Journalism (English)

Quarter 1 – Module 1:
DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEWS
When you were in Grade 7, you
probably made several news articles
as one of the requirements in your
class. Now that you are in Grade 8,
you still have to make more news
articles, but this time, they will be
more detailed or comprehensive. In
fact, learning how to write one is a
preparation for the true battle -
when you become regular members
of the staff of the school
publication.
Today, we deal with investigative news,
its significant characteristics, how to
gather substantial data and of course on
how to make one. The word
“investigative” may sound more inclined
to science, moreover, just like what you
are doing in science, this becomes more
of an organized piece of work which
requires a lot of effort, time and
dedication before you can craft your
masterpiece.
Let’s go and take a good stride to
continue your JOURNey!
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

explain the significant characteristics of

investigative news ;
identify where to gather substantial data
as bases for writing investigative news,
and
write an investigative news based on any
recent happenings in school or in
community.
 In response to the growing pandemic
of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),
on March 16,2020, the government of
the Philippines under President Rodrigo
Duterte imposed an enhanced
community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon
which is equivalent to a total lockdown,
restricting the movement of the people
except or necessity, work and health
circumstances in the country.
 The passing of the Republic Act No.
11469 or the “Bayanihan to Heal as One
Act” affected 57 million people under
quarantine. However, many ECQ violators
have been documented throughout the
duration of the ECQ, resulting to
authorities imposing stricter measures to
combat disobedience. At the same time,
human rights advocates aired their
concerns especially to those minors caught
and placed under makeshift cages.
Directions: Answer the given questions in your
Journalism-English notebook.

© What questions do you have in mind upon seeing the

animated image in Figure 1? Give at least five.
© Does the illustration show an irregularity? Why or why
not?
© If you are an investigative journalist, will you give
consideration to this illustration as an object of
interest and source of investigative news? State your
personal opinion in paragraph form.
 How do you find the first activity?
 Based on the image posted, what social issue has to
be addressed?
 What is the issue behind the image?
 Is there a reason for you, as a journalist to
investigate?
 Why do you think it is important to identify the main
issue before giving yourself a reason to investigate?
 How can this activity develop your understanding of
the significant characteristics of investigative news?
of gathering substantial data? or of writing an
investigative news?
 WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE
JOURNALISM?
Investigative journalism means the
unveiling of matters that are
concealed either deliberately by
someone in a position of power, or
accidentally, behind a chaotic mass
of facts and circumstances - and the
analysis and exposure of all relevant
facts to the public.
WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?
This may include stories reporting
crime, political corruption, financial
frauds, human trafficking, corporate
wrongdoing, and other difficult
subjects. This type of news which is
usually a primary source of information
is conducted by newspapers, wire
services and freelance journalists.
WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?
Unlike conventional reporting, where reporters
rely on materials supplied by the government,
NGOs and other agencies, investigative reporting
depends on material gathered through the
reporter’s own initiative. Investigative journalism
requires the reporter to dig deeply into an issue
or topic of public interest. ‘Public interest’ refers
to a quality whereby a community will be
disadvantaged by not knowing this information, or
will benefit (either materially or through
informed decision-making) by knowing it.
WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?
An investigative reporter may make use of one
or more of these tools on a single story. These
tools may come in the form of analysis of
documents, such as lawsuits and other legal
documents, tax records, government and
regulatory reports, corporate financial filings,
databases of public records, investigation of
technical issues, including scrutiny of
government and business practices and their
effects and research into social and legal issues. 
WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?
Scholars have traced exposés back to the
first newspapers in the 17th century and a
general acceptance arose that investigative
reporting is different from routine daily
journalism. Most would agree that
investigative reporting is journalism
resulting from a reporter’s own initiative
that reveals to the public important
information once hidden or unknown.
WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?
It involves large-scale reporting that results
in the exposure of corruption, political
wrongdoing or transgression, violation of
civil rights, misused power, or other actions
or inactions that bring harm to people.
Moreover, scholars from journalism,
political science, and sociology began to
study the practice of this journalistic genre
separately with an individual history and
distinctive social and political impacts.
WHAT IS INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM?

However, during the scandal-seeking

sensationalistic era of the cheap mass-
market newspapers in the mid-19th
century, investigative news became a
newspaper staple.
1. Investigative news means watchdog
journalism.
It aims to check the abuses of those who have
wealth and power. It exposes wrongdoing so it
can be corrected, not because journalists and
their patrons benefit from exposure.
Investigative journalists “lift the veil of secrecy”
by uncovering previously unknown facts.
Investigative journalists “strike through the
mask” – they go beyond what is publicly
proclaimed and expose the lies and hypocrisy of
those who wield power.
2. It is a critical and in-depth writing.

