The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "consumer issues" ...
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Using CAR on Consumer Investigations: making the best use of databases to build stories
This powerpoint presentation discusses how to get started investigating consumer issues. It also offers several examples of successful consumer investigations that employ CAR. Finally, it includes a list of resources that will be useful for reporters on this beat.
Tags: consumer affairs; consumer issues; computer-assisted reporting; database analysis; business; licensing bureaus; product safety
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Using CAR on Consumer Investigations: making the best use of databases to build stories
The authors discuss how to investigate consumer issues. They include tips about how to recognize and report on consumer issues. They also include a long list of resources to find information on the topic.
Tags: consumers; business; beat reporting; story ideas; government regulation; FCC; FDA
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Consumer, Health, Safety and Environmental Reporting: Websites and Phone Numbers
This tipsheet is exactly as the name suggests: it is a looooong list of websites concerning consumer issues, followed by a looooong list of phone numbers for sources and agencies. The lists span everything from federal agencies to private consumer groups.
Tags: workers; corporations; research; sourcing; internet
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Borrower Beware
This tipsheet is a print-off of a Milliron's power point presentation. It includes information bout the money-lending industry, with a special emphasis in Georgia. It is a good review of the AJC's investigation into the industry.
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Banking on the Poor: Documenting the Big Business of Poverty
This tipsheet serves as a guide for any reporter looking to delve into the "fringe financial industry." This industry serves people who lack access to banks and other mainstream financial institutions; it includes payday lenders, car title lenders, pawn shots and check cashing outlets. Nixon's tipsheet explains each of these institutions and offers advice on how and where to get the data to report on them.
Tags: credit; rapid refund loans; rent-to-own; census data; UCC
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You too can have a hidden camera
A hidden camera is a valuable tool for the investigative broadcast journalist. Some small market stations might think that such a device is too expensive for their budget. Lea Thompson of Dateline NBC discusses a variety of hidden cameras and their costs to display that these important tools can be had by almost all.
Tags: broadcast; hidden cameras
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Consumer Stories
A collection of simple stories dealing with consumer interests that would work in a market of any size. In general, these stories are geared toward broadcast, but many would work in print as well.
Tags: None
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Helpful numbers for covering health, safety, environment and consumer goods and services
An exhaustive collection of numbers that would provide invaluable to any reporter dabbling in consumer affairs.
Tags: None
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Story Ideas
Leamy gives two sets of story ideas regarding consumer issues in this informative tipsheet. The first set deals with story ideas surrounding people or companies breaking laws or regulations. The second set concerns non-regulated areas and the stories you can find there. These story ideas are great for newspapers, magazines, and broadcast stations alike.
Tags: story ideas; consumer issues; regulations; used cars; child exploitation; racial discrimination; home inspections; modeling; credit; pets; pharmacies; ADA; FDA; predatory lenders; FOIA; beauty salons; car repair; cemeteries; solicitation; pyramid schemes; charities; hospitals; headhunters; hazing; pay phones; fire engine chasing; roadside zoos; private schools; spam; lead poisoning; interior design
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Ideas and resources for investigative stories
Joan Claybrook of Public Citizen offers a primer to 7 separate issues that affect the public; medical malpractice, health, electricity deregulation, auto safety, food, global trade, and campaign finance. Medical malpractice, deregulation, auto safety, and campaign finance each have additional information on the subjects in this comprehensive tipsheet.
Tags: medical malpractice; health; doctors; hospitals; prescriptions; enron; deregulation; ford; firestone; tires; lobbying; nonprofit; campaign finance; 527; NAFTA; data; irradiation