Access the comprehensive database of investigative journalism domains. From nonprofit newsrooms to watchdog organizations, discover verified websites of in-depth reporting platforms that hold power accountable through rigorous journalism.
Navigate the in-depth reporting landscape with comprehensive data on investigative newsrooms and watchdog organizations.
Investigative journalism represents the highest form of public-interest reporting, uncovering corruption, holding institutions accountable, and driving societal change. Our database provides access to nonprofit investigative newsrooms, university-affiliated journalism centers, foundation-funded reporting projects, and legacy outlets with strong investigative traditions.
Whether you're supporting investigative journalism, building media partnerships, or conducting research on accountability reporting, our database delivers intelligence on the organizations that pursue truth through in-depth investigation.
"Investigative journalism is essential to democracy, providing the rigorous accountability reporting that citizens need to make informed decisions about their institutions."
-- Investigative Reporters and Editors, 2024Investigative journalism differs fundamentally from daily news reporting in its depth, duration, and methodology. Investigative reporters spend weeks, months, or even years pursuing a single story, gathering documentary evidence, conducting extensive interviews, and verifying claims through multiple independent sources. This resource-intensive form of reporting has historically been supported by large newspaper and television newsrooms, but the digital era has spawned hundreds of independent investigative outlets funded through foundations, memberships, and grants.
The investigative journalism sector has experienced a remarkable transformation since the early 2000s. Organizations like ProPublica, The Marshall Project, and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have demonstrated that nonprofit newsrooms can produce Pulitzer Prize-winning work. Foundation funding for investigative journalism now exceeds $400 million annually in the United States, reflecting growing philanthropic commitment to accountability reporting as traditional advertising revenue models have declined across the news industry.
Cross-border investigative collaborations have become a defining feature of modern watchdog journalism. Projects like the Panama Papers and Pandora Papers involved hundreds of journalists from dozens of countries working together to analyze millions of leaked documents. These collaborative investigations have reshaped how investigative newsrooms operate, with shared databases, secure communication platforms, and coordinated publishing timelines becoming standard practice across the global investigative journalism community.
Comprehensive coverage of the in-depth reporting sector.
Foundation-funded reporting
Academic journalism programs
Accountability organizations See also our curated list of International News Outlets.
Data-driven investigations Our Local And Regional Newspapers list offers complementary insights. For a broader perspective, check out National News Publishers.
Cross-border collaborations
Award-winning outlets Discover more opportunities in the Cable News Channels category.
Explore how professionals and organizations apply investigative journalism domain intelligence in their work.
Foundations and donor-advised funds use investigative journalism domain data to identify and evaluate nonprofit newsrooms eligible for grants. By mapping the landscape of investigative outlets, funders can assess geographic coverage gaps, avoid duplication of efforts, and direct philanthropic resources toward underserved communities that lack robust accountability reporting infrastructure.
Investigative newsrooms leverage domain intelligence to identify potential collaboration partners for cross-border reporting projects. Understanding the full ecosystem of investigative outlets helps editors find complementary expertise, share resources efficiently, and build the kind of multi-newsroom partnerships that have produced landmark investigations such as the Panama Papers and FinCEN Files.
Press freedom organizations and human rights groups track investigative journalism domains to monitor threats against independent media worldwide. By maintaining current databases of watchdog outlets, these organizations can quickly identify when investigative sites are censored, blocked, or taken offline, and mobilize international support to protect journalists facing retaliation for their reporting.
University journalism programs and media literacy organizations use investigative domain data to study the evolving structure of accountability reporting. Researchers analyze funding models, staffing levels, story output, and audience engagement metrics across investigative outlets to inform curriculum development and prepare the next generation of investigative reporters for the profession.
Law firms, compliance departments, and corporate governance teams monitor investigative journalism outlets to stay ahead of regulatory risks and emerging scandals. Tracking which investigative newsrooms cover specific industries helps organizations anticipate potential exposures, conduct proactive due diligence, and respond effectively when investigative reports affect their clients or operations.
Secure communication platform providers and digital security organizations use investigative domain data to understand how newsrooms receive confidential tips. Mapping which investigative outlets operate SecureDrop instances, encrypted tip lines, or other whistleblower submission systems helps improve the security infrastructure that protects sources who expose wrongdoing at considerable personal risk.
Every investigative journalism domain includes detailed metadata for comprehensive analysis and partnership identification.
Our investigative journalism database spans newsrooms operating across more than 80 countries, reflecting the truly global nature of modern accountability reporting. In North America, we track established institutions like ProPublica and The Intercept alongside emerging local investigative outlets in nearly every state. European coverage includes organizations from the Scandinavian countries known for transparency, Eastern European outlets fighting corruption, and pan-European collaborative networks that coordinate investigations across the continent.
The fastest-growing segment of our investigative database covers outlets in the Global South, where independent investigative newsrooms are expanding despite challenging press freedom environments. Organizations in Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia are producing groundbreaking accountability journalism on topics ranging from illegal mining to government corruption. We track these outlets through partnerships with the Global Investigative Journalism Network, which connects over 200 member organizations in more than 80 countries, ensuring our database reflects the full scope of investigative reporting worldwide.
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