The Big Chill : Investigative Reporting in the Current Media Environment

Investigative reporting has long been a key element of news gathering in the United States. Its goals remain the same: to expose wrongdoing and to bring about positive changes in existing laws and regulations. Yet sweeping changes in American society and media are exerting their influence on the nature of investigative reporting at the approach of the new millennium.

Mergers and consolidations have placed media outlets under ever-larger corporate umbrellas. Cable television has made news reporting more immediate. Computer technology has enhanced reporters' ability to collect data; at the same time it has allowed for the rapid dissemination of inaccurate information by inexperienced and uncredentialed people. These changes are prompting a rethinking of traditional methods of investigative reporting.

The scholars and journalists who have contributed to The Big Chill examine these recent developments. In addition to a detailed history of investigative reporting, the book discusses such current issues as:

• Influence of corporatization
• Changing public perceptions of investigative reporting
• Effects of tabloid TV on investigative journalism
• Ethical and legal issues raised in today's media environment
• Treatment of minority groups
• Use of the newest technology