Investigative Journalist in Houston, Texas
What are shining examples of investigative journalism? How do we keep it alive while the media industry is imploding? That’s what this blog is all about.
Ben Popken and Meg Marco at the Consumerist wrote a 3,500-word muckraking blog post examining the business practices of Cash4Gold, the company that pays “top dollar” for your unwanted gold trinkets. The company’s pitch has aired in commercials nationwide — including during the Super Bowl. Blogs are often viewed as venues that pilfer and riff … Read more
What others are saying about watchdog journalism: Steve Buttry: A great explanation by Buttry about how public data empowers journalists to write compelling, authoritative stories — yet many times, journalists aren’t seizing that opportunity. American Journalism Review: “A newspaper editor converts her investigative team into a nonprofit — with her former paper as partner and … Read more
If you were under investigation by both mainstream journalists and bloggers, who would be easier to intimidate: One single newspaper, or dozens of bloggers? Pulitzer-prize winner Alex Jones says the downfall of newspapers threatens investigative reporting, because papers have the legal muscle to shrug off threats of lawsuits. Michael Masnick at Techdirt and Tim Lee … Read more
What others are saying about watchdog journalism: Poynter: The trials, tribulations and victories of Wisconsin Watch, a nonprofit investigative organization. Temple Talk: Former Rocky Mountain News Editor John Temple continues his profiles of Pulitzer-prize winning reporters who lost their jobs in the newspaper business. Splice Today: Bill Wyman’s five-part series on why newspapers are failing.
What others are saying about watchdog journalism: Editorsweblog: Buy some reporting talent at the Journalism Shop — former L. A Times investigative journalists market themselves. The Next Web: Why Rupert Murdoch’s plan to charge for online content will benefit bloggers, not the media. Andrea James: Another bright, young reporter leaves the business. Here’s why. Knowledge … Read more
A team of journalists working for Hearst-owned newspapers and television stations across the country have spent months investigating the little-known but deadly problem of medical errors in the United States. The stories reveal that more people die every year from medical mistakes than car accidents. At the San Antonio Express-News, Database Editor Kelly Guckian analyzed … Read more
What others are saying about watchdog journalism: SF Weekly: The Hearst-owned San Francisco Chronicle has lost its last full-time investigative reporter, Lance Williams. Temple Talk: Former Rocky Mountain News Editor John Temple continues his profiles of Pulitzer-prize winning journalists who lost their jobs. Columbia Journalism Review: Bill Grueskin examines whether Gawker’s quick-hit blog posts are … Read more
What others are saying about watchdog journalism: Temple Talk: A way for newspapers to make sure others don’t unfairly profit from their work on the Web — without erecting a pay wall. San Antonio Express-News: Peggy Fikac’s interview with former Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith, who is leaving the magazine to edit a new nonprofit … Read more
Investigative Reporters and Editors is in the middle of a fundraising campaign. If you care about watchdog journalism, you might want to think about helping the cause. I first heard about IRE from Ken Dilanian, who was an investigative reporter for the San Antonio Express-News in the mid-1990s. I was a skinny dude with a … Read more
What others are saying about watchdog journalism: Reflections of a Newsosaur: Alan Mutter interviews venture capitalist John Thornton, who put up $1 million of his own money to help fund the Texas Tribune, a Web-based, nonprofit news organization that recently hired five top-notch journalists. Frank Rich: The real reason why Walter Cronkite was the most … Read more