ENG 251: Journalism - Marcus

We pursue research, investigations, reporting and analysis which is of public benefit by undertaking in depth research into the governance of public, private and third sector organisations and their influence. Our aim is to help educate the public about the realities of power in today’s world. We are particularly concerned with the undermining of democratic processes and failures to accord with fair, legal and transparent practices. We believe that the public needs to be provided with the knowledge and facts about the way in which important institutions in our society operate, so that they can be fully informed citizens, and that this is indispensable to democracy. Based at City University London, the Bureau works in collaboration with other groups to get its investigations published and distributed. Since its foundation the Bureau has worked with BBC File On Four, BBC Panorama, BBC Newsnight, Channel 4 Dispatches, Channel 4 News, al Jazeera English, the Independent, the Financial Times, the Daily Telegraph, the Sunday Times, Le Monde, Mediapart, the Guardian, the Observer and the Daily Mirror. We make our work freely available under a Creative Commons licence.

The CIJ provides and facilitates the education of the public and the community in the craft, culture and methodology of journalism, for the benefit of public integrity, accountability and an informed body politic. To achieve this, we provide a centre of excellence in practical expertise and in-depth research resources for journalists, researchers, non-governmental organisations, graduate students and others interested in high standards of factual accuracy, fairness, ethics and professionalism. Through public fora, the provision of educational resources in history, politics, economics, health and environmental protection, government and the publication and dissemination of educational material, lectures, research, and hands-on training the CIJ assists journalism educational programmes across the UK and abroad. The CIJ offers particular assistance to those working in difficult environments where freedom of the press is under threat and where reporting can be a dangerous occupation. The founders and directors of the CIJ are motivated by a strong commitment to the principles of social justice, human rights, whistleblowing and the protection of the environment.

Founded in 1997 by the respected American journalist Chuck Lewis, ICIJ was launched as a project of the Center for Public Integrity to extend the Center’s style of watchdog journalism, focusing on issues that do not stop at national frontiers: cross-border crime, corruption, and the accountability of power. Backed by the Center and its computer-assisted reporting specialists, public records experts, fact-checkers and lawyers, ICIJ reporters and editors provide real-time resources and state-of-the-art tools and techniques to journalists around the world.

Our work focuses exclusively on truly important stories, stories with “moral force.” We do this by producing journalism that shines a light on exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those with power to vindicate the trust placed in them. Investigative journalism is at risk. Many news organizations have increasingly come to see it as a luxury. Today’s investigative reporters lack resources: Time and budget constraints are curbing the ability of journalists not specifically designated “investigative” to do this kind of reporting in addition to their regular beats. New models are, therefore, necessary to carry forward some of the great work of journalism in the public interest that is such an integral part of self-government, and thus an important bulwark of our democracy. ProPublica was founded by Paul Steiger, the former managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. It is now led by Stephen Engelberg, a former managing editor of The Oregonian and former investigative editor of The New York Times, and Richard Tofel, the former assistant publisher of The Wall Street Journal. ProPublica is headquartered in Manhattan. Its establishment was announced in October 2007. Operations commenced in January 2008, and publishing began in June 2008.

CIR is among the most innovative, credible and relevant media organizations in the country. Reveal – our website, public radio program, podcast and social media platform – is where we publish our multiplatform work. Our award-winning journalists hold the powerful accountable and reveal government fraud and waste of taxpayer funds, human rights violations, environmental degradation and threats to public safety. We consistently shine a bright light on injustice and protect the most vulnerable in our society. From the San Francisco Bay Area epicenter of technological and creative innovation, our reporting ignites real-world change as evidenced by civil and criminal investigations, new laws and policies, the instigation of public discourse and solutions-oriented community action. Founded in 1977, CIR is nationally respected for setting the highest journalistic standards, and for our signature approach to investigative reporting and collaboration. We partner with numerous other media organizations, prioritize impact over exclusivity, engage with the public and track results. To reach a broad and diverse audience worldwide, we publish our stories online, as well as for print, television, radio/audio, video and live events.