Better Watchdog Workshop

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Watchdog Workshop
Las Vegas , Nev. — Sept. 17-18, 2007
Hosted by Sunbelt Communications Company

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

(All participants receive electronic copies of some of the best tip sheets from the IRE Resource Center.)

Monday, Sept. 17, 2007

9:00 -9:50 a.m. Session for editors, producers and reporters
Overview of watchdog work being done and basic methods. What is investigative journalism? 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. A PowerPoint tour of what news organizations of all sizes are doing in investigative reporting.
Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois

9:50 -10:00 a.m. Break

10:00 -11:00 a.m. Session for editors, producers and reporters
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.

Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois

David Donald, IRE/NICAR

11:00 -11:10 a.m. Break

11:10 -12:30 p.m. Session for editors and producers
Conceiving of and initiating watchdog stories. Where watchdog stories come from and how they're developed. Helping reporters to dig for tips that lead to more watchdog stories.
Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois

Mary Fricker, Santa Rose Press-Democrat

Session for reporters
Essential documents and databases for all newsrooms. Getting the right training for your beat and making the best use of IRE's Web site for follow up. Putting together a game plan for getting documents and data you need for your beat or any topic. What track is your career on? What IRE can do to help make your stories better, richer, fuller.
Laura Frank, Rocky Mountain (Denver) News

Andy Curliss, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer

12:30 -1:40 p.m. Lunch Provided

1:40 -2:30 p.m. Session for editors and producers
Building an investigative newsroom: How to structure it when everyone has a beat to cover. How newsrooms of all sizes have organized, managed and increased watchdog journalism and blended it with daily and beat reporting.
Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier

Session for reporters
Cultivating sources and better interviewing. From backgrounding and source development to interviewing techniques, including the difficult interviews, whether it's with the reluctant source or the confrontational official.

Mary Fricker, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat

Brant Houston, IRE and NICAR

2:30 -2:40 p.m. Break

2:40-3:30 p.m. Session for the editors and producers
Managing and bulletproofing the watchdog story. Leading watchdog stories from conception to completion. Getting reporters, photographers and videographers, and Web producers together. Making watchdog stories airtight with line-by-line editing.
Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier

Ron Campbell, Orange County Register

Session for reporters
Managing and juggling your time to do watchdog stories. Putting it all together. How to cover a beat and still produce investigative stories. How to manage your day. How reporters and managers can collaborate better to get it all done.
Laura Frank, Rocky Mountain (Denver) News

Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois

3:30 -3:40 p.m. Break

3:40 -4:30 p.m. Session for editors, producers and reporters
Dealing with ethics, anonymous sources and the public: Guidelines and approaches. How newsrooms are handling critical watchdog issues and maintaining credibility, especially on the Web and with databases.

Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier

Mary Fricker, The Santa Rose Press-Democrat

4:30 -4:40 p.m. Break

4:50 -5:15 p.m. Questions and answers and wrap up for the day.

Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007

9:00 -9:50 a.m. Session for editors, reporters and producers
How to use open records laws to produce more watchdog stories. 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.
David Donald, IRE/NICAR

Andy Curliss, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer

9:50 -10:00 a.m. Break

10:00 -10:50 a.m.
Session for editors and producers
Getting the right training for your newsroom. How to get the most of your training budget in tight times and getting watchdog skills spread through your newsroom. How to get training when you don't have a budget for it.

David Donald, IRE and NICAR

Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier

Session for reporters Money in Politics. How to uncover the stories by looking at contributions, expenditures, committees and nonprofit groups and all the financial loopholes. Following the money after the election.
Ron Campbell, The Orange County (Calif.) Register

Andy Curliss, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer

10:50 -11:00 a.m. Break

11:00 -11:30 a.m. Session for editors, producers and reporters
Understanding and using computer-assisted reporting for daily and beat watchdog stories. Examples of blending databases into investigations. What to ask for in electronic files and how to ask for them. What spreadsheets and databases add to watchdog stories and how to use databases for visuals - charts, mapping, and networks - on the Web.
David Donald, IRE/NICAR

11:30 -11:40 a.m. Break

11:40 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Session for editors and producers
Presentation of watchdog stories: 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.
David Donald, IRE and NICAR

Session for the reporters
Investigating business, from profit to nonprofit. Using regulations and licensing documents and experts to find great stories, provide context, and dig deeper on all beats.
Ron Campbell, The Orange County (Calif.) Register

Mary Fricker, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat

12:30 -12:40 p.m. Break

12:40 - 1:00 p.m. Session for editors, producers and reporters Workshop wrap up. Final questions and answers - and further suggestions. Where to go from here.

