The enduring legacy of the great investigative exposés
A look back at landmark investigations that defined the power of the press to hold power to account.
The history of journalism is punctuated by landmark investigative exposés that defined the power of the press to hold power to account, and a look back at these great works of reporting illuminates the enduring role of newspapers as watchdogs and the lasting impact that determined journalism can have on society.
Throughout the modern history of the press, investigative journalism has exposed corruption, abuse and wrongdoing, bringing hidden truths to light and prompting reform, accountability and, at times, the fall of the powerful. Such work has represented journalism at its most consequential.
The great investigations have shared common features: dogged persistence in the face of obstacles, careful verification of facts, the courage to pursue powerful targets, and a commitment to the public interest. They have often required substantial time and resources and the backing of institutions willing to support difficult work.
These exposés demonstrated the distinctive capacity of the press to serve as a check on power, uncovering what others sought to conceal and informing citizens of matters essential to self-government. They helped establish the watchdog role as central to the identity and justification of journalism.
The legacy of such work continued to inspire and to set a standard for the profession, even as the economic pressures on the industry made sustained investigative reporting harder to support. The tradition reminded journalists and the public alike of what rigorous reporting could accomplish.
Looking back at the great investigative exposés offers a reminder of the vital function that newspapers have long performed and of the public value of journalism that afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted. As the industry navigated the challenges of the digital era, the legacy of these landmark investigations stood as both an inspiration and a benchmark, a testament to the enduring importance of a press willing and able to speak truth to power, and to the difference that determined reporting can make.