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Requirements for Reporting Notebook
Keep your interview notes in a separate notebook and be prepared to show them to your editor when you turn in your story. None of the information described below needs to be long. One or two simple sentences will be fine. You must have a printed copy of this for conferences and also keep a copy on your jump drive. If your notebook entry is incomplete or non-existent, you will receive an F for the notebook.
For each story:
1. The story slug.
2. The name of your partner on the story.
3. A nut graph.
4. Your plan for how to approach the story:
- who you will talk to and what you will ask (at least four or five opening questions.)
- the steps you will take to investigate the background of the story.
- a summary of the background.
- a summary of each interview - what went right, what went wrong, what the person said.
- new angles that developed from each interview or new ideas of who to talk to or where to look for information.
5. Your deadlines for first draft, second draft.
6. A division of labor. Who will do what?
7. A timeline. (For instance, you will do research Tuesday, set up interviews Wednesday, etc.)
EXAMPLE
Reporting notebook of Caitlin Cook
SLUG: MahoningRiver
PARTNER: John Doe
NUT GRAPH: Despite years of conversation and study and promises of funding and support, the Mahoning River is no closer to clean today than it was 30 years ago when companies stopped dumping millions of pounds of pollutants into the river each year
STORY PLAN:
1. I will read all stories that I can find about the Mahoning River, pollution and clean-up and development efforts.
2. I will keep refining and adding to the following questions:
a. Are there are different approaches for cleaning up the river?
b. Are there different philosophies involved in these clean up efforts? (i.e. some people may think that it is wrong to remove the contamination and haul it to a landfill)
c. How long would it take for nature to clean the river on its own if nothing is done?
d. What are the dangers right now of contact with the water or the sediment in the river?
e. What caused the problems with the river?
f. What has happened in other cities that faced similar polluted waterways?
g. Do the estimates for the project still stand as - to remove and
remediate approximately 750,000 cubic yards of contaminated in-river
and riverbank materials at an estimated cost of $100 million?
h. What agencies or organizations are currently involved in clean-up efforts?
i. Was there a time in which money was available to restore the Mahoning
River to a stable environmental condition lacking many harmful toxins
found in the sediment?
j. Phase 1 of the project states a reconnaissance study was completed in
May of 1999 and identified a federal interest, "benefits outweigh the
cost" could you expand on this idea?
k. Is the project currently in phase 2- the feasibility study?
l. Can you tell me what these more detailed studies have revealed in
light of the future restoration?
m. Has your 50/50 cost sharing partner Eastgate Regional Council of
Governments endured set backs in funding project?
n. Is the project progressing as intended or have there been set backs?
o. Any new developments or future partners?
2. I will then interview:
- Dan Mamula, the newly appointed director of the YSU-based organization working for the river clean-up, asking him many of the questions above, plus:
a. What does your organization do?
b. Is development of the river likely given the contamination?
c. Is there any hope that the river will ever get cleaned up?
d. who funds your organization and why?
- Officers of the Mahoning River Consortium, asking them some of the above, plus:
a. What does your organization do?
b. How is your organization funded?
- Don from CASTLO, asking him some of the above, plus:
a. Do you think the clean-up will ever happen?
b. Are elected leaders doing what they need to and can do to ensure that it happens?
- Mayor Jay Williams, asking him many of the above questions, plus:
a. How much of a priority is the river clean-up for you?
b. Will it happen in your time as mayor or your lifetime?
c. Who is championing the river clean-up efforts?
d. Who should be championing the river clean-up efforts
- Army Corps of Engineers officials, including the former project manager who lives in New Castle, PA.
a. What is the status of the project now?
b. Why did it stall out?
c. What needs to happen in order for it to get back on track?
d. Who is pushing to see that this happens?
e. Did the Army Corps of Engineers tell city officials or others involved in the river clean-up effort that they would have to go after the alleged dumpers for recovery of the money when the project started?
f. Dan Mamula alleges that the Army Corp said just the opposite in the beginning - that we would not have to go after the alleged dumpers.
g. How long would it take for the project to be completed if work started now?
h. Is it likely that the work will ever begin?
i. Where exactly are the most dangerous spots on the river?
j. What makes them dangerous?
k. Many people are trying to get businesses to locate on the river now. Is that a good idea knowing that there will have to be dredging equipt set up there if the clean-up goes forward?
l. There is a contact ban on the river. What exactly does that mean?
m. Mamula says that the contact ban does not mean that people can't still use the river for boating as long as they don't swim. Is this true?
n. Mamula also wants to develop some riverfront rec areas now - similar to Warren - is this a good idea? Why or why not?
o. U.S. Steel may be the only original steel mill still in existence. Is there any way of knowing who dumped what into the river? What would it take to get U.S. Steel to pay? How likely is that to happen?
p. What happened with the river in Sharon and New Castle and Ashtabula? What were those projects? How were they funded and done? Who in the community pushed them?
q. What's the biggest problem standing in the way of the Mah clean up? If it's money, then what's the second biggest problem? How can those problems be addressed?
r. What is your role with the river now? What was it in the past? What do you do? What is your training etc?
