Huffington Post to Fund Investigative Journalists

As newspapers continue to swoon in the face of economic troubles, many are looking to foundation-based journalism to assume the task of preserving the hallowed institution of long form investigative reporting. And while this model faces challenges of its own, namely proving its objectivity to potential supporters before receiving funding, it offers a compelling opportunity to serve the public by employing journalists and allowing them to pursue the stories that need to be told.

With that in mind, we were excited to see the Huffington Post leveraging its online presence and credibility to help seed a $1.75 million venture for journalists. The Guardian reports:

The website, in collaboration with The Atlantic Philanthropies and other donors, will fund 10 staff investigative reporters who will first be encouraged to write stories on the US economy, said Arianna Huffington, co-founder and editor-in-chief.

Huffington said she hoped to use laid-off journalists to co-ordinate stories with freelancers and produce work which will be available to any publication or website while also appearing on The Huffington Post.

Given its influence and scope, along with the success of its citizen journalism coverage – Off The Bus – during the 2008 Presidential campaign, the Huffington Post finds itself in a unique position to set the early standards for this type of project. We look forward to reading the results of this endeavor.

Guardian: Huffington Post puts up £1.2m for investigative reporters

[image via Herald-Dispatch]