CAR for the whole newsroom

By Sarah Morris
@smorris198888

In Integrating CAR: Story Ideas for the Whole Newsroom, Mark Wert of The Cincinnati Enquirer and Jaimi Dowdell of IRE/NICAR gave ideas and tips relating to different beats that would require CAR skills.

Some of the tips they shared included:

• Build your own database.
• Use two databases to tell a story.
• Have the newsroom ready for breaking news by knowing where different types of databases are, such as OSHA records, bridge and dam databases and the Aircraft Registry.
• Use Guidestar and Foundation.org to find information about nonprofits

They also suggested ways to create a CAR environment. Tips for that include:

• Go to planning meetings.
• Offer training.
• Ask for beat planners.
• Be seen helping reporters learn data.
• When there’s interest from a reporter, follow-up immediately.
• Suggest story ideas.
• Look for teachable moments to help people learn. It helps grow support for CAR.