IRE Radio Podcast | Beyond Breaking News

When a story breaks, speed is key. But so are depth, context and accuracy. So how do you cover the news while simultaneously digging deeper? This week we’re talking about investigating breaking news. Our speakers will cover everything from identifying sources on the scene to developing a plan for watchdog coverage. Here’s the lineup:

• Scott Friedman from KXAS-TV in Dallas-Forth Worth, Texas explains the station’s three-step process for turning breaking news coverage into an ongoing and in-depth investigation.
• Leonard Downie Jr., former executive editor of the Washington Post, talks about how the paper got creative to find sources immediately following the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007.
• Jennifer Peck of Banjo discusses the free social media app and explains how journalists have used it to cover breaking news.
• Blair Hickman, previously of ProPublica, discusses how the non-profit newsroom used its audience to mine documents on spending during the 2012 presidential election.
• Brandon Quester of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting explains how to use the Public Insight Network to find sources.

You can find and download previous podcast episodes on iTunes or our Soundcloud page.

EPISODE NOTES

Looking for links to the stories, resources and events we discussed on this week’s podcast? We’ve collected them for you.

• Members only: Listen to “Investigating breaking news” from the 2013 IRE Conference. The session features Arwa Damon, Chris Davis, Scott Friedman and Dave Harmon. 
• Members only: Listen to “The power of the crowd: Sourcing investigations through audience engagement” from the 2014 IRE Conference. The session includes Blair Hickman, Leonard Downie Jr., Kristin Gilger and Brandon Quester. 
• Watch and read Scott Friedman’s investigation into unused radar systems during a tornado outbreak.
• A KXAS investigation found that few federal tornado shelter dollars made it North Texas. Read and watch here.
• Sign up for the National Weather Service Chat, an instant messenger program that allows NWS officials to share real-time weather information with media and first responders.
• Check out ProPublica’s project, “Free the Files.” The project allows readers to review documents and help the group track spending on political ads.
• Learn more about the Public Insight Network.
• Download the Banjo app on iTunes and in the Google Play store.
• Listen to our entire conversation with Banjo’s Jennifer Peck.
• Read the Washington Post’s next-day coverage of the Virginia Tech shooting: News | Witness Accounts
• Read a News21 story and sidebar reported using the Public Insight Network.
• Members only: Download tipsheets on digging deeper with social media.