INVESTIGATIVE AND INTERPRETATIVE JOURNALISM:

INVESTIGATIVE AND INTERPRETATIVEJOURNALISM: CONTEMPORARYPRACTICE, PROFITABILITY AND RISKSPresented at the Town and Gown Seminar of the CovenantUniversity, Ota, Ogun State30 February 2018By Motunrayo Famuyiwa-AlakaPioneer CoordinatorWSCIJ

ABOUT WSCIJVisionO A socially just Nigeria defined by the ethics ofinclusion, transparency and accountability.MissionO To promote social justice in Nigeria byencouraging the practice of investigativejournalism as a mechanism for exposingcorruption, regulatory failures and human rightsviolation in the country.

ABOUT WSCIJO Non-governmental organisationO Started – 2005 as the pioneer initiative (anaward) dedicated to investigative reportingin Nigeria.O Registered in September 2009 as WSCIJO Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria with areach across the country.

ABOUT WSCIJO Namedafter Professor Wole Soyinka inrecognition of his life-long work in support of thefreedom of expression, freedom to hold anopinion, freedom to impart them without fear orfavour and without hindrance or interference.O Held twelve editions of annual awards, nineeditions of its media lecture series and trainedover six hundred journalists among othercapacity development initiatives.

Our strategyLeverage on the experiences of O MediaO Civil SocietyO Non-governmental organisationsO Technical partnersO Public sectorO Private sector

INVESTIGATIVE & INTERPRETATIVEJOURNALISM

INTERPRETATIVE JOURNALISMTo go beyond the regular reporting to providecontext and analysis.

Investigative journalismInvestigative journalism is about unearthing facts.It involves exposing to the public matters that areconcealed either deliberately by someone in aposition of power, or accidentally, behind a chaoticmass of facts and circumstances that obscureunderstanding.OUNESCO Manual of Investigative Journalism

Investigative reportingInvestigative reporting is thorough andincisive. It takes curiousity, hard work,financial resources, time and the ability to tellgreat stories.

Primary principles ofinvestigative journalism Agenda setting by the reporter Public interest Something that someone plans to conceal isunraveled

Constitutional provision Sec.22 of the Constitution says:“The press, radio, television and other agencies of themass media shall at all times be free to uphold thefundamental objectives contained in this Chapter anduphold the responsibility and accountability of theGovernment to the people”Sec. 15 [5] says:O “The State shall abolish all corrupt practices andabuse of power.”

CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE

This man is gone almost

Convergence.

Media convergence

The new media ecosystemThe media landscape globally is in constant change interms content creation, distribution, and consumption. Themeans of telling stories have changed.

The new media ecosystemWhat has changed and is still changing?O The economy of media: traditional ones are changing tosocial media driven onesO New technologies for gathering, processing, and deliveringjournalism newsO Audience behaviour and needsO New platforms for content gathering, processing, creation,distribution we generally call social media

The character of your newaudience

The character of your newaudienceThey are distracted impatient

Data superiority

The negotiationThe old media may not necessarily be obsoletebut it must adapt to and adopt the changesbrought by the new media to remainrelevant. Media that will survive in today’sworld must use all available tools to keepitself from drowning by being creativelycompetitive.

The ChallengeThe huge challenge:News, that once upon a time was the specialpreserve of newspapers, radios andtelevision and scheduled for special times isnow just a click away.

PROFITABILITY

Can you get rich, rich as ajournalist?O Hardly O But it all depends

Can you get rich as ajournalist?O Cash: If you are an employee its dicey but ifyou are a publisher, its quite possible O Kind: your goodwill capital can be really highif you are a good journalist. You will befamous.O Skills sets: The same skills you

THE DILEMAO Balancing ethics and business- Daily Trust- Guardian- Punch- 234Next

OPPORTUNITIES

Technology/social media The new SIM card registration in Nigeria reveals thatat least 130 million phones are in operation inNigeria [and probably a third are smart phones] The audit of Internet penetration in Nigeria revealsthat at least 46 million people are connected Thesetwodevelopmentshaveimmenseconsequence for our media architecture andlandscape, regarding its ability to serve the goals ofdemocratic development and renewal particularly theinvestigative process.

Being a publisher is now QEDIt’s now easier to become thealmighty publisher!

Niche it!Niche media is the way to go. Hyper locals aremaking a difference all over the world.

The truth is scarcerThe era of fake news presents greatopportunity for the credible reporter. Theaudience know the difference eventually.

Vacancy!Female reporters/media executives/editorsneeded

WSCIJ’s experience with femaleparticipation in the newsroom

WSCIJ’s experience with femaleparticipation in the newsroom

WSCIJ’s experience with femaleparticipation in the newsroom

WSCIJ’s experience with femaleparticipation in the newsroom

WSCIJ’s experience with femaleparticipation in the newsroom

Vacancy!A new breed of reporters/mediaexecutives/editors needed

The greatest riskSilence

Hear Mark Twain“There are only two forces that can carry lightto every corner of the globe: the sun in theheavens, and the Associate Press [Media]down here”

Ethics mattersIf the media is treated as a product, credibilitywould be its Unique Selling Point (USP) –Motunrayo Famuyiwa-Alaka

THANK YOU!Motunrayo Famuyiwa-Alaka0802 830 2436motunrayo@wscij.org (Official)ssussaine@gmail.com (Personal)@ssussaine (Twitter)

INVESTIGATIVE AND INTERPRETATIVE JOURNALISM: CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE, PROFITABILITY AND RISKS Presented at the Town and Gown Seminar of the Covenant . award) dedicated to investigative reporting in Nigeria. O Registered in September 2009 as WSCIJ O Headqua