Event
2015 Baton Rouge Watchdog Workshop
Hosted by: The Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University
This training will offer several of our core sessions that will improve your ability to find information on the Web quickly, and point you to key documents and data that will help you add depth to your daily work and produce quick-hit enterprise stories. In addition, this workshop will give you tips on bulletproofing stories, digging deeper on the Web with social media, search engines and much more.
These sessions are designed for reporters, editors, and producers from small, midsize and large publications, TV, radio stations, Web-only news sites and news blogs. Freelancers, students and journalism educators are also encouraged to attend.
Join IRE's experienced trainers and a group of veteran reporters for our Watchdog Workshop Saturday, January 31.
Get the tools and the tricks of the trade that you need to be a better, faster, watchdog journalist.
Optional Computer-Assisted Reporting Training
Sunday, February 1, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Attend this hands-on workshop and learn how to use Excel, a powerful electronic spreadsheet for deadline and beat reporting on budgets, salaries, election data and more. Also, learn how to dig deeper using the Internet and find valuable datasets for your stories. Class size is limited; register early to reserve a seat on a first-come, first-served basis.
Campus Map
Parking
Parking will be available free to attendees.
Workshop Fees (includes a one-year IRE membership, if you are a current IRE member, your membership will be extended by one year. Attendees must meet IRE membership terms)
$55 Professional
$25 Student
$30 Optional Computer-Assisted Reporting Training (hands-on)
Registration
If you are a current member, please complete your registration online by logging into your member profile. Once you have logged in, click on my profile, next to the welcome and your name. Once you are in the members-only side of the database, select conferences and events on the left-hand side of the screen under my profile, then select the 2015 Baton Rouge Watchdog Workshop.
If your membership has expired or you are not currently an IRE member, you can still register for the workshop online.
Cancellations must be sent via email to Amy Johnston, [email protected] There is a $25 processing fee for professionals ($10 for students) for cancellations until the day before the event. Refunds will not be given for cancellations on the day of, or after the event.
Workshop evaluations
Attendees can access the workshop evaluation online or we will have paper copies available at the registration desk on Saturday. We appreciate feedback from attendees as this allows us to improve the program and provide feedback to our funders.
Time and place
Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015 - Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015
Louisiana State University
North Stadium Drive and Fieldhouse Drive
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Registration information
Registration for this event is open! Click here to begin.
Hurry! Registration closes on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 12:30pm.
Schedule details
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Panel
Welcome and overview of the workshop
Speaker: Mark Horvit of University of Missouri
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Panel
The art of the interview
Speaker: Lee Zurik of WVUE-New Orleans
Learn the best ways to approach sources and prepare for interviews. Includes advice on conducting video interviews for your website. Plenty of tips and strategies for handing tough situations, ethical trouble spots, etc.
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Panel
Watchdogging local government
Speakers: Gordon Russell of The Advocate; Charles Maldonado of The Lens
Learn how to follow the money and dig deeper into the activity of local government agencies.
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Panel
FOI/Open records
Speakers: Manuel Torres of The Marshall Project; Erin Coyle of Louisiana State University
Learn how to use federal and state open records laws to draft records requests the right way. Covers ways to challenge denials and keep a steady flow of information coming into the newsroom with FOI.
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Panel
Web as an investigative tool
Speaker: Alex Richards of Syracuse University
Find documents and databases on deadline with better search techniques and the invisible Web. Learn how to locate reliable websites for enterprise stories and receive guidance on the best social media tools for your next investigation.
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Panel
Finding and cultivating sources
Speaker: Manny Garcia of ProPublica
Learn how to find the people you need to know and the ways to get them talking. Covers methods for getting the best information through source development and interviewing techniques.
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Panel
Digging deeper with data and documents
Speaker: Mark Horvit of University of Missouri
Move beyond anecdotes and he-said, she-said journalism with data and documents. Get advice on developing a documents state of mind, navigating public records and understanding records retention schedules. Familiarize yourself with many key data sets across a variety of beats to produce high-impact local stories.
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Panel
Wrap-up/What IRE can do for you
Speaker: Mark Horvit of University of Missouri
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Hands-on
Optional Computer-Assisted Reporting Training
Speakers: Mark Horvit of University of Missouri; Alex Richards of Syracuse University
Attend this hands-on workshop and learn how to use Excel, a powerful electronic spreadsheet for deadline and beat reporting on budgets, salaries, elections and more. Also learn how to dig deeper using the Internet and find valuable datasets for your stories.