This document outlines the key characteristics and ingredients of investigative journalism. It discusses how investigative journalists spend months or years deeply researching a topic, forming hypotheses and analyzing public documents and data to uncover matters that are deliberately or accidentally concealed by those in power. The five key ingredients outlined are systematic in-depth reporting, forming hypotheses, analyzing public records, making secret information public, and focusing on social justice and accountability. Examples of investigative journalism exposes in India are provided.

2.  INTRODUCTION
 CHARACTERISTICS
 5 KEY INGREDIENTS TO INVESTIGATIVE
JOURNALIM.
 EXAMPLES.
 CONCLUSION

3.  Investigation journalism is form of journalism in
which reporters deeply investigate a single topic
of interest , such as serious crimes , political
corruption, or corporate wrongdoing.
 A investigative journalism may spend months or
years researching and preparing a report.

4.  Investigative journalism means the unveiling of
matters that are concealed either deliberately by
someone in a position of power ,or accidently
,behind a chaotic mass of facts and circumstances
and the analysis and exposure of all relevant facts
to the publics.

5. 1.Systematic in depth original reporting-
 You are taking your time and going through
something in a systematic way to really
understanding what is going on in the world. The
work is original as well as in depth.

6.  2. Forming a hypothesis - Good investigative
reporters tend to think like an honest public
prosecutor or a good police detective.
 They form a hypothesis about what is going on.
 They use the scientific method. You form a
theory and you find the facts to support it. This is
one of the hardest parts in investigative
journalism.

7.  3. Analyse public documents and data - The third
element of investigative journalism involves using
lots of public records and public data.
 Investigative reporters often talk a lot about
following trails. Trails of people, money of
institutions and accountability.
 They do this through paper trails and collect as
much as they can on the public record.
 They got documents and data leaked to them and
then they analyse that to follow the trails.

8.  4. Making public things that are secret or
hidden –
 Investigative reporters are often dealing with
secret information.
 With things that people in power don’t want to
come out- it shows they’ve abused their position
or power in society.
 Part of our job is finding those things and
showing people what’s happening.

9.  5. Focus on social justice and accountability –
 There has always been this calling in the
investigative journalism profession to social
accountability.
 Their mission is to hold companies, institutions
and individuals accountable. Investigative
reporting has been called the journalism of
outrage and for a good reason.
 Investigative reporters believe in righting
wrongs.

10.  Tehelka’s Defence Deals Expose
 Even as the nation was trying to find its feet after being knocked off
balance by the massive Bhuj earthquake, on March 13, 2001, Tehelka
published an investigative report that ripped the lid off the murky world of
defence deals.
 Carried out using hidden cameras, the investigation (called Operation West
End) publicized secret videotapes of top politicians, bureaucrats and
military official accepting bribes from two reporters (who posed as arms
agents).
 The resulting furore created a major political storm and led to the
resignation of those indicted by the videotapes. Interestingly, the same
year, Tehelka also blew the lid of the explosive match-fixing scandal in

11.  Investigative journalism is required to uncover
extraordinary stories that people might want to
hide and keep it as a secret. This type of
journalism will need all skills related to general
reporting.
 The primary job of the journalists is to gather
information and support them with proper
evidence if the news is challenged.
 It is advised to consult a lawyer if you want to
know about the legality of your work.