Trends and Issues in Collaborative Investigative Journalism in Indonesia

Abstract

This article aims to understand the practice of collaborative investigative journalism, a common approach among journalists and press organizations in Indonesia and globally in recent years. The significance of studying this method stems from its departure from the competitive ethos, widely acknowledged as the primary ethos in the media industry. On a global scale, journalists have employed this method to expose instances of tax evasion and money laundering by affluent individuals in various countries, exemplified by the Panama Papers (2016), Pandora Papers (2017), and Paradise Papers (2021). Within the Indonesian context, journalists and press entities have actively embraced this collaborative investigative journalism approach, particularly in the examination of crime cases, such as incidents of sexual violence on campuses, as illustrated by the #namabaikkampus campaign. This article systematically scrutinizes the landscape of collaborative investigative journalism practices, elucidating the challenges encountered internationally in adopting this method. Additionally, it highlights the scarcity of academic research addressing this phenomenon, which could potentially act as a catalyst for its replication on a smaller scale. The exploration of these dimensions aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of collaborative investigative journalism, fostering discourse and consideration for its application in various contexts.