Getting the Story An Advanced Reporting Guide to Beats, Records, and Sources

by Schulte, Henry H.; Dufresne, Marcel

• ISBN13: 9780024080424
• ISBN10: 002408042X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1994-01-05
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

The text provides excellent coverage of the theory and mechanics of public affairs reporting, as well as a concise review of the history, background and traditions of the field. the primary focus is on practical skills and strategies - navigating through the operations of government and private institutions, develop sources, and mine public records.

Table of Contents

PART ONE THE REPORTER AT WORK	1	(62)
The Changing Face of News	2	(11)
Changes in Public Affairs Reporting	3	(3)
Looking Beyond Government	4	(1)
New Beats, New Viewpoints	4	(2)
Limitations of Traditional News Gathering	6	(3)
News from the Top	7	(1)
The Myth of Objectivity	8	(1)
Models of Reporting	9	(1)
A Reporter's Training	9	(3)
Getting It Right	10	(1)
Understanding the System	11	(1)
Putting Theories to Work	11	(1)
Suggested Readings	12	(1)
The Working Journalist	13	(22)
Covering a Beat	14	(2)
Getting Started	14	(1)
Monitoring the Beat	15	(1)
Follow-Ups and Local Angles	16	(1)
Using Public Records	16	(3)
The Value of Records	16	(1)
Sources Point the Way	17	(1)
Types of Records	18	(1)
Requesting Public Records	19	(1)
Proceed with Caution	19	(1)
Direct Observation	19	(4)
Capturing the Drama	20	(1)
Deciding What to Use	21	(1)
The Need for Verification	21	(1)
Going Undercover	22	(1)
Asking Questions, Getting Answers	23	(11)
What Interviews Do	23	(1)
Planning the Interview	24	(1)
One Story, Four Approaches	24	(2)
Deciding Whom to Interview	26	(1)
Arranging the Interview	27	(2)
Understanding Sources	29	(1)
Preparing for the Interview	29	(1)
Conducting the Interview	30	(1)
Telephone Interviews	31	(1)
To Tape or Not to Tape?	31	(1)
Going Off the Record	31	(3)
Suggested Readings	34	(1)
New Tools for the Reporting Process	35	(28)
Computer-assisted Reporting	36	(8)
The Computer at Work	38	(1)
The Information Explosion	38	(2)
Communicating by Computer	40	(1)
An Expanding Resource	40	(3)
Forms of Information	43	(1)
The Technology Spreads	44	(2)
Advantages of Database Searching	45	(1)
Limiting Factors	45	(1)
Searching a Database	46	(3)
Searching Logic	46	(2)
Getting Help	48	(1)
The CD-ROM Option	48	(1)
The Electronic Trail	49	(3)
The Roots of Precision Journalism	49	(1)
Getting the Local Slant	49	(1)
Creating a Database	50	(1)
Personal Computers	50	(1)
Inaccuracy at the Source	51	(1)
The Complexities of Public Access	52	(2)
Problems at the Local Level	52	(1)
Recurring Concerns	53	(1)
A Resource List	54	(1)
Traditional Reporting Still Needed	54	(1)
Monitoring Public Opinion	54	(6)
Who's Doing It and Why?	55	(1)
Checking the Pollsters	55	(2)
Polling Methods	57	(3)
Computer Glossary	60	(1)
Polling Glossary	61	(1)
Suggested Readings	62	(1)
PART TWO GOVERNMENT: LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE	63	(114)
Covering Municipal Government	64	(24)
The Range of Services and Inherent Conflict	65	(1)
Airing All Sides of an Issue	65	(1)
A Basic Rationale for Coverage	66	(1)
Creating Municipal Government	66	(1)
Dealing with Interest Groups	67	(1)
Identifying Power Blocs	67	(1)
Forms of City Government and Reporter Access	68	(4)
Traditional Mayor-Council Plan	68	(1)
Strong Mayor-Council Form	69	(1)
The Commission Plan	69	(1)
Council-City Manager Form	70	(1)
Metropolitan Government	71	(1)
How Municipal Government Operates	72	(11)
How the Council Operates	72	(1)
A Typical Council Session	73	(2)
The Importance of Diligent Pursuit	75	(2)
The Budget: Income and Outgo	77	(2)
