Anyone who’s ever been assigned to cover the statehouse for television or radio knows it’s a tough job. Not only do you have to find ways of making the stories interesting, you have to sell them to skeptics in the newsroom who tend to dismiss these stories as inherently boring. At an ACRE conference, successful state capitol reporters shared their tips for getting over the hurdles. These links may also help.
- Issues, not process. Avoid reporting the process whenever possible, says Bill Werner, capitol correspondent for the Minnesota News Network. People care about issues, not the legislative tick-tock. “Where is the issue in the sequence to a final result?” he asks. “Report it accordingly, or don’t report it at all if it’s minor in the scheme of things.”
- Get real. Don’t overuse wonks, elected officials, lobbyists, or spokespeople, says Werner. Look at how the legislature’s actions will affect “real people” and include those people in your stories. But avoid over-reliance on M-O-S interviews; people on the street may be unaffected and have no real opinions to share. One of Werner’s stories gauged public reaction by using sound from people who called radio talk shows.
- Elicit better sound. Insist that officials junk the jargon. Kerri Miller of Minnesota Public Radio, formerly with KARE-TV, says she looks people in the eye and tells them, “Speak English.” It usually works. If it doesn’t, they don’t make air.
- Set the scene. Use nat sound generously to paint the picture, says Werner. Let your audience in on how the Capitol really works, don’t just skim the surface.
- Be the expert. Don’t feel compelled to include bites from analysts who can’t explain things as well as you can. “Remember that you, better than most, know what’s going on behind the scenes,” says Werner. At the same time, he warns, “Don’t patronize your audience by reporting something that’s obvious and don’t draw unsubstantiated conclusions or give your opinion.”
- Get help. Consider hiring a part-time “legislative aide” or even an unpaid intern who can help keep track of stories you won’t be covering on any given day. Look for a political science major as opposed to a journalism grad, says Miller.
- Use the Web. Put information that won’t make it on the air onto your station’s Web site, and direct your “policy wonk” audience to the Web for more details.
- Keep your perspective. Get away from the Capitol sometimes, not just to report on other stories but to really take a break. “Goof off. Forget about politics. Ignore the news,” advises Werner. “Everything will still be there when you get back.”
What suggestions would you add for reporters covering state government?
