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🙋‍♀️ How do you define an effective investigative reporter?

An effective investigative reporter questions conventional wisdom and is humble enough to accept that they don’t know what they don’t know. They can spot a story, ask the right questions and pursue the answers with rigor. They are curious, courageous and dogged, willing to push through discomfort and rejection. They come to comprehend the tiny universe they are exploring so well, they wind up schooling the experts on it. They convey their findings with authority -- boldly, carefully, precisely. They’re fair, open to the full truth at all times. Their pursuit of impact doesn’t start after publication; it starts from the very beginning of their reporting process.

🙋‍♀️ Part of the program’s outcomes is learning how to ask the right questions. How did you develop this skill?

Investigative reporting is a well-worn path, and though the specifics change with each story, the elements are largely the same: There is a problem. It’s leading to preventable harm. Someone or something is to blame. You ask questions to understand the mechanics of the problem and what needs to happen to remedy it. I first learned how to navigate this process by leaning on editors and colleagues who had gone through it before me. I read a lot of great work, reported investigations of my own and then began to lead them as an editor. Every investigation is a chance to learn something new, like a better way to find information or secure access to a source. I’ve been a journalist for 20 years and am learning as much today as I did on day one. 

🙋‍♀️ Which part of the curriculum has the biggest impact on participants?

In the first session, I teach a simple, but extremely effective way to spot investigative opportunities. Once you learn it, you start to see potential investigations all around you. We’ll practice this in the first homework assignment so I can make sure everyone has it nailed down. 

🙋‍♀️ Can you give our readers your three short, actionable tips to enrich their work?
 

• Don’t wait too long to engage with the so-called target of your reporting. The fear that they will successfully sabotage your investigation is often overblown. The risk of missing out on their valuable perspective is far more dangerous.
• Treat source-building like an investment portfolio. Assemble a diverse assortment of folks, especially those who have eyes and ears in places where you don’t. And hold onto them for the long term. A source you make today could give you a blockbuster two years or two decades into the future. I’ll share the stories that prove that.
• Public records are essential, but just a start. Strive to get private records and land interviews far beyond those most willing to talk with you. I’ll help you learn how.

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