31 Publications Paying for Investigative Reporting

Here’s our roundup of publications that pay for investigative reporting. This list includes publishers that cover a wide variety of topics.

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1. New Lines is an American magazine that features best writing from around the globe. They publish “essays and reportage on a wide range of subjects that focus broadly on the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.” They also cover “politics, culture and controversies in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Russia and Central Asia, and conduct deep-dive investigative journalism based on open-source intelligence and leaked data.” As per this post by their North Africa editor, they pay $800 for most of their essays. If interested, send your pitches and submissions to submissions@newlinesmag.com. To learn more, refer to this page.

2. Vulture is an entertainment news website for the culturally obsessed. They cover TV, movies, comedy, music, theater, art, books, and more. They accept pitches for investigative features, short and timely Q&As with exciting talent, oral histories, lists and recommendations, guides, and more. According to their recommendations and crossword editor, their rates generally start at $200. To learn more, refer to their pitch guide.

3. Mother Jones is an investigative news organization. They report on politics, criminal and racial justice, democracy, human rights, education, climate change, food/agriculture, and more. They commission revelatory and dynamic stories that teach people something they didn’t already know. Their print rates begin at $1.75/word, while their online rates begin at $0.75/word. For more details, read their freelance writer guidelines.

4. Grist is a non-profit online publication that covers climate and sustainability. They welcome “a wide range of freelance pitches, from reported essays to in-depth investigations to changemaker profiles and Q&As.” Their “core topics include clean energy, sustainable food, environmental justice, livable communities, and reinventing the economy through cutting-edge science and cleantech.” Articles range between ​800 to 2,000 words.  Pay starts at $0.80 per word. Details here

5. Type Investigations is a nonprofit investigative newsroom. They cover the “most urgent issues of our time, including racial and economic justice, climate and environmental health, and civil and human rights.” Their written features are generally 4,000-6,000 words and they typically pay $3,000-$6,000 (including travel and reporting expenses). For more information, refer to their pitch guide.

6. Investigate Midwest covers news concerning "Big Agriculture and its effects on labor (especially migrant and immigrant labor), government, and the environment." They also publish content focused on farmers and their psychological well-being. They are keen on exploring "interpretations of intriguing datasets or documents acquired through FOIA or state public records inquiries." Compensation depends on the level of experience. An old payment report indicates they paid around $0.29/ word. The article can be between 800-2,000 words. To learn more, visit pitching guidelines. or contact them here.

7. GamesIndustry.biz is a website about the games industry. They cover “every facet of the games industry, from design, development, publishing, marketing, distribution or retail, all the way through to media, freelance and studying.” They are looking to expand their freelance roster. They accept pitches for investigative pieces, interviews with industry figures, academy articles, and editorials. They encourage pitches from writers of diverse backgrounds. Their standard rate is £250 per article. To learn how to pitch them an article, visit this page.