08/08/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/08/2024 08:59
A recent investigation from an ICFJ network member provides fresh evidence that an Indian company allegedly sold low-quality coal as high-quality - for triple the price - to India's state-owned power company. This is significant: Low-quality coal produces more pollution - in a country where air pollution was responsible for nearly 1.65 million deaths in a single year.
These findings were unearthed in an investigation led by ICFJ Hans Staiger Investigative Reporting awardee Anand Mangnale. "In India, the mainstream media has largely become a vessel for propaganda," said Mangnale. "This award shows how vital and important investigative journalism is - the kind that demands time, dedicated effort, and a willingness to confront risk for the greater good."
Mangnale is right. As democracies around the globe erode, high-impact investigative journalism that serves the public interest is even more crucial. At ICFJ, supporting this work has been and always will be essential to what we do. Over the years, we have seeded and grown cross-border investigative networks. Most recently:
This kind of investigative journalism makes a difference in people's lives. It requires time, skills and funding. At ICFJ, we will continue to provide that support to the journalists in our network, because without accountability, democracies can't flourish.