The future of investigative journalism

Government support for investigative reporting is a good idea, but it needs to look beyond the traditional media. Instead we must turn to a vibrant and diverse group of journalism producers, big and small, to fulfil journalism's essential role as the fourth estate.

The survival of investigative journalism is critical to a flourishing democracy. At first blush, Bruce Ackerman and Ian Ayres's recent proposal for a national endowment for investigative journalism seems like the perfect pitch. The US has a national endowment for the arts and a national science foundation. Why not for journalism?

Read the rest: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/apr/16/internet-...