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Information gathering. Before we write …. Writing for the mass media involves first gathering information, through several different techniques, so that we can assemble that information into a story or report for our audience. . First steps in information gathering.
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Before we write … • Writing for the mass media involves first gathering information, through several different techniques, so that we can assemble that information into a story or report for our audience.
First steps in information gathering • We have a few basic sources of information:- Personal- Observational- Stored
Personal sources • Gathering information from personal sources is a fancy way of saying interviewing. • Talking to people is often a more interesting way of gathering information than the other two, but requires many skills. • Last week’s discussion on interviewing.
Observational sources • Information gathered from personal experience. • From a meeting, a fire, a press conference, a performance, a sporting event, etc. • By attending these events in person, the writer can then “experience” the event in place of the audience.
Tips for observing • Find out as much as you can about the event beforehand. • Make sure you find a seat or stand somewhere so that you can clearly see and hear everything that is going on. • Talk to other people who are experiencing the event – quotes, color for your report. Get explanation of things that may be confusing. • Take good notes and pictures.
On the scene • Three kinds of events occur that those who work in the media often cover:- Staged events- Spontaneous events- A combination of staged and spontaneous
Staged event • A planned event that a media member can gather information about beforehand. • Speech, concert, sporting event, county fair, parade, gallery showing, etc. • Event is planned and managed for the benefit of a group or organization. • Often easy to cover because those putting the event on want coverage and will provide help.
Covering staged events • Gather info beforehand on who, what, where and when of the event. Event organizers can help with these and other questions. • Make sure to make arrangements for coverage, so you can do a good job. • Any special rules for coverage? • Too much control of what can be covered? • Do we have access to what we need to cover live for broadcast or Web audience?
Spontaneous event • An unexpected, significant development that affects many people. • Fire, explosion, traffic jam caused by a wreck, tornado, snowstorm, chemical spill, etc. • Often tragic events, make sure to handle with professionalism and objectivity. Don’t get caught up in the moment and emotions.
Covering spontaneous events • Try to get as close to the event’s location as possible. • Respect law enforcement and rescue personnel doing their jobs. • Have some professional ID in case you are questioned as to what you are doing there. • Try to find those in charge of the scene so you can get the latest, best information.
Spontaneous events, cont. • Try to find eyewitnesses to the event so you can get some firsthand accounts of what happened. • Identify yourself to those who you interview so they know who they are talking to and may be quoted in the media if they talk to you. • If the person does not want to be quoted, respect their feelings.
Mixed events • Events that are a combination of planned and spontaneous elements. • Sporting events, contests – we know when they are scheduled and who is participating, but we don’t know the outcome. • Need to use skills discussed above for both planned and spontaneous events.
Stored sources of information • Information that can be looked up. • In a physical source: book, report, file, documents, library, etc. • In an electronic source: Web, database, disc.
Past vs. present and future • It used to be that stored sources were the most difficult to use. Now, thanks to the Web and other electronic sources, it’s easy to use. • But: stored used to be very trustworthy sources. Now, with the explosion of information, it requires more vigilance to make sure the information we find is accurate.
Traditional stored sources • Phone books • Maps • Plat books • Government reports • Municipal budgets • Dictionary, AP Stylebook • Encyclopedias • Guinness Book of World Records
Also … • News organizations and companies often maintain(ed) physical files, commonly referred to as “morgues.” • Many still have these on hand, in conjunction with electronic filing systems and the information they have placed on their Web sites.
Web sources • Search engines, aggregators. • Web forums. • Government Web sites – valuable source of reports. • What does a general Google search turn up? And when you find something, is it an accurate, trustworthy piece of information?
Government reports • Governments – federal, state and local – generate lots of reports. • That information is often used by journalists as the basis for stories. • Typically, when looking at government reports, journalists look for trends, changes, jumps or drops, and pieces of information that are of interest to their audience.
Verification • “Journalism is defined by the process of verification.” • If what we write is not accurate, it’s worthless. • While we have many more sources of information thanks to the World Wide Web, it makes the process of verifying that the information we find is accurate that much more important.
Is it accurate? • If you turn up a piece of information in a Web search you want to use in a story, make sure to doublecheck that it is accurate. • If you check and it doesn’t seem accurate, don’t use it. • More sources that verify accuracy > than a few sources.
Agendas, viewpoints, bias • Those who assemble information and put it on the Web may have particular agendas or reasons why they put together and spread the info. • Make sure to recognize what their potential bias, agendas and viewpoints are and present that information in your reporting. • Just because a source has an agenda or bias doesn’t make it unusable. You just need to identify that for your audience.
Transparency • Journalists should conduct themselves in a transparent manner – that is, don’t misidentify yourself in an attempt to gather information. • Also, we are open about our methods of obtaining information. We let readers know where the information came from. • There may be criticism from the audience about how we gather information.
Consistency, bias • In all our work, we follow a consistent, open, transparent approach. • Journalists must recognize their own biases and make honest efforts to keep their own viewpoints away from their reporting. • Also recognize the bias that sources have, which allows you to weigh the information and balance it with viewpoints and info from other sources.
