Exploring the Challenges of Investigative Journalism with Ernest Sotomayor

The challenges of investigative journalism were highlighted in a recent seminar featuring Ernest Sotomayor, Dean of Student Affairs and Director of Latin American Initiatives at Columbia School of Journalism. The event, part of the ongoing series “The Future of Journalism,” was organized jointly by the Santiago Center, Universidad Diego Portales’ School of Journalism, and Columbia’s Journalism School.

Sotomayor's visit to Chile in early October included an information session for professionals and students interested in applying to Columbia. He also participated in the radio talk show “Palabras Sacan Palabras” on Radio Futuro, where he discussed the importance of investigative journalism. You can listen to the audio (in Spanish) here.

During the seminar, the Panama Papers and the report “Vacations in No Man’s Sea” were presented as exemplary cases of serious, thorough, and uncompromising investigative reporting. These cases also highlighted successful collaborations between media outlets and journalism schools. Columbia alumni Andrea Insunza, Director of the Research and Publications Center at UDP’s School of Communication and Literature, and Francisco Aravena, reporter and anchor at Tele13 radio, presented these cases.

Dean Sotomayor emphasized that journalism is the heart of democracy, and improving it through thorough reporting and new technologies is essential. He encouraged journalists to view investigative reporting as a public service aimed at uncovering the truth.

Sotomayor also manages Columbia’s J-School’s dual degree program with the School of Journalism at Sciences Po in Paris, and the joint certificate program with IL3 at Universidad de Barcelona in Spain. Since 2005, he has directed the Journalism School’s efforts in career counseling, assisting students in finding opportunities such as internships, fellowships, and full-time employment in print, broadcast, and online media fields. Before joining Columbia, he was an editor at Newsday for 16 years, specializing in print and digital journalism.

In June 2011, Sotomayor was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists' Hall of Fame for his efforts to promote racial and ethnic diversity in journalism. He was also named the NAHJ’s President’s Award recipient in 1997.

Watch the seminar here.