Verification Handout

Verification & Data Visualization

• Story Verification
• Objectivity involves verifying facts.
• Techniques of Verification
• Edit with skepticism (aka Prosecutorial Editing).
• Adjudicating (act as a judge) a story line by line.
• When Editing, Ask Questions
• How do we know this?
• Why would a reader believe this?
• What is the assertion behind the sentence?
• Tip: Editor and reporter sit side by side to edit the story.
• Keep an Accuracy Check List
• Ask More Questions
• Is the lead of the story sufficiently supported?
• Is the context of the story complete?
• Are all stakeholders in the story identified?
• Have other sides of this issue been contacted?
• Does the story pick sides or make subtle value judgements?
• REMEMBER: When a journalist has an agenda going into an interview the story them becomes propaganda.
• Final Questions To Ask
• Have you attributed (given credit to) all of these facts in the story?
• Do the facts back you up your story?
• Did you double check the quotes and make sure they are in proper context?
• Data Visualization / Information Graphics
• Information graphic is a set of information organized in a visual manner.
• Information design makes complex information understandable to more people than traditional text.

Online Journalism Job Analysis

Company:	Patch.com
Position:	Local Editor, Encinitas (San Diego) Patch
Location:	Encinitas (San Diego), California
Job Status:	Not Specified
Salary:	Not Specified
Ad Expires:	July 12, 2011
Job ID:	1260053

Description:Are you a passionate and entrepreneurial online journalist? Want to be part of a dynamic and innovative team of journalists, engineers, designers and business pros who are creating a bold new solution for our industry? Do you think that traditional news media just don't get it anymore?  Would you like to run your own local news Web site, where you'll tap the multimedia and social media skills you've mastered to transform community journalism and connect with communities? If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions, keep reading

We're Patch.com, a start-up that's radically reinventing community journalism. We launched in February 2009 and we now operate hundreds of local news sites in towns with populations under 70,000, and we continue to expand! Patch is founded on two core principles: that news matters in towns across the country and that we can create a successful business model to sustain it. Even as many newsrooms have been downsized or shut down, Patch is investing millions to create a nationwide network of news sites using our dynamic platform to produce meaningful daily and enterprise journalism and pioneer new forms of storytelling to serve communities. We have won acclaim in the industry and coverage in The New York Times, Forbes Magazine, Bloomberg, NPR's "Talk of the Nation," "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer," and numerous industry blogs and Web sites. We've recently also announced Patch.org, a new initiative that will allow us to collaborate with local foundations and journalism schools to cover under-served communities.

Patch.com is looking for smart, innovative journalists to join our team as full-time site editors. We see this as nothing less than the future of online journalism. Visit patch.com to learn more about our mission and to visit our news sites.

Job responsibilities (to include, but not limited to):

    *    Run a local news site - reporting, writing, taking pictures and video; finding, assigning and editing freelancers and local columnists, and connecting with the community to attract user-generated content

    *    Provide an invaluable source of trusted news and information that will improve people's lives

    *    Drive your site to become a landmark in the community

    *    Work collaboratively with colleagues in a region to produce impactful breaking news, features and enterprise journalism and storytelling, and create new ways to connect with  and engage communities

    *    Collaborate with the business team to build and maintain your town's directory of key officials,  organizations and business listings

Required skills:

    *    Recent community journalism experience

    *    Ability to manage, direct, and motivate a team of freelancers

    *    Ability to manage a budget

    *    'Bull-doggish' reporting instincts and willingness to ask tough questions of important people

    *    Experience in online journalism

    *    Experience editing video, producing a Web site and/or excellent photography skills

    *    Must have a firm grasp of AP style

    *    Great news judgment

    *    Adept with a variety of social media tools

    *    Unparalleled organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills

Desired skills:

    *    Passionate about the web, social networking, and of course community journalism

    *    Be able to quickly grasp the interests, rhythms and identity of a community

    *    Thrive in a fast-paced environment

    *    Entrepreneurial spirit and drive; start up experience a plus

Bold Qualifications are things I feel fit with my skills and apply to what we have discussed in this class.

I feel that some of these qualifications that are not bold would be quite easy to get a handle on. 
I never thought of myself as being at all capable of acquiring a job in journalism, but now I see that if I were ever compelled to work professionally as a new media, online, or other sort of journalist, I wouldn't have that much trouble landing a job. 

Getting a Job as a Multimedia Journalist

Response to week 10 reading:


I like this:
A student of the author of our book once told the author that they didn't feel that they had not entered a career, they had embarked on a way of life. I think I need to look at my life in this way, not be scared of a career but embrace it as a new way of life.


The comparison of journalism to the music industry is interesting and totally relevant. It's hard to establish oneself as a staple in a world full of people/things/etc that in a constant rotation of importance. As it is hard to grow in the music industry and become an artist that is seen as important, it is even harder to become an established journalist. This is mostly due to the fact that anyone and everyone can and does blog.


