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This Valentine’s Day, background your date using public records
Don’t let love get in the way of investigating. The old saying in journalism goes something like “if your mother says she loves you, check it out,” and if that’s true for your mother then it’s certainly true for your Valentine’s Day date. So let’s begin our walk through of how to make use of…
Read MoreBehind the Story: How the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel learned about an ATF sting gone wrong
Credit: Lou Saldivar, Journal Sentinel Graphics Editor John Diedrich and Raquel Rutledge of the Journal Sentinel had an opportunity to gain rare insight into an undercover government operation in 2012. Their watchdog reporting on the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ sting operation in Milwaukee revealed the operation may have done more harm…
Read MoreBehind the Story: Tackling the unusual, problematic ‘contract for deed’ housing deal
Minneapolis Star Tribune photoRon Folger of Minneapolis lost his rental license last year city and began selling properties to low-income families on a plan known as a contract-for-deed transaction. In January, Jeffrey Meitrodt, Investigations Editor at the Star Tribune, reported on problematic contract-for-deed sales of homes in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The sales are frequently used…
Read MoreEight newsrooms awarded grants for data projects
IRE is pleased to announce that eight newsrooms will be awarded grants thanks to the $50,000 donation from Google Ideas. The grants will support data-driven investigations by providing journalists with access to data, new tools and necessary training. The fund’s two broad priorities were to support specific investigative projects and to better equip news organizations…
Read MoreBehind the Story: Questionable border patrol shootings
In December, Tim Steller, a reporter and now columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, reported on the increasing number of shootings occurring between Border Patrol and illegal immigrants along the U.S.-Mexico border. The victims in some cases appear to have been unarmed. This fact and the lack of transparency in the investigations has cast doubt…
Read MoreMoney trail for Sandy begins as Congress approves $51 billion in disaster aid
On Monday Congress approved $51 billion in disaster aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy, three months after the storm that killed more than 130 people and caused billions in damage to the Atlantic coast. Follow the money with IRE’s coverage page, Hurricane Sandy: Covering the Aftermath The spending was heavily debated and at a time sparked bipartisan…
Read MoreBehind the Story: Post-Dispatch mapping finds ‘hot spots’ of pedestrian railroad deaths
Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. In December, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch released Death on the Rails, a special report on the surprising number of pedestrian deaths that have occurred on railways. Reporter Todd Frankel explains how he cross-referenced databases and resources to build his own map…
Read MoreIntroducing Total Newsroom Training, a new program from IRE
IRE is launching a new program and is looking for news organizations dedicated to doing watchdog work. This is your newsroom’s opportunity to have intense, in-house investigative training — for free. If your organization is hungry for customized investigative training and can’t afford it, apply today. Spots are limited. Total Newsroom Training from IRE is designed to…
Read MoreDiversity fellowships available for CAR Conference
Through the generosity of the Philip L. Graham Fund and the Chicago Tribune Foundation, IRE is pleased to offer Minority Fellowships to allow a limited number of professional journalists to attend the CAR (still accepting applications) and IRE conferences. These fellowships cover a 1-year IRE membership; conference registration fees; up to $600 for hotel accommodations and $500 reimbursement for travel.…
Read MoreThe 2012 IRE Awards contest deadline is today
The IRE Awards is our annual contest recognizing the best in investigative reporting by print, broadcast and online media. Enter the 2012 IRE Awards contest, now online! The official deadline for entries is Jan 11, 2013. Don’t miss the chance to have your work honored. For those of you whom are unaware of what happens to…
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