When you hit the summer news doldrums its an opportunity to look back in time to get some fresh news. One of those basic principles that many of us never have time to do is the “followup!”
Pick a random week from a year ago and look through the stories your newsroom covered at the time. Somewhere in there you will see action on the part of local or state government or perhaps a big community announcement. It is time to check back and let people know where it stands. Have the authorities been enforcing that new law or ordinance they passed last year. Did that local citizens’ effort to get that new program going succeed? Did that new initiative to attract business to the area have any successes or failures? Combine those followup calls with some FOIA’s and you may quickly and efficiently get a scoop that lets your viewers or listeners know what’s going on. In addition, you’ll be bringing people up to speed on an issue they might not have heard about the first time around.
Or better yet, if you have been wondering whatever happened regarding a story you covered, check in and see what is going on.
The follow up is a darn good way to show both progress in your community or the lack of attention to an issue when attention was promised.
Follow ups are fun and informative and show that your newsroom is in touch with the community.