THE ELEMENTS OF AMERICAN INVESTIGATIVE
JOURNALISM IN THE NOVEL OF THE PELICAN
BRIEF BY JOHN GRISHAM
A THESIS
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Strata 1 Degree
English Department of Diponegoro University
Submitted by: DWI SUSILOWATI
A2B 006 031
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
DIPONEGORO UNIVERSITY
VALIDATION
The writer states truthfully that this thesis is compiled by her without taking the results
from other research in any university, both in S-1 degree and in diploma. In addition, the writer
ascertains that she does not take the material from other publications or someone’s work except
for the references mentioned in bibliography.
Semarang, Agustus 2010
APPROVAL
Approved by: Advisor,
ACCEPTANCE
This Thesis Certified and Approved
by the Thesis Examination Committee S-1 English Department
Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University Day : Friday
Date : August 20, 2010
Chief Examiner
Dra. Dewi Murni, M. A NIP. 19491207 197603 2 001
First Member Second Member
Motto
Dalam hidup ini arungi semua cerita indahku, saat - saat remaja yang terindah
tak bisa terulang.
Melly Goeslaw
-Setiap orang punya kekurangan, asalkan kita tidak menyerah pada kekurangan
kita dan tetap melakukan yang terbaik maka kita akan berhasil.
-Anonim-Urip Kuwi Sawang Sinawang
-Anonim-DEDICATION
The writer dedicates this thesis
for:
Her great family,
especially her mother
Her beloved boyfriend
Her friends
and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thanks to Allah, the protector in this world, for the mercy and guidance so that the writer
can finish writing this thesis. Many peaces and blessings are also given by the Prophet,
Muhammad SAW.
On this occasion, the writer would like to thank all people who have contributed to the
completion of this thesis. The deepest gratitude and appreciation are given to Mr. Arido Laksono,
as the writer’s advisor, for his guidance, helpful correction, cooperation, time, and kindness until
this thesis completed.
The writer would also like to say special thanks to the following:
1. Prof. Dr. Nurdien H. Kistanto, M.A., the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro
University;
2. Drs. Muallimin, M.Hum, the Head of English Department, Diponegoro University;
3. Sukarni Suryaningsih S.S, M. Hum, the Head of American Studies Section;
4. Dra. Arida Widyastuti, the writer’s academic supervisor for her guidance and motivation
from the first semester until eighth semester;
5. Her beloved mother for all love, care, support and inspiration;
6. Her father, brother Arif, sister Eka, and all of her great family who always support and
motivate the writer;
7. Her dearest Yobbow who always gives support, motivation, keeps the spirit, and
8. All her friends in Faculty of Humanities, in her boarding house and WAPEALA for the jokes
and motivation.
Finally, the writer realizes that this thesis is still far from being perfect. Therefore, some
comments, critisms, suggestions, or even objections are required and will be valuable for the
improvement of this thesis.
