Better Watchdog/
NewsTrain Workshop
(A program primarily for reporters, but editors welcome. Editors might be more interested in the Unleashing the Watchdogs workshop.)

IRE thanks the Chicago Tribune Foundation, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation and the Las Vegas Sun, Barbara J. Greenspun, publisher for helping underwrite this event.

Host: Newhouse School/Syracuse University
Co-Sponsors: IRE, NewsTrain, APME and ASNE

A crucial duty of a journalist is to serve the public interest by acting as a watchdog on government and business. This duty has become all the more important at a time when governments are restricting the flow of information. At such times, broadcast and print journalists must redouble their efforts to use freedom-of-information laws to obtain public documents and help the public appreciate the value of such laws.

A Better Watchdog Workshop is intended to help those journalists at small- to medium-sized news organizations — and those in bureaus of larger organizations — to learn the investigative skills that keep government and business accountable and to produce enterprising and informative stories. Critical among the skills is the ability to use federal and state FOI laws to open the doors to public information.

Expected speakers: Brant Houston of IRE and NICAR, David Cay Johnston of The New York Times, Bob Port of Albany Times Union

Workshop Fee (includes one-year IRE membership): $50 professional, $25 student

Optional Computer-Assisted Reporting Training to be offered Sunday afternoon, April 15: $30
Attend this hands-on workshop and learn how to use Excel, a powerful electronic spreadsheet, for deadline and beat reporting on budgets, salaries, and Census data. Also learn how to dig deeper using the Internet and find valuable datasets for your stories (limited to the first 20 to sign up).