Monday, Sept. 17, 2007
9:00 -9:50 a.m.	Session for editors, producers and reporters Overview of watchdog work being done and basic methods. What is investigative journalism? 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. A PowerPoint tour of what news organizations of all sizes are doing in investigative reporting. Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois
9:50 -10:00 a.m.	Break
10:00 -11:00 a.m.	Session for editors, producers and reporters 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. Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois David Donald, IRE/NICAR
11:00 -11:10 a.m.	Break
11:10 -12:30 p.m.	Session for editors and producers Conceiving of and initiating watchdog stories. Where watchdog stories come from and how they're developed. Helping reporters to dig for tips that lead to more watchdog stories. Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois Mary Fricker, Santa Rose Press-Democrat
11:10 -12:30 p.m.	Session for reporters Essential documents and databases for all newsrooms. Getting the right training for your beat and making the best use of IRE's Web site for follow up. Putting together a game plan for getting documents and data you need for your beat or any topic. What track is your career on? What IRE can do to help make your stories better, richer, fuller. Laura Frank, Rocky Mountain (Denver) News Andy Curliss, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer
12:30 -1:40 p.m.	Lunch Provided
1:40 -2:30 p.m.	Session for editors and producers Building an investigative newsroom: How to structure it when everyone has a beat to cover. How newsrooms of all sizes have organized, managed and increased watchdog journalism and blended it with daily and beat reporting. Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier
1:40 -2:30 p.m.	Session for reporters Cultivating sources and better interviewing. From backgrounding and source development to interviewing techniques, including the difficult interviews, whether it's with the reluctant source or the confrontational official. Mary Fricker, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat Brant Houston, IRE and NICAR
2:30 -2:40 p.m.	Break
2:40-3:30 p.m.	Session for the editors and producers Managing and bulletproofing the watchdog story. Leading watchdog stories from conception to completion. Getting reporters, photographers and videographers, and Web producers together. Making watchdog stories airtight with line-by-line editing. Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier Ron Campbell, Orange County Register
2:40-3:30 p.m.	Session for reporters Managing and juggling your time to do watchdog stories. Putting it all together. How to cover a beat and still produce investigative stories. How to manage your day. How reporters and managers can collaborate better to get it all done. Laura Frank, Rocky Mountain (Denver) News Brant Houston, IRE and University of Illinois
3:30 -3:40 p.m.	Break
3:40 -4:30 p.m.	Session for editors, producers and reporters Dealing with ethics, anonymous sources and the public: Guidelines and approaches. How newsrooms are handling critical watchdog issues and maintaining credibility, especially on the Web and with databases. Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier Mary Fricker, The Santa Rose Press-Democrat
4:30 -4:40 p.m.	Break
4:50 -5:15 p.m.	Questions and answers and wrap up for the day.
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2007
9:00 -9:50 a.m.	Session for editors, reporters and producers How to use open records laws to produce more watchdog stories. 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. David Donald, IRE/NICAR Andy Curliss, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer
9:50 -10:00 a.m.	Break
10:00 -10:50 a.m.	Session for editors and producers Getting the right training for your newsroom. How to get the most of your training budget in tight times and getting watchdog skills spread through your newsroom. How to get training when you don't have a budget for it. David Donald, IRE and NICAR Doug Pardue, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier
10:00 -10:50 a.m.	Session for reporters Money in Politics. How to uncover the stories by looking at contributions, expenditures, committees and nonprofit groups and all the financial loopholes. Following the money after the election. Ron Campbell, The Orange County (Calif.) Register Andy Curliss, The (Raleigh, N.C.) News & Observer
10:50 -11:00 a.m.	Break
11:00 -11:30 a.m.	Session for editors, producers and reporters Understanding and using computer-assisted reporting for daily and beat watchdog stories. Examples of blending databases into investigations. What to ask for in electronic files and how to ask for them. What spreadsheets and databases add to watchdog stories and how to use databases for visuals - charts, mapping, and networks - on the Web. David Donald, IRE/NICAR
11:30 -11:40 a.m.	Break
11:40 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Session for editors and producers Presentation of watchdog stories: 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. David Donald, IRE and NICAR
11:40 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	Session for the reporters Investigating business, from profit to nonprofit. Using regulations and licensing documents and experts to find great stories, provide context, and dig deeper on all beats. Ron Campbell, The Orange County (Calif.) Register Mary Fricker, Santa Rosa Press-Democrat
12:30 -12:40 p.m.	Break
12:40 - 1:00 p.m.	Session for editors, producers and reporters Workshop wrap up. Final questions and answers - and further suggestions. Where to go from here.