Make it a mantra: ‘Get one more source’
Bart Pfankuch is an investigative reporter for South Dakota News Watch, online at sdnewswatch.org. Email him at bart.pfankuch@sdnewswatch.org
Solutions Journalism – Reporting on problems while seeking solutions
With a few simple questions and just a little extra effort, reporters and editors can quickly improve the quality and value of...
Are you telling your own stories?
I circulated a column celebrating community newspapers earlier this year in recognition of Sunshine Week. Its publication prompted a few comments.
One reader, who hailed...
Business coverage vital to your product and community
Editors are regularly solicited to publish news that puts merchants in good standing. In small communities, grip-and-grin photos of check presentations often dominate the...
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...
Use your special insight to recommend election choices
Coverage of public affairs – recording the actions and inactions of governing bodies from local to federal levels – demands attention from newsrooms year-round....
A salute to those who wave the editorial banner
Last summer’s Grassroots Editor still sits in my stack of journalism publications. The edition announced the Golden Quill winners in annual competition...
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...
“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...