Written by Don Ray

Plotting the geometry of bribery, determining the currency of influence, documenting the paper trail, dealing with threats and retaliation and knowing the obstacles within - just some of Don Ray's tips for understanding the power of corruption. He says the task is to find the visible results of an often invisible force.

1. Bottom up approach: Essential for identifying the results of corruption and the fast-track pathway to the top levels - the evidence is always visible at the street level. (see the Malawi Observer for detailed examples).


2. Plotting the geometry of bribery and influence: Corruption always involves more than one person or point or a simple line between two entities. Understanding the flow of bribery, influence and extortion requires mapping the triangles, trapezoids, pentagons, etc., of relationships between the parties.


3. Developing and protecting essential sources: They are out there wishing they could find someone to trust with their information. Journalist must learn that the seduction process involves creating maximum trust, a fertile environment of factual verification and an understanding of the intrinsic rewards that sources require.


4. Determining the currency of the influence: The more sophisticated the laws and enforcement, the more sophisticated are the vehicles of bribery. It’s rarely only money that changes hands. Journalists must learn to follow the trails of property, promotion, protection, privilege, payola and employment (of even distant family members).


5. Documenting the paper trail: Public records are essential, but alone they rarely map the complete picture. They’re an essential beginning. They can provide subtle, telltale indications of the other documents or the people who can fill in the blanks.


6. Obstacles from within: Journalists in every country will encounter a certain amount of resistance from within their own media outlet. Unfortunately, the owners and managers of newspapers and radio/television stations and networks are either on the fringes of organized crime and corruption or they are card-carrying players. These situations require great awareness and delicate planning.


7. Getting it on the record: More than any other area of reporting, corruption investigations require unending verification and cross-checking. Reporters are easy targets of officials and operatives who are bent on using, manipulating or discrediting reporters. This is no place for "wishful authentication."


8. Teaming up with trusted allies: There are countless ways of tapping into existing investigations and teaming up with groups or individuals who have already gathered valuable information. The Internet provides reporters with a worldwide network of experts and potential allies. Plus there are local organizations who are already investigating the people and organizations you’ll encounter.


9. Dealing with threats and retaliation: This is not a line of work for everyone. Journalists must always be aware of how vulnerable they and their family members are. It’s essential to know how to respond quickly and directly to threats - without throwing in the towel or immediately going into deep hiding.


10. Making the story relevant to the readers and viewer: Reporters tend to want to write about the elite, for the elite. The stories must, of course, zero in on the players at the top, but they must address the victims and accomplices at every level. In the end, the stories must be about people and they must paint pictures of the visible results of this often invisible force.

Don RayThese tips are taken from the outline for a training course that Don Ray has built. Don continues to work as a multimedia investigative reporting consultant in Africa, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the CIS and the Americas. Colleagues wishing to use these tips are asked to observe three conditions: that Don Ray is cited, that the text is not modified, and that no fee is charged for their use. Don Ray blogs at Don Ray's Friends and Hideaways and tweets @donraymedia.