IRE News
IRE, Google create new grant program for data journalism projects
A new fund that will provide crucial support for journalists working on data projects will be launched this fall. Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) will award grants thanks to a $50,000 donation from Google Ideas. IRE Executive Director Mark Horvit said the fund will allow more news organizations to do in-depth reporting. “Digging into data…
Read MoreThe New Cold War Between the Media and National Security Establishment
Josh Meyer, IRE Board member and director of education and outreach for the Medill National Security Journalism Initiative, wrote today about tension between the media and the national security establishment for the initiative’s website: Is this really the worst time ever to be a journalist covering national security issues, especially in Washington? Maybe the best…
Read More2012 IRE Conference audio now available
You can now purchase a DVD with over 100 hours of recorded panels from the 2012 IRE Conference in Boston. Please go here to place your order today. Conference attendees can obtain a copy for $5 (to cover shipping/handling) by using the discount code received via email. Additional copies can be ordered for $25 each.…
Read MoreThe 2012 IRE Conference tiphseet and presentation CD now available
Even though the IRE Conference has come and gone, you can still access all that valuable information from the tipsheets and presentations we compiled. With over 100 files available you’ll have all the tips and tools you need for not only your daily reporting but also long-term projects. Available on one handy CD, you can…
Read MorePennsylvania open records laws exempt Penn State
Despite being supported by tax dollars, Penn State University is not subject to the state’s open records laws. Penn State’s records, including police records, e-mail, phone records, calendars and memos, are closed. Poynter’s Al Tompkins writes about how that exemption played a role in surpressing information in the Jerry Sandusky case. Tompkins quotes Sara Ganim, who won…
Read MoreThe value of adding CAR to your arsenal
John Diedrich of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recalls the moment everything clicked for him with computer-assisted reporting, at an IRE Boot Camp in 2010. When crash-course training didn’t stick with him, he convinced his bosses to send him to Columbia, Mo. What Diedrich left with were the skills that allowed him to produce ‘Wiped Clean‘,…
Read MoreSchool Test Scores data now available at the Database Library
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, after releasing its “Cheating Our Children” series that identified suspicious test scores around the country, provided the NICAR Database Library with test scores data gathered from state education departments. From the AJC: “The data include state testing data paired in approximate cohorts by school, test subject and grade. An approximate cohort would…
Read MoreHow sound are bridges in your area? Find out with updated National Bridge Inventory data
Now is a good time to investigate the bridges in your state and community: NICAR has just updated the National Bridge Inventory. Current through 2011, the data can help you assess the soundness of bridges in your area. Key fields can be used for an overall indication of a bridge’s quality. There are also fields…
Read MoreSeven members elected to IRE board of directors
IRE members elected seven new directors to the IRE board on Saturday evening at the organization’s annual conference in Boston. The newly elected members are: Manny Garcia of El Nuevo Herald, Sarah Cohen of Duke University, Mc Nelly Torres of the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting, Rob Cribb of The Toronto Star, Stuart Watson of…
Read MoreJoin more than 1,000 colleagues at IRE Boston next week
More than 1,000 people are registered to attend the IRE Conference in Boston next week, and it’s not too late for you to join them. While early-bird registration has closed, you can register at the conference. Things kick off with a free half-day session on election coverage on June 13, the pre-day on June 14, and…
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