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I talked with several other journalists earlier this week about how Web reporting is different than reporting in paper publications. It’s not a new topic, but it remains an interesting one to me since the role of the reporter and editor keeps changing as the technology changes. Much of the conversation was devoted to using [...]

For investigative bloggers this is an essential guide. It explains the methods and the pitfalls of investigating various government agencies, from federal to local, with ideas about the kinds of stories a journalist can look for. There are also examples that explain how reporters have previously cracked big stories.
If you want to take a look [...]

Our last post on freedom of information laws was a reminder that you have to be determined and persistent when using a FOIA request to get information from the government–even when you are entitled to the information in the first place.
But what about the small number of cases where that approach is less likely to [...]

By Sarah Rigg
I have only one semi-interesting story about the Freedom of Information Act during my time as a staff reporter.
There was, once upon a time, a scandal in the police department of the small town I was reporting in. There were accusations that a couple of long-serving cops were doctoring their time sheets and [...]

By Clarence Cromwell
For anyone new to reporting on local government, it takes a while to reach the point where you can regularly and consistently uncover important stories–before everyone else knows.
It’s not magic. All it takes is a steady effort and a methodical way of searching in the right places. Over and over.
Here are some tips [...]

By Sarah Rigg
If you have any formal training in journalism, you probably know the “Who, what, when, where, why and how” method of generating interview questions.
Also, over time, you’ve also probably developed a more sophisticated system for coming up with interview questions and ways to slip in challenging questions. You probably have also learned the [...]

By Clarence William Cromwell
I wanted to write down some of the rules of thumb I learned from my editors. After the election is over, I’d like to hear a few of yours.
1.) If it’s not in your notebook, you don’t have it. In other words, if you didn’t write it down during the interview, call [...]

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