online resource for Illinois broadcast news managers, reporters, producers, photographers and students
A lot of advice never goes out of style. It might be age-old. You might have heard it before. However, with your hectic work and life schedule, it is good to get a refresher. Media management guru Jill Geisler penned this nearly a decade ago. Take a few minutes and read the list. More
Get the Sqoop! With a hat tip to both Ren LaForme and Samantha Sunne, this site offers a way to search court records, business filings and other documents. It also allows you to set it up to alert you to new documents of interest. While there is a subscription fee usually attached to it, More
When researching a story, academic research can provide you with data and findings that can help you with a story. The helpful folks at Journalist’s Resource have a list of seven ways to get your eyes on research that is sometimes behind a paywall.
As the they mention, More
Associated Press Political Writer John O’Connor is an expert at using FOIA to obtain documents for scoops and added depth to his reporting. He spoke to the Illinois News Broadcasters Association convention over the weekend. He has advice for those who would like to do more of this type of reporting. More
With a hurricane approaching the southeastern United States, Ron LaForme offered up an excellent list of tips to help reporters there. His weekly Poynter column doesn’t just apply to hurricanes but also can help you with man-made or natural disaster coverage. He offers up more than a dozen tools. More
Harvard’s Shorenstein Center released a good tip sheet on covering issues of poverty. The recent edition of Journalist’s Resource featured both tips on getting it right and what to avoid.
We are about two months away from election day. A resource available with a couple of clicks will let you keep track on spending in your area State legislative races. Donations of $1,000 or more are required to be reported within five days.
When Illinois’ high court releases opinions, you have as quick of access to them as anyone else. The Court last week released more than 15 opinions. Usually there are fewer releases at one time. If you take the time to review these, you can find stories than can be of either regional or statewide interest. More
In our Tip Of the Week last time, we emphasized the importance of reading your script aloud. A few veteran news folks responded with some additions. So let’s share those thoughts reinforcing and expanding that idea.
Jay Pearce-WVIK Rock Island and a long time presence on both commercial and public airwaves in Illinois -” More
It sounds elementary. It is elementary. It doesn’t mean we do it every time. Read your story out loud. Does it sound natural? If you are having problems with pacing or smooth reading, it might be because your sentences are too long. Shorten the sentences. Aim for 10 words or less in each phrase. More