"The Examination": Unearthing Global Health Menaces through Cooperative Reporting
A startling statistic casts a stark light on the importance of this issue: a third of global deaths are intricately linked to industries responsible for products such as ultra-processed foods, tobacco, and fossil fuels. These perilous consequences often hit marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities the hardest. However, revealing the truth about these life-threatening industrial practices requires thorough and persistent investigative work. These industries wield immense global influence, making it an arduous task for a solitary newsroom to comprehensively scrutinize them.
This is where The Examination, an innovative non-profit investigative startup based in the United States, steps in. In a departure from traditional journalistic competition, The Examination advocates for a collaborative approach where resources, stories, and even exclusive revelations are shared among media outlets.
Operating as a collaborative network, The Examination joins forces with esteemed publications such as The Washington Post, Der Spiegel, and The Guardian. Together, they embark on journeys deep into the heart of unhealthy product manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. Their ultimate goal? To exert pressure on both governments and corporate giants, pushing them towards greater transparency and accountability.
Transparency and accessibility are fundamental tenets of The Examination's ethos. All their investigative articles are made readily available on their website, an unwavering commitment to serving the public's interest. Crucially, The Examination's endeavor is not driven by profit motives. It relies on a combination of funding sources, including support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, a grant from the Pulitzer Center, and generous donations.
The Examination's initial investigative stories have uncovered intriguing facets of our modern world. They've delved into the unsettling practices of major food industry players, who employ influencer dietitians to promote diet sodas and sugar on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. They've also explored the health impacts of vaping and dissected the far-reaching influence of China's tobacco monopoly.
At the core of their mission lies resource-sharing. The Examination extends its hand to journalists from developing nations who often face formidable challenges when reporting on their local communities. These challenges can range from insufficient access to basic amenities like electricity and computers to navigating complex language barriers.
