Secrets of the masters
'Connect with everyone, even the devil'
Swedish investigative reporter Fredrik Laurin knows that power corrupts, but also that resistance in the form of journalism can have effect. Tags:
ICIJ Members
Swedish investigative reporter Fredrik Laurin knows that power corrupts, but also that resistance in the form of journalism can have effect. Secrets of the masters
Is Public Indifference the Biggest Threat to Investigative Reporting?
Strong words in defence of dedicated journalists, and unbeatable tips for investigative reporters young and old, from ICIJ's award-winning Thomas Maier. Tags:
Secrets of the masters
'Be Prepared To Be Disliked'
The Guardian's investigations editor lists the essential skills to get a journalism job, and the most important lesson he's learned over the years. Tags:
Spain and Portugal
Investigative Journalism: Why the Crisis?
Investigative journalism is not glamorous. It's hard work and mostly boring. But that's not why it's in crisis. Tags:
Recommended reads
Top New Long-form Investigative Books of 2012
Whatever the state of the news media, long-form investigative journalism is finding a home in published books. Here are some of the best recent reads around, all by ICIJ journalists. Tags:
Beating the spin-doctors
Investigative Journalism in the Age of Media Meltdown
Societies become susceptible to organized manipulation when commercial media organizations cut resources for journalism, argues ICIJ's sole New Zealand member. Tags:
Secrets of the masters
‘Until you know the right questions to ask, you can never get to the truth’
Why a significant investment of time is the most critical component of each investigative report. Tags:
Why do we practice journalism?
An Investigative Reporting Manifesto
Carlos Dada investigates corruption in one of the deadliest regions of the world for independent journalists: Central America. In his Anna Politkovskaya Award acceptance speech he questions the role of the journalist and why we practice in such risky environments.
Secrets of the masters
‘Don’t get lured into journalistic group think’
Maud Beelman shares how investigative reporters can make the most of limited time and resources using a four-part checklist to help prioritize which stories to go after. Tags:
Secrets of the masters
'There Are No Bad Sources, Only Incompetent Reporters'
There is no democracy without efficient institutions and too many journalists passively accept this, says Portuguese investigative journalist and "troublemaker" Rui Araujo. Tags:
We're expanding
ICIJ Welcomes Four New Members
They are four independent investigative journalists in three continents, all women, doing the painstaking, unglamorous and often dangerous work of following the paper trails, finding the patterns and asking the questions others ignore. Tags:
Secrets of the masters
Advice to Reporters: 'Be Inventive and Patient'
Bulgarian investigative journalist Alexenia Dimitrova reveals how she uses Freedom of Information laws in several countries to uncover secrets.
Tags:
ICIJ Members
How to Write a History of Something Secret
Tips for writing about espionage and military intelligence, from the authors of the explosive new book which asserts Israel killed five Iranian nuclear scientists. Education
We’re Pioneering a Masters of Investigative Journalism in Spain
There is no watchdog culture in Spanish newsrooms, nor even a Freedom of Information Act. Now a group of journalists will train a new generation to investigate corruption. Spy novel style
Creating an Investigative Reporting Best-Seller
Update October 8: Blaž Zgaga and Matej Surc have won the CEI SEEMO Award for Outstanding Merits in Investigative Journalism 2012 for their investigative work on arms dealing in former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, which led to the bestselling trilogy In the Name of the State. Read more about Creating an Investigative Reporting Best-Seller
Tags:
About our journalists
Who are ICIJ’s Members?
A look at the data on ICIJ's 158 member journalists: which part of world they work in, where they work, and the gender ratio of our membership. Read more about Who are ICIJ’s Members?
Tags:
Reporter's notebook
How We Found Oscar's Story
ICIJ member Ana Arana talks about the reporting process behind the six-month investigation about a Guatemalan tragedy published by ProPublica, Fundacion MEPI and This American Life. Read more about How We Found Oscar's Story
Secrets of the masters
It Pays To Look Beyond So-Called ‘Experts’ in the Field
Experts can be bought by powerful interests, which is why New York-based Jenny Nordberg has learned to look past their opinions when reporting. Read more about It Pays To Look Beyond So-Called ‘Experts’ in the Field
Tags:
Report prompts defence raids
India’s Military Officials Profit from Land Scam
ICIJ member Syed Nazakat reveals how India’s defence ministry has lost over 12,300 acres to land sharks - and military officials.
Tags:
Lessons from the field
‘Know Who You’re Working For and Why You’re Working’
Carlos Eduardo Huertas, investigations editor at Colombia’s Semana magazine, talks about the traits of a good investigative journalist, and why it is essential to stick on a story.
What do you consider some of the most important lessons you have learned over the years? Read more about ‘Know Who You’re Working For and Why You’re Working’
Tags:
ICIJ Members
Reber Joins CIR as Senior Editor
ICIJ member Susanne Reber has been named senior coordinating editor for multiplatform projects and investigations at the Center for Investigative Reporting. Reber left NPR last week where she had been deputy managing editor for investigations. Read more about Reber Joins CIR as Senior Editor
Tags:
Exploiting the statute of limitations
Criminal Justice, Italian-Style
Leo Sisti’s new book delves into the mysteries of Italian criminal trials and finds that 23 years after the new code of criminal procedure was enforced, the result has been disastrous.
Tags:
Lessons from a hack
How To Be a Great Investigative Journalist
The first thing to keep in mind about investigative journalism is that it’s not glamorous. (We can blame television with its “undercover” reporters and “hidden cameras” for this mistaken image.) It’s actually hard, and often boring work.
Tags:
ICIJ Members
Interviews With Two ICIJ Greats
Investigating Power is a new online multimedia project from ICIJ founder Chuck Lewis, reporting on and interviewing some of America’s best journalists about the craft of investigative journalism - including ICIJ's very own Bill Kovach and Florence Graves.
Tags:
Reporter's notebook
Why I care about a bony fish with oddly shaped fins
Looting the Seas III project manager Mort Rosenblum talks about his experience reporting the story for ICIJ and BBC World News with a multi-country team.
ICIJ Member Stories
Finding the victims of surveillance
Behind the groundbreaking expose by Swedish ICIJ members Sven Bergman, Joachim Dyfvermark and Fredrik Laurin on the cooperation between Swedish-Finnish telecommunications company Teliasonera and oppressive regimes in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Tags:
At war with WikiLeaks
I scooped Julian Assange, now I’m on his enemy list
A few weeks ago I awoke to find out that from a professional journalist I had overnight turned into an "information mule".
Tags:
Media moguls
A St Patrick’s Day prank on Irish investigative journalism
Ireland’s most powerful politician and one of its wealthiest oligarchs were ringing the New York Stock Exchange bell on Ireland Day, the Monday after St Patrick’s Day. Read more about A St Patrick’s Day prank on Irish investigative journalism
Stay Informed
Subscribe to our email newsletter and be the first to view our ground-breaking investigations and multimedia.
Transparency
The ICIJ is dedicated to ensuring all reports we publish are accurate. If you believe you have found an inaccuracy let us know.
Support Our Work
Independent, fearless investigative journalism is expensive and ICIJ relies on your support.
Please consider becoming a sponsor.