Semarang, Agustus 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.5. Organization of the Writing... 5
CHAPTER 2 THE WRITER’S BIOGRAPHY AND THE SUMMARY OF NOVEL OF THE PELICAN BRIEF...…………... 6
2.1. The Writer’s Biography………. 6
2.2. The Summary of Novel of The Pelican Brief.………... 7
CHAPTER 3 LITERARY REVIEW…... 12
3.1. Intrinsic Aspects...…... 12
3.2.3. The elements of American Investigative Journalism... 20
CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS...…... 26
4.1. Analysis of Theme.…... 26
4.2. Analysis of Character...…... 28
4.3. Analysis of Plot...…... 34
4.4. Analysis of Setting...…... 37
4.5. Analysis of the elements of American Investigative Journalism... 39
ABSTRACT
The Investigative Journalism atau jurnalisme investigasi adalah bagian dari jurnalisme yang tidak hanya meliput dan merekam sebuah kejadian untuk diterbitkan menjadi berita, tetapi juga melakukan lebih dari itu. Reporter investigasi biasanya mencari data dan fakta lebih dalam sehubungan dengan kasus yang tidak terlihat atau disembunyikan dari publik. Jurnalisme investigasi mengandung elemen-elemen didalamnya seperti ciri-ciri jurnalisme investigasi, wawancara investigasi dan kode etik jurnalisme investigasi. Salah satu contoh dari tindakan jurnalisme investigasi yang didalamnya mengandung elemen-elemen jurnalisme investigasi dapat ditemukan pada karakter Gray Grantham dan Darby Shaw dalam novel The Pelican Brief
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1. Background of the Study
Literature and society are two things that are difficult to be separated because literature is a
social creation. Literature is one of the works of art which had been in human civilization for
hundreds of years ago. Its appearance is a social cultural reality. The relationship between
literature and society can be described by using the phrase “literature is an expression of society”
(Wellek and Warren, 1977: 15). Wellek and Warren also emphasize it in their book The Theory of
Literature (1977: 15) that literature imitates the reality of life, “literature represents ‘life’ and
‘life’ is, in large measure, a social reality, even though the natural world and the inner or
subjective world of the individual have also object of literary imitation”.
Therefore, most of the elements in a literary work have social aspects such as language,
tradition, religion, mindset and etcetera. Literary works can also represent social problems. These
social problems build the story in the literary work. So literary work can be observed through
social science. Society can be the inspiration for a writer in creating his works. All social
activities such as culture, economic, politic and industry can be the reason why the writer writes
his works.
Social activities also create the kind of novel genre. One of the genres which develop
quickly in America is journalism. Of course, it is caused by the fact that in the real life, American
journalisme develops quickly. According to Kurnia (2003: 246), America is a country that has the
freedom of information which is arranged by the Freedom of Information Act.
Kurnia’s opinion is supported by Stevenson in American Life and Institution (1998: 96) that
reading newspapers, “Reading the Sunday paper is an american tradition, for some people an
alternative to going to church”. Furthermore Stevenson states the using of newspapers to balance
political opinion “Many newspaper also use syndicated columnist as a way of balancing political
opinion”. Stevenson also quotes the Court that goverment which can not censor the press, “The
goverment’s power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would remain forever free
to censure the goverment”.
One of the American writers who writes the novel with the genre of journalism is John
Grisham. The Pelican Brief (1992) is one of his novels which has journalism genre, especially
the investigative journalism. The novel contains theme of the small person against a big
organization and corruption in a high office (White House).
The novel also tells scandals, corruptions case, crime cases and etcetera which become the
topics of investigative journalism. It is a part of journalism which does not only cover and record
an event that will be be published into the news, but also conducts something more than that. The
investigative reporter usually looks for data and facts deeply related to a case which is not visible
or intentionally hidden from public.
The writer is interested in conducting the research about investigative journalism elements
in the novel of The Pelican Brief because the investigative journalism is an interesting topic. The
investigative journalism will discuss other topics outside journalism, for example politic, law,
goverment and so on.
1.2. Scope of the Study
In order to make the analysis is clearer, a researcher should formulate the scope of
the data. This limitation aims at getting a specific and valid result. In this research, the writer
focuses on the elements of American investigative journalism.
1.3. Purpose of the Study
To explain and analyze how the elements of American investigative journalism which are
reflected in the novel of The Pelican Brief.
1.4. Methods of the Study 1.4.1. Method of Research
The writer uses a library research in order to acquire data and make this thesis more
accurate. The method of library research is a method that is used to find out, develop, and test the
truth of knowledge empirically based on the fact and data. According to Wellek and Warren
(1977: 58), library research is undoubtedly an important equipment of almost every student of
literature, since the majority of students can find their source materials in libraries, and familiar
with their catalogues as well as other reference books. Data are obtained from written texts such
as books, journals, essays and etcetera.
1.4.2. Methods of Approach
Related to the scope of the thesis, the writer uses two methods of approach. These are
exponential and sociological approaches. The exponential approach which is commonly used in
literary research that comes from the structural approach. It focuses on some intrinsic aspects of
a literary work.
