Seymour Hersh in Cairo. Photo by Hossam el-Hamalawy. Wikimedia Commons

Famous Investigative Journalists in the World: Top 20 List


 

Investigative journalists are responsible for uncovering and reporting on issues that the media either ignores or fails to report on. They play an important role in society because they help to expose injustices and other issues.

An investigative journalist is someone who investigates, reports on, and solves societal mysteries. They uncover issues that the media either ignores or fails to report on. Investigative journalists play an important role in society because they help to expose injustices and other issues.

Investigative journalism is a type of journalism that seeks to discover and report the truth. To gather information, investigative journalists employ a variety of tools and techniques. They can use databases, legal records, interviews, public records, and other sources to find out what is really happening in the world around us.

1. Ida Tarbell

Ida Tarbell. Photo by James Edward Purdy. Wikimedia Commons

Muckraking journalism arose at the end of the nineteenth century, largely in response to the excesses of the Gilded Age, and Ida Tarbell was one of the most well-known muckrakers. Tarbell’s passion became writing. Tarbell’s work, according to one of her biographers, Kathleen Brady, was like magic, dispelling forever dreams of botany. 

The Standard Oil Company was exposed by Tarbell.  She accepted McClure’s offer to work for his new venture, McClure’s Magazine, where she completed her most famous work, an exposé of John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company. Her research into Rockefeller’s business practices as he built Standard Oil into one of the world’s largest business monopolies took many years. It was published in 19 instalments by McClure’s Magazine. Her work became a sensation, and the instalments were collected into a two-volume book titled The History of the Standard Oil Company, which was published in 1904.

Tarbell’s work was largely responsible for a Supreme Court decision in 1911 that found Standard Oil in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Standard was found to be an illegal monopoly by the Court, and it was ordered to be divided into 34 separate companies.

Tarbell’s legacy as a journalist who took seriously the credo that journalists should “afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted” lives on in The History of the Standard Oil Company. Her Easton home was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1993.

2. Murrey Marder

Murrey Marder, a 39-year veteran of The Washington Post, is an influential investigative journalist. He is remembered as the reporter who, nearly 60 years ago, may have done more than anyone else to bring Senator Joseph McCarthy’s demagogic reign to an end.

He was also The Washington Post Foreign Service’s first overseas correspondent, opening a bureau in London in 1957, and one of the senior reporters assigned to write the newspaper’s stories about the Pentagon Papers in 1971.

3. David Halberstam

David Halberstam. Photo by Department of Education. Office of the Secretary. Office of Public Affairs. Wikimedia Commons

David Halberstam (April 10, 1934 – April 23, 2007) was a writer, journalist, and historian best known for his work on the Vietnam War, politics, history, the Civil Rights Movement, business, media, American culture, the Korean War, and, later, sports journalism.

In 1964, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. Halberstam died in a car accident in 2007 while conducting research for a book. Halberstam began his journalism career at the Daily Times Leader in West Point, Mississippi, the state’s smallest daily newspaper. For The Tennessean in Nashville, he covered the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement.

4. Bob Woodward

Bob Woodward and his new book. Photo by Bob Woodward. Wikimedia Commons

Robert Upshur Woodward (born March 26, 1943) is an investigative journalist from the United States. He began his career as a reporter for The Washington Post in 1971 and is now an associate editor.

Woodward collaborated with Carl Bernstein as a reporter for The Washington Post in 1972, and the two did much of the original news reporting on the Watergate scandal. These scandals prompted numerous government investigations and, eventually, President Richard Nixon’s resignation. The work of Woodward and Bernstein was called “maybe the single greatest reporting effort of all time” by long-time journalism figure Gene Roberts.

Woodward continued to work for The Washington Post after his Watergate reporting. He has written 21 books on American politics and current events, 13 of which have been published.

5. Carl Bernstein

Carl Bernstein is a journalist and author best known for his investigative reporting on politics and government, particularly his role in exposing the Watergate scandal. He was a Washington Post reporter who, along with Bob Woodward, helped uncover the Watergate scandal, which led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

Numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, were bestowed upon him for his work on the Watergate scandal. He is also the author of several books, including “All the President’s Men.”

He’s a well-known and respected journalist in the United States, known for his in-depth and investigative reporting on politics and government. His reporting on Watergate had a significant impact on American politics and government, and his books and reporting are still widely read and discussed. He is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of investigative journalism.

6. Seymour Hersh

Seymour Hersh in Cairo. Photo by Hossam el-Hamalawy. Wikimedia Commons

Seymour Hersh is an American investigative journalist and author best known for exposing government secrets and military scandals. He has been a freelance journalist since the 1970s and has covered a wide range of topics.

Hersh began his career as a reporter for the Chicago City News Bureau before moving to The New York Times, where he won his first Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the My Lai Massacre. He then worked as a staff writer for The New Yorker before becoming a freelance journalist.

