Good days of investigative journalism must return

The 11th edition of the largest gathering ‘Global Investigative Journalism Conference’ took place Hamburg, Germany last September. Photo: Collected
The 11th edition of the largest gathering ‘Global Investigative Journalism Conference’ took place Hamburg, Germany last September. Photo: Collected

Over 50 journalists annually become victims of murder across the globe. On an average nearly 400 journalists are jailed. Populism is emerging in country after country. Authoritarian rule prevails.

How is journalism advancing through all this? What is the future of investigative journalism?

With these questions in mind, I travelled to Hamburg, Germany last September. The 11th edition of the largest gathering ‘Global Investigative Journalism Conference’ was taking place there.

The main arrangement was for four days between 26 and 29 September. Over 250 panel discussions, workshops and networking were arranged in this short period of time.

It gave me a lot of confidence to meet 1700 journalists from 130 countries at the conference. Being from the corner of South Asia, I got the courage from the conference that I am not alone. It seems that good days for investigative journalism will return.

The thing that struck me most was that everybody tends to learn from everybody. Everyone wants to know something new from another. All journalists from the reputed media outlets of the western and to a section of cornered media outlets of Asia or Africa were travellers of same destination. So when a person delivered a speech in a session, the same person would patiently listen to another session. In case of crisis of seats, some speakers even sat on the floor, listening at other sessions.

Experienced journalists, experts and educationists joined the discussions. Of them, 11 journalists were Pulitzer Prize winners. Everybody was seen eager to learn and exchange views all the time. Reputed journalists and editors frankly answered the queries of young journalists.

Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) organised the event. Netzwerk Recherche, the German association of investigative journalists and the Interlink Academy for International Dialogue and Journalism were the co-organisers.

Journalists join in a session of Global Investigative Journalism Conference. Photo: Collected
Journalists join in a session of Global Investigative Journalism Conference. Photo: Collected

Norwegian Foundation for Investigative Journalism SKUP has given fellowships to 77 journalists from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) executive director David Kaplan said, “Autocratic rulers think we will go away. But we are not going anywhere. Rather the struggle will be more vibrant. Now more investigative journalists are coming in. They are using more advanced technology. A new generation is appearing. They are far better than we.”

On the second day of the conference, I talked to David Kaplan.

When asked the message he wants to give through the conference, he said, “We want to spread courage.”

He said the journalists across the globe are not isolated. The goal of everybody is to strengthen democratic values, he said adding the influential rulers have to be questioned.

David said everybody will stand by the journalists who do this courageous job from any corner of the world.

Journalists from war-ravaged Africa and Middle East regions joined the conference. Mujib Habibjai from Kurdistan of Iraq is one of them. He works for the Voice of America.

He said he has to work amid the war every day. It is hard to speak the truth there. Risk of life is at stake all the time.

Norwegian organisation SKUP executive director John Bones arranged dinners for two consecutive days for those who got fellowship.

He said it gives a sense of satisfaction when a journalist plays role in investigative journalism.

I reached Hamburg on 25 September.

As I have mainly worked on the communication sector in my country, I was stunned at the sight of the public transport in Hamburg when I visualised the chaos in Dhaka transport sector. The entire city and adjacent areas have been connected with water ways, roads and underground roads. This can be called an example of multi modal transport system.

Unity is necessity not difference

Journalist Anowar Hossain is with Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) executive director David Kaplan. Photo: Collected
Journalist Anowar Hossain is with Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) executive director David Kaplan. Photo: Collected

At the concluding ceremony, Philippines popular magazine Rappler’s Editor Maria Ressa delivered a commemorative speech. The Philippines government filed 11 cases against her in 14 months. She was arrested twice in a month. She filed petitions for eight times in three months.

She said, “I am a journalist. I did not commit any offence. I was trying to bring the government to accountability. The official who interrogated me said he did not have any other option but to interrogate. This type of task has become a normal phenomenon for the bureaucrats who are at the helm of power.”

About the way out of such circumstances, he said, “We must be united. The onslaught on one person has to be considered as the onslaught on everyone.”

In the inaugural session, Editor of Pakistan’s newspaper DAWN Zaffar Abbas said the main challenge of journalism in his country is militancy and armed forces.

He thinks there is a lack of unity among the journalists in South Asian countries. Journalism will become more challenging in this region in future. Still there is a matter of hope that under the pressure a kind of unity is growing among the competitive media outlets.

While listening to the discussion, I remembered the Digital Security Act of our country. Under the law, many journalists were sued, harassed and arrested. The disunity among the journalists is deep rooted. What is the way out?

While giving the answer, Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting project chief editor Drew Sullivan said, “The new window of cooperation in journalism will open up in the next three to five years. So journalists from all over the world will work jointly. We can be optimistic.”

Data journalism is a new style of telling story

This year’s conference laid emphasis on data journalism and over 60 sessions were held on it. Seats were filled up in most of the sessions. There was no space on the floor in some sessions. Technologically rich western journalists showed more enthusiasm. Different scams including WikiLeaks and panama papers were leaked. This session was very important to make news from data of these sites.

Sara Cohen, Brunt Houston and Jennifer Lafleur teach at different universities in the United States. They discuss the use of data in journalism.

They give concepts on how to make news from data by applying instrument and artificial intelligence. They show how to analyse information received from the satellite. The analysis of information received from open source, text message, audio and social media adds new dimension to journalism. This is called forensic investigation.

A reporter of New York Times depended on forensic investigation in filing report on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

A session was held on ‘The Changing Art of Story Telling’. Different examples were cited on the use of photo, info graphics and animation in investigative journalism.

Speaker Susanne Reber said, “You have to remember who are your readers. You have to take into consideration how the information would be easier to them.”

Western journalists showed interest in these two sessions. As a Bangladeshi journalist I am not familiar with these matters. But we have to follow these matter in the near future.

Prospects in mojo

It becomes clear in the conference that cell phones arenoccupying a big space of journalism. A session was on mobile journalism (mojo) in the conference. There was no space in the session. Considering the interest of the participants, another session was organised the next day. The participation was very high.

It was disclosed that audios, videos and reports are published through three billion smartphones.

Ivo Burum at La Trobe University in Australia was the trainer in the session. He shows how a smartphone can be used as pen, computer, exercise book and camera.

He also shows how to make audio, video and content by using cell phones of different companies.

Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ) director Rana Sabbagh said the journalist, who does not know mojo, has no base in the digital world.

According to a research, 40 per cent videos are seen on cell phone.

Reuters in a study says people spend money for news as there is an opportunity to read news on cell phone.

The use of mojo is being felt in Bangladesh too.

It is not possible to learn everything in just two hours of the conference of GIJN. It inspires one to know more in future.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo online edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.