International Consortium of Investigative Journalists

JOURNALISM NETWORKS

Investigative Reporters and Editors is the world’s oldest and largest association of investigative journalists, with more than 4,000 members in 30 countries. IRE hosts conferences and training, along with offering resources, a bimonthly journal, news, and jobs postings.

The National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (NICAR) is operated by IRE. NICAR trains journalists in computer skills and maintains a library of government databases.

The Society of Professional Journalists boasts 10,000 members and battles for the free flow of information, promotes ethical standards, and organizes training across the United States.

The International Journalists’ Network, hosted by the International Center for Journalists, allows reporters to collaborate with others across the globe, learn about trainings, carry on discussions and take online courses.

The Global Investigative Journalism Network links together journalists worldwide through its conferences, web site, listserve, and other resources.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, sponsored by the Center for Public Integrity, is a network of nearly 100 journalists in 50 countries that work on stories together.

The Poynter Institute offers training at its Florida campus, online courses, analysis and resources for journalists worldwide.

FUNDING INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING

The Center for Investigative Reporting provides individuals with small grants through its Dick Goldensohn Fund for International Investigative Reporting. Reporters from any country may apply, but facility with English in required.

The Fund for Investigative Reporting has provided grants to print and broadcast reporters since 1969.

The International Center for Journalists offers fellowships, international reporting projects, and journalist exchanges.

SCOOP is an independent Denmark-based network of investigative reporters from East and Southeast Europe. The network provides grants for investigative reporting in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Africa.

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM NONPROFIT CENTERS

In 2007, the Center for International Media published a report on strategies for support for investigative journalism, including the first survey of nonprofit journalism centers worldwide.

Africa
Forum for African Investigative Reporters

Ghana Center for Public Integrity & Focal Media

Asia
Nepal Center for Investigative Reporting

Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

Eastern Europe
Balkan Investigative Regional Reporting Network

Bosnia Center for Investigative Reporting

BTC ProMedia Foundation, Bulgaria

Bulgarian Investigative Journalism Center

Investigative Journalists of Armenia

Media Focus — Center for Investigative Reporting, Serbia

Romanian Centre for Investigative Journalism

Former Soviet Union
Caucus Media Investigative Center, Azerbaijan

Investigative Journalism Center of Moldova

Latin America
ABRAJI — Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism

Center for Journalism and Public Ethics, Mexico

Chilean Center for Investigative Journalism and Information
Consejo de Redacción, Colombia

Instituto Prensa y Sociedad (IPYS), Peru

Middle East
Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism, Jordan

United States
Center for Investigative Reporting, San Francisco

Center for Public Integrity, Washington, D.C.

Fund for Investigative Journalism, Washington, D.C.

Investigative Reporters and Editors

ProPublica, New York

Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism, Brandeis University

Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, Columbia University

Western Europe
Centre for Investigative Journalism, London

Danish Association of Investigative Journalism

European Journalism Centre, Netherlands

Finnish Association for Investigative Journalism

Foreningen Gravande Journalister, Sweden

Investigative Reporters Network Europe

Norwegian Foundation for Investigative Journalism

Pascal Decroos Fund for Investigative Journalism, Belgium

SCOOP, Denmark

Swiss Investigation Network

Dutch-Flemish Association for Investigative Journalism (VVOJ)

PROTECTION OF JOURNALISTS AND FREE EXPRESSION

The Committee to Protect Journalists fights to protect the rights and safety of journalists around the world.

The International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX) monitors countries’ levels of free expression and publishes a valuable newsletter on the news media.

Freedominfo.org, based at the National Security Archive in Washington, D.C., tracks freedom of information laws around the world.

The Dart Center for Journalism & Trauma is “a global resource for journalists who cover violence,” with a network of journalists, journalism educators and health professionals.

Reporters without Borders is a Paris-based NGO that monitors attacks on the media and fights for protection of journalists.

GENERAL RESOURCES

The Journalist’s Toolbox features more than 14,500 websites geared toward media professionals.

A guide to Freedom of Information requests is available on the Center for Public Integrity’s web site.

Also check out the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, which offers an easy-to-use FOI Letter Generator for requests at both the U.S. federal and state level.

The National Security Archive is an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit organization that hosts tens of thousands of declassified U.S. government documents and files on individuals and organizations in international affairs that it obtained through FOIA.

The ProfNet network of information officers at colleges, universities, corporations, think tanks, medical centers, national labs, and nonprofits enables reporters to locate sources through e-mail and a database of 2,000 experts.

