What does the future hold for investigative journalism in Asia?
Despite intimidation, Asian journalists are digging into sensitive issues related to corruption and crime at all levels like never before. But with few exceptions, investigative journalism remains risky business in the countries represented at the first Asian investigative journalism conference
On day two of Asia’s first investigative journalism conference in Manila, a panel of editors and scholars from China, Nepal, Thailand and Japan dove into the question of how investigative journalism can be driven forward and supported in environments that are not conducive to critical journalism.
“There is no question that investigative journalism demands time and resources that many traditional media outlets are not able to honour. However, in an age where superficial journalism reigns in many areas of Asia, the need for investigative journalism is greater than ever,” said Kunda Dixit, founder and editor of Nepali Times.
However, the challenges facing investigative journalism are not only those represented by disgruntled power holders, he explained. The commercialisation of media is a major challenge in many Asian countries. Journalists and editors in mainstream media are scared of what they will find when they dig too deep, afraid of ruffling the wrong feathers and making the choice of publishing stories which could mean a loss of advertising or incurring the wrath of those in power with consequences to follow.
Professor Ying Chan of the University of Hong Kong highlighted cross-country cooperation on stories such as the “Off-shore leaks China” investigation as an example of what can drive investigative journalism forward in Asia. A multinational team of journalists spent months combing through secret tax haven records revealing offshore holdings of China’s rich and powerful.
“The Off-shore Leaks China story was a great example of what the future of investigative journalism in Asia could look like. This was an example of international expertise coupled with local knowledge and the sharing of resources. Ensuring that a story in published in more than one country and on multiple platforms and media, is also something which may persuade an editor to reconsider self-censorship.”
Scam fatigue in India
India has no shortage of investigative stories linked to corruption and scams, according to Sashi Kumar of the Asian College of Journalism. In fact, there are so many of these stories in the mainstream media that a type of public fatigue has developed around them because hardly any of them venture past the point of breaking news. They are not followed up or brought to closure.
A major challenge facing investigative journalism in India is linked to demography and a weak link between news media and local media. Rural India is almost completely overlooked and underrepresented when it comes to investigative journalism although 60 – 70 per cent of the Indian population lives in rural areas. The stories that are produced at a local level seldom reach a national level.
“Deprivation, infanticide, slavery, child labour, farmer suicides – I could go on. There are no sustained investigations of the causes that perpetuate these issues.”
Part of this particular problem in India is linked to the ownership models of large news media outlets that more often than not represent the interests of the state rather than of the people in rural areas. For this reason it becomes the role of alternative media to carry these stories.
In Thailand, the space for freedom of expression has shrunk in exorbitantly over the last year and a half. Chavarong Limpattamapanee of the daily newspaper Thai Rath described the abundant training in investigative journalism that Thai reporters have been offered over the years from various sources. But there has been little possibility of practicing the acquired skills in an environment which is not conducive to investigative journalism.
”The future of investigative journalism in Asia must lie in cross-country cooperation,“ he explained.
Rethinking the format of investigative journalism
With mainstream media reluctant to publish sensitive stories in many Asian countries, the possibility of developing new ways of presenting and publishing stories remains relevant. Professor Ying of the University of Hong Kong suggested investigative journalism in the format of games that present gamers with scenarios reflecting real investigative stories. Such initiatives could be taken up at university level through cooperation between media and science and technology departments.
While challenges facing investigative journalism lie at many levels, from lack of resources to legal restrictions, the structure of media environments and environments of fear, the constant development of new technologies and growing internet penetration in Asia present a major opportunity for alternative platforms for investigative journalism in addition to traditional, mainstream media. With these possibilities in sight, the future may not look so bleak for investigative journalism in Asia.
