How to expose wrongdoing/ approach an investigative journalist

[PinchOfSaltPath]

I'm following the revelations about 'Raynor Winn' and the alleged crime and deception covered up in her books with great interest, as someone who was greatly comforted and inspired by her writing, and her and 'Moth's' supposed journey. I've commented on the threads on here several times. I've name changed for this post.

One aspect of the whole affair that keeps cropping up is, why none of this came out sooner. One suggestion is that the people who'd been conned by the Winn's wouldn't have necessarily known how to go about exposing them, who to contact, or were afraid of not being believed and the potential repercussions, or simply that they had made contact with a journalist or somebody in the past but didn't get anywhere.

This leads me to think of a couple of situations I'm aware of, both known about by many people but somehow not in the wider public domain, and the perpetrators have never been held to account.

One concerns a large organisation causing widescale and totally unnecessary environmental harm. There have been protests up and down the country and there's been a bit of local news coverage. Solicitor friends of mine have devoted a lot of time to this and are totally satisfied that the company is acting unlawfully. I actually emailed the environmental investigative journalist George Monbiot but never received a reply.

The second regards appalling misconduct and very likely sexual abuse involving an MP and local government leaders. I don't have any hard evidence but I've seen disgusting photos and messages and it's pretty well known in my social circles.

How does one go about exposing matters of these types? I'd love an investigative journalist to get onto both case but I'm sure they're inundated with requests/ suggestions.

Have a look at the guardian.com/tips

I will, thank you.

Also try Byline Times: https://bylinetimes.com/contact/

Good shout, thank you.

Look up related stories and check for repeated bylines to find journalists who know the field (or the organisation you mention). Your environmental story may be better placed with a journalist who writes about business rather than the environment - and may worry the perpetrator more. (I see Monbiot more as a commentator than an investigative journalist.) Most outlets and news agencies (don't forget them) post how to contact them with a story.
When you're deciding who to target, think about whether your story is of national or regional/local interest. Is the 'widespread' environmental harm within one region? If so, would the region be of national interest (eg if it's the Lake District)? Don't worry about it going to a smaller readership on a regional paper - people at the nationals all check the regional press.
When you contact a journalist:
• preferably contact only one at a time - say you're the first/only one you've contacted over this matter
• state what genuine evidence you have (and say if it's backed by the solicitors). News outlets are very unlikely to free up resources to investigate things that are only 'pretty well known'
• craft the email heading so it tells your story concisely (a bit like an elevator pitch). Don't head it eg 'Important environmental story' or 'Scandal about politician'
• keep the first message as concise as you can and say you have more information/evidence/details if they are interested.

If you can do it without saying anything that could be taken as libelous could you start a thread on here to gain some publicity. You never know who might be reading

Hi,

I am an environment reporter at The Guardian. It would be great to discuss the stories you have further. I can be reached at [email protected]