refLECTURE XI: "Pants Down"

Journalism as a desk job... nope. That doesn't sit right pun intended. Journalism is seen as a somewhat observational career, but there's only so much detail you can get from the 17th storey of a corporate tower in the CBD. We need to be amongst it, we need to talk to people. Then we have a story, or possibly even more...

Say investigative journalism and this is what springs to mind:

Something 'Sherlock Holmes-esque'. But I now know it's far less glamourous. And so now when I think 'investigative journalism', thanks to Robert Scheer, all that comes to mind is 'pants down'. 

'What passes for investigative journalism is finding somebody with their pants down- literally or otherwise'

What is journalism that isn't 'investigative'? Regurgitative journalism? PR driven churnalism. I've never really understood why investigative journalism is such a niche. Isn't all journalism supposed to involve questioning the facts and opinions presented to us? Apparently not. This is left to a select few who possess the 'in's' of investigative journalism.

 You have to be intelligent. Aware of task, and what must be done to get there. Have 'journalism smarts' in addition to street and legal 'smarts'. Be well informed. Know all the background facts, know the major players in the story, events and people. Be familiar with the 'big picture' but have an eye for the detail. This goes hand in hand with intuition. The ability to recognise spin, and how to deal with those throwing it out there. It's often a gut reaction. But don't let your intuition affect how your ability of getting inside the story. This only comes from building trust with those involved. Intimate relationships, used in the loosest sense of the word, are key to finding the truth. But all of this is pointless unless you are willing to invest... completely. Time, money, relationships. Are they worth the story?

We NEED investigative journalism. Well... according to me. There's a need for 'active intervention' upon society's most influential. A need to question what we're told. A need to expose any wrongdoings. There's a need for a 'watchdog', a need for a 'fourth estate'. It's in the public interest. The Age, award-winning journalist Liz Minchin puts it rather simply:

'Failing to provide such coverage only encourages ignorance, and paves the way for a society where there is no sense of common interest, and therefore little need to pay attention to the general news of the world.'

And yet investigative journalism gets pushed aside as lifestyle and entertainment 'journalism' receive more coverage. Blame the public, this is what sells. And while reducing investigative journalism in many major media corporations may address the issue of short-term belt tightening, it threatens the long-term future.

But I'm afraid my biggest fear is much more immediate. It's no secret that Australian commercial television lacks in the 'investigative' (and also 'journalism') part of investigative journalism. But with all their 'exclusive studies and investigations' I can't help but shudder at the standard. Today Tonight... A Current Affair... really Australia? Is this the face of Australian investigative journalism?