Investigating journalism in United States is expected get a much-needed boost with a new venture steered by former Wall Street Journal Chief Editor Paul Steiger. The veteran editor will launch non-profit media organisation ProPublica in January 2008 which would be dedicated to investigative reporting.
The newsroom team of 24 fulltime journalists plans to carry its news for free online and will seek syndication of its articles in leading US and foreign newspapers free of cost. However, Steiger made clear that he wants the news outlet to be non-partisan, with no connection to any political affiliation.
Commenting on the issues newsroom is going to concentrate, Steiger said, "We will look hard at the critical functions of business and of government, the two biggest centres of power. But we will also focus on such institutions as unions, universities, hospitals, foundations and the media when they appear to be exploiting or oppressing those weaker than they, or when there is evidence that they are abusing the public trust."
The news team will include three senior investigative reporters, five assistant senior reporters, six reporting associates, four researchers, two editors, a blogger and Webmaster, and a computer-assisted reporting specialist. When fully-staffed in 2008, ProPublica will be the only American media organisation with the largest staff devoted solely to investigative reporting. ProPublica will be based in Manhattan.
It is expected that this new venture would give a new lease of life to almost dying art of investigating journalism in US. As Steiger says, "Investigative journalism, in particular, is at risk." There are hardly any follow-ups in newspapers. "Follow-up is hard because you have people who want to move on to the next thing or have lots of competing demands on their time."
According to Steiger, there are still some newspapers that do regular follow up like the Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post and few others. However, most of the newspapers take investigative journalism as a luxury, which takes a backseat during economic crunches. Time and budget constraints are curbing the ability of journalists not specifically designated “investigative†to do this kind of reporting in addition their regular beats.
A 2005 survey by Arizona State University of the 100 largest US daily newspapers came up with interesting facts. Figures revealed that 37 per cent had no full-time investigative reporters; a majority had two or even less than that. Only 10 per cent had four or more reporters for such reporting. Television networks and national magazines have similarly been shedding or shrinking investigative units. Budget has been one of the major reasons, which lead to reduction in time, space and human resource allocation to analytical reporting.
ProPublica's annual operating budget of $10 million is to be funded by four leading philanthropy organisations: the Atlantic Philanthropies, the JEHT Foundation, the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, and Sandler Foundation.
The Sandler Foundation has made a major, multi-year commitment to fund ProPublica. And Herbert Sandler with his wife Marion Sandler of Golden West Financial Corporation will serve as Chairman of ProPublica. Paul E. Steiger will serve as president and editor in chief and Richard J Tofel will take the position of general manager.
Steiger gave up the top editor post earlier this year to Marcus Brauchli after 16 years of editorship. He is stepping down to conform to the paper's mandatory age 65-retirement policy. Under his leadership, the Wall Street Journal's reporters and editors won 16 Pulitzer Prizes. His departure will occur just after the expected completion of a takeover of parent company Dow Jones and Co by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
