Journalism for sale
Waseda Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism. We are an official member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), which is comprised of 184 nonprofit news organizations from 77 countries. Waseda Chronicle joined GIJN in June 2017, becoming its first Japanese member.
Waseda Chronicle started out as a project of the Waseda University Journalism Institute. On February 1, 2017, we began publication with the series “Journalism for Sale.”
About a year since its inception, Waseda Chronicle became independent from the university in order to evolve into a new investigative journalism nonprofit.
Waseda Chronicle is supported by citizens and conducts journalistic activities that cannot be carried out by established media circles.
With your support, Waseda Chronicle will continue to provide investigative journalism that is independent, transparent, and sustainable.
Our legal counsel is attorney Yoichi Kitamura of the Japan Civil Liberties Union.
There is a growing global movement of investigative journalism conducted by nonprofit organizations. Waseda Chronicle actively collaborates with other organizations and journalists in Japan and abroad.
Investigative journalism involves independently investigating and publicizing institutional impropriety and corruption by the powerful, such as governments and large corporations.
To clarify Waseda Chronicle’s mission, we drew up a definition of the investigative journalism we practice. The definition of investigative journalism surely differs from journalist to journalist. The key points of our definition are as follows:
1. Victim-centered
2. Journalists’ subjectivity
3. Antagonism toward power
We stand with victims of the powerful, and our goal is to bring them justice. In our eyes, the purpose of investigative journalism is to end the corruption, fraud, injustice, and negligence by powerful forces that create victims.
We also emphasize the importance of journalists’ subjectivity. It can be said that the work of investigative journalism rests on the subjectivity of journalists, which arises from their critical awareness and questioning of social issues, as well as their antagonism toward power. Our mission is to practice investigative journalism as so defined.
We aim for articles published by the Waseda Chronicle to be accurate, independent, transparent and fair. We will use every available method for gathering information when we determine it to be in the public interest. When educating students, we convey to them journalistic ethics and methodology by having them practice investigative journalism. We sow the seeds for students to contribute to the revitalization of journalism in Japan after graduating.
References:
Hanada, Tatsuro, 2017, A Real Crisis, a Real Hope. http://www.hanadataz.jp/w1/00/de.html#20170827’.
Hanada, Tatsuro, 2015, Power and journalism in “Jipang”: From Galapagos to Rhodes. http://www.hanadataz.jp/w1/20150704e/roku01e.html’
Simon, Joel, 2017, Will the Japanese media stand up for press freedom? https://www.cjr.org/opinion/japanese-media-shinzo-abe.php’ “Columbia Journalism Review.”
Mie, Ayako, 2017, Uncovering the truth in the era of fake news https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/03/31/national/uncovering-truth-era-fake-news/#.WcBUUK3AOIb “The Japan Times.”
Fackler, Martin, 2016, Sinking a bold foray into watchdog journalism in Japan http://www.hanadataz.jp/w1/kj/161101/mf.html “Columbia Journalism Review.”
Statement of our mission and principles
1. Mission: To serve the public as investigative journalists
We position ourselves in opposition to political, economic, and social powers. We strive to bring relief to the victims such powers and to prevent more people from becoming victims through serving as a watchdog. Our role as investigative journalists is to combat the corruption, fraud, injustice, and negligence by powerful forces that create victims. This is our mission as agents of civil society. We seek to improve society for all.
2. Commitment to journalistic ethics
We expose facts that are concealed, either intentionally or unintentionally, by power. Our stories are backed by facts and evidence and reported in an objective manner. We thoroughly protect our sources. We are fully committed to journalistic ethics in accomplishing our mission.
3. Independence and transparency
We are a nonprofit organization. We operate entirely relaying on voluntary financial contributions from civil society’s members. We are completely independent from any government or powerful establishment, and we are transparent about the sources and usage of our funds and other resources.
4. Professional solidarity
We work across cultures, customs, languages, and borders, banding together in professional solidarity with other journalists committed to the same aim: securing independence from all kinds of power.
Waseda Chronicle declares the foregoing to be our fundamental principles, and we pledge to our supporters and readers to adhere to them.
International Advisory Board
To those ends, we established an international advisory board consisting of the following members:
- Steven Butler / Journalist, Asia Program Coordinator of The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), USA
- Ayako Deguchi / Editor, a member of the nonprofit ”North Kamakura Area Protect Study Society” and “KOTOBUKI suporter’s association”, Japan
- Tatsuro Hanada / Sociologist, Professor emeritus, Waseda University and University of Tokyo, Japan
- Gerd G. Kopper / Sociologist, Professor emeritus, TU Dortmund University, The founding Chairman of European Journalism Centre (EJC), Germany
- Ritsuko Kudo / Journalist, Director at NGO ”Children Future Network,” Japan
- Yasuhiko Oishi / Constitutional Scholar, Professor, Faculty of Law at Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan
Inquiries:
Please use email for all inquiries.
Our email address: contact@wijp.org.
Copyright and responsibility for content:
Copyrights for the material published on this website belongs to Waseda Chronicle. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for all facts and opinions set forth in the articles on this website.