In today's media landscape, many news organizations no longer report – they merely repost. The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) is different. We arm the public with thoroughly reported stories that offer deep explanations of complex issues – from the environment to immigration, government accountability, education, health, campaign finance and more. And we cover those stories locally, nationally and internationally. Founded in 1977, CIR is the nation's oldest nonprofit investigative reporting organization – producing multimedia reporting that enables people to demand accountability from government, corporations and others in power. 

 
Our staff includes highly-skilled reporters who know how to cultivate sources and find hidden information; engineers and analysts who create sophisticated news apps, interactive maps and tools to help the public understand issues from the macro to the micro level; and radio, video and multimedia producers who create engaging documentaries, videos and animated features to demystify complex topics. CIR's distribution and engagement team then works to deliver this information across hundreds of outlets and to engage our readers, listeners, viewers, and those most impacted by our reporting in the search for solutions.

On April 30, 2012, The Bay Citizen officially merged with the Center for Investigative Reporting. The merger brought together The Bay Citizen, an award-winning nonprofit news organization focused on the San Francisco Bay Area, and CIR, the nation’s longest running nonprofit investigative news organization. In 2009, CIR launched California Watch, which at the time was the largest investigative reporting team operating in the state. 

The organization's stories appear in hundreds of news outlets including NPR News, PBS Frontline, PBS NEWSHOUR, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Sacramento Bee, The Daily Beast, MinnPost and American Public Media's Marketplace.

We are committed to "story before glory." Rather than compete with other news organizations, it brings media partners together to collaborate on big stories. For example, CIR partnered with NPR for an investigation into intelligence gathering 10 years after the 9/11 attacks. Meanwhile, California Watch is leading a collaboration of 12 media outlets to report on a proposed $98 billion high-speed rail system, which would be the most expensive public works project in the state's history. Such partnerships exponentially increase the reporting capacity, audience reach and potential impact of CIR's reporting.

CIR stories have received numerous journalism awards including the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Silver Baton, George Polk Award, Emmy Award, and Investigative Reporters and Editors Award. Its reports have sparked state and federal hearings and legislation, public interest lawsuits, changes in corporate policies and a major United Nations resolutions.

To learn more about CIR's recent history and where we are headed, read Executive Director Robert J. Rosenthal's report, Reinventing Journalism.