Investigative Journalism in Changing Times

Dr Caryn Coatney is a Journalism Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland. She has been an investigative news journalist in Australia and internationally and worked in many fields of communication extensively. Her journalism research has won global awards and has appeared in numerous journals and publications.

• 1: Introduction 2: A golden age? Myths and meaning 3: Global collaborative investigative journalism: George Seldes and the mid-twentieth century antecedents of the Panama Papers practices 4: Investigative journalism: A system of creativity 5: Reckoning with investigative journalism and Indigenous news in Australia 6: Investigative journalism in sport 7: Citizen+Journalist 8: Investigative journalism and the new ‘public interest’ defence to defamation 9: Data investigations: A humanitarian turn 10: From Watergate to Trump world – the declining power of scandals 11: Conversations with Danielle Cronin, Philip Howard and Julian Thomas 12. Afterword

‘A major new book about the evolution and role of investigative journalism in Australian and Anglo-American democracies. Moving from the muckraking of the 19th century to the digital endeavours of the 21st century, leading international experts and practitioners take us into individual scoops, major collaborations and citizen journalism as journalists work to hold power to account and protect the public interest.’Professor Bridget Griffen-Foley, Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature, Macquarie University, Australia.‘Investigative journalism has perhaps never been more vital to the health of democratic society, and its integrity and independence are both precious and threatened. This timely book offers us critical insights and arguments from some of Australia’s leading media scholars, with which we can better understand and champion it.’Emeritus Professor Steve Mickler, School of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, Curtin University, Australia.‘This is an important book, not just for journalism researchers, practitioners and educators, but for anyone concerned about the health of the Anglo-American democracies and the mechanisms which are supposed to ensure those in power are accountable to the rest. And isn’t that all of us?’From the Book Foreword by Professor Ian Richards, Journalism Studies, University of South Australia, Australia.‘This is an important new Australian book which focuses on how investigative journalism has adapted, and thrived, in the face of significant technological and funding challenges. Dr Coatney has brought together an impressive range of authors who have mapped the history of investigative journalism well away from the glamorised portrayals of Hollywood to the muckrackers of the 1800s to automated decision-making in 2022. The book argues through its series of essays that Australian journalists have developed their practices and processes from detached professionals to change agents and advocates.’Dr Alexandra Wake, President, Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia, and Programs Manager, Journalism, RMIT University, Australia.