Don’t let pursuit of ‘shiny things’ diminish reporting
All journalists can look back decades or even just a few months to see examples of the “shiny things” that distract us from our...
Pandemic no excuse for lazy reporting
Editors and reporters are facing some of their biggest challenges in gathering news during the pandemic. Access to everyday sources is increasingly...
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...
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....
Stories come to life when reporters find ‘real people’
Police, government officials and experts have a lot of knowledge and are easy go-to sources for reporters working in understaffed newsrooms with...
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...
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.
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...
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...