The Investigations Game - How to tackle the toughest stories
Investigations are slow-work, and often risky. So how do journalists get their break - especially as freelancers?
We'll be talking to some of the best reporters in this field: how they find and fund stories, protect their sources, and convince editors to back them.
Host
Isabel Woodford is the founder of the London Freelance Journalism Collective. She left Reuters in 2024 and has gone on to be published in The FT, The Atlantic, The Guardian, the Times, The Telegraph, the New Scientist, and others. Earlier this year, she launched a course designed for freelance journalists, outlining a blueprint to build a solo career.
Speakers
Oliver Franklin-Wallis is an award-winning magazine journalist, whose writing has appeared in GQ, WIRED, The Guardian, the New York Times, The Times Magazine, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Economist’s 1843 magazine, among others. He left GQ to go freelance last year, and has since published investigations independently.
Samira Shackle is a freelance journalist and author, specialising in long-form reported features. She's a regular contributor to the Guardian Long Read, with investigations across social issues.
Catrin Nye is an investigative journalist with the BBC. Her long-form documentaries span investigations on financial exploitation, the chemicals industry and sexual abuse. Her podcast A Very British Cult was critically acclaimed and Apple’s most listened to BBC podcast of the year.
We'll talk about:
Where investigations start: finding the story, and knowing when it's worth chasing
Funding the work: pitching long-haul stories, grants, and working out what to spend
Working with editors and legal teams
Protecting yourself and your sources
Timings:
6-6:30pm: Mingling (Stranger prompt: What's something you're tackling right now?)
6.30pm: Panel kick-off (+ Q&A)
7.15-8pm: More mingling!
About the London Freelance Journalism Collective
LFJC is the capital's community for freelance journalists, a space to connect, collaborate, and grow. We meet in person, always. Follow along to get updates on future talks. Members are welcome to unlimited events with one-off, lifelong membership
This event is generously hosted by Marker.