what is an investigative journalism?

Answer 1

Investigative journalism is in which a journalist deeply investigate a topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or some other scandal. His main aim is to discover the truth for a report to media.It is not limited as to target, not legally founded and closely connected to publicity.
American journalist Daniel Pearl undertook to investigate the case of shoe bomber and probably he was successful but murdered. This is very high risk job. Many journalist have given their lives for the cause of profession.

An investigative journalist may spend a considerable period researching and preparing a report, sometimes months or years, whereas a typical daily or weekly news reporter writes items concerning immediately available news. Most investigative journalism is done by newspapers, wire services and freelance journalists. An investigative journalist's final report may take the form of an expose.

Answer 2

When you read the society page and find out what the grand ladies were wearing to the tea party, that is not investigative reporting.

The same holds true for the sports page and the auto section and the theatre section and a good 98% of the newspaper.

When you see the story about how the city council and the mayor in the past did things so they would not fund the retirement fund you may not think of how that information got into the paper. For sure the mayor and the city council did not call up the editor and tell him they were doing something illegal. Some reporter got wind of the scam and investigated the facts and got the statements of involved people and then you learned of what the mayor and the city council wanted kept secret.

Bob Woodward on the Washington Post is an example of the hardworking investigative reporters who supply, after much hard fact seeking and in some cases dangerous work, supply the presses with the story and bring it to you as you drink your morning coffee.