What we believe
Accurate information is necessary for democracy.
We need access to reliable information about the world we live in for a healthy government and society.
More journalism needs investigative rigor.
There is too much space between the best of journalism and the bulk of journalism – a problem deepened by economic incentives of for-profit media. Bridging that gulf is key to building a media that the public can trust.
Everyone is capable of learning investigative skills.
For too long, too many people have been excluded from investigative journalism, which has resulted in too many important stories remaining untold.
What we do
We pair student and early-career journalists with professional reporters on investigative, data and enterprise projects. With the guidance of our staff editors, IRW’s interns and fellows learn journalism by doing journalism. In exchange, our partners are empowered to produce ambitious journalism they would have otherwise been unable to accomplish.
What we produce
In the last year, IRW produced and co-produced 30+ stories on topics including the environment, health, sexual harassment, immigration, race and politics. IRW collaborates with major national newsrooms as well as focused nonprofits, including a substantial partnership with The Washington Post, co-publishing more than 35 stories and contributing to hundreds of others.
Our recent work
The Harms of COVID misinformation |
The Washington Post
IRW post-graduate fellow Hayden Godfrey partnered with Post reporters to analyze disciplinary records of doctors across all 50 states – finding there had been few repercussions for those who jeopardized their patients’ lives by pushing medical misinformation during the COVID pandemic.
Illustration by Laura Padilla Castellanos/The Washington Post
Amid a record heat wave, Texas construction workers lose their right to rest breaks |
Public Health Watch and NPR
IRW summer intern Hannah Levitan told the story of a Texas construction worker after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill that overturns local ordinances in Austin and Dallas that mandate that such workers receive rest breaks.
Photo by Blaine Young