According to Guerin et al (1992: 199), an exponent is a part within the whole. The
Approaches to Literature (1992: 197) also states, “We designate this method as the exponential
approach because the inclusiveness of that term suggest at once the several meaning of motif,
image, symbol, and archetype”. It means that the readers must seek the signs or exponents part
by part by tracing the motifs used in the literary work.
Meanwhile, the sociological approach is used in analyzing the social condition. According
to Redyanto Noor (2004: 89), Hartoko states that the sociological approach is an approach that
learns a literary work in its relation to real social life. Futhermore, Hartoko (2004: 90) also
explaines that the literary work sociological approach is an approach which analyzes the
description of the world and society in literary work. How far it is similar or different from the
reality.
1.5. Organization of the Writing
From the analysis with methods of approaches above, the thesis will be arranged in
chapters and sub chapters as follows:
CHAPTER 1 Introduction. It contains the background of the study, scope of the study,
purpose of the study, method of the study, and the organization of the writing.
CHAPTER 2 The summary of novel. It tells about summary so that the reader who has not
read the novel yet can get a short description about the story.
CHAPTER 3 Literary review. It consists of the theoretical review that can support the
writing of the thesis. The theories deal with the definition of theme, character,
plot, setting and elements of investigative journalism.
CHAPTER 4 Analysis. This part becomes the main part of this thesis since it reveals the
novel. The discussion analyzes the intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of a literary
works.
CHAPTER 2
THE WRITER’S BIOGRAPHY AND THE SUMMARY OF NOVEL OF THE PELICAN BRIEF
2.1. The Writer’s Biography
According to www.achievement.org, John Grisham was born on February 8, 1955 in
Jonesboro, Arkansas. His father, a cotton farmer and itinerant construction worker moved the
family frequently, from town to town throughout the Deep South, settling in Southaven,
Mississippi in 1967. By his own account, he had no interest in writing until after he embarked on
his professional career. For his first two years in college, Grisham drifted. He attended three
different colleges before earning a degree. After abandoning a youthful dream of a professional
baseball career, he settled down to study accounting and prepare for a career as a tax lawyer.
While in law school, his interest shifted from tax law to criminal law and litigation.
After graduating from the University of Mississippi law school, he returned to Southaven
and established a small private legal practice. He was elected to Mississippi House of
Representatives in 1983. By his second term he held the vice chairmanship of the Apportionment
and Elections Committee, as well as memberships on the Insurance, Judiciary "A", and Military
Affairs Committee. In Mississippi, attorneys in private practice are sometimes called upon to
appear as public defenders for indigent clients. In this way, Grisham received invaluable
experience of the criminal justice system. Inspired by a case he observed in a Mississippi
courthouse, Grisham decided to write a novel. For years, he arrived at his office at five o'clock in
the morning, six days a week, to work on his first book, A Time To Kill.
He has continued to write enormously successful legal thrillers at the rate of nearly one a
The Client (1993), The Chamber (1994), The Rainmaker (1995), The Runaway Jury (1996), The
Partner (1997), The Street Lawyer (1998), The Testament (1999), The Brethren, (2000), The
Summons (2002), The King of Torts (2003), The Last Juror (2004), The Broker (2005), The
Appeal (2008), The Associate (2009), Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (2010).
Novels that Grisham wrote have some special characteristics. His novels were made up of
his experiences in his previous job. Most of them told about law, goverment and politic. His first
novel that published was A Time To Kill about the struggle of a white lawyer in helping a black
father whose his daughter had been rapid. A Time To Kill and The Pelican Brief are Grisham’s
books example who have a theme-a small person againts some powefull people.
2.2. The Summary of Novel of The Pelican Brief
The Pelican Brief told an investigation which was done by Gray Gantham and Darby
Shaw. Gray Grantham, an investigative reporter, put himself in danger by threatening the
Presidential office and big business with his story of why two judges had killed. It also happened
to Darby Shaw. She was a law student of Tulane University in New Orleans. Because she wrote
her theory, she put herself in danger. They had to use all their informations and evidences to
escape from several attempts of killing them. They did not know whom can be trusted. But they
took many efforts to investigate and solve the case together.
