The ABC of investigative journalism Nils Hanson,Swedish Television nils.hanson@svt.se

The ABC of investigative journalism

Nils Hanson,Swedish Television

nils.hanson@svt.se

What we want to achieve

• Reaction among general public

• Impact on other media

• Solution to the problem

Steps to reach the goal

A. Adopting tough challenges

B. Proving the wrong-doing

C. Investigating yourself

A.

Adopting tough challenges

Very important

Easy Difficult

Less important

Source: IRE Journal

Sentenced 8 years

Wrongly convicted

Very important

Easy Difficult

Less important

Yes Risky

Tempting No

Source: IRE Journal

Starting point

It is not like it is said to be

Getting on the track

Think like a corrupt person

Thanks to Ulla Danne´

The key question

What opportunities exist

to profit from the system?

Investigating systems

• How is it supposed to work - according to the rules?

• How does it work – in reality?

Where to investigate?

• Which problem is the biggest?

• Which problem is the most neglected?

• Which problem is the most upsetting?

Examining the idea

Checklist for the idea

• Title• Summary• Previously published• Minimum• Maximum• Timetable

The minimum

Good enough

to publish

The maximum

What you hope to achieve

but can not promise

Reach minimum

• Identify key facts

• Begin with the least complicated

• Secure a ”secret”

Case: Wrongly convicted

• Daughter´s school

Case: Wrongly convicted

• Daughter´s school

• Daughter´s friends

• Daddy´s work

• Stated scenes of the crime

The most important question

What is the weak link?

Hypothesis

Assumption becomes conviction

Thesis

Avoid tunnel-vision

• Seek other explanations

• Listen to the sceptical

• Examine the expert

• Question the victim

Questions to the victim

- Your own responsibility?

- Could you have done more yourself?

- Can you prove your allegations?

- Do you have anything to hide?

A common mistake

Wait too long with the

key interview

Advantage confrontating early

• Avoids unpleasant surprises

• Givs time to examine the explanation

• Easier to get the lie on record

B.

Proving the wrongdoing

Work out the method

Learn how the system works

Learn how the system works

• Routines

• Processes

• Key players

• Transparency

• Weaknesses

... and so on

Get the documents you need

- even the classified

Convince the official - step 1

• Meeting without pressure

• No interview

• Just want to know how it works

• Help with checking facts

Convince the offical – step 2

• Involve in the project

• References

• Letter of recommendation

• Examples of your work

• Agreement

The officials´ reaction

1. ”The reporter is serious”

2. ”This is important”

3. ”I want to help!”

The risky method

Using anonymous sources

Check the source

• The position of the source?• Can the information be confirmed?• Is it credible?• Does it fit in with the pattern?• Background of the source?• The motive?• Pass the”lie detector”?

• Be careful with the phone

• Don´t send email (unless encrypted)

• Use alias

• Meet at safe places

• Discuss how facts can be used

Protect the source

C.

Investigating yourself

Keep a diary

• Telephone calls

• Interviews

• Promises

• Meetings

• Ordering public documents

• Problems

• Ideas

Line by line-editing

• Is all the factual information correct?

• Are all the conclusions well founded

• Is there any essential information missing?

• Have the criticised had a chance to reply to all serious criticism?

Line-by-lining

• Mark all facts

• All correct?

• Verification through

documents

• Names, figures, quotes…

Line-by-lining

And not the least:

Are all conclusions

well founded?

The subject

•Identify all criticizm•Informed about all allegations?•Response to all?

Delicate questions

• Relevant information missing?

• Would other facts change the general picture?

• Reason to hide the selection of facts?

• Can the selection be criticized?

Beware of temptations

• Making too much of the little that is new

• Selecting facts to produce ”the right conclusion”

• Scraping together everything there is

Be patient

- have luck

svt.se/granskning

nils.hanson@svt.se

D.

Demand accountability

The key interview

• Insist on a meeting• Be careful with reservations• Start with checking the facts• Identify the key questions• Be prepared for ”message track”• Don´t forget any allegation

The subject refuses• Inform about manuscript

• Get answers elsewhere

• Hidden recording

• Make an ambush

Making breaking news

• Portion the story

• ”Plant” the story

• Send press releases

• Initiate reactions

• Plan follow-ups

The advanced method

Stage a fake situation

Hidden camera

• Major public interest

• Only one possible method

• Supplementary material from open sources

• Explanation from the target