Secrets of the Masters
'If money is your object, journalism is the wrong industry'
Swedish investigative reporter Fredrik Laurin knows that power corrupts, but also that resistance in the form of journalism can have effect. In this Q&A he shares how his team identifies good investigative stories, and the value of constant networking. Tags:

Find subjects where you can break new ground. Record key interviews on video or audio. And remember that a lot of your own faults can be overcome by sheer reporting effort. Stellar tips for investigative reporting from award-winning author and journalist Thomas Maier.
The Guardian's investigations editor lists the essential skills to get a journalism job, discusses the mindset required, and shares the most important lesson he's learned over the years.
The riches contained in this questionnaire with multi-award-winning investigative journalist Michael Bilton rival the wealth of his decades-long output at the London Sunday Times and as a documentary film-maker.
Read on to learn details about his research methodology, and why a significant investment of time is the most critical component of each investigative report.
Maud Beelman, founding director of ICIJ and now deputy managing editor for investigations and enterprise at The Dallas Morning News, has a strategic four-part checklist which helps her prioritize which stories to go after. She shares them here, as well as the most important lessons learned over the years, and how to make the most of the limited time and resources you are given.
Never go up against defenseless people. Never lie to your sources. Use the "two-step" approach when questioning. Investigative reporting techniques and journalism's moral code according to Portugal's "troublemaker" Rui Araujo.
Bulgarian investigative journalist and author Alexenia Dimitrova reveals how she uses Freedom of Information laws in several countries to uncover hidden secrets of the Cold War, how the imprisonment of her father spurred her on, and the rewards of patience.
New York-based Jenny Nordberg discusses how she applies knowledge of human behavior to her interviews, the thrill of finding disturbing things just under the surface, the pretentiousness of the term ‘investigative journalist’, and how global networks like the ICIJ help expose "juicy" stories.
Colombian ICIJ member Carlos Eduardo Huertas talks about the traits of a good investigative journalist, his experience with Wikileaks and why tackling the big, important themes – and sticking to them – matters.