Driving Policy Change: Inside the Investigations with the Goldsmith Prize Finalists

Why It Matters

These investigations translate reporting into real‑world oversight by exposing hidden risks and corruption, prompting policy reviews, legal actions and public accountability that can change how government and industry operate. Strong investigative work thus serves as a catalyst for systemic reform and informed public debate.

Summary

At a Goldsmith Prize finalists session, leading investigative reporters from outlets including The New York Times, ProPublica, Tampa Bay Times, Mississippi Today and The Washington Post discussed the methods and obstacles behind their award‑winning projects. Panelists detailed tactics for piercing institutional secrecy—suing for records, reverse‑engineering proprietary data (like taser logs), teaching reluctant agencies how to extract files, and overcoming fearful sources and political pushback. Their investigations exposed systemic failures ranging from law‑enforcement abuse and unsafe working conditions for wildfire crews to opaque drug manufacturing, veterans’ benefit fraud, politicized welfare programs and presidential self‑enrichment. The discussion emphasized persistence, technical ingenuity and legal strategy as keys to producing reporting that forces scrutiny and reform.

Original Description

Hear directly from the journalists behind some of the most consequential investigations in American public life this year. Reporters representing each of the six finalists for the 2026 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting share behind‑the‑scenes stories of how they uncovered abuses of power in policing and prisons, exposed gaps in federal drug safety oversight, traced political self‑dealing at the highest levels, followed the money in state welfare and charity programs, revealed the hidden costs of wildfire response, and scrutinized the veterans’ disability benefit programs.

Designed with public policy students in mind, this panel delves into how ambitious investigative reporting actually gets done: navigating opaque institutions, using public records and lawsuits to force transparency, and often building data sets that government hasn’t built for itself. They talk about how their complex findings drive change—via legislation, regulation, and oversight. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the critical role journalism plays in democratic systems, and how it shapes policy agendas, informs lawmakers, and holds power accountable.

Panelists:

Brian Howey, Mississippi Today, “Abuse of Power: Beyond the Goon Squad”

Hannah Dreier, The New York Times, “Exposed and Expendable”

Alexandra Glorioso, Tampa Bay Times, “Hope Florida”

David Yaffe-Bellany, The New York Times, “President Trump’s Self Enrichment”

Megan Rose, ProPublica, “Rx Roulette”

Craig Whitlock, Washington Post, “VA Disability Benefits Investigation”

Moderator: Betsy Fischer Martin, 2026 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting judge