Journalists and citizens of Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries interested in investigative journalism can now count on a guidebook by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Titled “Story-based Inquiry: a Manual for Investigative Journalists,” the handbook was first launched in English in 2009 and this week was released in Spanish and Portuguese.
According to the UN, the handbook, which exists in seven languages, presents basic techniques to begin and complete an investigative work. “The value and importance of precision, of care in thorough searches for information, is becoming more and more recognized in democracies. These contributions are essential for a democratic government,” says the text.
The book, written by Mark Lee Hunter, is a compilation of articles by journalists from all over the world. All of the phases of the investigative process, the research, quality control, the editing process, writing, and publishing are exhaustively analyzed and illustrated in each chapter with real-world studies.
UNESCO recognizes that investigative journalists face unexpected challenges, especially in countries where the rule of law is not yet consolidated. In the last decade alone, more than 600 journalists were killed, and at the same time, impunity in these crimes increased. Because of this, the organization says the handbook aims to promote freedom of the press and security for journalists.
Another aim of the book is to support young people interested in pursuing a journalism career, and that's why the agency says it's excited to offer the guide to the Spanish and Portuguese speaking public. To get the Portuguese version of the handbook, click this link. The Spanish version can be found here.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
