What's a major investigative series worth? About $200,000.

[Tyler Dukes]

Wanted to share an interesting figure from one of our write-ups last week. John Drescher, executive editor of The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., estimates that his paper spends anywhere from $150,000-$200,000 on each major investigative series. As newsroom staffs shrink, is it possible to fill gaps in watchdog journalism like this? How do you think we can work together to bring this sort of powerful reporting to communities that don't have big metro daily newspapers like The News & Observer?