Former WSJ ME Steiger to lead investigative journalism group

Former Wall Street Journal managing editor Paul Steiger will lead a new organization that will perform investigative journalism and give its content to media outlets, writes Richard Perez-Pena of the New York Times.

Perez-Pena wrote, “The nonprofit group, called Pro Publica, will pitch each project to a newspaper or magazine (and occasionally to other media) where the group hopes the work will make the strongest impression. The plan is to do long-term projects, uncovering misdeeds in government, business and organizations.

“Nothing quite like it has been attempted, and despite having a lot going for it, Pro Publica will be something of an experiment, inventing its practices by trial and error. It remains to be seen how well it can attract talent and win the cooperation of the mainstream media.

“‘It is the deep-dive stuff and the aggressive follow-up that is most challenged in the budget process,’ said Mr. Steiger, who will be Pro Publica’s president and editor in chief. He gave up the title of managing editor of The Journal in May, but is staying on through the end of the year as editor at large; during his tenure, the newsroom won 16 Pulitzer Prizes.”

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