Global Policy Forum monitors policy-making at the United Nations and provides a weekly newsletter that provides summaries and links to stories on topics ranging from alien tort claims to the World Trade Organization.

Infonation is an easy-to-use, two-step database that allows you to view and compare the most up-to-date statistical data for the member states of the United Nations.

Online translators have vastly improved from the rudimentary versions that were available years ago. Although these free services are still filled with errors, they can be a good resource to get the main idea behind an article. Two translators are: www.freetranslation.com and world.altavista.com. To translate from Arabic click here.

Better-WhoIs provides owner and contact information for websites in the United States.

Yahoo’s directory provides links to domain registration sites in 49 countries.

The Internet Archive is a library of web pages dating back to 1996.

Countrycallingcodes.com really does make international calling easy. It also provides the local time.

U.S. GOVERNMENT

USA.gov is the official web portal of the U.S. government. It is a great starting point when searching for U.S. government information.

The Central Intelligence Agency includes testimony and statements by CIA officials and background reports on weapons of mass destruction, Russian nuclear facilities, and the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. There are also links to the broader U.S. Intelligence Community.

Also useful is the CIA’s World Factbook, which compiles data on countries and territories worldwide. Each country profile includes such varied information as the climate, makeup of the government, human rights record, and much more.

The U.S. Department of State site provides press briefings outlining the U.S. position on various foreign policy issues and background information on them. It also displays frequently requested documents released under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

The Department of Justice Foreign Agents Registration Act office has semi-annual reports going back to 1997 that contain lists of lobbyists retained by foreign governments and companies.

The Government Accountability Office is the investigative arm of Congress, and provides useful audits and reports of various U.S. government programs.

The Overseas Private Investment Corporation provides financial assistance to U.S. companies for projects abroad, and their website includes press releases of financed projects as well as annual reports that include all the projects financed during a particular year.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control at the U.S. Department of Treasury administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries and organizations. Its comprehensive website contains information on the sanctions and recent actions taken by the department.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC LINKS

The U.S. Office of Trade and Economic Analysis has compiled an extensive set of links to data about trade and other general economic activity. The list is divided by country and subject, making it a useful first step when researching economic figures.

The SEC‘s EDGAR database contains documents on all publicly traded companies in the United States, which are required to file 10-K forms every year and 10-Q forms every quarter. In them, companies must list any legal challenges they face domestically and abroad. You should also check for 20-F forms, which some companies file in lieu of 10-Ks. EDGAR can be searched generally by company name, or by specific form. The SEC does not require companies to list their foreign subsidiaries, and if the companies are privately held, very little will be available.

MILITARY

The Pentagon provides a searchable contracts database at www.defenselink.mil where reporters can search for companies involved abroad. There is a lot of information available on the Pentagon site – you just have to maneuver around. Check out the individual sites for the armed forces and the special sections on terrorism, Iraq, and homeland security.

The Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College is the Army’s think tank for the analysis of national security policy and military strategy. It has a great collection of research papers written by academics and military officials that have access to information others don’t have.

The Federation of American Scientists offers an excellent web site on national security, government secrecy, and related issues, including searchable databases.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights organization based in the United States, has researchers that conduct fact-finding investigations into human rights abuses in all regions of the world, including the United States. The easy-to-use website is organized by regions and topic.

Amnesty International‘s website is also a good place to start when looking for general information on human rights. The site gives easy access to news and resources divided by country.

One World Online is a nonprofit organization dedicated to global justice and human sustainable-development issues. It has linked together a partnership of resources with more than 150 organizations around the world. The site is a good source of world news that you can search by country or by theme.

LEGAL

U.S. court records can be treasure troves since they often elaborate on a company’s activity. These records can be searched, for a fee, on Pacer. SEC filings can often give a lead as to whether a court document exists.

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

GuideStar, the national database of U.S. charitable organizations, gathers and distributes data on more than 850,000 IRS-recognized nonprofits. Search for the group’s annual 990 report to the IRS.

IMF/WORLD BANK

The International Monetary Fund has a searchable database of reports, working papers, country reports, financial surveys, and more.

The World Bank‘s site requires some navigational study, but it offers some of the best statistics about countries in need. The site also has a special registration section for journalists, which contains statistics and embargoed material not available to the general public.

To search World Bank projects go to. Clicking on “advanced” search usually produces better and more manageable results. To find the contractor’s name after the search is done click on the project name, then find the link for contractors at the bottom of the page. Online contract information goes back only to 2000.

The Bank Information Center, a nonprofit group, has concise and clear explanations on how multilateral lending institutions work. Although the site is aimed at social activists, it can be useful for a baseline of knowledge.