Setting up the beat

Being a beat reporter is no more difficult than a regular assignments reporter. But it does require a little work. Reporters who follow these steps, however, will find that covering a beat is easier than they might have originally imagined and, over time, the stories will come to them.

For reporters, the real advantage to covering a beat is that they will get to know one area in-depth. They will have the opportunity to go beyond the surface and find out why things really are the way they are. And as people get to know and trust the reporters, they will develop a productive working relationship with their sources.

Step One: Establish Contact

As soon as your receive your contacts, schedule a sit-down meeting with each of them. Use this meeting as a chance to introduce yourself, brainstorm story ideas and ask about any major issues that they are tackling.

Step Two: Show Your Face

Check Student Government and the University for any standing committees that pertain to your beat. Make a schedule of the meetings or e-mail the chair to find out when they are. Also try to see if there are any list-serves that you can join to get information about your beat.

Step Three: Eavesdrop

Okay, maybe not really. But start polling students about issues related to your beat. Post a link on the Wolfweb, chat up the kids in class. What complaints do students have about your beat? What would they like to know?

Weekly responsibilities

To stay on top of things, you can never neglect your beat. Each week, you should take certain steps to make sure all bases are covered. Remember – it is your responsibility to find the new stories, scandals and news in your area. No one else is going to do it. If a story breaks in your area, you should be the first to know. It’s easier said than done, however, but if you give a little attention to your beat each week, you can stay ahead of the game.

Make the calls

Put in a call to each of your sources at the start of each week and then again towards the end. Ask them if there is anything going on today. Ask them if there are any complaints or changes. See if they can suggest story ideas.

Peruse the news

• News Services Look at www.ncsu.edu and news.ncsu.edu for updated news and features on campus. Call News Services for story suggestions.
• Localize national news CNN.com Click on “Education” for stories about K-12 and higher education. Look for national stories or trends that might be localized to N.C. State. Make some calls to find out if the trends you read about apply to NC State? Are there surveys? How do we compare?
• Compare other Educational institutions The Chronicle of Higher Education (www.chronicle.com) is a good source for any news, trends or statistics on issues in higher education. Chances are, you can find something about your beat here.
• Find a new angle on local news The Raleigh News & Observer (newsobserver.com), UNC’s The Daily Tar Heel (thedailytarheel.com), WRAL (wral.com) and other local media outlets are good places to look for story ideas, but should not be used as sources.

Make appearances

Make a schedule of the meetings that pertain to your beat. Don’t underestimate their importance! In those meetings you’ll find out about new regulations, legislation and student concerns. Also a great place to connect with sources.

Talk to students

Students always have complaints and issues. Talk to them. What’s on their mind? What do they want to know? Listen to conversations – anything going on that you need to know about? If all else fails, post a link on the Wolfweb and find out what students really think.