Intro

Module 2
Finding the Story
All journalists should be reporters, no matter what their job descriptions say. If you're in the news business, make it part of your routine to look for stories everywhere, all the time. Curiosity and persistence are two attributes that all good journalists share. As you complete these exercises and explore the module resources, you will learn to:

  • Look and listen to find stories. Pay attention to the world around you and you'll find more stories than you can cover. Ask good questions to determine what elements you'll need to tell a story in multiple media.
  • Develop broad topics into story ideas. Brainstorming, story mapping, and asking so what? will help you develop story ideas. Remember that if you have a good idea of what you're looking for before you head into the field, you can report much more efficiently.
  • Find and cultivate sources. A large part of your job is deciding what sources to use for a story. Learn how to discover sources and do better interviews.

Module Exercises

  • Exercise 1: Skill Building--Develop a Story Idea
  • Exercise 2: Discover Reporting Strategies
  • Exercise 3: Follow-Up Stories