ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the crucial role of investigative journalism at a pivotal time for the profession in Australian and Anglo-American democracies. The central question it addresses is how investigative journalism has developed, adapted and thrived in changing circumstances. Investigative journalists’ role is even more crucial because the profession is facing escalating financial, legal, political, social and technological challenges. The chapter also provides an overview of the book’s focus on the influences that have shaped investigative journalism. Its focus ranges from the early muckraking of the 1800s to the growth of social media, automation and digital misinformation that is affecting the vital role of democratic, watchdog reporting. The chapter provides fresh insights from leading experts who show the ever-increasing variety of investigative reporting.
