21st Century Muckrakers

Watchdogging Public Corruption: A Newspaper Unearths Patterns of Costly Abuse

‘These are tumultuous and frightening times for newspapers, but this kind of reporting is what we do best.’

Rotting Meat, Security Documents, and Corporal Punishment

A local Chicago investigative reporter uses shoe-leather techniques and digital tools to uncover health and safety violations and be sure the news is widely spread.

Reporting Time and Resources Reveal a Hidden Source of Pollution

‘In many cases I had the budget to take chances and to not take no for an answer.’

Investigating Health and Safety Issues—As Scientists Would

The Chicago Tribune paid to have state-of-the-art testing done on products people eat and use and the results provided ‘clear reporting entry points into what are complex topics.’

Navigating Through the Biofuels Jungle

‘Given my years of energy reporting in California, I could spot several warning signs early on; others took additional reporting to uncover.’

21st Century Muckrakers: Introduction

Fatima Tlisova witnessed the injustice of villagers being poisoned by pollution from a nuclear lab nearby; she reported their story in a place where journalists risk their lives for sharing…

Going to Where the Fish Are Disappearing

Investigative reporters in Sweden set out to tell the story of why and how illegal fishing of cod was happening—and what it meant to consumers and businesses in their country.

Filling a Local Void: J-School Students Tackle Watchdog Reporting

‘Those of us who have been investigative reporters have a responsibility to ensure that local watchdogging remains robust in our industry.’

The Challenges and Opportunities of 21st Century Muckraking

The articles about public health, safety and trust in this issue of Nieman Reports are a reminder of the essential role that watchdog reporting plays in our lives. Contemporary exposés…

Pouring Meaning Into Numbers

In using EPA data, USA Today’s watchdog project empowered ‘parents to learn about the types and sources of chemicals that might be in the air near their child’s school.’