Spanish Investigative Journalism in the Face of Verification and Information Disorders

This research focuses on the perception that Spanish investigative journalists have of disinformation, exploring its impact on their professional routines. It also assesses the methods deployed by these professionals to mitigate its spread. To this end, a quantitative methodology based on the survey technique was used, and a structured interview comprising 18 questions was designed. This interview combined 7 closed questions with a five-point Likert-type scale structure and 11 open-ended questions to ascertain the perceptions of respondents more accurately. The survey involved 28 journalists from the Association of Investigative Journalists (API, its Spanish acronym) and various relevant media outlets. The results underline the rigor and independence required in investigative journalism to combat disinformation while drawing attention to the need to train and adapt the practice of journalism through new formats. The tension between the potential of technology and uneasiness about its reliability—an ambivalence that is on the rise with the emergence of AI—is also emphasized alongside the importance of ethics and transparency to restore the credibility of the media.