Producing relevant content requires knowing your community

Editors are regularly challenged: What mix of stories and photos will collectively make this edition a “must see” for readers and advertisers? There is...

Election season: Keep coverage local, start early

Election season is underway. Many would say the cycle never ends. No sooner are votes tallied than strategists eye the next election. Make no...

Listening to the voices in your head

Bart Pfankuch is an investigative reporter for South Dakota News Watch. Write to him at bart.pfankuch@sdnewswatch.org.

Execute your strength: Put names and faces behind the stories

Nothing is more satisfying than looking at your product – whether it’s the print or digital edition – and smiling in approval,...
Jim Stasiowski, writing coach

Slow-learner, brick-by-brick approach to collecting facts

Jim Stasiowski, writing Writing coach Jim Stasiowski welcomes your questions or comments. Call him at (775) 354-2872 or write to: 2499 Ivory Ann Drive Sparks, NV 89436.It took 12...

Like mac ’n’ cheese, papers due for resurgence

Jim Stasiowski Writing Writing coach Jim Stasiowski welcomes your questions or comments. Call him at (775) 354-2872 or write to: 2499 Ivory Ann Drive Sparks, Nev. 89436.Maybe I was just...

How a reporter can avoid being laid off

Bart Pfankuch Better Writing with Bart Bart Pfankuch, an investigative reporter for South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit public-service news agency online at sdnewswatch.org, will offer...

Initiate conversations with your readers

A reader questions your policy for reporting suicides. A retailer challenges your staff to produce timely and relevant business news.  A reporter...

Deadline? What deadline? My story is already filed!

Doesn’t every journalist want to wrap up the workday and be home with their kids or their...

Resolve to be accessible, stay relevant

Surviving in today’s fractured media landscape depends on your ability to identify, collect and deliver the relevant community news. That job becomes more challenging...