Better Watchdog Workshop

www.ire.org

Search IRE

Member sign-in

History
How we started, Bylaws, The Arizona Project, Endowment

Membership
Benefits, How to Join, Find an Investigative Journalist, Listservs, Update Your Address

Training
Conferences,
Seminars,
Fellowships,
Training Materials

Resource Center
20,000-plus
investigative stories, 2,000 Tipsheets, Reporting Guides, Beat Sources

Broadcast Center
Videostreamed clips, IRE feeds, IRE videos

Database Library
Government
database collection, Data analysis

Campaign Finance Information Center
Campaign Finance Database, Stories

FOI Center
Columns, Awards, FOIA Database, Tipsheets

The IRE Store
Books, Audio tapes, Databases,
Periodicals, IRE Logo Goods

Job Center
Hot jobs in
journalism, latest fellowships and
grants

IRE Awards
Latest contest, Past winners, How to enter

Educators
IRE Journalism Educators' Center

IRE Board
Elected members, Committees

IRE Staff
Staff members, Contacting us

Watchdog Workshop
Des Moines, Iowa — March 29-30, 2008

Hosted by the Iowa AP and Drake University

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

Day One

9 a.m. Welcome, Intro. How to do excellent investigative journalism with limited time and resources. How to do it on a daily, weekly and long-term basis. What resources to use. The importance of knowing and using freedom of information laws. Examples of what small- to medium-sized news organizations are doing in investigative reporting.

9:30-10:15 a.m. Effective use of the Internet: What reporters and editors need to know. From better search techniques to the invisible Web, how to find documents and databases on deadline and where to find reliable Web sites for enterprise stories. The craft of better searching and not wasting time.

10:20-11:00 a.m. The art of finding and cultivating sources. How to develop reliable sources and better interviewing techniques. How to develop reliable sources and better interviewing techniques

11:05 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Intro to CAR/Adopting a ‘data state of mind’. Examples of blending databases into investigations. What to ask for in electronic files and how to ask for them.

12:15-1:15 p.m. Lunch on your own

1:15-2:05 p.m.

Bulletproofing a story. Bringing a watchdog stories from conception to completion. Making watchdog stories airtight with line-by-line editing.

2:10-3 p.m. Elections: Following the Money Trail. How to uncover the stories by looking at contributions, expenditures, committees and nonprofit groups and all the financial loopholes.

3:05-3:50 p.m.

Presenting the Watchdog story. From writing to graphics to the Web. See the latest in print, broadcast and Web watchdog stories. How editors and producers are working well with Web teams. How to make watchdog stories more interactive on the Web.

3:55-4:40 p.m.

FOI/Open Records. How to use federal and state laws. How to write an open records request the right way. How to appeal and challenge denials. How to keep a steady flow of information and ideas coming into the newsroom by using FOI.

4:45-5:30 p.m. Wrapup/Creating a Watchdog Newsroom

Day One
9 a.m.	Welcome, Intro. How to do excellent investigative journalism with limited time and resources. How to do it on a daily, weekly and long-term basis. What resources to use. The importance of knowing and using freedom of information laws. Examples of what small- to medium-sized news organizations are doing in investigative reporting.
9:30-10:15 a.m.	Effective use of the Internet: What reporters and editors need to know. From better search techniques to the invisible Web, how to find documents and databases on deadline and where to find reliable Web sites for enterprise stories. The craft of better searching and not wasting time.
10:20-11:00 a.m.	The art of finding and cultivating sources. How to develop reliable sources and better interviewing techniques. How to develop reliable sources and better interviewing techniques
11:05 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
11:05 a.m.-12:15 p.m.	Intro to CAR/Adopting a ‘data state of mind’. Examples of blending databases into investigations. What to ask for in electronic files and how to ask for them.
12:15-1:15 p.m.	Lunch on your own
1:15-2:05 p.m.
1:15-2:05 p.m.	Bulletproofing a story. Bringing a watchdog stories from conception to completion. Making watchdog stories airtight with line-by-line editing.
2:10-3 p.m.	Elections: Following the Money Trail. How to uncover the stories by looking at contributions, expenditures, committees and nonprofit groups and all the financial loopholes.
3:05-3:50 p.m.
3:05-3:50 p.m.	Presenting the Watchdog story. From writing to graphics to the Web. See the latest in print, broadcast and Web watchdog stories. How editors and producers are working well with Web teams. How to make watchdog stories more interactive on the Web.
3:55-4:40 p.m.
3:55-4:40 p.m.	FOI/Open Records. How to use federal and state laws. How to write an open records request the right way. How to appeal and challenge denials. How to keep a steady flow of information and ideas coming into the newsroom by using FOI.
4:45-5:30 p.m.	Wrapup/Creating a Watchdog Newsroom