The invaluable Palast-level NYT investigative reporter David Cay Johnston was nice enough to reply to my email about the crisis in investigative journalism, writing, "You ought to look more deeply -- there is actually far more investigative reporting going on today than, say, 30 years ago. Look at the massive library of material at www.ire.org for example." As with one of our mystery reporters (the nicer one), I don't disagree (though I was surprised). Essentially, my email exchanges with these reporters reveal that, while we basically agree on much of what's wrong and what isn't being reported, they're coming from the view that American journalism is hamstrung by corporate beancounters and the hunger for access (etc.) whereas I'm of the view of a consumer: I want the news reported, and in the past year it's become blindingly clear that 80% of the biggest, most documented stories don't make it to American shores, esp. on TV. Europe? They know. That's why they think we're insane. The recent non-coverage of the War on Lebanon is a perfect example. Watching US TV news, you'd loathe Hizbollah and worry for Israel. The rest of the world thought the opposite, and for good reason: They actually get the news.
Anyway, per Johnston's advice, check out ire.org.
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