fact-checking and editing FOR investigative journalism

I help investigative news organizations in all mediums protect their reputations and legal standing by delivering rigorous, independent fact-checking to bulletproof their high-stakes work — from the most minute details to broad conceptual logic.

Using established ethical standards, I ensure fairness to both sources and subjects. 

  • "fabulous"

    Hilary did fill-in editing and fact-checking work for us, and she was fabulous.

    In the few months she spent with us she did story development and line editing for our investigative team of five, and led fact-checking on a big project.

    Her thoughtful leadership helped a very new reporter get a handle on reporting basics like sourcing and note-taking. And the project she led fact-checking for, Dirty Business, went on to win several awards, including an Edward R. Murrow award.

    I highly recommend working with Hilary and Niles Media.

    — Gabrielle Jones, then Vice President of Content for Louisville Public Media

case study: “Dirty business”

Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting at Louisville Public Media

The Assignment

As an interim editor for KyCIR’s five-person investigative team, I was assigned fact-checking for an hour-long investigative radio documentary. Working independently and in collaboration with the two reporters and project editor, I verified every claim, inspected all source documents and consulted original interview recordings to ensure that quotes were accurately represented in their context.

The Impact

With such high-caliber reporting and storytelling, it’s essential that every detail stand up to scrutiny to protect the organization’s legal standing and the professional reputations of all team members.

“Dirty Business” went on to win an Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association, as well as WBUR’s Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize and the Investigative Reporters and Editors award for audio in small markets.