He has also written for The New York Times, The New Republic, and The London Review of Books, among others. Hersh’s work is known for being meticulously researched and for unearthing stories that other journalists have overlooked or ignored.

7. Michael Isikoff

Michael Isikoff. Photo by Web Summit. Wikimedia Commons

Michael Isikoff is a journalist and author from the United States best known for his coverage of the Watergate scandal, the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky scandal, and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

He started out as a reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer before moving on to The Washington Post and, later, Newsweek. While at Newsweek, Isikoff broke the story about the Monica Lewinsky scandal, which led to President Bill Clinton’s impeachment. Later, he published “Uncovering Clinton: A Reporter’s Story,” a book about the scandal.

Isikoff has also covered the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Iraq war, and the global war on terror. He co-wrote “Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War” with David Corn, a book about the 9/11 attacks. He has also written a number of other books and contributed to a variety of publications, including The New York Times and The New Yorker.

Isikoff is well-known for his in-depth investigative reporting and ability to unearth stories that others have overlooked. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, including the George Polk Award, the Overseas Press Club Award, and the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Excellence in Journalism.

8. David Cay Johnston

David Cay Johnston. Photo by Pax Ahimsa Gethen. Wikimedia Commons

David Cay Johnston is a tax, economic, and legal investigative journalist and author from the United States. He is best known for his reporting on Donald Trump’s business and financial activities, as well as his book, “The Making of Donald Trump.”

He is also the founder and editor of the economic and political news website DCReport.org.

Johnston began his career as a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News before moving on to The New York Times, where he won a Pulitzer Prize for his tax coverage in 2001.

9. Glenn Greenwald

Greenwald at Congress. Photo by Elza Fiúza. Wikimedia Commons

Glenn Greenwald is a lawyer, author, and investigative journalist from the United States. He is best known for his reporting on the Edward Snowden leaks, which revealed the scope of government surveillance programs carried out by the US National Security Agency (NSA) and other intelligence agencies. He covered the leaks for The Guardian, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for its coverage in 2014.

Greenwald is well-known for his outspoken opposition to government secrecy and surveillance, as well as his defence of civil liberties. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, including the George Polk Award, the Gannett Foundation Award for Investigative Journalism, and the Online Journalism Award for Best Commentary.

10. Meirion Jones

Meirion Jones. Photo by AlasdhairJohnston. Wikimedia Commons

Meirion Jones is a well-known British investigative journalist who worked for the BBC. He has written on a variety of topics, including politics, crime, and social issues. He has been involved in a number of high-profile investigations, including the Jimmy Savile abuse scandal and the Hillsborough disaster.

Jones began his career as a BBC Wales reporter before moving to London. He has been a producer and reporter for the BBC’s flagship current affairs programs, including Panorama and News night, for over 30 years. Throughout his career, Jones has received numerous honours, including the Royal Television Society’s Judges’ Award and the Paul Foot Award for investigative journalism.

11. Julie K. Brown

Julie K. Brown is a well-known American investigative journalist and correspondent who focuses on sex crimes, criminal justice, and corruption. She currently works as a reporter for the Miami Herald, where she has been for several years.

Her most well-known investigation was into Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier accused of sex trafficking and sexual abuse of minors. Her investigation resulted in the disclosure of Epstein’s secret plea deal, resulting in the resignation of US Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta. She has also published a book titled “Perversion of Justice: Jeffrey Epstein and the Corruption of America’s Legal System.”

Brown’s work prompted several government investigations and resulted in significant changes in the way sex crimes and corruption are dealt with in the United States. Her reporting on Epstein earned her the Pulitzer Prize, the George Polk Award, and the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.

12. Jeremy Scahill

Jeremy Scahill speaking at the 2014 International Students for Liberty Conference. Photo by Gage Skidmore. Wikimedia Commons

Jeremy Scahill is a journalist, author, and the founder of the website The Intercept in the United States. He is well-known for his reporting on US national security and foreign policy, particularly the War on Terror and the use of drone strikes. He is the bestselling author of “Dirty Wars: The World Is a Battleground” and “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.”

Scahill began his career as a freelance journalist, reporting from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, and later as a correspondent for Democracy Now!, a national radio and television program. He is also a founding editor of The Intercept, an online news organization focused on investigative reporting and analysis of politics, power, and corporate and government corruption.

13. Sheri Fink

Sheri Fink. Photo by Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics. Wikimedia Commons

Sheri Fink is a well-known American investigative journalist and author who focuses on healthcare, medicine, and human rights.  Fink started her career as a medical journalist, contributing to publications such as The New York Times, The New England Journal of Medicine, and The Lancet.

She is well-known for her thorough research and ability to communicate complex medical and ethical issues in a clear and understandable manner. Her work frequently intersects healthcare, human rights, and crisis.

She has written several books, including “War Hospital: A True Story of Surgery and Survival,” about her investigation of a hospital in war-torn Liberia, and “Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital,” about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the events that occurred at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans.