In the beginning of the story two Supreme Court Justices, Abraham Rosenberg and Glen
Jensen, had been murdered. Gray Grantham tried to investigate it. He got information from some
believable informants. His first informant was Sarge who worked in the West Wing of White
House as cleaning service. Sarge gave him the list of justice candidats who would replace
Rosenberg and Jensen. Grantham felt strange why Rosenberg and Jensen had been killed and
Several days after the killing of two justices, Grantham got a telephone call from a
so-called Garcia. Garcia told him that he knew who had murdered Rosenberg and Jensen, and also
some details of the assasinations. But he postponed to give Grantham information because he
was afraid of his family’s safety. Grantham waited patiently and looked for other informations
from other informants. He also got someone investigate who Gracia was.
When Grantam was waiting a telephone call from Garcia, he got a telephone call from
Darby Shaw. She had just lost her boyfriend because the brief which was written by her. The
brief was called the Pelican Brief. She told Grantham that she was the author of the brief, and
that unknown people were behind her. She also asked him for a list of the people who had
contributed the President's campaign three years ago. She hoped to find the suspect out with the
help of the list.
Actually, Shaw made the brief just depend on the brilliant perception. She began it by
reading books and documents in the library and collecting the evidences. She also learned some
great cases which had ever been handled by Supreme Court and then made a summary of the
suspect list. She showed the brief to Thomas Callahan, her boyfriend. Callahan handed the brief
over to his friend Gavin Verheek (he was a special counsel of the FBI Director). That was the
way the "Pelican Brief" went around, through the FBI, the CIA and of course the White House.
The president had to restructure the Court now because of Rosenberg and Jensen's death.
That was Victor Mattiece's aim. Mattiecce was a tycoon from Lafayette who had drilled for oil in
South Louisiana and had found a large amount of oil in 1979. Then he had started quickly to buy
that land. A lawsuit had ordered them to stop the dredging and drilling. The plaintiff had been an
enviromental organization which had been called Green Fund, arguing that Mattiece would have
years of contamination by DDT and other pesticides, the Louisiana Brown Pelican would have
been eliminated then. Initially Green Fund had lost the trial but then Judge Rosenberg and Jensen
had kept the injunction in place. Mattiece had started to fight for the right to get the oil with
hundreds of lawyers. He knew that it would take him a long time to win the trial.
He was so sure that the President would help him because he had contributed the
President's campaign with four million two hundred thousand dollars. When the President had
been the Vice President 7 years ago, he had been in New Orleans for a Republican fundraiser.
Somehow a photographer had snapped a picture of Mattiecce shaking hands with the Vice
President. The New Orleans paper had ran it in the next day. They had been grinning at each
other like best friends.
He hid his illegal activities behind an impenetrable maze of limited partnerships and
corpoorate associations. A Very expensive law- offices like White&Blazevich helped him to win
the trials. He knew that the president would choose conservative justices who would vote for his
plans of gaining the oil. Mattiece also became aware of the "Pelican Brief" and decided to kill
everyone who was involved in it to keep his plans secretly. He hired the killer "Khamel" who
also had killed the two justices to murder Shaw, Callahan and Verheek. Callahan was death of a
car bomb and Verheek was shot to death in a hotel room.
When running away, Shaw asked Grantham for help. She called him and they met each
other in a hotel in New York. She told him everything she knew. Then they both started looking
for Garcia, the only one who could verify Shaw's dossier so that Grantham could write a story.
They started an investigation in different libraries for some days, and opened a file about Shaw’s
theory of why Rosenberg and Jensen could have been killed. They thought that Mattiece must be
They tried to look for Garcia depend on a picture which had gotten by a photographer had
been asked for help by Grantham. They investigated White&Blazevich, and asked to law
students who had clerked in White&Blazevich. Then they made disguise and collected the
evidences from other sources.