The Audit: A Special Tool for the Reporter	79	(1)
Sources of Operating Funds	80	(3)
Complicating Factors for the Journalist	83	(4)
Policy-Making vs. Administration	84	(1)
Relationships with Other Governments	84	(1)
Reporting in the Public Interest	85	(1)
How Much Is Too Much?	86	(1)
Suggested Readings	87	(1)
Covering the County	88	(21)
First at the Scene	88	(1)
Foundations of the Modern County	89	(1)
The New England Town	89	(1)
The Southern County Form	89	(1)
Townships and Supervisors	89	(1)
The Commissioner Form	90	(1)
Further Compromises	90	(1)
Some Subtle Differences	90	(2)
Some New Functions---and Problems	90	(2)
Who Governs the County?	92	(3)
The Practical Exercises of Power	94	(1)
Collecting Revenue: A Complicated Process	95	(5)
Collecting Taxes	95	(3)
Disbursing: Who Gets the Money?	98	(2)
The Planning and Zoning Process	100	(3)
Planning	100	(1)
Zoning: Outgrowth of Planning	100	(1)
When Planning and Zoning Conflict	101	(2)
The Cast of Characters	103	(4)
Nonjudicial County Officers	103	(3)
Officials of the Judiciary	106	(1)
Collateral Boards and Agencies	107	(1)
Coping with Complications	107	(1)
Suggested Reading	108	(1)
Reporting on State Government	109	(26)
The Powers of State Government	110	(3)
The Federal-State Partnership	112	(1)
The States's Own Powers	112	(1)
The Legislative Branch	113	(11)
Covering the Legislature	113	(2)
How a Bill Becomes Law	115	(4)
Coverage Is No `Seasonal' Effort	119	(5)
The Executive Branch	124	(11)
Roadblocks to Effective Coverage	124	(1)
The Governor and the Office	125	(1)
Other State Officials	126	(3)
State Agencies: A Logistical Nightmare	129	(6)
Authorities and Other Special Districts	135	(15)
Origins of Special District Government	137	(1)
Defining Their Functions	138	(8)
Claims for Their Effectiveness	140	(1)
Opponents Argue the Deficiencies	141	(4)
Layers of Administration	145	(1)
Reporting Questionable Practices	146	(1)
The Role of the Reporter	147	(2)
Becoming Familiar with Special Districts	149	(1)
Suggested Readings	149	(1)
Reporting at the Federal Level	150	(27)
At the Local Level	151	(1)
Where to Go	152	(1)
The Long Federal Arm	152	(3)
The Legislative Branch at Work	154	(1)
The Federal Structure	155	(14)
Department of Agriculture	157	(1)
Department of Commerce	158	(1)
Department of Defense	159	(3)
Department of Energy	162	(1)
Department of Health and Human Services	163	(1)
Department of Housing and Urban Development	164	(1)
Department of the Interior	165	(1)
Department of Transportation	165	(1)
Department of the Treasury	166	(1)
Veterans Affairs	167	(1)
The Federal Regulators	168	(1)
Using Federal Statistics and Studies	169	(5)
The Census Bureau	169	(4)
Dealing with Noncensus Statistics	173	(1)
Special Interest Groups	174	(1)
Suggested Readings	175	(2)
PART THREE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE COURTS	177	(78)
The Judicial Process	178	(22)
The Complexities of Court Reporting	179	(2)
Methods of Coverage	180	(1)
Going About It	180	(1)
Different Kinds of Law	181	(3)
The Constitution	181	(1)
The Common Law	181	(1)
Actions in Equity	181	(1)
The Statutory Law	182	(1)
Administrative Law	182	(1)
Substantive vs. Procedural Law	183	(1)
Jurisdiction	183	(1)
Our Dual System of Courts	184	(6)
The Federal Courts	184	(4)
The State Courts	188	(2)
Staffing the Courts	190	(4)
The Judge	191	(1)
The Clerk of Court	192	(1)
Commissioners, Masters and Referees	192	(1)
The Jury Commission	193	(1)
Attorneys	193	(1)
Other Court Officials	193	(1)
Contempt of Court	194	(1)
Monitoring the Courts	195	(1)
Legal Glossary	196	(3)
Suggested Readings	199	(1)
Covering Civil Actions	200	(14)
The Action Commences	201	(6)
Details of a Complaint	202	(1)
How to Deal with a Complaint	202	(4)
