Investigative Reporting Study

Troy Hemingway
JMC 414

#1 – p. 20-21
1. What is the headline on the investigative article you brought to class for discussion today? ____Who’s Teaching L.A.’s Kids? (L.A. Times)

2. Does the headline accurately express what the investigation is about?
Yes or No. _______Yes_________ Explain _______It is an investigation of the teachers in the L.A. area and what level of education they are providing.

3. Why is your story investigative -- compared with a story about the apprehension of a jail escapee? ___It involves research, analysis and then using that analysis to make informed observations.

4. Is your story a routine government or business story? Yes or No. ____Yes, Department of Education is part of the government._______

5. Explain why it is or is not a routine story. ____It is not a story that can just be put together in a short amount of time like a hard news story. It took time to research the teachers and to truly find out what level of education they are providing. It also put people on the spot and made them accountable.

6. In your story, does the news organization give the target of its investigation a fair opportunity to give his/her side? Yes or No. __Yes____

7. Quote directly from your story to provide proof that the target of the investigation was given his/her fair say. _____"Not every teacher works with every kid," said Smith, 63, who started teaching in 1996. "Sometimes there are personality conflicts."_________________________________________________________

8. Does the news organization point to a key document as part of its investigation? Yes or No. _____Yes_________

9. Explain/discuss the key document used in the investigation. _________2006 Report by L.A. Unified Researchers on the quality of schools in L.A.

10. Do graphics and/or photos accompany the article? Yes or No. _____No___________

11. Do the graphics and/or photos accompanying the article more understanding of the issue? Yes or No. ______No_____ Explain _____There is only one picture accompanying the online version of the article and it is of a teacher.

12. What demographic would be interested in this story? ____Parents in the L.A. area. Also, teachers in the L.A. area.
13. How many people are affected by this investigation? _The population of L.A. is very large so a lot.______________________

14. Are there unanswered questions in this story? ______No, I felt it was complete.

15. Should there be a follow up to this story? _______Yes______________

16. Can you determine how the reporter got this story? Yes or No. _____Yes__________
17. Explain what you see that indicates how the reporter got the story. _____The three reporters that worked together mention research that they did to get his facts. Also there are many quotes from teachers and also some from students throughout the story.

#2 – p. 21
What is your idea for an investigative story? _____I would like to do an investigative story on the progress of Marshall University adding a baseball field as an on-campus facility. It has been years in the works and there have been talks of progress, but the team continues to play more than 75% of its home games in Charleston and that is unacceptable.

Is your story idea something someone has tried to hide? Yes or No. __No
Is it important to the public welfare? Yes or No. __No
Will it be the product of the reporter and not government? Yes or No. __No