- People who live on the river, asking them:
a. Are they afraid of the contaminants?
b. Have they ever swam in the river or used it for boating?
- YSU biology and environmental scientists, asking them some of the above plus:
a. To explain the exact human effects of the pollutants.
b. To explain possible remediation procedures and complications
- U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan
a. To explain clean-up funding options.
b. To address why clean-up has stalled.
c. To discuss why no one has gone after the dumpers.
d. To rate the river as an agenda item.
Summary of interviews:
MAMULA
Mamula offered a general description of what his group does. He is pushing hard for development and could not articulate why the clean-up has stalled.
What went right: was well-prepared for the interview and able to ask Mamula important follow-up questions which helped shed light on one of the most important elements of this story: No one seems to be in charge of the clean-up efforts.
What went wrong: should have had Mamula on tape. He offered many comments that conflict with what others have said.
Mahoning River Consortium
Ed Goist and Don from Castlo offered an overview of their organization's involvement in the river. They both said they believe the river will be cleaned - eventually. They admitted that it is not clear who is in charge of the effort.
What went right: was well-prepared for the interview and asked pertinent questions.
What went wrong: needed to manage the interview more to keep the men from straying.
Mayor Jay Williams
Mayor Williams identified the Mahoning River clean-up as one of his top 10 priorities, but said that there has been little coordination and sustained effort to get the project moving. As a result of questioning, he said he believes that a meeting must be held to address the coordination and leadership problems plaguing the project.
What went right: was well-prepared for the interview and asked pertinent questions.
What went wrong: needed to pin mayor down more on his concerns regarding clean-up and development and how they may be mutually exclusive.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
A spokesperson offered very general information about the project, avoiding offering much concrete information.
What went right: Learned about the bureaucratic processes that govern this by just listening.
What went wrong: needed to pin officials down on who promised what and when and why officials aren't going after the dumpers. Also, needed to ask about going after the dumpers and why that is not being done in at least the case of U.S. Steel.
Deadlines:
First Draft: Sept. 1
Final Draft: Sept. 8
Division of Labor:
Interviews conducted by Caitlin: Mamula, Army Corps of Engineers, CASTLO, Mah River Consortium.
Interviews conducted by John: Mayor Williams, Congressman Ryan,
Mainbar first draft: Caitlin
Sidebars first draft: John
Budget of Stories:
Mahoning River Budget
Main idea:
Engineers, environmentalists, activists and politicians concerned about the Mahoning River agree about little except that the river is polluted and not safe for recreation. But they disagree about how to clean up the river and even if to clean up the river. This package of stories, presented in print, video, audio and slideshow format for The Vindicator and WYSU-FM, will address key questions about the river, including:
· The current state of the Mahoning River.
· The history of the pollution and current and past clean-up efforts.
· Future plans for the river.
· Examples of what has happened in other cities, including Cleveland and Ashtabula.
Print/Online Stories, Graphics and Art:
MahoningMain – 45” – Cook – The water still flows in the Mahoning River and some fish swim in it, but the river is off-limits for recreation and fishing and is likely to remain that way for years and possibly, decades. Officials, politicians, scientists, activists and everyday people who live near the river have strong opinions about what should happen now and why.
MahoningMain – ART – Lewis & Cook – Tons from river trip and Cook’s interviews with officials.
MahoningPollutants – CHART and MAP – A visual representation of the pollutants in the river and what kind of harm they cause. May want to talk about doing an interactive map with this where people could click on an area of the river and see what pollutants are there. WILL NEED MASSIVE HELP FROM VINDY WITH THIS.
MahoningTimeline – Cook – A visual history of what has happened with river clean-up efforts. WILL NEED HELP FROM THE VINDY WITH THIS.
MahoningGrandfather – 30” Cook – The grandson of a man who used to work in an area steel mill has been working along the banks of the Mahoning and in a YSU lab to try to develop a solution for ridding the river sediment of some of its most potent pollutants. The grandfather offers insight about why and how the steel mills just dumped the waste into the river and how guilty he now feels.
MahoningGrandather – ART – Cook – Grandfather and grandson at the river.
MahoningGroups – 25” – Cook – Several area organizations have been trying to push the cause of the river clean-up. Some are more hopeful than others. They also have differing philosophies.
MahoningGroupsChart – Cook – A visual inventory of the philosophical differences between the groups presented graphically. We will need help from the Vindy on this.
WYSU –
Mainbar –
WYSU.ORG – Links to above or actual content – whichever is easier or desired.
Vindy.Com
Bill Lewis story – Not sure of angle.
Any or all of above, including radio story.
Timeline
AUG 18-20: Read background.
AUG. 20 - 24: Conduct interviews.
AUG 24: Write First draft
AUG. 26: Work on sidebars and art.
AUG 28: Complete everything. |
