The Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIJ) is a British independent charity providing training to journalists, researchers, producers and students in the practice and methodology of
investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, racial injustice, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend m ...
. It was incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee in June 2005 and registered as a Charity in March 2007 by founders
Gavin MacFadyen, Michael Gillard, Brian Basham and Simon Albury. Using grants from the Lorana Sullivan Foundation, the CIJ organises annual three-day summer conference and courses in data journalism and investigative techniques. It has provided training to thousands of journalists, researchers and students from over 35 countries. The CIJ is based at the School of Journalism at
Goldsmiths, University of London
Goldsmiths, University of London, formerly Goldsmiths College, University of London, is a constituent research university of the University of London. It was originally founded in 1891 as The Goldsmiths' Technical and Recreative Institute by ...
, which has held the CIJ summer conference each year since 2014.
The Centre supports and encourages Freedom of Information, Computer Assisted Reporting, and the protection of whistleblowers. The CIJ offers particular assistance to those working in difficult environments where free speech and freedom of the press are under threat and where truthful reporting can be a dangerous occupation. The CIJ's training programmes are designed to encourage in-depth reporting on injustice, corruption, the integrity and transparency of institutional power and to hold the powerful to account. This work has been supplemented by publication of Logan handbooks on investigative methods and techniques and mentoring journalist youth groups and young filmmakers.
The CIJ's supporters include reporters from the
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is an operational business division and service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a royal charter since 1927. The service provides national radio stations cove ...
and Television,
Canal Plus (Paris),
CBS 60 Minutes,
Channel Four, ''
Private Eye'', ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
'' Insight Team, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', and
WikiLeaks
WikiLeaks () is a non-profit media organisation and publisher of leaked documents. It is funded by donations and media partnerships. It has published classified documents and other media provided by anonymous sources. It was founded in 2006 by ...
.
In 2007 the CIJ acquired registered charity status and attracted support from a number of foundations including the
Open Society Institute
Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is an American grantmaking network founded by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the world, with the s ...
, the
David and Elaine Potter Foundation, the
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...
, the
Park Foundation, the Reva and David Logan Foundation, Democratie en Media,
Goldsmiths,
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...
, and several smaller private trusts.
In 2009, the CIJ was instrumental in helping to found the
Bureau for Investigative Journalism,
an independent, foundation-supported producer of in-depth reporting in defence of the public interest.
In 2012, the CIJ instituted a programme of active pro bono assistance, counselling and defence to whistleblowers and those who have exposed crimes and wrongdoing in their workplace.
The CIJ recently launched a programme on information security, organising workshops for journalists, researchers and lawyers on encryption, Tor, OTR and other protective technologies. In 2014, the organisation also began a series of conferences which bring together journalists, technologists and hacktivists to forge alliances against
mass surveillance
Mass surveillance is the intricate surveillance of an entire or a substantial fraction of a population in order to monitor that group of citizens. The surveillance is often carried out by Local government, local and federal governments or intell ...
and censorship. These events are titled the CIJ Logan Symposia.
In 2020, the Centre organized a Spanish-language training program for
Latin America
Latin America is the cultural region of the Americas where Romance languages are predominantly spoken, primarily Spanish language, Spanish and Portuguese language, Portuguese. Latin America is defined according to cultural identity, not geogr ...
n journalists and other investigators, to help improve their investigative skills and analyze common problems they might face when investigating corruption, environmental harm or other misconduct affecting the public interest.
["International Investigative Practice: Latin America,"](_blank)
2020, Centre for Investigative Journalism, retrieved February 25, 2023 By 2022, they had partnered with 3 Latin American enterprises— (IPYS), , and —to deliver the training program.
["Latin America: 1 April 2022 –31 March 2023,"](_blank)
2022, Centre for Investigative Journalism, retrieved February 25, 2023
References
External links
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{{Authority control
Investigative journalism
Freedom of information
Types of journalism
United Kingdom journalism organisations
Whistleblower support organizations
Organizations established in 2003
2003 establishments in England
Non-profit organisations based in London