Freelance seems to be the way to go in new media journalism for now, at least. These types of journalists need to be aware of how constantly changing the job market is, and be constantly molding themselves to what the industry needs.


The list of capabilities 21st journalists needs grows and grows but includes these, among others:

• write news AND feature copy for print AND online
• visualize stories for magazine and web packaging, and interplay between the two
• blog
• record interview audio and video
• be an active participant in their own community online and off

Coming out of this class, working through this book, I believe that if I truly wanted, I may be able to land a journalist job. Or at the very least, get an article published for myself. 

Dave Jenett: A regular guy who will change your life.

by Amy Hufnagle & Justin Walker

Listen to the enhanced story
that includes audio clips from our interview!
[5 min 54sec]

Recently we had the pleasure of getting to interview Dave Jenett, a man who in his lifetime had done many amazing and wonderful things. Our initial reaction upon meeting Dave was, simply and collectively, “wow.” We all felt in the instant in which we locked eyes with this man, the enthusiasm he holds for life. It radiated from his eyes and out of every movement and word he spoke. We quickly concluded and confirmed that this man would touch our hearts.

Having grown up in New Jersey, Dave, at the age of seventeen, was looking for a change. An introverted individual, he surprisingly decided to joined the armed forces. Being seventeen, he needed parental consent to join, which after some persuasion he was able to get from his mother. Dave recalls how he felt in relation to fear, or the absence of the feeling, about joining the Navy at such a young age. When he joined, World War II had already begun, and because of this, Dave would have been most likely drafted the following year anyways.

Dave was kind enough to open up to us about his experiences in WWII and the Korean War. While serving in WWI, he fought on the front lines. One of the battles he describes at the longest, deadliest, and most costly battle of the whole war. Despite all of the horrific events that Dave had experienced during the war, he always kept a positive attitude. He describes certain events where he and his comrades simply laughed because that’s all they could bring themselves to do in such hard times. It was truly moving and eye opening to hear how he was able to remain positive despite all of the adversity that he faced. Even in recounting all the monumental experiences he had, however devastating they may be, he never lost that spark in his eyes of of hope and appreciation for life. That was a great inspiration to not only our group, but it seems our whole Multimedia Journalism class as well. Dave briefly touched on his philosophy of living in our interview. He believes that life should always be preserved and embraced.

Returning home from WWII in 1946, Dave initially found it hard to readjust to civilian life. He recalls how he was not able to wear civilian clothes for several months. Eventually he was able to get back into the swing of things. Taking advantage of his knack for things of a mechanical nature, he enrolled in a vocational school to learn machining and eventually took a job making metal dyes for a jewelry company.

While no longer in active duty, Dave remained in the Naval Reserves and was called back for twenty-two months of service during the Korean war just six months after he got married. Fortunately he did not have to fight on the front line and was put to work on naval ships in the Atlantic. He worked as support, hopping around to the various ships fixing machines and working on mechanical equipment.

Reflecting on his time spent serving in both wars, it was touching to see the pride that Dave felt about being able to serve his country, as well as how fortunate he felt that he made it out relatively unharmed. We all took away something from our interview, and we all feel that we have grown and bettered from learning of Dave’s experiences and his passion for life.

Starcrossed Lovers Sneak Peak

Nicole Fahey directs a new short film, a sort of greaser/noir Romeo & Juliet.

They say, never try to rewrite Shakespeare. They also say, in order to be a great artist, one must bend to break all the rules.

Up and coming director/producer Nicole Fahey has broken the Shakespeare rule of writing by adapting the famous love story Romeo & Juliet into a 7-minute film set in the 1950's. At first hearing of this, I was skeptical of the turnout of such a task. Being lucky enough to have a chance to sit in on the filming, I was pleasantly surprised, blown away even, by the professionalism and dedication that could be seen in the eyes of all on set. 

Director, Nicole, knew exactly what she wanted from her actors. She successfully pulled her characters from deep inside of them by treating them as if they actually were her characters, not just actors portraying them. Actors and actresses reacted accordingly, by giving her exactly what she was pulling for. 

Actor Garret Holmes had the perfect 50's look about him, the mysterious confident eyes hidden in shadows under the brim of his hat. Actress Tessa Flores brought a Hepburn-esque sophisticated, classic beauty to the scenes, it seems this part was written for her. Deer-eyed and innocent, she nailed her every take beyond satisfaction of the crew. 

When asked about her experience with her actors, Director Fahey responded,

I got really lucky while I was looking for actors, Roland (who plays The Cap) played a big part in helping me secure them for my shoot. They're student actors, as I am a student film maker, which brought great ease and fun, since no one had a big head or uncontrollable ego.

Even the extras seemed a perfect fit for this type of 50's noir. If one were to walk in on this set with no previous knowledge of what was going on, it would be hard to convince oneself that they had not just time traveled. Costume design, a collective contribution on the part of all involved, included leather jackets and fedoras. All on set were smoking and holding alcoholic-looking beverages, playing cards around a table or bouncing from corner to corner dancing moves straight out of a classic John Travolta film, finger snapping and all.

