Watchdogs Under Pressure: Influences on German Investigative Journalists and how they Deal with them

Investigative journalism is a distinct branch of the profession that serves democracy by being particularly willing to confront powerful elites and expose their misconduct through persistent research. However, the recent rise of right-wing populists such as the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and the decline of news media organizations' revenues have made it more difficult for investigative journalists in Germany to carry out their work. Only a few studies explicitly examine the conditions of investigative journalism in the country and the influences that might pose challenges to investigative journalists, thereby highlighting a research gap. This study builds on an adapted hierarchy of influences model to investigate (a) the internal and external influences perceived by German investigative journalists and (b) how they deal with related challenges. Therefore, 21 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with investigative journalists between April 2024 and January 2025. The findings contribute to the broader debate on challenges to German investigative journalists, further enriching the understanding of journalism’s multi-layered nature.