A Journalist Prepares

U.S. Department of State, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The obnoxious journalist waving a microphone or a camera in someone's face is a long-held cliche that has some truth to it but is also exaggerated. Sometimes reporters have to be assertive to get the information they need to inform and educate the public. And sometimes, they're just, well, obnoxious. They want to get the scoop, they want a byline on the front page. Maybe they want a big payday for selling their story or photo to a national outlet. If you believed what you see in the movies, you'd think reporters spent their days rushing from one breaking news story to the next and doing it all in a very confrontational way.

The truth is more mundane. Even if you're covering a live event, such as a meeting or a press conference, it's likely a significant amount of behind-the-scenes research went into it. Rather than dashing across town fueled only by cigarettes and coffee, I typically spend most of my time staring at a computer screen and consuming copious amounts of tea and chocolate. 

This week, for example, I covered a local city council meeting. I'm a freelancer so I'll get a small check for covering the meeting, which will likely last about an hour or hour and a half. But prior to that, I'll be researching the agenda items to ensure I can write the most relevant and in-depth story possible. Sure, I could just show up and report on what was said, but I'll likely omit crucial context and backstory the readers need to understand why these items were on the agenda in the first place and what they mean to the community. In fact, I may spend many (unpaid) hours staying on top of what's going in the community. 

Here's a breakdown of everything I do prior to showing up at the meeting with my notebook and camera in hand:

I'm the only one covering the meeting, so I have to balance taking notes with getting good action shots.

Step 1: Review the agenda.

The city posts the agenda prior to the meeting, but it's just an overview. They send out a much more detailed agenda to news outlets. Critical thinking is crucial here, because I need to determine what items are likely to make the best stories. I usually have a good idea what  I'm going to cover even before I go to the meeting. I don't just look for what seems most attention-grabbing. I have to consider if the issue has already been covered and a new story would be redundant. I also consider things like, what issues are already a major topic discussion among the community? I belong to several community Facebook groups, so I'm often already aware of hot-button issues. Most importantly, I have to look at which stories have the most significance to residents. There have been topics that I found fascinating, but I knew probably would not be relevant to most people's day-to-day lives.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission from US, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Step 2: Plan My Strategy

How much information does the agenda provide? What questions do I need to ask to fill in the gaps? What information can I find before the meeting? If there's a topic I think I might cover, I look at the city's website, search for prior news coverage, and even browse social media to see if anyone is talking about it. If the meeting itself doesn't provide the information I need, I then have a good idea of who I need to follow up with and what questions I need to ask.

I have to know which stories I need to get photos for - I usually have an idea of this before the meeting.

Step 3: Take a Picture!

Readers like pictures. Editors like pictures. We all like pictures. Not only do they break up those long blocks of text on the page, they also add depth to the story. It helps readers make a connection, by showing them the faces behind the story. Instead of just words on a page, they see the people who make the story important. When I review the agenda, I also look for potential photo opportunities. In some cases, I can be pretty sure people will get up and speak about the topic. I spend as much time planning my photos as I do planning my stories. 

Putting It All Together

Preparing to cover a meeting takes as much or more time and effort than actually going to the meeting and writing the stories. I typically get the agenda the Friday before the Monday meeting, which means I have to allot time over the weekend to prepare. It can get a bit hectic, but with the journalism industry deteriorating by the minute, local newspapers like the one I write for are sometimes the only media outlets community members can rely on. Journalism, when done right, is ultimately about public service, which means I owe it to my readers to bring them the best reporting I can.