U.K.'s First Nonprofit Investigative Journalism

The first nonprofit investigative journalism foundation in the U.K. has been set up by Elaine Potter, a former reporter for the Sunday Times who exposed the dangers of thalidomide. As newspapers continue to face shrinking budgets, many news organizations can no longer afford expensive public-service journalism. ProPublica, a nonprofit established in 2007 that has helped finance many investigations published by American newspapers, is the inspiration for Potter's Bureau of Investigative Journalism. "A great deal hangs on this," Potter said. "We really need to be successful." The first article is set to be published this year; investigations into torture and British and international affairs are in the works. Critics say the reporters whose work is financed by these ventures are vulnerable to interference from powerful donors, but Potter says her bureau will have full editorial control.