Political investigative journalism

[daib0]

A recently published book by Tom Bowyer, an investigative journalist, has supposedly exposed several claims about Tony Blair worthy of a coat of looking at - including secretive money making deals, misusing his position, mass immigration with his connivance and without public discussion, the Iraq war tales ... some now even say it is about time this man saw the inside of a prison cell.

I'm sure there are corrupt politicians in virtually all countries. It's all coming out in Spain, hundreds now being investigated/condemned. But I've a feeling the British do it more intelligently, less chance of being found out because they cover their tracks better. Therefore we have to be careful when laying a finger at one individual without proof because you leave the door open at being hammered and financially ruined if one makes false accusations. But I certainly wekcome all kinds of investigative journalism for which luckily the British are also very smart at ... if it's there it will come out I feel, though it may take ages!

For those of you not living in Britain, how is corruption in your country?

And those at home - is it a real problem in Britain itself nowadays?

And how do you see investigative generally? Should journalists have easier access to delicate information, more protection when they make big claims?

You know, that tightrope balance between innocence until proven guilty with uncovering dishonesty of all types?

[Deleted User 2747]

Investigative journalism has always been cruicial, but is open to all kinds of abuse too (A la News of The World. It depends on what they are investigating.

I would like to see, corruption like that at FIFA outed and removed, I support that kind of investigation.

I would also like to see an end to the fascination with celebrity and maybe those journalists can put their effort into eeking out corruption.

[Deleted User 728]

Corruption exists in every single country at every single level of society, from kids cheating at school, right up to MNC trade and international government negotiations, sporting bodies, betting, etc .. you name it, someone's diddling someone at it.

It's human nature, unfortunately.

If you want to see a good example of investigative journalism, look no further than Spotlight, winner of last night's Best Picture Academy Award, and rightly so.
Here's my review : http://paulridgeblog.com/2016/02/16/fil ... spotlight/

[Deleted User 2747]

I will look out for that film rigger.

Yes there is corruption everywhere, it is a sad truth, more of it needs to be uncovered! It would seem that with FIFA and the athletics that more of it is coming to the fore. The truth will out hopefully.

What I do find ironic, wholly cynical and very unsavoury is the protestations of large multi-nationals with regards to their sponsorship deals! As if they are unsullied by devious and dubious practice and have everyone's best interests in mind!!

[Deleted User 728]

I will look out for that film rigger.

Yes there is corruption everywhere, it is a sad truth, more of it needs to be uncovered! It would seem that with FIFA and the athletics that more of it is coming to the fore. The truth will out hopefully.

What I do find ironic, wholly cynical and very unsavoury is the protestations of large multi-nationals with regards to their sponsorship deals! As if they are unsullied by devious and dubious practice and have everyone's best interests in mind!!

To be fair to some of them (adidas for example) they did pull out of FIFA sponsorship PDQ once the arrests started.
I think Sony did too, but I'm not so sure about Budweiser - though don't quote me on that.

[Billy the kid]

I talk politics quite a bit with a very intelligent woman who was brought up in Eastern Europe. She told me she feels sorry for the British
because they are very naive. They think they are living in a democracy, but to her it just seems like her own country when she lived there. There only difference is that nobody believed what they were told by the media there but in the UK we soak it up. She thinks we are easily controlled.

I agree with her. I don't believe most of the news on the radio or tv. In fact, I reverse it. If they say that people like Putin and Assad are bad then in reality they are probably good. I'm a bit of a crank. I think the world is controlled by a small group who want to turn us into slaves. Slime like Blair and Cameron are the tools of this super elite group.

I've known a few journalists. They couldn't have investigated anything. One of them used to appear on the TV most mornings. She was very pleasant but my budgie probably knew more about politics than her. The Tom Bower extracts are very interesting, but it contains nothing I didn't know or suspect.