Essex News & Investigations

The UK's only news provider dedicated to hard news and investigative journalism.

Essex News & Investigations was set up by multi award-winning journalist Jon Austin following his departure from local newspapers in Essex after more than 12 years in 2015.

After beginning a career in journalism at the free weekly Yellow Advertiser series in Essex and east London from 2002, he moved to the daily Echo paper once a senior reporter.

He covered Basildon, Southend, Castle Point and Thurrock, and when he left in March 2015, he had been the political and investigations reporter for nearly eight years.

Jon started winning journalism awards while a student and went on to become one of the most decorated regional reporters in the country, winning the Essex Journalist of the Year in 2004 while still at the Yellow Advertiser.

Between 2006 and 2012 he won the Best Reporter on a Daily Paper in the East of England seven years running and from 2007 to 2009 he was Press Gazette Best Daily Reporter out of the whole country three years running.

A shortlisting in the Paul Foot Award for Campaigning & Investigative Journalism against national journalists in 2011 was another career high. 

He continued to run the website while at the national press until going freelance in late 2024.

Essex News & Investigations now covers news from across the UK and some global issues. 

Got a tip off? Or any complaints or issues with content on this website? Please email jonaustinreporter@gmail.com.

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Journalism is expensive. Especially when you are freelance and no one is picking up expenses, such as fees for official documents and in some cases from court.

If you wish to donate to the public interest work and investigations of Essex News and Investigations you can do so here:

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