Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Join TSPR for a weekly conversation about media issues. News Director Rich Egger and expert panelists discuss what’s in the news about the news business.

Prosecutors Give Credit to Investigative Journalist

Financier and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein is charged with sex trafficking.  And Politico quoted a federal prosecutor as saying "We were assisted by some excellent investigative journalism," specifically citing the Miami Herald series "Perversion of Justice" by reporter Julie K. Brown.  That’s the starting point for this week's discussion on Shop Talk.

Brown’s series is credited with giving voice to victims so the public could hear their side of the story for the first time. The Shop Talk panelists review how the story came together, and they discuss the value of investigative journalism In general.

They also talk about the value of institutional knowledge in newsrooms.  Epstein’s alleged crimes date back more than a decade but he basically got off the hook after reaching a plea deal in 2008.

Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues.  This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier; Patrick Johnson, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at WIU and advises Western’s student radio station WIUS/The Dog; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.

Rich is TSPR's News Director.