Watchdogs, Not Lap Dogs: Editors at ASNE Highlight Need for Probes
By Joe Strupp
Thursday, April 27 2006
Thursday, April 27 2006
Published on AllBusiness.com
As managing editor of The Seattle Times and president of Investigative Reporters and Editors, David Boardman is well-situated to see the inherent friction that can occur between reporters who want to dig into big investigative projects, and editors who may not have the resources.
Still, the longtime IRE leader declared that such in-depth work needs to continue and urged both those who do the writing and the ones who direct them to make such efforts feasible.
"Watchdog reporting is hard, it costs money and takes energy," Boardman told a roomful of editors Thursday during the American Society of Newspaper Editors conference here. "Why should we do investigative reporting? First of all, it is our responsibility." Then, in a dig at the growing Web news outlets, he added, "You're not going to see Bill Gates do it or the bathrobe-wearing bloggers."
He also cited the opportunity in this country to do such work, compared to those in more-repressed societies. "Journalists around the world are dying for the right to do it," he said. "And for us not to is unconscionable."
With that opening shot, Boardman went on to explain that investigative reporting is not only essential, but more easily done than some might think. While admitting that costs and resources can run high for some projects, he stressed that the right organizing can make them more feasible.
"Nothing gets more response from readers than investigative reporting," Boardman contended. "It is the future, especially for newspapers in the cacophony of content providers." He pointed out that a newspaper with good investigative efforts can lure the best reporters who want to work on such projects. "We don't do it for awards, but it doesn't hurt, especially in recruitment," he said. "They know about our newspaper because of the investigative reporting."
Boardman explained that, in his newsroom, the best reporting begins with street-level beat reporters snooping for ideas, especially through public records. "They start with questions to which they don't have answers," he said. "They tell readers something that those in power don't want them to tell."
He then brought in three editors from newspapers that have drawn praise in the past year for a variety of news stories that resulted from extensive investigative planning and execution. Each offered their story of taking the investigative approach to different outcomes.
Mark Katches, a senior team leader of the Orange County Register, said his paper won a Pulitzer for fertility fraud in 1996, among other acclaimed probes, but decided to expand in this direction even more in 2001, creating an eight-person investigative unit. But Katches said the unit has reporters in each news
Still, the longtime IRE leader declared that such in-depth work needs to continue and urged both those who do the writing and the ones who direct them to make such efforts feasible.
"Watchdog reporting is hard, it costs money and takes energy," Boardman told a roomful of editors Thursday during the American Society of Newspaper Editors conference here. "Why should we do investigative reporting? First of all, it is our responsibility." Then, in a dig at the growing Web news outlets, he added, "You're not going to see Bill Gates do it or the bathrobe-wearing bloggers."
He also cited the opportunity in this country to do such work, compared to those in more-repressed societies. "Journalists around the world are dying for the right to do it," he said. "And for us not to is unconscionable."
With that opening shot, Boardman went on to explain that investigative reporting is not only essential, but more easily done than some might think. While admitting that costs and resources can run high for some projects, he stressed that the right organizing can make them more feasible.
"Nothing gets more response from readers than investigative reporting," Boardman contended. "It is the future, especially for newspapers in the cacophony of content providers." He pointed out that a newspaper with good investigative efforts can lure the best reporters who want to work on such projects. "We don't do it for awards, but it doesn't hurt, especially in recruitment," he said. "They know about our newspaper because of the investigative reporting."
Boardman explained that, in his newsroom, the best reporting begins with street-level beat reporters snooping for ideas, especially through public records. "They start with questions to which they don't have answers," he said. "They tell readers something that those in power don't want them to tell."
He then brought in three editors from newspapers that have drawn praise in the past year for a variety of news stories that resulted from extensive investigative planning and execution. Each offered their story of taking the investigative approach to different outcomes.
Mark Katches, a senior team leader of the Orange County Register, said his paper won a Pulitzer for fertility fraud in 1996, among other acclaimed probes, but decided to expand in this direction even more in 2001, creating an eight-person investigative unit. But Katches said the unit has reporters in each news
