle regeringen worden geleid door leugenaars
Izzy F.Stone, journalist 1907-1989, editor I.F.Stone’s weekly: ‘Alle regeringen worden geleid door leugenaars
Izzy F.Stone, journalist 1907-1989, editor I.F.Stone’s weekly: ‘Alle regeringen worden geleid door leugenaars
Izzy F.Stone, journalist 1907-1989, editor I.F.Stone’s weekly: ‘Alle regeringen worden geleid door leugenaars

KIJAC (Kosovo institute of Journalism and Communication) and investigative journalism.

First an introduction, some definitions and conditions:
Investigative journalism means the exposure of the problems of society.
Investigative journalism is an attempt to look at the hidden side of the politicians, the businessmen, the people in power.
Investigative journalism means looking for truth in an unbiased, honest way.

Journalists who are engaged in investigations, most of the times are not popular at all. Their nickname is ‘muckraker’ – a name that is also a word of honor. Investigative journalism is different, sometimes dangerous, it is expensive for the publisher – you will make a lot of enemies.
Giving priority to investigative journalism means also that you will win respect and that at the end you will be blessed with immaterial resources. So there is a world to win.

Journalists in Western and Eastern Europe have a lot in common – and of course I mean the good journalists because there is a lot of dust in the media and there are many pink flamingo’s. Too many newspapers have gone into the entertainment business, dismissing serious reporting as a luxury they can no longer afford. What joins good journalists is that
– they fight the lies of politicians
– they scrutinize governments, public services and companies
– they discover and publish information – in stead of rumor and speculation spread by politicians and decision makers
– they inform their readers and will promote free exchange of ideas.

A former well known Dutch prime minister once told me: Property corrupts, but power corrupts completely. To expose this, a society needs good and honest journalists.

You don’t hardly find an investigative reporter at the usual places, press-conferences, at the offices of the information-services or in typical bars where journalists meet to tell heroic stories. No the investigative reporter is stubborn and follows his/her own way and knows the places to find facts. He/she is a lone wolf The investigative reporter is distrustful, never believes the official spokesmen, never believes politicians. An investigative reporter has dedication, is skeptical, cynical and sometimes angry, has passion and is involved in the problems of society.
To say it in an exalted way: an investigative reporter has a firm conviction about what is wrong and what is right. He or she has a certain human love and a predominant desire for a more decent live. The investigative reporter has sympathy with the underdog and the outcasts.
Countries like Kosovo need these kind of people. Independency, democracy and participation of the people only is possible in an open en well informed society.
KIJAC certainly is able to teach the skills, to show you the possibilities, to tell you how to do research. Journalism is universal, in every country the basics are the same. But trainers can’t teach you dedication, eagerness, involvement Only if this spiritual relation exists, a training in investigative journalism will be a success.

The way I want to train/teach reporters in investigated journalism will be very practical. I like to do it on the spot. Send them out in the country, join them, assist them, stimulate them, direct them.
Most important is to find a good topic, because not every subject is ready for thorough investigation. Sometimes it will be necessary to spend days and days to find the right topic, by doing preliminary research, by turning down ideas, by pushing to come up with new ideas. Finding the good subject, students will be asked to develop a point de vue and a plan de campagne. What is the reason they want to do their specific subject? What do they have to know, understanding the subject better. Reading the good articles, reading the good books, finding specialists who teach them specific knowledge. Health? Find a specialist. Tax? Find a tax-collector. Living, social affairs, business, fraud? – idem.

Where do they have to go? What kind of registers are public? Who do they want to speak. Who do you speak first and who not. How to avoid embarrassment, how to prevent that after the first telephone call doors will be closed – so all the tricks of the trade.
If preparations are done well, students will go out in teams (I prefer a team of two) to do investigations on the spot. They have to be constantly in touch with the trainer. They will write down in a logbook every thing they find out, collected and heard. Later on information will be selected for the ultimate story.
Investigative stories need much time, weeks and months. If KIJAC plans six weeks for this special branch in journalism, it is possible that stories will stay unfinished – an always existing risk. We have to push students keep working on their subjects, also later on. Part of the work of the trainer is also to get in touch with the newspapers in Kosovo, to find ways to publish the stories of the students. When all the investigation have been done, selecting of the information and writing of the story(s) is another complicated part of the job. How to compose a thrilling story? Because after all this laborious, intensive and exciting work, readers have to read the story with eagerness.