The Defendant Answers	206	(1)
Other Responses	206	(1)
Judgments without Trial	207	(1)
Discovery	207	(1)
Remedies	208	(3)
Provisional Remedies	208	(1)
Extraordinary Remedies	209	(2)
Final Pretrial Procedure	211	(1)
The Trial Calendar	211	(1)
The Trial	212	(2)
Impaneling of the Jury	212	(1)
Presenting the Evidence	213	(1)
Defense Motions	213	(1)
Defendant's Arguments	213	(1)
Conclusion of the Trial	213	(1)
Law Enforcement	214	(25)
Complicating Factors	215	(3)
The Law Enforcers	218	(1)
Police Department Organization	218	(5)
Setting Basic Policy	219	(1)
Units of the Department	220	(1)
Using Statistical Information	221	(1)
Dealing with Disputes	222	(1)
Outside Relationships	222	(1)
Covering the Police Beat	223	(7)
Use of Force	226	(2)
New Approaches in Law Enforcement	228	(2)
Writing the Story	230	(3)
Precision Is Important	232	(1)
Qualifying the Information	232	(1)
Police-Press Relationships	233	(3)
To Print or Not to Print	233	(1)
Police-Press Guidelines	234	(1)
Covering Hospitals	235	(1)
State and Federal Agencies	236	(2)
State Police Agencies	236	(1)
Federal Police Agencies	237	(1)
Suggested Readings	238	(1)
Covering the Criminal Courts	239	(16)
A Forum for Society	240	(4)
Levels of Jurisdiction	240	(1)
The Nature of Crime	241	(1)
Kinds of Crime	241	(2)
Rights of the Accused	243	(1)
Arrest, Accusation and Pleading	244	(4)
Plea Bargaining	245	(1)
Preliminary Hearings	245	(1)
Other Routes to Trial	246	(1)
The Grand Jury System	246	(2)
Pretrial Pleading	248	(1)
Criminal Trial	248	(4)
Officers of the Court	249	(1)
Setting the Stage	249	(1)
Basic Elements of the Trial	249	(1)
Course of the Trial	250	(2)
Free Press vs. Fair Trial	252	(1)
Secrecy as a Problem	253	(2)
PART FOUR THE SPECIALIZED REPORTER	255	(154)
The Education Beat	256	(23)
The Reporting Challenge	257	(1)
Why Cover Education?	257	(1)
Who Runs the Schools?	257	(3)
The School District	258	(1)
The Governing Boards	259	(1)
Covering the School Board	260	(2)
The School Board Agenda	261	(1)
Overcoming Secrecy	262	(2)
Reporting Personnel Matters	263	(1)
Money Oils the Machine	264	(4)
The Budgeting Process	265	(1)
Relationships with Other Governments	266	(1)
Lines to State Government	267	(1)
A Trip Into the School System	268	(4)
The Wide Range of `Publics'	269	(3)
Accountability	272	(1)
Assessing Educational Quality	272	(1)
Sources and Issues	273	(3)
A Reporter's Resources	276	(1)
Education Glossary	277	(1)
Suggested Readings	278	(1)
Politics and the Reporter	279	(21)
Rhetoric vs. Reality	280	(3)
The Reporter's Role and Goals	281	(2)
Political Party Structure	283	(9)
From Precinct to National Committee	283	(1)
The Road to the Polls	284	(1)
Covering the Campaign	285	(3)
Exploring the Issues	288	(1)
Changes in the Process	288	(1)
Election Day Coverage	289	(3)
Common Pitfalls and Dilemmas	292	(4)
Keeping Confidences	292	(1)
Selective Perception	293	(1)
Setting the Scene	294	(1)
The Importance of Following Through	294	(1)
Establishing Ground Rules	295	(1)
Listening to Dissidents	295	(1)
A Common Interest	296	(1)
Political Glossary	296	(3)
Suggested Readings	299	(1)
Business and Consumerism	300	(32)
The `Old' and the `New'	301	(1)
A Broader Beat	301	(1)
The Range of Story Ideas	301	(1)
The Private Sector: Profit and Risk	302	(1)
Complaints about the Media	302	(1)
Complaints about Business	302	(1)
Monitoring the Community	303	(13)
The Reporter as Monitor	304	(1)
The Players in the Private Sector	304	(9)
Using Other Economic Data	313	(3)
Government Involvement	316	(4)
The Executive Agencies	316	(1)
The Regulators	317	(1)
Legislative Involvement	318	(1)
State and Local Government	318	(1)
The Courts	319	(1)
Consumerism	320	(1)
The Reporter and the Consumer Movement	320	(7)
Historical Dimensions	321	(2)
