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Look at some of the most hard-hitting news stories in recent times, such as the Panama papers, and you will notice these are often investigative stories produced as written reports. But in the digital age, journalists have a wealth of options to tell stories differently.

As GIJN French editor Marthe Rubio writes on GIJN, French TV show Cash Investigation has found success in bringing complex issues to television audiences, with an average of three million viewers tuning in each month.

Speaking with editor-in-chief, Emmanuel Gagnier, Rubio rounded up best practices for reporting investigative journalism on television. One of Gagnier's insights is to avoid a dramatic tone, and instead opt to insert touches of humour and derision to dice up content.

"The topics we cover are very heavy, and we have to give viewers moments in which to breathe. Laughter introduces a narrative break, which evacuates tension and revives viewers' attention," noted Gagnier.

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