IRE News
Where to begin if you’re learning to code
Last weekend IRE hosted a new bootcamp for journalists to learn web scraping and programming in Python. IRE offers workshops like this often — check our events and training page for opportunities to learn new data skills. But if you were unable to make a bootcamp or just can’t wait until NICAR14 to start learning, here are some resources to help…
Read MoreNew digital book on future of journalism doubles as classroom tool
The Knight Foundation has published a new book titled “Searchlights and Sunglasses: Field Notes from the Digital Age of Journalism,” which looks at the challenges facing journalism and includes essays on investigative reporting. Written by Eric Newton of the Knight Foundation, the text is intended to double as a tool for journalism educators, with more…
Read MoreGoogle Hangout: Investigating on the sports beat
On Wednesday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, IRE hosted a Google Hangout on sports investigations. Drawing on the issues presented in the latest IRE Journal, the discussion will focus on the need for investigative reporting in local sports, techniques for finding stories and balancing investigative work with beat reporting. Particpants included: Moderator: Kevin Blackistone, University…
Read MoreGoogle Hangout tomorrow: Investigating on the sports beat
Join IRE on a Google+ Hangout for a discussion on investigating local sports, Wednesday at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Kevin Blackistone, University of Maryland professor and frequent ESPN panelist, will moderate a discussion including: Eric Prisbell, National College Basketball Writer at USA Today Amy Shipley, Reporter at the South Florida Sun Sentinel Scott Reid, Reporter…
Read MoreBehind the Story: Two Cleveland reporters raise the issue of rape kits that sat untested for 20 years
Rachel Dissell and Leila Atassi wanted an answer to a seemingly simple question: how many untested rape kits did the Cleveland Police Department have in storage? The answer: “We don’t know.” The reporters’ question prompted Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine in 2011 to ask all Ohio law enforcement agencies to send their rape kits to…
Read MoreFriday Deadline for Dart Center Ochberg Fellowship
For journalists reporting on violent or traumatic events, the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma is accepting applications for its Ochberg Fellowship through Friday, Oct. 11. Fellows will visit Columbia University for a week of training with a panel of mental health experts and journalists who have covered traumatic events. A full list of the…
Read MoreIRE members win Barlett and Steele Awards from Reynolds Center
Four IRE members were among journalists honored in the seventh annual Barlett & Steele Awards for Investigative Business Journalism, announced today by the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business Journalism. The awards are named for the investigative team of Don Barlett and James Steele, they are funded by the Reynolds Center and celebrate the best…
Read MoreIRE to keep Data Library OPEN during Government Shutdown
The government has shut down; national parks and museums are closed. Some million federal workers stayed home. Even some government data portals, such as data.gov and census.gov, have been shuttered. But don’t fret. The NICAR database library provides access to dozens of government databases at a time when federal agencies across the world wide web…
Read MoreEnter the Philip Meyer Journalism Award contest
It’s once again time to enter the the Philip Meyer Journalism Award contest. Entries are now being accepted online. Established in 2005, the award was created to honor Philip Meyer’s pioneering efforts to utilize social science research methods to foster better journalism. The contest recognizes stories that incorporate survey research, probabilities and other social science tools…
Read MoreWhat an IRE student membership meant to me
If you asked me how I first got started in investigative journalism, I’d find it hard to answer, since it’s all kinda fuzzy. It could have been the CAR class I took, or the Hacks/Hackers meeting I went to for its cool name, then stayed for its cool mission. But if there’s one experience that…
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