Veronica Guerin And Journalism

Veronica Guerin: an example of fearless reportingThis Irish journalist considered the truth to be more important than her own life.Thanks to her risk-taking attitude, her ethical principles and herinvestigative skills, Veronica Guerin managed to uncover the largest drug-dealers organization in Ireland. She used her articles in the Sunday Independent to denounce the crimes that were taking placealthough she was conscious of how dangerous this was. In the end, and after many death threats and physical aggressions, she was murdered by drug criminals in 1996. Nowadays, Veronica Guerin hasbecome a role model for future journalists: her morals were the thing that pushed her into such a venturous investigation. That demonstrates how important it is for journalists to have solid ethical valuesas a base to create their work. Willing to make a change is the first premise for an investigative journalist. Veronica Guerin didn't want the criminals to win and that's why she fought to deathliterally.
Without her bravery, the reaction against drug dealing wouldn't have been possible. That proves that having the courage to talk about problems into which no one else wants to get involved isalso something required for this job. Future journalists can't expect to get everything done without making efforts and sacrificing themselves sometimes.
But not everything is about the attitude andthe personal will: Veronica Guerin also had many different sources that provided her with the needed information to write articles. She had personal contacts on which she could rely to get her leaks andturn them into news. She was in touch with the police, with people who were involved in the drug dealing industry and she used to talk to the people who consumed drugs or to the ones she found in thestreet. So, taking profit from the social skills is also a quality that investigative journalists must have.Although her death probably was a key factor to make a change in Ireland, nothing would...