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Bill Birnbauer on Muck Rack

Bill Birnbauer

(He/Him)
  • CEO and Founder at Democracy's Watchdogs Incorporated, Freelance
Melbourne
As seen in: Sydney Morning Herald, The Conversation, The Age, Routledge, Brisbane Times, WAtoday, The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Missoulian, Idaho Press, San Antonio Report and
Journalist, academic, PhD, aikido. Democracy's Watchdogs: democracyswatchdogs.org @DemoWatchOrg US nonprofit journalism: bit.ly/3z8CBS8

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Bill Birnbauer’s Biography

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Bill Birnbauer was a journalist at The Age and The Sunday Age newspapers in Melbourne, Australia, for 33 years. During this time, he was the newspaper's chief of staff, news editor and night editor and worked for periods as an investigative journalist, state political reporter, city editor, national correspondent, medical reporter and feature writer. He was a John S. Knight Fellow at Stanford University in 1992/93. He was in the first non-American group of journalists invited to join the Intern…

Bill Birnbauer’s Journalist Portfolio

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Tiger, tiger ... gently into the night

Tiger, tiger ... gently into the night

Sad, descriptive story about the euthanising of an old tiger. Followed by an investigative story about the cu…

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Destroyed by a sinister lust

Destroyed by a sinister lust

A pillar of his local community, then quite elderly, is axed to death by a drug-addicted youth in a remote ru…

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It's a cancer clinic called Hope. But critics accuse it of preying on the vulnerable

It's a cancer clinic called Hope. But critics accuse it of preying on the vulnerable

A cancer clinic that specialises in alternative therapies acted unethically and did not fully inform dying ca…

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Preying on the hope of cancer patients

Preying on the hope of cancer patients

Desperate for a cure, some advanced cancer patients will try anything to improve their chances of living. Kat…

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The story behind fatal care - Center for Public Integrity

The story behind fatal care - Center for Public Integrity

Our high noon began on an ordinary morning at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. As the day pro…

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The biggest nonprofit media outlets are thriving but smaller ones may not survive

The biggest nonprofit media outlets are thriving but smaller ones may not survive

Nonprofit journalism has made its mark on the in-depth news scene in the United States since around 2008. But…

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Articles

The punch of investigative reporting Investigative reporting packs a punch

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By Bill Birnbauer
| junctionjournalism.com
Recent headlines about union corruption on building sites and also the charging of Ben Roberts-Smith with counts of war crimes murder have prompted me to think about the unique potency of investigative journalism. Revelations about the involvement of criminals, bikies and union thugs on Victoria’s Big Build construction sites and the inaction of government were sparked solely by the investigative journalism of Nick McKenzie in The Age/SMH.
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Impending award deadline

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By Bill Birnbauer, Democracy's Watchdogs
| junctionjournalism.com
A reminder the entry deadline for Democracy’s Watchdogs’ award for investigative journalism is less than two weeks away. Midnight December 1 is the very latest entries will be accepted. Beat the rush and get them in soon! Remember stories need to have been published. Individual and group entries are fine. Any platform is fine. First prize is $1000 and an engraved trophy. All finalists will receive a certificate.
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Hedley Thomas investigative podcaster

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By Bill Birnbauer
| junctionjournalism.com
Hedley Thomas is one of Australia’s most impactful journalists and has a unique and interesting approach to investigative journalism. He moved from print journalism to producing podcast series at The Australian. His podcasts have had more than 100 million downloads. Democracy’s Watchdogs has posted my interview with Hedley, a seven times winner of the Walkey award, and I urge you to watch it.
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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

Monitoring the news, then getting the chief of staff breakfast.

Have you ever used a typewriter?

Yes, when I started in 1975.

What does it mean to be a journalist?

To get as close to the verifiable and defendable truth as possible. It means to hold power to account and work for the public interest.