Real investigative journalism in a virtual world

Abstract

Commentary: Dumbing down media content undermines democracy. News media need to unleash the full power of investigative journalism. Every investigative story that goes in-depth and behind the scenes will actually strengthen democracy and the free press. The hope was that information technology would level the playing field and bridge the digital divide existing globally and within our countries. But, this commentary argues, technology alone is never the answer. Information technology is not value-free either and is not, by itself, going to provide answers to deep-seated structural problems of governance, social justice and equity.