They found out that Garcia's right name was Curtis D. Morgan who was one of the lawyers
of White&Blacevich whose client was Mattiece. Shaw and Grantham decided to go to
Washington to meet Morgan. They found out that Garcia had been already dead. Probably,
Mattiece's people had murdered him. So they visited Morgan's wife to tell her that her husband
had not committed suicide, and to ask for her help. She gave them a key to a lockbox in the First
Columbia Bank. In the lockbox, they found a video cassette and an envelope with affidavit and
some papers in it. Those could prove Shaw's theory.
They went to the office of The Washington Post to write the story. Before writting the story
Grantham contacted director of FBI, Mattiece's lawyers and the White House. The White House
decided to tell everyone what Mattiece had done, and denied any connection between Mattiece
and the President. Mattiece and his people hade been indicted, the president's image was badly
CHAPTER 3 LITERARY REVIEW
3.1. Intrinsic Aspects
The intrinsic aspects of literary work is some aspects that come as foundation for its works.
According to Semi (1993: 35), intrinsic aspects include theme, plot, setting, character, language
style.
3.1.1.Theme
Theme is a central idea of the story to develop the whole story. In Hugh Holman’s opinion
in A Handbook of Literature (1980:443), theme is the control or dominating idea in a literary
work. In poetry, fiction, and drama, it is the abstract concept made through its representation in
person, action, and image in the work
Theme may not sum up each story but theme may describe a central idea in each. To get a
valid theme, the statement of theme should be responsive to the details of the story and based on
evidence within the story. In Nurgiyantoro’s opinion in Teori Pengkajian Fiksi (1995: 88), major
theme is a central idea in general and includes the whole story.
3.1.2. Character
Character is an aspect which leads and has a powerful to influence a plot in the literary
work. It can be a moral messenger or the center of story. According to M.H. Abrams in Glossary
of Literary Terms (1981: 28), “character are the person presented in dramatic or narrative work,
who are intepreted by the reader as being endowed with moral and distortion qualities that are
Character can be divided into protagonist and antagonist characters. People often see
protagonist as a good character, and antagonist is the bad one who symbolizes evil. Potter (1967:
70) explains protagonist as follow:
The protagonist is always the focal point of the action of a story, the character that the story is most obviously about. He is usually in the forefront of the action, and usually has the most to say, whether we like or approve him or not.
In accordance with Potter’s statement that the protagonist is the character that frequently
appears in the story and has a lot of parts in delivering his dialogue, protagonist, then, is usually
recognized as the main character. Meanwhile, the antagonist in Potter’s opinion (1967: 7) is the
main person or thing that opposes the protagonist. In other words, antagonist is everything that
prevents the protagonist from reaching his goals.
Character is very important in a story. Its function is to tell the idea, motive, plot, and
theme. Conflicts which happened in the story come from the character relation with environment
both protagonist and antagonist. In fact, character is a story maker which has many important
things to give influences to the plot, conflicts, and make the theme more powerful.
3.1.3. Plot
An author creates a work of fiction that makes a reader accept it as real world in the novel
although it is something new for the reader. Readers are brought into the author’s fictional world
by the plot. Plot is the author’s arrangement of incidents in a story. Through plot, author or writer
has a right to select and determine the events that she will use to shape the story. Events can be
arranged in chronological arrangement begins with what happens first, second, so on, until how
the story is related and end.
In James L Potter’s opinion in Elements of Literature (1967: 33-36), structure of plot can
and conclusion. Exposition is a situation in which a potential conflict can be perceived. After the
conflict is perceived, the built up actions are brought to the climax (raising action). Climax is a
point in a narrative in which the conflict comes to a head, is strikingly intensified for a time. In
order to solve the conflict that appear and reach its climax, some actions are done so the conflict
is let down. This part is called falling action. Finally, the story is closed with a resolution of the
conflict.
Conflict can be divided into external and internal conflict. Meyer (1990: 45) explaines that
external conflict is the opposition of the protagonist to another individual, nature and society.
While internal conflict is a conflict within the protagonist such as those which involve moral or
psychological issues. Perrine (1988: 42), divides conflict more detail into physical conflict,
mental/emotional conflict, and moral conflict.
A person may be in conflict with other persons, with society or nature, and at the same time
he may be involved in conflict without being aware of it. Physical conflict happens when
protagonist is in conflict with the ideas of other persons. Emotional conflict happens when the
protagonist is in conflict with him self. Meanwhile moral conflict results from the struggle
against the action or idea that is contrast with the value of life.
3.1.4. Setting
Setting is an important part of literary work. A writer can make the story become real based
on imagination or experience that happened before. According to Wellek and Warren (1977: 221)
“setting is an environment: and environment, especially interior, may be viewed as metonymy or
metaphoric expression of characters”. For example, a man’s house is an extension of himself.
According to Josephine F. Ablamsky (1983: 45), setting is a vital element in fiction since it
has four major roles:
(1)It makes a story more credible or believable.
(2)It aids in establishing a mood or an atmosphere in the reader.
(3)It develops a source of conflict.
(4)It develops the characterization of a performer in a story.
Setting in the fiction is the time and location in which the story takes place. The setting
provides the main backdrop for the story. In order to develop imagination of readers, the writer
can write and tell the setting in detail explanation. Setting has a strong relation with the character
in the literary work. That means setting can build an identity for the character. For example, a
character that lives in a village has a different characteristic from a character that lives in a town.
But in fact, according to Nurgiyantoro (1995: 230), setting is not usually known as a place,
time, event, or artifact settings. It can be the way the character feels, the attitude in the
community, streotype, or even a lifestyle of people in order to solve the community problem. For
that situation, it can draw imagination and interpretation to make the setting itself as an element
of literary work.
Setting can be explained as setting of place, setting of time and social setting:
(1)Setting of Place
The first thing that readers want to know is the place of the event. According to
Nurgiyantoro (1995: 22), setting of place must be correct and details in order to explain the place
in the literary work. To tell a good story, the writer must know the detail of the place which
event and location where characters stay and the plot happens. In order to get the reader’s
impression, setting must make positive imagination relate to the story. So, the reader who has
read the story, she or he can imagine the place.
(2)Setting of Time
Setting of time means that the time is important for the story and related to “when” the
event happens. Meanwhile it is important to check the time details for an accurate information.
According to Holman (1980: 33),Gennette states that sometimes time refers to when the literary
work is written and its time line, on the other side, it refers to the event in the story and when it
happens.
That event must take place according to the time details in the story. And it must be
accurate for its explanation. Sometimes the time when the event happened is more important to
get an accuracy of details in the reader imagination than a place where the event happened.
(3)Social Setting
Social setting is related to the spiritual tradition from community. According to
Nurgiyantoro (1995: 233), social setting is relates to the tradition of some communities which
tell the literary work. Some social settings are customs, beliefs, social status, etc. It can be
understood that social settings become a setting which comes from society. It makes a special
sign for the literary work which describes in the social details that build the story.
3.2. Extrinsic Aspects
3.2.1. Definition of Investigative Journalism
An investigative reporter spends his time in conducting an investigation so it can be
concluded that investigative journalism is a part of journalism which needs a lot of time to
conduct an investigation. In investigative journalism, a reporter does not only cover and record
an event that will be be published into the news, but also conducts something more than that. The
reporter usually looks for data and facts deeply related to a case which is not visible or
intentionally hidden from public. It will make a reporter enter into the dangerous project which
might cause a death.
3.2.2. The History of the American Investigative Journalism
According to Kurnia (2003: 50), Rivers and Mathews state that the history of investigative
journalism has been begun before America existed. In 1690, Benyamin Harris investigated some
events in society and reported in Public Occurrences, Both Foreign and Domestic. The report
was considered opposed the policy of English colony. According to Kurnia (2003: 53),
Charneley stated that in the history of American press, crusading related to muckraking period
that exposedanti-socail attitude and crime in goverment and bussiness
In the next phase, the spirit of crusading got more formal through New England Courant
Press in 1721 which was published by James Franklin. The terminology of investigation had just
appeared in the first time when Nellie Bly was the reporter of Pittsburg Dispatch (1890). Bly had
to work in a factory to investigate the life of under age workers who had been worked in bad
condition.
Furthermore Charneley explained that President Theodore Roosevelt had even given name
a muckraker to reporter who busily had focused on mucks and had not seen the positive side of
America. In 1902, investigative journalism was an influential movement. It was influenced by
welcomed enthusiastically. Because of the phenomenon of muckrakring period, investigative
journalism appeared into society. Society needs information to keep the truth of corruption which
is done by some people. The investigative reporter has duty to reveal it.
America had some scandals which had been investigated in investigative journalism. One
of them is a Watergate case. Watergate appeared in the seventies. It was the first case which made
the resignation of America’s president. The reporters who investigated were two reporters in The
Washington Post, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward. They became well known because the case
and the illegal action which were done by some people in White House official.
The first time, the Post related the case to President Nixon was caused by Bernstein who
found that a cheque of $25.000 had been deposited in Miami for Nixon’s campaign. The cheque
came from one of burglar (Maurice Stans) who was also the Nixon’s Chief fundraiser.
In Miami, Bernstein learned that a $25,000 check for Nixon's reelection campaign had been deposited in the bank account of one of the burglars. The resulting story, "Bug Suspect Got Campaign Funds" reported the check had been given to Maurice Stands, the former Secretary of Commerce who served as Nixon's chief fundraiser. It was the first time The Post linked the burglary to Nixon campaign funds (“The Post Investigates”.p.1 par 6).
To get their story, Bernstein and Woodward used credible informants, for example, the
member of FBI who also investigated the case and a police who told about a man from Miami
who brought thousands of dollars in a cash. Because that was a dangerous project so Woodward
agreed to protect his informants. The informants were concealed their identity. The identity of
informants had just been published in 2005, 33 years later.
After the story was published, the following day, Nixon and his Staff Chief discussed
privately with CIA and FBI to back off them from the investigation. In a few weeks, two reportes
reported that Grand Jury who investigated burglar had sought testimony from two mans in White
House who were the Nixon’s people. The results of that case were the resignation of President
Nixon, the failure of President Nixon in the next reelection and the lost in job of Nixon’s aids.
The next day, Nixon and chief of staff H.R. Haldeman privately discussed how to get the CIA to tell the FBI to back off from the burglary investigation. Publicly, a White House spokesman said he would not comment on "a third rate burglary." (“The Post Investigates”.p.1 par 4).
3.2.3. The Elements of American Investigative Journalism 3.2.3.1. The Characteristics of Investigative Journalism (1) Smell the Investigative News
In Kurnia’s opinion (2003: 96), an investigative news is begun by assumption. The reporter
smells news, then follows and writes a hard-hitting story to society. In other hand Anderson and
Benjaminston in Investigative Reporting (1976: 20), the best place to begin searching for such
conflicts is in the various campaign contributor lists now kept by most states and in most
counties. It will be many conflicts and illegal cases in the campaign contributor lists.
(2) Investigative Journalism
The terminology of investigative journalism gives investigative atribut, the curiousity and
special mission from a reporter. Kurnia (2003: 97) states that a reporter enters into a new subject
when the reporter is interested in knowing something. The work of reporter is not limited by time
pressure.
Some investigative cases are disgraceful case, power abusing, factual base of actual case
which is happened in society, corruption of the truth, manipulation of financial report, the broken
Some investigations concern the activities of public officials, such as corrupt politicians, others concern activities of corporations, political organizations, charities and even foreign goverments. Often, investigations uncover some sort of financial fraud (Anderson and Benjaminston, 1976: 5)
Generally, the corrupts do not fear the judgement of history as much as they fear exposure,
prosecution, conviction, and disgrace. That is why they conceal their activities, and why reporter
often must go to unusual lengths to uncover them.
