Investigative Reportingin the Internet Age

Sharon TillerDirector of Digital MediaCenter for Investigative Reporting

Founded in 1977, CIR is the nation's oldest nonprofit investigative reporting organization – producing multimedia reporting that enables people to demand accountability from government, corporations and others in power.

• Our staff includes highly-skilled reporters who know how to cultivate sources and find hidden information

• Engineers and analysts who create sophisticated news apps, interactive maps and tools to help the public understand issues from the macro to the micro level

• Radio, video and multimedia producers who create engaging documentaries, videos and animated features to demystify complex topics

• CIR's distribution and engagement team then works to deliver this information across hundreds of outlets to engage our audience and search for solutions

What is CIR?

• Founded in 1977

• Nation’s oldest nonprofit investigative journalism organization

• Cover local, national, and international stories

• Cross-platform distribution model (print, video, multimedia, online, etc.)

• In 2009, CIR launched California Watch

• 2012 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions

• Merged with The Bay Citizen in 2012

Key Facts

CIR Promo

In August 2012, the Center for Investigative Reporting launched The I Files, an investigative news channel on YouTube.

The channel's goal is to become the hub of the best investigative videos from around the world.

"YouTube is an enormous universe that should not be ignored. In the past you could broadcast on network news or put it in print in The New York Times. It's not like that anymore...more and more people are consuming their news in videos."

–Stephen Talbot, Senior Producer for The I Files

What is The I Files?

The I Files Promo

• Launched on August 2, 2012

• Showcases investigative videos from around the world

• Funded by The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

• Highly collaborative with diverse group of partners

Key Facts

Partners

• Over 693K views

• Over 4000 subscribers

• 3 years, 35 days worth of video watched (1,629,368 minutes)

• Top sources of traffic include Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Huffington Post

Lessons Learned

Lessons Learned

• Partner collaboration

• Engaging audience and creating conversations

• Interacting with journalists and filmmakers

• Tapping into larger, wider networks than our own

• Targeting promotion and outreach to groups, communities or individuals with "buy-in" on our stories

• Finding new ways to engage users around video

Social Media Strategy

Facebook - http://fb.com/theifiles - 9,300 Likes

Twitter - http://twitter.com/ifiles - 755 Followers

Tumblr - http://theifiles.tumblr.com - 50 Followers

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com - 55 Followers

Google+ - http://gplus.to/ifiles - 180 +1s

Social Media Engagement

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Thank You!

Sharon TillerDirector of Digital MediaCenter for Investigative Reportingstiller@cironline.org