Journalists, sources, and policy outcomes

Insights from three-plus decades of investigative reporting contest entries

Bibliographic Data

ID7477290
AuthorsGerry Lanosga (0000-0002-1807-5866, Indiana University Bloomington, corresponding author), Jason Martins (0000-0001-8194-4297), Jason Martin (0000-0002-2618-7403, DePaul University College of Communication, USA)
Year2016
Volume19
Issue12
Pages1676-1693
Publication date2016-12-28
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournalism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1464-8849 • E-ISSN: 1741-3001
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1464884916683555
OpenAlexW2573689332
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited32

This study of American investigative reporting from 1976 to 2012 examines a random sample (N = 757) of prize contest entry materials created by journalists. This novel data source and methodology allow for analysis of the dynamics of journalistic process rather than relying on assumptions drawn from published news content. The results provide a fuller and more sophisticated explanation of how investigative journalism is related to democratic governance, including fresh insight into journalist/source relationships, story triggers, policy outcomes, and agenda-building relationships among journalists, sources, and policymakers. A model for predicting policy agenda-building in investigative journalism is proposed and tested based on attributes of the reporting process, policy results, and other actions by public officials produced by journalists’ investigations. While the analysis indicates a key role for sources in the origination of investigative news stories, it also reveals a more prominent place for journalistic enterprise than previously acknowledged. At the same time, investigative stories that are initiated by tips from sources and that have a more diverse array of sources are more likely to achieve substantive policy results. Overall, the findings point to a greater degree of interdependence among investigative reporters and policymakers that challenges conceptions of journalists as passive recipients of information but also reveals the limitations of news organizations’ ability to independently spark policy change

CONTEST · Corporate governance · Democracy · Economics · Journalism · Management · Political science · Politics · Process (computing · Public relations · Sample (material · SPARK (programming language · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Computer Science · Media Studies and Communication · Social Media and Politics · Law

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub