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Eroding protection of whistleblowers, lure of "cheap sensationalism" threaten investigative journalism, experts say
Investigative journalism may be experiencing a golden age following the exploits of Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who blew the whistle on the U.S. government's mass surveillance programmes, and Julian Assange, who used his WikiLeaks website to publish secret U.S. diplomatic cables.
However, the eroding protection of whistleblowers and increasing surveillance of information threaten journalists' ability to expose wrongdoing.
This was the message from a panel of reporters and academics at an Oxford University debate on Monday.
Anya Schiffrin, director of the International Media and Communications programme at Columbia University, also warned that investigative reporting was often ignored in favour of "cheap, sensationalist journalism".
Along with Dr David Levy, director of Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, and Professor Ngaire Woods, dean of Blavatnik School of Government, Schiffrin was speaking following the launch of her book "Global Muckraking: 100 Years of Investigative Journalism From Around the World".
The book is an anthology of exposés from developing countries stretching back to the 19th century, but the discussion came at a time when investigative journalism in Britain is under threat.
Last week, a British government watchdog ordered police forces across the country to reveal whether they had used their surveillance powers under controversial anti-terror laws to identify journalists' sources.
According to local media reports, London Metropolitan police used the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) to obtain telephone records of journalists at The Sun newspaper in connection with the "Plebgate" inquiry, which saw cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell lose his job after a row with police in Downing Street.
Sir Paul Kennedy, the government's interception of communications commissioner, said he was launching an inquiry into how police had used the RIPA to obtain telephone records and trace reporters' confidential sources.
Kennedy has urged Home Office ministers to accelerate the introduction of promised protections for journalists, lawyers and others who handle privileged information from such police surveillance operations.
"BATTLE FOR ATTENTION"
In spite of this surveillance threat, Schiffrin said investigative reporting was in good shape and praised the "incredible amount" of campaigning journalism in recent years.
"So many journalists in the past were jailed, repressed and censored that it could take a decade for their work to be read and make an impact," Schiffrin said.
"Today, investigative journalism is in a golden age, as the wealth of data and information available online today means it is much harder to keep corruption and abuse secret."
However, she conceded it was not always possible for investigative journalism to bring about change.
"It's often a question of political and economic structures, not data and information," Schiffrin added.
Levy said modern journalists needed new skills, such as interpreting company accounts and understanding large amounts of data, to expose wrongdoing and engage readers in a "battle for attention."
"It's easier to get the message out today, but when there's so much noise, how do you get noticed?" Levy asked.
"People are getting tired of too much bad news, so journalists must decide between looking for the connection with what the reader knows and cares about, or presenting something new and emphasising the unknown."
Considering the future of investigative journalism, Schiffrin said there was hope for developing countries as technology improves and audiences grow.
"Take Singapore and Vietnam for example. In these countries, the state has a long history of media control, but journalists and activists are working by day and blogging about wrongdoing and corruption at night," Schiffrin told the Thomson Reuters Foundation following the event.
"As more and more voices are heard, investigative journalism will continue to have a bigger impact globally."
(Editing by Katie Nguyen)
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