(3) Moral Component
The aim of investigative journalism is tell to public that there is a hiden truth. Public are
expected ready to actively involve in conducting the prevailed law. Morality is the aim of
investigative journalism.
According to Mencher (1997: 263) the aim of investidative journalism is “The desire to
correct an injustice, to right a wrong and persuade the public to alter situation”. In other words
Kurnia (2003: 100) supports Mencher’s opinion, the reporter conducts an investigation because
he is motivated by the willingness to correct the justice and shows the mistake.
Obviously, if the person conducts something wrong and it is important known by the public
, the story should be printed. If the paper has information that the practise is common, that should
be printed too.
(4) Develop the fact withDangerous Projects
According to Kurnia (2003: 102-103), investigative journalism is allocated as dangerous
projects. The reporter faces people or group who do not want their business are investigated,
evaluated and reported to public.
least one case, an investigate reporter had to find work in another state to avoid prosecution (Anderson and Benjaminston, 1976: 6)
As a dangerous project, investigative journalism has many risks. The stories which are
written by reporters can make them be indicted, convicted and jailed. The risks also can caused
reporter commits in gathering information or refuses to answer judge’s question.
(5) A Hiden Area
According to Kurnia (2003: 105), the reporter often finds an area which is opened
intentionally, looked for by a special assumption and contacted dilligently in finding the
informant to disclose informations .
Therefore, in conducting an investigation, it needs a reporter who wants to spend his time
to investigate and take a risk bravely. The reporter must enter into the area and investigate it.
Sometime, it is needed a long time to investigate and finish a case. It can take a week, a month, a
year or some years.
(6) Between Paper and People Trail
According to Kurnia (2003: 106-111), paper trail is a work to look for the documents from
newspaper, magazine, television, radio, reference book, thesis, dissertation, computer database
and public networking. The investigation of document is needed to check the truth of what the
informant said. People trail is a work to get information from credible informants so that the
facts and the evidences can be reported.
Furthermore Kurnia (2003: 117) states that every document which is used as data will show
the location of the informant or human resources. Concealing of the informant or place is just
done if the informant needs the safety of identity. In Haryanto’s opinion (2006: 17) reporter can
According to Kurnia (2003: 224-247) there are two sources in the investigative journalism,
primary source (a work to learn paper, correspodance and note) and secondary source (a work to
look for data from source which has been published before that). The examples of primary
source are personal experience, observation and volunteer staff (people who want to help in
giving information without paying). And the examples of secondary source are library,
newspaper and book. Beside two sources, the reporter can get information from public
networking, the Commercial Information Service, Spreedsheet and Database .
3.2.3.2. Investigative Interview
Every investigative reporter has his own special style in conducting an interview. There are
some interview styles which let the informant lead, out going interview and intimidate interview.
In the interview process, related to the credible data, it must be appropriated by the journalism
ethic.
According to Kurnia in Jurnalisme Investigasi (2003: 106-257) there are four kinds of
interview, those are:
(1) On the Record. All statements can be copied by giving name and title of person who
gives statement.
(2) On Background. All statements can be copied but without name and title of person who
gives statement.
(3) On Deep Background. All statements can be copied but it is not in direct quatation form
and without name and title of person who gives statement.
To avoid the refusal of informant there is avvidafit. According to Kurnia (2003: 264),
Rivers and Mathews state avvidafit is the written statement which is made under of oath, in the
front of notary public.
3.2.3.3. The Investigative Journalism Ethic
According to Kurnia (2003: 107), Stanley states that America has Society of Profesional
Jurnalists which contains the ethic of journalism:
(1) Reports well (honest, fair, brave, credible information, showing identity and asking for
informant).
(2) Minimizes the mistake (treat informant well, realize the right to keep informant).
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