Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold shares advice on covering secretive organisations and powerful figures who prefer to spin their own narratives
Stories about powerful individuals and organisations are often complicated and opaque. From Trump's tax returns to climate protection, finding the truth is a painstaking process that requires systematic work and dedication.
David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post specialises in these types of stories. His efforts won him the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in national reporting for his articles that debunked Trump's claims about his charitable giving. He spoke about his methods in a keynote at the Power of Narrative conference, hosted by Boston University. His tips are summed up in an article by Matt Tullis for Nieman storyboard.
From making lists of everybody who may have a piece of knowledge about your story, to cataloguing all the information you find, Fahrenthold shares the secrets to his slow and methodical approach.
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