BETTER BEAT REPORTING

Reporters who cover specific beats can produce more enterprising stories with more context. How can you make beats work in an understaffed newsroom?

Build a beat system
Establish an investigative unit

Background on specific beats:
Aviation
Business
Military
Police

Tip sheets for non-visual topics:
Campaign finance
Consumer issues
Court stories
Crime and justice
Elections
Electricity deregulation
Growth and sprawl
Health policy
Highway construction
Rural issues
School funding
Stock market
Technology
Transit and light rail

Links to more information:
Aviation
Campaigns and elections
Census 2000
Children's issues
Clergy sexual abuse
Consumer issues
Courts and justice
Disasters
Electricity deregulation
Faith and religion
Growth and sprawl
Health care
Highway construction
Labor
Military
Money and Politics
Rural issues
School funding
Science
Space shuttle
Stock market
Terrorism
Transit and light rail
Water quality

Related articles:
The Beat Goes On
Beat Reporting: Making a Comeback?
Building a Beat: How one station does it