Category Archives: Finding Stories

May 02

Five Best Websites for Agriculture Stats and Reports

Spring has finally come to Central New York. One of my friends said driving around this week was like living in time lapse, with one day first bare tree limbs, the next a green haze on the branches, and then … Read More

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Apr 11

Open States Unlocks State Legislative Information

Available for all 50 States, plus DC and Puerto Rico New to a state and want to find out the government players? Need to track legislation at the statehouse? Want to be notified when bills pop up on a certain … Read More

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Mar 05

Help For Tracking FOIA Requests

update: I received an email after  I registered saying the project is still in development and only a few beta testers are using it now and others of us can test it out in a month or two. . For more … Read More

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Feb 25

Calendars Can Tip You to Story Ideas

I tell my students that it’s the hardest thing we do: Find a good story.  So when three of the reporters in class had enterprise stories — not done even by the commercial media in town — we debriefed each … Read More

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Jan 29

TIP: Build Stories with Follow-Ups and News Archives

One of my first jobs in TV was to work the Follow-Up Desk, a franchise segment reported and fronted by one of the anchors.  I had to come up with two follow-up or “what ever happened to ____” each week. … Read More

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Dec 12

Reporting Produce and Food

My mother loved to tell the story of getting an orange on Christmas in her stocking and what a big deal it was to her as a child. That was 70 years ago.  Today I have a choice of many … Read More

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Dec 05

Use this Site for Drunken Driving Statistics

What happens every 48 seconds, 30 times a day? The headline probably gave away the answer: Someone is killed in an alcohol-related transportation accident. That’s according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, republished by the Centers for Disease Control … Read More

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Nov 30

Here’s a Primer on December Holidays

The neighbors have outlined their home in lights, the city’s done its annual Christmas tree celebration and the sound of ringing bells echoes around the Salvation Army kettle.  We’re hardly through Thanksgiving but it’s holiday time. Here’s a primer on … Read More

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Oct 22

Find Latest Scientific Studies

If you’re interested in tracking some of the latest scientific studies to localize for a story in your market, be sure to go regularly to EurekAlert.  This website is one of the key places to find the latest scientific studies … Read More

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Oct 16

Try This One-Stop Sports Site

Everybody likes to bad-mouth Detroit so I’m delighted to see the baseball team from my old hometown in the play-offs, especially since I live in Yankee country.  With sports a  popular topic around here, I was reminded to tell you … Read More

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