Investigative news writing involves

exposing to the public matters that
are concealed–either deliberately
by someone in a position of power,
or accidentally, behind a chaotic
mass of facts and circumstances
that obscure understanding.
2. It is a critical and in-depth writing.

It requires using both secret and

open sources and documents.
Investigative news is broader
because it is a set of
methodologies that are meant
to be crafted, and it can take
years to master.
2. It is a critical and in-depth writing.

Investigative journalism attests to

the high standards of research and
reporting that the profession aspires
to: in-depth inquiries that
painstakingly track looted public
funds, abuse of power,
environmental degradation, health
scandals, and more.
3. It is a systematic inquiry.
The best investigative news employs
a careful methodology, with heavy
reliance on primary sources, forming
and testing a hypothesis, and
rigorous fact-checking. It typically
cannot be done in a day or two; a
thorough inquiry requires time.
3. It is a systematic inquiry.

Others point to the field’s key

role in pioneering new
techniques, as in its embrace of
computers in the 1990s for data
analysis and visualization.
4. It aims to hold the powerful accountable.

Whatever journalistic tradition they

come from, investigative reporters
have always seen themselves as
guardians of the public interest. By
exposing wrongdoing and failure,
they aim to hold the powerful
accountable for their actions.
4. It aims to hold the powerful
accountable.
Investigative news aims to
hold the powerful and those in
the government accountable
for all the things they are
doing, especially if it violates
the public good.
STEPS IN WRITING THE
INVESTIGATIVE NEWS
1. Emergence of Notion 6. First Evaluation
2. Feasibility Check
7. Key Interviews
3. Projections
8. Re-evaluation
4. Planning/Base-
Building 9. Reporting/Writing
5. Original
Research/Gathering of
Substantial Data
1. Emergence of Notion
To start off, original ideas can come
from outside sources (tipsters,
colleagues, and other leads), inside
sources (leads from mother work;
spin-offs from other investigations),
and blue-sky sources (serendipity and
the acute "smell" of the intuitive
reporter).
Emergence of Notion
The original conception
of a story maybe well-
defined or may be just a
sense.
2. Feasibility Check
Reporters may initially prepare a
memo for editors with answers
outlined to the following questions:
Is it possible to do the story?
Do we have the required number of
staff and technical expertise?
2. Feasibility Check
Do we have the funds and
other resources?
Do we have time?
Will the story sit still long
enough?
2. Feasibility Check
What are the barriers to
getting the full story?
What are the barriers in
publishing it?
What is the ultimate
significance of the story?
3. Projections
The reporter estimates
minimum and maximum story
possibilities. Decisions are
made with the editor about
whether to proceed,
postpone, or abort.
4. Planning/Base-Building
Publication staff are assigned;
files are set up; methods are
outlined and deadlines
determined. An initial attempt is
made to formulate boundaries
and a central focus for the story.
5. Original Research/ Gathering
of Substantial Data
Reporters engage in interactive
cycles of hypotheses, formulation,
tracking (record searches),
interviews, and observation and
sources of data are laid out. Profiles
are developed and findings are
6. First Evaluation
Pending the outcome of
the original research, the
investigation may be given
a green light, postponed,
redirected, or aborted.
7. Key Interviews
Armed with information gained
so far, the investigations go to
the foci/targets of the story,
seeking confirmation, denial,
confrontation, and
breakthroughs.
8. Re-evaluation
The investigative
journalist tries to consider
whether the story has to
be written or published.
9. Reporting/Writing
The reporter/investigative
journalist chooses a central theme
and writes a sound/documented
story around it. He/ She should
make final substantiations and
thoroughly checks all facts.
To sum it up…
Investigative journalism means the
unveiling of matters that are concealed
either deliberately by someone in a
position of power, or accidentally,
behind a chaotic mass of facts and
circumstances - and the analysis and
exposure of all relevant facts to the
public.
To sum it up…
The significant characteristics of
investigative news include its
being a watchdog journalism; it
is a critical and in-depth
writing; it is a systematic inquiry
and it aims to hold the powerful
accountable.
To sum it up…
The steps in writing investigative
news are: emergence of notion,
feasibility check, projections,
planning /base-building, gathering
of substantial data, first evaluation,
key interviews, re-evaluation and
reporting/writing.
To sum it up…
The steps in writing investigative
news are: emergence of notion,
feasibility check, projections,
planning /base-building, gathering
of substantial data, first evaluation,
key interviews, re-evaluation and
reporting/writing.