In The Public Interest? : Investigative Journalism and Fourth Estate Philosophy Within the Australian Press

Abstract

The tradition of ‘investigative journalism’ has come to denote the most lauded qualities of the journalistic profession, and has an impressive history of producing social reform in Australia. However, its grounding in Fourth Estate principles arguably promotes an adversarial, top-down approach to journalism, which has served to position the journalist as a removed ‘watchdog’ gaurdian of public interests, rather than as a professional who facilitates the public’s expressions of politcal, social and cultural interest. This thesis uses a case study of the National Times newspaper (1971-1986) to illustrate the form and effect of a particular manifestation of investigative journalism, and seeks to contextualise the tradition within a historical account of the development of Fourth Estate philosophy within Australia. This thesis aims to contribute to contemporary debates surrounding the role of journalism by situating this research within a broader discussion of the changing relations between the media and the citizenry within the contemporary public sphere.