In this episode, we talk to Franz Wild, editor of The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ), a non-profit newsroom based in London. Wild joined TBIJ in 2020 after working at Bloomberg for over a decade. In July 2023, he became the editor of The Bureau.
Founded by investigative journalist David and Elaine Potter in 2010, TBIJ seeks to uncover hidden truths by conducting in-depth investigations that can have a real impact on a local, national, or international level. They aim to provide insights and information that can enable other people and wider stakeholders, to take action on certain issues by, for example, sharing results with them and including them in the process early on.
Over the years, The Bureau has grown from a team of fewer than 10 people to a solid group of around 40 journalists, academics and researchers. “What made this happen was building a really strong foundation, including very strong fact-checking principles,” Wild explains. That mindset enabled them to bring in more funding to, among other things, launch new strands and grow into the newsroom they are today.
But no growth comes without growing pains. Maintaining funding for all the strands, keeping the connection with the audience, and handling mentally draining and often legally sensitive stories are just three of many challenges a relatively young newsroom has to deal with. And that is exactly where good leadership makes a difference. Franz Wild talks about his experience and what he thinks makes a good editor.
Listen to this episode to find out more about how The Bureau of Investigative Journalism tackles the opportunities and challenges regarding leadership and the impact of their stories.