Investigative Reporting in 2018: Investigating Inequalities Through Data and Characters
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Date
2018-06
Authors
Cox-Skall, Lily Rose
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
This thesis explores the history and current status of investigative reporting in the United States, introducing the connection between investigative reporting and a concept of psychology called psychic numbing. Psychic numbing explains that humans have difficulty with the comprehension of statistics of death and genocide. Data are a crucial part of investigative reporting, and this thesis develops newsroom guidelines on how to use data and alleviate the impacts of psychic numbing. The central research question explores how psychic numbing and investigative reporting intersect, and if it is possible to create more compassion in readers by pairing data with narrative and multimedia. This is done through the analysis of literature and the application of an original investigative story. The document includes methodology of the investigative story, weekly memos outlining original contributions and thought process, as well as an original podcast script of the findings. Finally, based on the analysis of these materials and the original investigative reporting, this thesis ends with suggestions for future academic research and newsroom practice, based on the connection between the use of data in investigative reporting and psychic numbing.
Description
43 pages. Presented to the School of Journalism and Communication and the Robert D. Clark Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts June 2018
Keywords
Journalism, Investigative Reporting, Investigation, Journalism, Data, Characters, Process, Podcasts