Investigative reporting has been a driving force of journalism for centuries. The journalistic tradition of exposing professional misconduct was well established well before the 20th century. This practice even predates the publication of the first successful colonial newspaper in 1704, demonstrating that the monitoring role of the press has deep historical roots in democracy well before the 1960s. Over the past three centuries, the Investigative journalists have attempted to make a difference by raising public awareness of perceived wrongdoing. Before the early 1960s, investigative reporting was highly localized and sporadic. This reflected the character of early journalism and the technological limits of communication. It was not until the 20th century that a unique combination of forces combined to create an extended era of national exhibitions. (Reference) In the 1960s, investigative journalism began to flourish more than ever. The media industry was beginning to become a more recognized industry, in which not only society's elites used print media, radio and television, but also ordinary citizens. Journalists have also seen a change in their role as journalists. Journalists saw the responsibilities of the press as including being “an investigator, a government watchdog, an interpreter of current events, and an educator to the masses” (Aucoin, 2005). A new "golden age" of journalism had begun in the 1960s and 1970s. Investigative journalism began to flourish for several reasons. In the 1960s, British newspapers faced competition from television and radio, so newspapers became larger and filled space with high-profile feature stories and photo essays. At the same time, there was a climate of skepticism and irreverence that made investigators...... middle of paper......and others reveal stories. These include a police officer prosecuted for the illegal assassination of a passerby during the G20 demonstrations, the revelations published by Wikileaks, the MPs' expenses scandal and other criminals brought to justice, all thanks to investigators from the journalistic world. Some newspapers are the natural refuge for investigative journalists. The Guardian, for example, revealed not only the phone hacking affair, but also the G20 verdict and the Wikileak cables. The Daily Telegraph, previously little known for its exploratory work, did impressive work on the MPs' expenses scandal in 2009, where it simply bought stolen data from an insider and exploited it slowly, surely and deliberately. Contrary to Stephan Dorrill's view that investigative journalism is now effectively dead, the many examples show that journalism is alive and well in Britain..