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 "telephones" ...
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Sabotaging the System
This story includes the “first confirmed account of a successful cyber attack against an electric utility company, resulting in major blackouts that lasted for days”. The electric grid not only supplies electricity but also keeps water, telephones, trains, and air traffic control up and running. Also in the U.S., government agencies, defense contractors, and banks are hacked everyday by foreign spy agencies.
Tags: National Intelligence; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); cyber security; Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); computers; technology
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Updated Version of Well Connected Media Tracker
In October 2006, Well Connected, a project of the Center for Public Integrity, updated its Media Tracker. The Tracker is a tool to "identify the source of news and information filtered to their community through newspapers, broadcast, cable, satellite, phone lines and broadband." The Tracker also features political information. This set of stories tells about the new version of Media Tracker, with background stories which profile many of the "top companies in broadcast television, radio, telephone, cellular, cable, broadband and satellite TV and radio."
Tags: Internet; Media Tracker; media ownership; Well Connected; information filters; Center for Public Integrity
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Your Cell Phone Records Are For Sale
Spurred by a report "buried in the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police newsletter," the Sun-Times looks into the fact that anyone - including criminals - could purchase police officers' cell phone records on the Internet. Reporter Frank Main tested this by purchasing his own cell records for $110 from an online broker. "The records detailed the time and date of each call, and the telephone number called." The broker who sold these records turned out to be a convicted felon. Experts note that the easy access to such records "puts women at risk from stalkers; undercover officers at risk of having confidential informants exposed by criminal targets; and business people at risk of being spied on by corporate rivals."
Tags: Cell phones; wireless phones; cell phone records; stalking; undercover officers; corporate espionage
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A 911 Emergency
A WISH-TV (Indianapolis, IN) investigation exposed a public safety crisis resulting from a shortage of 911 operators. Inadequate staffing led to emergency calls being placed "on hold." Delays in answering led to delays in responding to emergencies. In addition, use of cell phones and computer-based phones adds to the response time as they do not provide dispatchers with the caller's location. Without this information, dispatchers are unable to determine where to send help. Reporters also looked at the historical problem of agencies not being able to "talk" to each other directly.
Tags: emergency dispatch systems; emergency dispatch response times; cell phone; 911; emergency dispatcher burnout; public-safety communications; Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, APCO; enhanced wireless 911; Voice over Internet Protocol; VoIP; TTY; public safety answering point; PSAP; telecommunications; multiple line telephone system; MLTS; PBX-MLTS; National Association of State 911 Administrators; NASNA; Metropolitan Emergency Communication Agency; MECA; failsoft; Motorola
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National Security Letters: In Hunt for Terrorists, Bureau Examines Records of Ordinary Americans
"National Security Letters," which empower the FBI to make secret demands for personal records, are being used more often and extend the bureau's reach into the telephone calls, correspondence and financial lives of ordinary Americans. Because of the Patriot Act and the Bush administration's broad interpretation of its powers, the FBI now makes more than 30,000 such demands a year.
Tags: Patriot Act; National Security Letters; Bush Administration; FBI; FOIA; private affairs; public safety
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A Hoax Most Cruel
The author investigated the case of a young woman who worked at a McDonalds 25 miles out of Louisville. She was called into the office by a supervisor who had a man on the telephone claiming to be a police officer who said she was under suspicion for theft and drugs. Her female supervisor, on the word of this "officer" told the girl to strip and detained her for four hours, humiliating and abusing her. This had not been the first hoax of this nature directed to a McDonalds franchise and yet no one had warned the managers of the restaurants.
Tags: sexual abuse; hoax calls; McDonalds; FOIA; unlawful imprisonment
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The Enron Tapes
This series shows how recorded telephone conversations between Enron energy traders link top officials to the now-famous fraudulent activities. The tapes also revealed the company's close connection to the Bush campaign.
Tags: Ken Lay; Jeffrey Skilling; energy; electricity; power; Enron; corporate fraud; utilities
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Facebook Fear
This investigation exposed how dangerous it is for students to place a lot of personal information online. The authors used a website, www.thefacebook.com, to track down students' addresses and telephone numbers. Then, they went to surprise the students; many were surprised at how easily they were tracked down, and even took their personal information off of the website.
Tags: the facebook; internet; people finders; backgrounding; sting operation; broadcast; visual storytelling
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High Cost of City Hall
Excessive spending and lavish furnishings for San Jose's new city hall inspired this San Jose Mercury News investigation. City officials planned to equip the new building with 45 million dollars worth of furniture, plasma televisions, and the most costly technology. At the same time, the city was undergoing a series of budget deficits, layoffs, and service cuts to residents over the years. According to the questionnaire, "city officials privately consulted with Cisco about what technology it ought to deploy in the new building and then designed an $8 million computer-and-telephone network using only the company's equipment."
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"Politicians' Telecoms Wronged Consumers"; QAI: A legacy of success or slams?; Commerce official's past includes telecom trouble
This special report by the Pioneer Press exposes ties between the Governor and Auditor of Minnesota and New Access Communications, a telephone company accused of fraud. According to the report, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was a director of NewTel Holdings, New Access' parent company, when complaints were filed against New Access. The complaints accused New Access of "overcharging some customers and tricking others into changing their telephone services." Auditor Patricia Awada was the owner of Capitol Verification, which was a company designed to verify that customers really wanted to change their phone service. However, according to the report, Awada's company did not always complete that goal.
Tags: FOIA; Investigating politicians; Fraud; FCC; New Access Communications