Investigative journalism in Florida is in peril. In 2009, American Journalism Review counted just 16 full-time newspaper reporters assigned to Tallahassee, compared to 30 in 1998.
What’s more, newsrooms across the state have shrunk in recent years, affecting the quality and quantity of investigative news. What happens when there are fewer journalists and less time for investigative projects? Florida government becomes less transparent and less accountable.
The Florida Center for Investigative Reporting is a nonprofit, digital and bilingual investigative journalism organization working to expose corruption, waste and miscarriages of justice. FCIR believes this type of reporting is essential to democracy, and will use the latest technologies and storytelling techniques to connect with diverse audiences throughout the state.
FCIR is based at the International Media Center, an independent nonprofit located at Florida International University in Miami that advances journalism in Latin American communities, including Florida and Cuba.
FCIR’s partnership with IMC is a first step in building an educational program. FCIR is committed to working with Florida International University faculty to help train the next generation of journalists. Student interns will produce investigative and multimedia reports, in English and Spanish, for FCIR.
A dedicated staff of journalists at FCIR, working under the guidance and supervision of a board of directors, produces investigative journalism in partnership and collaboration with its partners, including traditional and ethnic news media. FCIR’s goal is to create a statewide network to deliver reports on multiple platforms, including print newspapers and magazines, radio and television, and online.
Further, FCIR is working in partnership with the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee to build a network of volunteer citizen watchdogs throughout the state.
FCIR is a member of the Investigative News Network, a coalition of nonprofit news organizations dedicated to in-depth, investigative journalism in the public interest.
For more information, contact us.
