The force of the fourth Estate – investigative journalism in my country

by Theresa Eisele, Germany

Before the law sits a gatekeeper. To this gatekeeper comes a man from the country who asks to gain entry into the law. But the gatekeeper says that he cannot grant him entry at the moment. The man thinks about it and then asks if he will be allowed to come in sometime later on. (Franz Kafka, Before the law)

... The man from the country has not expected such difficulties: the law should always be accessible for everyone, he thinks, but as he now looks more closely at the gatekeeper in his fur coat, at his large pointed nose and his long, thin, black Tartar’s beard, he decides that it would be better to wait until he gets permission to go inside.

From a scientific point of view, journalism in Germany fulfils three functions and is therefore split into three parts: reporting and commentary; arguing and interpreting and last but not least investigation. Subsequently, the three functions are: to inform about current affairs, to offer orientation and participation for the German citizens and to criticise and control. The latter might not be the most comfortable way to publicise, it might also not be the easiest way to report, however it is indispensable for German society as a whole. Investigative journalism has become indispensable as the Forth Estate controlling authorities and the powerful governing the country, who decide as representatives and therefore have a lot of power, sometimes abusing it.

The gatekeeper gives him a stool and allows him to sit down at the side in front of the gate. There he sits for days and years.

However, there are two points to take into consideration when it comes to investigative journalism as a fourth political power in Germany. First of all, Germany has never been the first country practising investigative journalism. In countries such as England or the United States of America this sort of journalism has deep historical roots and different conceptions of journalism and the role of journalists themselves. Consequently the big scandals that made history for investigative journalism were uncovered by the English-speaking press: the first under-cover investigators
discovered white slavery in London in the year 1885, or the famous “Muckraker“ in 1906 in the USA, as well as “Watergate“ in 1968, to name but a few of them. Nevertheless, Germany, too, can spout some media with efforts to discover the undiscoverable and with understanding of the public as tribunal. One of them, without doubt, is the weekly journal “Der Spiegel“. It revealed, starting in the 1950s, scandals involving politicians (“Spiegel-Affäre“, “Strauß-Affäre“) and in recent times journalists like Günther Wallraff discovered unacceptable conditions in German companies, for
example that employers at LIDL spy on their employees.

In addition, there is a second point we have to consider in terms of investigative journalism in my country, in Germany. We have to realise the new conditions that the media face around the world, also in Germany. Journalism depends, as do other parts of society, on factors, which can influence reporting to great extent. From my point of view one of the determining factors for journalists in Germany, is the overwhelming amount of information. Journalists have to filter masses of information in order to uncover the news or a scandal. They also need a lot of time to check an
analyse the information provided, among others, by lobbyists. Secondly, journalists have to fight against an increasing complexity in times of globalisation. Journalists have to define what is important and must simplify without losing orientation. The third and final factor affecting the work of journalists from my point of view weighs heavily in the daily operation practising investigative journalism: The competition of media. In times, when we can receive information quickly and cheaply through the internet, it is especially hard for print-media to compete. In order to save money, journalists have lower budgets and less time for working with more information and
producing more stories. Consequently we can detect a movement towards „fast information“ an towards „sensationalism“. Both of them poison for investigative journalism.

Finally his eyesight grows weak, and he does not know whether things are really darker around him or whether his eyes are merely deceiving him. But he recognises now in the darkness an illumination which breaks inextinguishably out of the gateway to the law.

Therefore journalists desperately need formation in investigative journalism. From my point of view, they do need a helping hand at the beginning in order not to stand „Before the law“ without access like the protagonist Josef K. (From Kafka's famous book „The Trial“), but to be aware of their force – the force of the fourth Estate. Beside all the pressure they have to face and besides all the bad conditions they are under, journalists should consider that a big responsibility rests on their shoulders in controlling authorities and movements in society. In a nutshell, considering the facts, I am aware that without investigative journalism my country would have fared much worse than it is today. For this reason, in order to strengthen the Fourth Estate in my country and to discuss with other young journalists from all over Europe, I am applying for the workshop M100 Youth Media Workshop.

Theresa Eisele, 23, is a student of Media and Communications at the University of Leipzig and just finished an exchange semester in Madrid. Previously she has worked for the university radio station Mephisto, according to her journalistic preference for the workshop.