online resource for Illinois broadcast news managers, reporters, producers, photographers and students
With a hat tip to Deborah Potter, here is a check-list from NPR on improving accuracy in your stories. As we strive to ensure accuracy and therefore credibility, this list can help everyone improve their stories.
It helps to know what those numbers mean. We tick off how many new jobs there are and where the unemployment rate stands. You will be so much better at reporting such issues if you know what the other numbers mean and where to find a ton of stuff to round out the story. More
Journalists and drinking. Such a stereotypical combination. And a fun one to joke about. However, there are some things that you might want to keep in mind when reporting on alcohol that can add more context and relevance for your listeners, viewers and readers. Chloe Reichel has a tip-sheet “8 tips on how to cover drinking responsibly” More
Our IBA Newsroom Tip Of The Week comes from Samantha Sunne at Tools For Reporters. Be sure to sign up for its mailings.
You can use Media Cloud to search the text published by news outlets to see what they’re covering. Sunne says “There’s a LOT of claims out there about “the media covers this, More
Do you wish you could make it to a conference of the Investigative Reporters & Editors? At the group’s NICAR (better known now as “data journalism”) meeting last month, experts in several areas offered up “Lightning talks” which give you good lessons ranging from stopping the feeling that you are an impostor to data tracking of 911 calls. More
Today (April 2) is International Fact Checking Day. Check your favorite journalism sites and you will likely see excellent suggestions for snooping our fake news and doing a better job of fact checking. I found some advice from across the pond that may be helpful, especially for reporters trying to do investigative work. More
This week the Illinois Auditor General released a high profile audit examining the State’s response to the Legionnaire’s disease outbreaks at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy. There are many other audits released throughout the year and most can provide you with interesting information and stories that affect taxpayers across Illinois. More
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has given its Open Governments guides a going-over. As our Tip Of The Week… Here is the newest guide for Illinois.
Whether it is a U.S. Senator announcing a proposal to lower the cost of drugs or an advocacy group arguing for state regulations on prices, you will likely encounter this topic. It is one that will interest your viewers or listeners. You will be doing them a service if you know what you are talking about. More
Harvard’s Journalist’s Resource site has a good tip sheet of a half dozen tips on covering teachers unions. A link to the full article is at the bottom. A couple of the suggestions caught my eye.
Get to know people in various levels of union leadership
Develop relationships with people in leadership positions within the local teachers union as well as the statewide teachers union (Illinois Education Association & More