Chapter 18

Avoid a journalistic dead end Reporters often▪ Receive tons of government reports▪ Attend meetings with strict agenda▪ Leaving little time for questions

▪ Get little useful or newsworthy information from these

There are several ways to avoid this dead end

Dull but important▪ What do you think a government meeting is like?▪ ZZZZZzzzzzzz…….▪ That’s probably true

▪ As a reporter you have to▪ Make dull content interesting▪ Find the story that the public needs to hear▪ Write it in a way that is informative & interesting

Reporting the meeting▪ Getting ahead of the curve

▪ Most meeting agendas are available beforehand▪ Get to the meetings where agendas are developed▪ Find unelected community leaders

May be aware of problems to be addressed

▪ Taking advantage of these▪ Helps you get stories out first▪ Provides diverse source▪ Allows you to give insight/depth into issues

Sometimes the most important part of a meeting story is What you cover before and after▪ Interviews from participants▪ City leaders▪ Community members

▪ Off the cuff quotes▪ Spontaneous reactions

Media Manipulation Sources at speeches/news conferences▪ Often use the media▪ To further their own agenda

To balance your story▪ Ask good questions after▪ Add points of view from opposing sources

Preparation To ask good questions you MUST

prepare:▪ Research the speaker▪ Research the issue▪ Check clips, blogs & online databases

Try to get transcription of speech▪ In case deadline is before speech ends▪ Be careful with quotes▪ Especially if they vary from the written speech

Preparation cont.▪ Jot down reactions from▪ The speaker▪ The audience

▪ Write follow up questions for post speech interviews▪ For speaker▪ Audience members

▪ Be prepared to get names of people▪ Speaker ▪ Audience members, etc

An aisle seat will allow you to move quicker

Stories about speeches Always include basic information

▪ Size of audience▪ Location of the speech▪ Reason for the speech▪ Highlights of the speech

including good quotes▪ Reaction of the audience

Especially at dramatic points

Don’t clutter your lead with basic info▪ Unless it is absolutely needed there

Most speakers▪ Don’t put strongest points first▪ Don’t speak in chronological order

When you write▪ Put the most emotional/newsworthy info first▪ Storytelling techniques can be used

Stories about news conferences Similar to speeches▪ Post conference questions often more

important than prepared content▪ Questions usually provide the story

▪ Research issues before the press conference▪ Politics, crime ▪ Community based▪ Sports

To help develop questions

Stories about news conferences should include▪ Person/People who conducted the news

conference▪ Reason for news conference and background▪ Highlights of news, including responses to

questions▪ Location, if relevant▪ Reaction from sources with similar/opposing

views

Stories about meetings▪ Try to include the real impact on the reader

States have open-meeting laws▪ Requiring those who spend public funds to

make decisions in public▪ Most meetings are announced ahead of time

Understanding the system Understand what kind of authority the

board has▪ Are they final decision makers▪ Are they advisory boards

▪ You need to make sure your readers know

Writing the advance This is a pre-meeting story▪ Alerts the community of the upcoming

meeting▪ What will be discussed▪ What issues will be covered▪ Allows people to prepare public comments

Covering the meeting▪ Arrive early▪ Get the names of the board members▪ Try to line up later interviews▪ With board or audience members

▪ Review the agenda▪ Might be a hidden item that makes for a GREAT story

▪ Stay until the end▪ Unless your deadline prevents it

Writing the story▪ Type of meeting and location▪ The vote on ANY major issue▪ The next step▪ Impact on readers▪ Quotes▪ Background of the issues

Many meeting stories use summary leads▪ But they don’t HAVE to follow that format

The next news story due on Nov. 26 Should be a story covering a speech or a

meeting

You MUST attend the meeting or speech in person

Do not report on something you watch on TV

Follow the guidelines from the text