Six Viewpoints	323	(1)
Demands on the Reporter	323	(2)
Sources, Contacts and `Expert' Advice	325	(1)
The Reporter at Work	326	(1)
A Business Glossary	327	(4)
Suggested Readings	331	(1)
Covering the Work Force	332	(17)
Changes in the Workplace	333	(2)
The Decline of Organized Labor	333	(1)
The Rise of Public Employee Unions	334	(1)
Growth of Regulatory Agencies	334	(1)
The Voice of Millions	335	(3)
Special Problems for the Reporter	336	(1)
The Reporter as Economist	337	(1)
Covering the Courts	338	(1)
From Agriculture to Industry ... and Beyond	338	(1)
Labor Organization	339	(2)
The Art of Politics	339	(1)
Confidence: A Key Element	340	(1)
Links with Other Unions	340	(1)
State Government Involvement	341	(1)
Federal Government Involvement	342	(2)
Key Federal Legislative Actions	343	(1)
The Breadth of Workplace Sources	344	(1)
Strike or Lockout?	345	(2)
A Labor Glossary	347	(1)
Suggested Readings	348	(1)
Reporting on Environmental Issues	349	(32)
The Need for Special Skills	350	(1)
A Wide-Ranging Beat	351	(1)
An Environmental History	352	(3)
The Modern Environmental Era	352	(1)
New Problems Surface	353	(2)
A Field with Many Players	355	(4)
Covering the Local Beat	359	(4)
Finding Local Stories	359	(2)
Preparing for the Beat	361	(1)
Covering Environmental Accidents	362	(1)
Laws and Regulatory Agencies	363	(10)
Using Environmental Records	364	(7)
The Shortcomings of Enforcement	371	(2)
Constants of the Beat	373	(3)
Scientific Uncertainty	373	(1)
Economic Factors	374	(1)
New Problems	374	(1)
The NIMBY Movement	375	(1)
Special Resources	376	(1)
An Environmental Glossary	377	(3)
Suggested Readings	380	(1)
Science, Medicine and Health	381	(28)
Why Cover Science, Medicine and Health?	383	(1)
Stories on the Beat	384	(9)
Research Studies	384	(3)
Health Effects	387	(1)
New Treatments	388	(1)
Health-Care Delivery	389	(1)
Occupational Health	390	(1)
Alternative Medicine	391	(1)
Legal and Ethical Issues	391	(1)
`Translating' Science	392	(1)
Covering the Beat	393	(3)
Gathering Background	394	(1)
Dealing with Sources	394	(1)
One Reporter's Lesson	395	(1)
`Selling' Science	396	(1)
Covering Local Health Care	397	(7)
Changing Focus	397	(1)
The Medical Marketplace	398	(1)
Quality of Care	399	(1)
Regulation of Medical Providers	400	(1)
Universities and Medical Centers	401	(3)
Local Corporations	404	(1)
Writing about Research	404	(3)
Handling Complex Information	405	(1)
The Reluctant Scientist	406	(1)
Specialized Dictionaries	407	(1)
Suggested Readings	408	(1)
PART FIVE SPECIAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS	409	(38)
The Press as Watchdog	410	(22)
Government and Media in Conflict	411	(6)
A Natural Tension	412	(4)
The Dangers of Cronyism	416	(1)
Booster or Watchdog?	416	(1)
Public Relations: Help or Hindrance?	417	(7)
Conflict and Cooperation	418	(2)
The Specter of Manipulation	420	(3)
Exercising Sound Judgment	423	(1)
Building Relationships	423	(1)
Access to Records and Meetings	424	(7)
Freedom of Information Laws at Work	424	(2)
The Federal Act	426	(3)
How to File an FOIA Request	429	(1)
Open Meeting Laws	429	(1)
Sources of FOIA Information	430	(1)
Suggested Readings	431	(1)
Privacy and the Media	432	(15)
The `Public Figure'	433	(1)
Two Sets of Limits	433	(1)
Legal Limits	434	(5)
Growth of Privacy Claims	435	(1)
Development of Privacy Rights	435	(1)
The Common Law of Privacy	435	(3)
Privacy Legislation	438	(1)
Defenses Against Privacy Charges	439	(1)
Newsworthiness	439	(1)
Consent of Parties Involved	440	(1)
Ethical Limits	440	(5)
Legitimate Public Figures	442	(1)
Questionable Public Figures	443	(1)
Danger Zones	444	(1)
The Journalist's Responsibility	444	(1)
Suggested Readings	445	(2)
Citations	447	(4)
Index	451