14. I.F. Stone

I.F. Stone was a political commentator and investigative journalist from the United States.  Stone started out as a newspaper reporter for The Philadelphia Record and The New York Post. He later worked as a freelance journalist and founded I.F. Stone’s Weekly in 1953.

He wrote about various political and social issues in the newsletter, such as the civil rights movement, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. He also wrote several books, including “The Hidden History of the Korean War” and “The Korean War in Pictures.”

He was well-known for his critical and independent reporting on politics and government, and his writings were highly regarded for their insightful analysis and investigative work.

15. Nellie Bly

Nellie Bly. Photo by H. J. Myers, a photographer. Wikimedia Commons

Nellie Bly was a pioneering investigative journalist, industrial undercover reporter, and writer from the United States. She is best known for her 1887 “stunt” trip around the world in 72 days, inspired by Jules Verne’s novel “Around the World in Eighty Days,” and for her undercover reporting on the conditions of Blackwell’s Island’s Women’s Lunatic Asylum.

Bly started her career as a reporter for the Pittsburgh Dispatch before moving to New York to work for Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World. She rose to prominence through her undercover reporting and coverage of social issues, particularly those affecting women. She went to Mexico to report on the situation of American women living there, and she also went undercover to report on the conditions at the Blackwell’s Island Women’s Lunatic Asylum.

Bly’s work contributed to the exposure of corruption and abuse, resulting in significant reforms in the treatment of mentally ill women. She was also a strong advocate for women’s rights, and her coverage of women’s issues helped to raise awareness and effect change. Bly’s work as an investigative journalist was recognized as groundbreaking, and she is still regarded as an important figure in American journalism.

16. Nick Davies

Nick Davies. Photo by Financial Times. Wikimedia Commons

Nick Davies is a British investigative journalist, author, and Guardian correspondent. He is best known for his role in exposing the News International phone hacking scandal, which resulted in the closure of the News of the World and the arrest of several high-profile journalists. He also wrote the book “Hack Attack: How the Truth Caught Up with Rupert Murdoch” about the scandal.

Davies began his career as a reporter for the Western Mail before moving on to other publications such as The Guardian and The Independent. He has reported on a variety of topics, including crime, politics, and social issues, and is known for his in-depth investigative reporting and ability to uncover stories that others have missed. His work has resulted in several government inquiries and significant changes in the UK media landscape and press regulation.

17. David Leigh

David Leigh is a British investigative journalist and author best known for his reporting on politics, corporate corruption, and national security. He was a former investigations editor at The Guardian, where he oversaw coverage of the News International phone hacking scandal and the Wikileaks release of US diplomatic cables.

He is also the author of several books, including “WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War on Secrecy” and “The Wilson Plot: The Intelligence Services and the Discrediting of a Prime Minister.”

18. Jane Mayer

Jane Mayer is an American investigative journalist, author, and New Yorker staff writer. She is well-known for her in-depth coverage of politics and national security, particularly the role of money in politics and the activities of the Koch brothers and other conservative donors. She is the author of several books, including “The New Yorker: The Political Scene” and “Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right.”

Mayer began her career as a Wall Street Journal reporter and later worked for The Washington Star and The New Yorker. She is well-known for her meticulous research and ability to unearth stories that others have overlooked. Mayer’s work prompted several government investigations and resulted in significant changes in the way money is spent in politics.

Throughout her career, Mayer has won numerous awards, including the George Polk Award for Magazine Reporting, the Sidney Hillman Prize, and the Toner Prize for Excellence in Political Reporting. 

19. Florence Graves

Florence Graves is a journalist and author from the United States known for her investigative reporting on politics and social issues. She established and directed the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism at Brandeis University.

She has written for publications such as The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The Nation. She is the author of several books, the most recent of which is “The Net Delusion: The Dark Side of Internet Freedom.”

Florence Graves has spent her career investigating issues concerning politics, the media, and social justice. She has written about the rise of conservative media, the role of money in politics, and the impact of the Internet on democracy. Her work has been praised for its in-depth and investigative reporting, as well as her ability to unearth stories that others have overlooked.

Graves has won several journalism awards, including the George Polk Award and the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, and has been recognized by a number of other organizations for her contributions to investigative reporting.

20. Barbara Ehrenreich

Barbara Ehrenreich. Photo by David Shankbone. Wikimedia Commons

Barbara Ehrenreich is a journalist, author, and social critic best known for her investigative reporting on poverty, class, and social issues. She is the author of several books, including “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America,” about her undercover investigation of low-wage jobs in America, and “Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream,” about her undercover investigation of the white-collar job market.

Ehrenreich started out as a science writer before moving on to social commentary and investigative journalism. She has contributed to The New York Times, Harper’s, and The Nation, among others, and is a regular contributor to The Progressive. Her work frequently focuses on the lives and struggles of working-class Americans, and she is well-known for drawing attention to often-overlooked social issues and injustices.

Her books have been widely read and discussed. She is a well-known figure in the field of investigative journalism, and her work is widely admired.