Rudie van Meurs
Herwijnen
10 april 2006 First an introduction, some definitions and conditions:
Investigative journalism means the exposure of the problems of society.
Investigative journalism is an attempt to look at the hidden side of the politicians, the businessmen, the people in power.
Investigative journalism means looking for truth in an unbiased, honest way.

Journalists who are engaged in investigations, most of the times are not popular at all. Their nickname is ‘muckraker’ – a name that is also a word of honor. Investigative journalism is different, sometimes dangerous, it is expensive for the publisher – you will make a lot of enemies.
Giving priority to investigative journalism means also that you will win respect and that at the end you will be blessed with immaterial resources. So there is a world to win.

Journalists in Western and Eastern Europe have a lot in common – and of course I mean the good journalists because there is a lot of dust in the media and there are many pink flamingo’s. Too many newspapers have gone into the entertainment business, dismissing serious reporting as a luxury they can no longer afford. What joins good journalists is that
– they fight the lies of politicians
– they scrutinize governments, public services and companies
– they discover and publish information – in stead of rumor and speculation spread by politicians and decision makers
– they inform their readers and will promote free exchange of ideas.

A former well known Dutch prime minister once told me: Property corrupts, but power corrupts completely. To expose this, a society needs good and honest journalists.

You don’t hardly find an investigative reporter at the usual places, press-conferences, at the offices of the information-services or in typical bars where journalists meet to tell heroic stories. No the investigative reporter is stubborn and follows his/her own way and knows the places to find facts. He/she is a lone wolf The investigative reporter is distrustful, never believes the official spokesmen, never believes politicians. An investigative reporter has dedication, is skeptical, cynical and sometimes angry, has passion and is involved in the problems of society.
To say it in an exalted way: an investigative reporter has a firm conviction about what is wrong and what is right. He or she has a certain human love and a predominant desire for a more decent live. The investigative reporter has sympathy with the underdog and the outcasts.
Countries like Kosovo need these kind of people. Independency, democracy and participation of the people only is possible in an open en well informed society.
KIJAC certainly is able to teach the skills, to show you the possibilities, to tell you how to do research. Journalism is universal, in every country the basics are the same. But trainers can’t teach you dedication, eagerness, involvement Only if this spiritual relation exists, a training in investigative journalism will be a success.

The way I want to train/teach reporters in investigated journalism will be very practical. I like to do it on the spot. Send them out in the country, join them, assist them, stimulate them, direct them.
Most important is to find a good topic, because not every subject is ready for thorough investigation. Sometimes it will be necessary to spend days and days to find the right topic, by doing preliminary research, by turning down ideas, by pushing to come up with new ideas. Finding the good subject, students will be asked to develop a point de vue and a plan de campagne. What is the reason they want to do their specific subject? What do they have to know, understanding the subject better. Reading the good articles, reading the good books, finding specialists who teach them specific knowledge. Health? Find a specialist. Tax? Find a tax-collector. Living, social affairs, business, fraud? – idem.

Where do they have to go? What kind of registers are public? Who do they want to speak. Who do you speak first and who not. How to avoid embarrassment, how to prevent that after the first telephone call doors will be closed – so all the tricks of the trade.
If preparations are done well, students will go out in teams (I prefer a team of two) to do investigations on the spot. They have to be constantly in touch with the trainer. They will write down in a logbook every thing they find out, collected and heard. Later on information will be selected for the ultimate story.
Investigative stories need much time, weeks and months. If KIJAC plans six weeks for this special branch in journalism, it is possible that stories will stay unfinished – an always existing risk. We have to push students keep working on their subjects, also later on. Part of the work of the trainer is also to get in touch with the newspapers in Kosovo, to find ways to publish the stories of the students. When all the investigation have been done, selecting of the information and writing of the story(s) is another complicated part of the job. How to compose a thrilling story? Because after all this laborious, intensive and exciting work, readers have to read the story with eagerness.

Rudie van Meurs
Herwijnen
10 april 2006

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