Mentorship Mic with Scott Schwebke | Investigative Journalism, Faith & Following the Evidence | Faith & Media Emerging Leaders EPISODE OVERVIEW Award-winning investigative journalist Scott Schwebke joins host John Dye to discuss four decades of reporting, the mentors who shaped his career, and the role of faith in pursuing truth. From a tiny Virginia weekly to collaborative investigations in Southern California, Scott explains why great journalism starts with curiosity and follows the evidence wherever it leads. He shares lessons from whistleblowers, public records, newsroom collaboration, and investigations into veterans' care and the drug rehab industry. For students and emerging media professionals, this conversation offers practical advice on accuracy, credibility, independent scrutiny, and building a career without abandoning your values. KEY TAKEAWAYS - Report before you publish. Master public records, interviewing, source development, and fact checking. Ask one more question and make one more phone call. - Choose accuracy over speed. Protect your credibility by verifying allegations, avoiding exaggeration, and correcting mistakes openly when they happen. - Leave the newsroom. Face-to-face conversations help build trust, reveal overlooked details, and bring the people and places in your stories to life. - Welcome strong editors and mentors. Collaboration can challenge tunnel vision, sharpen your reporting, and help you recognize when the evidence changes. - Keep faith and independent scrutiny together. Scott emphasizes honesty, humility, dignity, and accountability while warning against letting personal beliefs override evidence. - Understand the investigative path. Deep reporting takes patience, careful documentation, and persistence, not just dramatic moments. Start at smaller publications if that helps you grow, embrace useful technology, and find mentors who respect both your professional independence and your faith. Give your life room to grow. KEY QUOTES "Being first is much less important than being right." "Your reputation for honesty is your most valuable professional asset." "Accountability isn't an enemy to faith." "You can still ask tough questions." "Don't abandon your faith for the sake of journalism." ABOUT SCOTT SCHWEBKE Scott Schwebke is an award-winning investigative journalist with a four-decade career at newspapers across the United States. His work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Denver Post, and Orange County Register. He worked on the Southern California News Group's investigative team and has taught investigative reporting at several universities. A BYU public relations graduate, Scott now lives outside Denver, freelances part-time, and enjoys time with his grandchildren. ABOUT JOHN DYE John Dye is Executive Director of Emerging Leaders at the Faith & Media Initiative, leading programs that bridge faith and culture through media. ABOUT FAITH & MEDIA INITIATIVE The Faith & Media Initiative (FAMI) is a nonprofit program of the Radiant Foundation connecting media members, content creators, faith leaders, and communities to ensure accurate, balanced representation of all faiths in news and entertainment. CONNECT & LEARN MORE https://www.faithandmedia.com https://famiemergingleaders.org/ CREDITS Host: John Dye | Guest: Scott Schwebke Series: Mentorship Mic - Faith & Media Initiative Emerging Leaders Production: Faith & Media Initiative - Emerging Leaders #MentorshipMic #FaithAndMedia #EmergingLeaders #ScottSchwebke #InvestigativeJournalism #Journalism #FaithAndJournalism #MediaMentorship #CareerAdvice #JournalismEthics #Whistleblowers #Accountability #BYU © 2026 Faith & Media Initiative. All rights reserved.