Case Studies

I reviewed a case study in chapter one of William C. Gaine's Investigative Journalism: Proven Strategies for Reporting the Story. The study involved a reporter who received a tip from officers that the sheriff of a local town was receiving campaign money from his officers in exchange for badges and guns. The reporter turned the story over to his editor who assigned an investigative reporter to check it out. The investigative reporter found the story to be true and after publishing his findings, several townspeople voted in a new sheriff.


The original reporter, Wright, turned the story over to his editor because he didn't want any backlash from the sheriff's office. The office had always tipped Wright off when they had a story, but only gave him information when it would put the sheriff's office in a good light. Wright should have covered the story because it was his assigned beat and he should report all things, not only good. However, by turning the story over to the investigative reporter, Miller, Wright kept a good relationship with current officers. Miller did his job well. He didn’t hold anything back for fear of upsetting someone and he found the proof he needed without revealing his sources. The public had a right to know who they had voted in to office previously.

Case study two was about a reporter who often checked public records at city hall for interesting facts that could be investigated and turned into stories. She found out one such fact about the mayor buying properties, renovating them and selling them for much more than he paid. In the end, she could not prove any illegal wrongdoing by the mayor, but had city hall on alert of her presence.

The reporter, Benton knew something was not quite right with the way the mayor renovated such properties and found out city employees were doing such renovations with city funds. Also, a former reporter who now worked for the mayor, knew Benton’s tactics and tried to stop her before she came. Benton, however, pressed on with the story and got the public’s attention. They wanted the mayor ousted from office. Although, he wasn’t kicked out, the public certainly had a different view of him.