The early bird deadline for 
Promotions and new staff strengthen IRE
(September 4, 2025) — One of Hollywood’s most celebrated stars will join a parade of journalism legends in New York this month for the Investigative Reporters and Editors 50th Anniversary Gala, honoring five decades of grit, guts and glory. Michael Keaton, acclaimed actor, director and press freedom advocate, will receive IRE’s first Champion of Investigative…
Read More(Sept. 2, 2025) — IRE Training Director Adam Rhodes will take over editing The IRE Journal, Investigative Reporter and Editors’ online publication offering stories about investigative journalism, blueprints for award-winning work, useful tips for accessing public records and much more. “I’m excited to take the helm of the publication for so many reasons, but two…
Read MoreBy Doug Meigs In towering all-caps, a 1972 Omaha Sun headline proclaimed: “BOYS TOWN: AMERICA’S WEALTHIEST CITY?” followed by a biblical quote: “‘Give an account of thy stewardship…’ (Luke, 16)” So began an eight-page broadsheet investigation into the murky finances of Boys Town, an esteemed charitable institution that Father Edward J. Flanagan (now on the…
Read MoreThe rise, fall and (possible) resurgence of FOIA audits By Jordan P. Hickey, independent journalist On Aug. 23, 1999, just after 8 a.m., regional supervisors for the Arkansas Health Department started getting phone calls from county health officials. Not exactly the most breaking news of the day, but what set those calls apart was…
Read More(July 31, 2025) — Investigative Reporters and Editors is pleased to announce Academy Award-nominee Michael Keaton, star of “Spotlight” and “The Paper,” will receive the Champion of Investigative Journalism Award at IRE’s 50th Anniversary Gala in September. The gala, IRE’s first fundraiser of its kind, will be an entertaining evening of good food and fun…
Read MoreBy Silas Tsang, WTOL-TV There is a new effort to document the oral history of investigative journalism around the world. It’s the brainchild of investigative reporter Adiel Kaplan at Columbia Journalism School. The goal of her project is to preserve key perspectives on how the methods and tools of accountability reporting spread globally since the…
Read MoreInvestigative Reporters and Editors will be working with Internet Archive and Poynter Institute on a program to archive and preserve local news, thanks to funding from Press Forward, a national initiative to reimagine local news.
Read MoreRocío Gallegos es directora editorial y co-fundadora del portal de noticias de investigación La Verdad que ella ayudó a formar en 2018 con el fin de combatir la censura y el control de información del gobierno de México dirigidos a medios locales de noticias.
Read MoreBy IRE staff Editor’s note: Legendary journalist James B. Steele was one of the first to join IRE after it started in 1975 and has stayed active throughout the years in the organization, serving as a mentor for countless young journalists and participating in dozens of conference sessions, among other roles. A former contributing editor at…
Read MoreLegendary journalist Jim Steele delivered the keynote address at the IRE25 Awards Luncheon in New Orleans, celebrating the organization’s 50th anniversary. This is a complete, unredacted version of his speech.
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