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...

All hail the hard-news lead

We all love a good yarn, a tale told with colorful detail and interesting characters who face challenges and change over time. For years, both...

Making a plan to write a terrific news story

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

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...

Start planning now to produce year-end edition

The Hallmark Channel wrapped up its movie lineup for those who love to celebrate Christmas in July. With fall now upon us, it is...

Scrutinize letters during election season

Campaigns are in full swing as Election Day nears. Editors should pay extra attention to letters that give a thumbs up or thumbs down...

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...

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...

“Hey you: Get the heck out of the office!”

In the Internet age where information is easy to get, it may seem almost quaint to seek out first-hand, up-close, eyes-on experiential reporting opportunities. With...

The ‘blue shirt’ won. Is that the best we can do?

Local names and faces are the lifeblood of community newspaper content. There’s no better way to spotlight your readers than through photos. After all, “a...