Photo: hiddeneurope.eu
Author: Hannah Thulé
Daiva Repečkaitė understands the challenges of pursuing the uncertain path of investigative journalism. Today, Lithuanian journalist holds a permanent position, and the journey here took her through jobs in research, consultancy, freelancing and translating.
| Daiva Repečkaitė – Started as a news journalist in 2005 – Has worked as a freelance journalist, fixer, researcher, consultant & translator – Became a full-time investigative reporter in 2022 – Her work has been published in for example Financial Times, Politico, OCCRP and The Guardian |
In September last year Malta based Daiva Repečkaitė was offered a permanent position at Amphora Media –the non-profit investigative journalism platform of The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation.
Repečkaitė began her career in news reporting, landing a job at a local newspaper in Lithuania in 2005.
Two years later, she left to pursue a Master’s in Sociology. After that, Repečkaitė focused mainly on consultancy and research in public policy for some years to come. She did some freelancing as a journalist also.
First investigative projects
Armed with experience and research skills, Repečkaitė’s returned properly to journalism in 2015 when she secured two major grants – one for a solo investigation into the confinement of people with mental disabilities in Lithuanian social care, and another for a collaboration on ethnic minorities in Thailand.
She then took on part-time work as a fixer for international media, but its instability led her back to research.
In January 2017, Repečkaitė left her home base in Lithuania for Malta, taking on a research role at an NGO working with migrants. However, the job didn’t turn out as she expected, and she chose to resign ten months later.
To succeed as a journalist, it’s also about being in the right place at the right time.
Her resignation happened to coincide with the car-bomb assassination of Maltese anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. On the first day of unemployment, Repečkaitė attended a memorial event to pay her respects and demand justice. While talking to people she found herself easing back into the journalist role.
In the following years, she freelanced for international media, did part-time journalism work in Malta, expanded her network, and applied for international cross-border grants. After many rejections, the work paid off.
Once you can break the shell that separates you from the international grants, you start receiving them.
Western Bias
Repečkaitė sees the benefits of cross-border collaborations but stresses the need for open discussions on hierarchies and inequality.
She highlights a Western bias.
Journalists from richer countries earn more for the same work, creating an imbalance where they push their ideas forward while giving less weight to the ideas of colleagues from poorer countries.
There is always inequality in cross-border collaboration.
She also points out the inequality in risk-taking. While a journalist in Thailand might face imprisonment for their work, the European journalist’s greatest risk may only be a SLAPP lawsuit.
Making Ends Meet
Over the years, Repečkaitė has developed strategies to navigate the financial uncertainty and irregular supply of work related to being a freelance journalist.
There has always been a plan B.
I thought confidently that if all else fails there will be jobs in research.
She’s worked extra, translating non-fiction books and lived frugally when needed.
I don’t spend time worrying. Sometimes you have a good harvest, and sometimes work dries up.
Repečkaitė has also learned to reach out to her network for support.
I think we’re under this pressure to project a glamourised image of the job and our achievement, but I found it paid out to be open about my issues.
Sometimes when sharing your problems people come up with unexpected solutions, be it on research problems or job openings, she says.
When asked about what tips she’d like to give her younger self, Repečkaitė answers:
I think not doing it alone is important, I would probably reach out more to professors and classmates.