Episode 2: The Hidden Work Behind Investigative Journalism with Pulitzer Prize Winner Glenn Smith
Journalists are the ultimate multitaskers. I know because I used to be one. They wear many hats—writer, interviewer, photographer, editor, researcher—and work under intense pressure and tight deadlines.
In this episode of The Expert Generalist, I’m joined by Glenn Smith, deputy managing editor for investigations and public service at The Post and Courier, South Carolina’s largest newspaper. As we mark the 10th anniversary of receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, Glenn and I reflect on the series that earned the award—an in-depth investigation into South Carolina’s alarming record of women killed by men and the state’s systemic failures around domestic violence.
Glenn shares what the project meant to him, what goes into producing major investigative work, and how he navigates the pressures of journalism in the age of social media and public scrutiny.
A Connecticut native and former South Carolina Journalist of the Year, Glenn spent years covering crime and courts before taking the helm of The Post and Courier’s award-winning special projects team. He currently serves on the board of SC Investigates, a nonprofit advancing accountability journalism in South Carolina, and on the University of Connecticut Journalism Professional Advisory Committee.
If you’ve ever wanted to peek behind the curtain to see how investigative journalism really works—how reporters make sense of complex systems and bring difficult truths to light—this episode offers an honest and compelling look at the craft.