Global Investigative Journalism Network (https://archive.gijn.org/tag/freelancing/)
There are no platforms designed specifically for journalists to sell investigative story ideas, but a few websites may prove useful. To find a publisher for an investigative idea, most reporters suggest alternative routes, such as doing research on possible outlets and making personal contacts.
Selling freelance investigative journalism proposals is a lot like selling other stories, but harder. There just aren’t enough media outlets willing to engage in watchdog reporting.
For more on Distribution, Promotion, and Freelancing, see our GIJN Guide.And pitching investigations which may have uncertain and controversial outcomes is especially challenging, requiring the establishment of mutual trust.
What’s more, the costs of doing time-consuming investigations can be high, while the compensation is inadequate.
From where to pitch to how to avoid being sued, and how much you should be getting paid for your work: a new, nine-part GIJN-resource covers the business side of doing investigative journalism. The guide covers a variety of subjects, aiming to help both individuals and media institutions by providing practical tips and advice.
For this week’s Friday 5, where GIJN rounds up key reads around the world, we found stories about freelancers commissioned to write for a massive Russian-backed disinformation campaign, how to (not) get your pitch read by an editor, and a guide for reporting on US elections.