The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "entertainment industry" ...
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BMF: Hip-Hop's Shadowy Empire
The Atlanta-based Black Mafia Family "were hip-hop royalty without a hit." Investigators asserted that the BMF was actually one of the "more elaborate drug-trafficking enterprises in the country." The entertainment industry and the criminal underworld came together in the BMF, which the police finally cracked when a high-placed member broke the code of silence. In summer 2005, the organization's crimes began to escalate until it was tied to more violent acts, and the investigators "made their move." This story links the BMF to six unsolved murders, as well as to music figures like Sean "P. Diddy" Combs", Bobby Brown and Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin.
Tags: Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory; Black Mafia Family; cocaine; murder; crime organization; hip-hop music
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Rebels on the Backlot: Six Maverick Directors and How They Conquered the Hollywood Studio System
This book grew out of Waxman's Hollywood coverage for the Washington Post. It examines a new, young generation of Hollywood directors in the 1990s. The book explores how the new artists adapt to the money-driven culture of Hollywood, and how the change affects their personal stake in the movie industry.
Tags: movies; entertainment; Hollywood; film; directors; actors
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Health care influence at the Rhode Island General Assembly
This series of stories raised a number of ethical concerns involving state legislators. The stories detailed how the president of the senate made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling Blue Cross Insurance to CVS pharmacy employees, while as a legislator he used his position to kill pharmacy choice legislation. Other stories showed how another senator worked as a "consultant" for health care concerns and how the national drugstore industry entertained state legislators from around the country at luxury resorts. Following the newspaper's reports, the senate president and the head of Blue Cross resigned, while the state police and the FBI began an investigation.
Tags: politics; health care industry; pharmaceutical industry; drugstores; ethics; corporate influence; lobbying; special interests
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Well Connected
This is a series of stories on media ownership in hometowns of each of the five FCC commissioners. The articles cover information including profiles of the 44 largest telecommunication companies in America, profit information, stock holdings of directors and salaries of top officials. The stories uncover the amounts being spent on FCC officials on travel and entertainment. It also shows how the FCC relies on data provided by the private industry while making decisions that are supposed to be in the public interest.
Tags: Federal Communications Commission; Media Ownership; Telecommunications
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Reel life vs. real life
"Using many of the same categories found in the 2000 Census, USA Today tallied statistics about age, race and gender of the actors and characters in 2001 movies that played on at least 600 screens." It found that Hispanics lag, women are underrepresented, men are older and women are younger, and fewer major movie characters are married.
Tags: Hollywood; movies; film industry; entertainment industry; actors; minorities
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Radio Today
Salon.com's Eric Boehlert investigates the state of the radio industry and the current practices of many stations around the country. One such practice is the use of "indies" or independent promoters paid by record companies to get their songs and artists on the radio. In turn the indies provide the radio stations with "promotional expenses," which could range from merchandise vouchers, expensive trips, or off the books cash. The practice has become so widespread that local disc jockeys and program directors have little say over playlists, and instead deals are struck between general managers and indies that guarantee at least $75,000 to $100,000 annually. Boehlert also chronicles the rise of Clear Channel, one of the biggest station owners in the country.
Tags: Radio; music; entertainment; Clear Channel
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Hollywood Wars
Brill's Content looks at "the history of a Hollywood-Pentagon alliance that can often blur the line between entertainment and propaganda." The investigation is based on hundreds of pages of military documents that have made "the nature and scope of the Pentagon's dealings with Hollywood filmmakers ... suddenly more vivid." The article reveals that "filmmamkers who want their movies about the military to look real seek assistance from the Pentagon, but the military imprimatur comes with a price." Filmmakers can get "nearly cost-free access to the military's equipment", if they implement changes to the script "to ensure ... that the military is presented accurately and in positive light." The story includes a list of well-known movies that either exemplify the military's influence, or have been disapproved by the Pentagon. The author points to the CIA as another government organization that tries to influence filmmakers.
Tags: movies; film industry; Armed Forces; Pentagon; CIA; screenplay; screenwriters; producers; Apocalypse now; Catch-22; Independence Day; Forrest Gump; Goldeneye; Born on the Fourth of July; Armageddon
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Latin Translation: Columbian Pop Star Taps American Taste in Repackaged Imports
Orwall takes a look at the trend of globalization in the entertainment industry, with a specific look at music trends. With the new popularity of global music, many record labels, such as Sony, are searching for new artists overseas. Orwall looks at Colombia recording artist Shakira, who began her singing career at the age of 13 with Sony. After enjoying success from her records in areas outside of the U.S., Sony is now trying to groom Shakira for a major shift from international audiences to the U.S. With work on a English-language record already beginning, producers are hoping Shakira can follow in the footsteps of another cross-over artist, Gloria Estefan, who has coached Shakira on some of her songs. Record executives are careful to slowly introduce Shakira to American audiences as to not alienate her from her large fan-base in Latin America.
Tags: Music; entertainment; Latin America
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I Was a Teenage Spielberg
Spin looks at the strange celebrity world of Jonathan Taylor Spielberg. "How to find fame in America? If you're a 27-year-old immigrant, you could do a lot worse than pretending to be 14 years old, assuming the last name of a famous movie director, and allegedly getting involved in a couple of sex crimes. Introducing Jonathan Taylor Spielberg."
Tags: Celebrity; Fraud; Entertainment industry; Liars; Pseudologia fantastica
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Who Stole the Oscars?
"The theft of last year's Oscars led to the arrest of a trucker and a forklift operator. Meanwhile, Willie Fulgear, the junk scavenger who claimed he'd found the golden statuettes in a Dumpster, became a local hero, rewarded with $50,000 and a tribute at the ceremony. Case closed? Not exactly." Vanity Fair looks at what has happened to Fulgear in the year since his claim to fame.
Tags: Oscars; Academy Awards; Theft; Entertainment industry