I, for one, am more anxious that I previously had been before this one of a kind sneak peek into the making, to see the final result of the dedication and work put into making this short. It is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and leave the audience begging Fahey for more. I inquired with Nicole about whether or not there would be a sequel, or continuation of Starcrossed Lovers:

I would absolutely love to be able to rewrite the entire play of Romeo & Juliet in noir form, but I wouldn't do it without the same cast and crew working with me. Everything just rolled so smoothly, I would hate to try again and be disappointed. I'm definitely considering it, and thinking about talking to my cast & crew about it, because it would be something I would be extremely proud of and excited about.

More information on a release screening will be available and posted here as it is released.

Handout Notes: Good vs. Bad Questions

Good Question Types:

• Open Ended: Doesn't allow a one word or yes/no answer. Lets the intervieww approach it from whichever angle they feel appropriate.  Answers will be rich, personal and thoughtful.
• Neutral: Doesn't suggest a tone for the answer, allows more thought on the interviewee's end.   
• Specific: Start generally, then narrow. 
• Wrap Up: asked at the end of an interview - provide an opportunity for the subject to add anything they may have missed, or that may not have come up naturally in the interview.

Bad Question Types:

• yes/no questions: don't present a challenge for the interviewee, no room for thought or reflection. usually only used for fact checking purposes.
• leading questions: questions that are often confrontational, which steer the interview in the direction of their own purposes and goals. confrontation is not conducive to a successful interview.
• double barreled: when two questions are phrased in one. Often confuses the interviewee, and allows them to ignore a point if they so choose. Ask questions separately.

More Book Assignments: Interviewing Summary (week 4 & 5)

P. 104
How audio can be used:

Audio clips accompanying an article is a way to push any article further, to appeal even deeper to the reader. The sound can correspond to the article by illustrating the story that has been written - a dramatic sound clip or quote from the interviewee would be of great interest to a reader invested in the subject of your article. 

The audio package - includes a number of clips that have been edited together into a report 2-3 minutes long. Often, the package will be introduced by the reporter, sometimes the interview and sound clips can even be narrated. The sounds allow the reader a deeper connection with the article, the ability to visualize and place themselves in the moment the interview had taken place.

P 115-18
How to conduct an interview:


Approach 1: Begin with an initial interview, forming a clear idea of the story's structure. Once this is done, a formal structured and recorded interview can begin.  A drawback of this method is that spontaneity can be lost, snippets of interesting information that would be divulged in a less structured environment may never be revealed.


Approach 2: Begin recording at the first moment. To create some sort of rhythm, a list of questions and a structure to follow throughout the interview should have been previously worked out. 


The best approach (3) is to mix and match the first 2 approaches, find a compromise between the two that works best for you and stick to it.




How to phrase questions:


Open questions are best in interviewing, keeps the interviewee from answering in one word, and allows for follow up questions to be formulated as the interview progresses. 


Asking questions in the order you plan to report them is the best approach, unless more difficult questions are to be asked - those can be saved for later. To avoid a termination of an interview due to heavy emotions being stirred up, start with the light ones. 


Before you begin:

• Know your goal.
• Have a focus.
• Form clear, open questions.
• Get to the point.
• Allow room for follow-up questions.
• Don't ignore unexpected, interesting facts to slip through the cracks.
• Tell your intervieww how long it will take, roughly.
• Check recording equipment to make sure it's working.
• Keep eye contact, nod encouragement - don't speak.

P. 203-218 - Week 5
More Interview Notes:

Check & double check spelling of names and places.

Think often about whether or not a photograph is needed.

Make sure subjects know how to get in touch after the interview is conducted.

Clarify vague answers. 

Thank them genuinely, more than once. 


If taking notes in a notebook, don't let yourself get buried in it. Keep engaged with the subject. 

When taking account of an incident, allow the subject to start at the beginning and recount everything as it happened in a chronological fashion. 


When interviewing about an incident, ask a a lot of questions before filming in order to have a lot of information you can choose from to address the most important points.



Email Interview:

• Most appropriate for obtaining a few quick quotations for an article.
• Make sure not to be too casual. 
• Include a concise and robust list of questions (15-20) in the first email, don't rely on back and forth correspondance.
•  Be extra careful of the wording of open questions. Leave no room for yes or no answers.
• Allow more room than normal for backup of information through facts and figures.
• Always mention that a phone interview is an option, include a contact number.

Difficult Interviews:

If a subject wants to make an off-the-record statement, they must make that request. 
It is always worth asking why a subject wants to go off-the-record, try to reassure them.
Be reluctant to promise not to report anything, the closest to this promise would be to assure them that the information they don't want reported would only be reported if it came from another source that didn't ask for it to be kept from the public.


Don't let a subject see the story before it is published, they may become self conscious and ask for certain things to be withdrawn. A contract may, however, be drawn up, if completely necessary. 
It may be a good compromise to allow the subject to "review quotes for accuracy".