21st Century Muckrakers

A newspaper editor describes six newsroom strategies that ensure that watchdog reporting thrives—even at news organizations where resources are limited.

With The Blade’s I-team no longer functioning, the paper’s only investigative reporter now partners with beat reporters to do watchdog stories.

‘For projects, the newspaper now typically links a lead investigative reporter with beat reporters.’

An investigative reporter creates a database of earmarks revealing the relationship between wasteful spending and political favors.

‘… investigative reporting can be just as effective at revealing why something did happen as it can be in documenting how something could happen.’

To do this investigative story, ‘we needed the total investment of our editors, our newspaper’s publisher and, in turn, Hearst Corporation executives.’

North Carolina’s leading newspapers now publish each other’s investigative work ‘as prominently as we would have had we reported them ourselves.’

‘… in this day of easily accessible data, computer expertise can be a great equalizer.’

New funding mechanisms and newsroom changes are needed if watchdog journalism is to thrive in small and midmarket news organizations.

Two reporters use quick-hit, watchdog journalism to investigate local issues—and blog about what they do.