ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the relationship between investigative journalism and the Party-state in China between the 1990s and 2013, which covers the golden years of investigative journalism in China. In general, China’s investigative journalism involves extensive investigation and investment of time and money to expose the misconduct of wrongdoers and the hidden problems of society. The rise of investigative journalism was thanks to the Party’s recognition of its importance in maintaining the purity of the Party as well as news organisations’ acknowledgement of the catalytic function that investigative journalism could have in improving profitability. The fact that the general public embraced investigative journalism made the kind of journalism a mechanism for increasing market share and profits for news organisations. Investigative journalists also liked to share their sources of news and collect evidence together. Chinese society needs the practice of investigative journalism.
