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Covering a local community is one of the most basic role of a journalist.
It's also one of the most important.
During this lesson we'll talk about the role that journalists have to inform
a local community.
We'll also explore some of the content that local journalists might cover.
Think about the community where you live.
There's probably a lot going on there, but it's hard for
local residents to keep up with everything that's happening.
They have responsibilities, like family and jobs, that require most of their time.
Yet, they still want to be able to have informed conversations with their
neighbors, and their friends, and their co-workers.
That's why they count on journalists.
Journalists serve local residents by keeping them informed
about what's happening in the community.
They sort through everything going on to find the most important or
the most interesting items that people should know about.
Local news is everywhere, all around you.
Throughout this course we'll talk about some of the areas where you can
find stories.
Local government is a treasure trove of stories for journalists.
Let's go down to your city or town hall.
Who are the decision makers?
What projects are they working on?
How are government dollars being spent?
Are they being used to address the key issues in your community?
Are new services being created, or existing services being changed?
These might be simple things like trash or recycling, or more complex things like
public transit, but they're all issues that people in your community care about.
You can get the story in a variety of ways.
In some communities, the local unit of government, like a town council,
might have public community meetings that you can attend.
You might also be able to set up interviews with key officials,
like the mayor or council members, and
talk with them about the projects that they're working on.
And, of course, you can also go interview residents about
the issues that they face and the things that they care about.
In some communities, local officials might be elected.
In those places, local journalists have a really important role to play.
Residents need to know about who is running for local office, and
what their positions are on the issues that matter in the community.
Local journalists often also cover public safety issues.
You might report about crimes that are happening in your community, or
you might give tips about how local residents can avoid crimes.
You might talk about traffic issues, or cover accidents.
Maybe there was a fire, or a disaster that happened in the community.
Schools often also provide a lot of stories for local journalists.
Think about what parents need to know.
Who are the key people running your schools?
Are there new principals or teachers being hired?
What interesting things are happening within your local schools?
What challenges do those schools face?
Are test scores going up or down?
Are schools opening or closing?
Journalists also cover the local economy.
Think about stories about businesses that might be hiring and
what kind of jobs those are.
What resources might be available in your community for people who are unemployed?
Are there new businesses where people might want to shop?
Or are there long-time businesses that are closing?
Your local chamber of commerce and other business groups can be great sources for
these kinds of stories.
You might also cover civic issues and causes in your community.
Many communities have organizations like civic groups and
religious groups that work on issues like hunger and homelessness.
Or you might have individual activists that have a certain cause that they're
working on.
Sometimes groups work on disasters.
Maybe there was a fire, or a flood, or a tornado.
People need to know what they should do to be safe in these kinds of situations.
And they also want to know what they can do to help neighbors who might
be in trouble.
And, of course, don't forget about covering community events.
These kind of activities are too often overlooked, but
they help bring the community together.
Parades, festivals, and
other events like this give a look at what life is like in your community.
It also gives you a chance to celebrate your community.
Local journalism gives you a chance to learn about your community, to help bring
awareness to key issues, and to celebrate the great things that are happening.
Good luck reporting.
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Joanne GerstnerSports Journalist in Residence
Eric FreedmanInstructor
Joe GrimmInstructor
David PoulsonInstructor
Jeremy SteeleSpecialist
Lucinda D. DavenportDirector & Professor
