Meaningful meeting reports demand substantive leads

Newspapers smartly are promoting their roles as government watchdogs to reinforce their strengths in the fractured media landscape. I join the chorus: Vibrant coverage...

What’s happened to the nuts and bolts of public safety reporting?

Crime and public safety are garnering more headlines across the country. Law enforcement and racial disparities in the criminal justice system are under increasing...

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...
Jim Stasiowski, writing coach

Questioning why the Times is chucking tradition for change

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.On the same morning...

Be responsible in exercising rights to public information

A divorce is finalized, but it is not recorded in the newspaper until four months later. Someone appears in court for a domestic assault, but...

The Art of the Interview: How to get the goods during COVID-19

The basis for almost all great journalism is the interview, the act of obtaining information from a source. With less in-person meetings...

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...
Jim Stasiowski, writing coach

Staying a step ahead of your editors

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.A recent enjoyable email...

Coronavirus underscores the breadth of business reporting

The coronavirus pandemic is dominating headlines, generating stories on issues touching nearly every aspect of lives. Jim Pumarlo...

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...