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The journalists went through roughly a million pages of information and uncovered massive misuse of public funds.
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In 2009, investigative journalists for The Telegraph published reports of widespread misuse of expenses by members of parliament. Nixon resigned, and the story brought renewed attention to the importance of the media in uncovering corruption and other crimes. Journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, writing for the Washington Post, used interviews and investigative research to prove links between the Nixon administration and burglars who broke into the rival Democratic Party’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. One of the best known recent examples of watchdog journalism was the Watergate scandal that brought down the US President Richard Nixon in 1974. Each example helps underscore the importance of watchdog journalism and, more broadly, a free and independent media landscape. There are many well-known examples of watchdog journalism uncovering stories that have brought down leaders, businesses and led to profound changes. And it’s no coincidence that authoritarian-minded leaders make investigative journalism a top target once in power. When journalists are free to scrutinize politicians and businesses, and free to publish their findings without influence or fear of reprisal, that means the country has a strong and independent media. The very presence of watchdog journalism is also a sign of a healthy democracy. And by informing citizens, it also helps to protect the integrity of elections and the health of democracy in the long term. In this way, watchdog journalism protects democracy on a day-to-day basis, calling out bad behavior when it happens. We rely on your support to keep politicians' bad behaviour in check
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