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 "local reporting" ...
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Cracking Codes
Learn about datasets that can help localize health stories, including pharmaceutical company spending on doctors, nursing home violations and hospital quality, among others. We will dive into Medicare data and data that local and state reporters can use.
Tags: health data; Medicaid; nursing homes; drugs
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Making Health Data Sexy
Learn about datasets that can help localize health stories, including pharmaceutical company spending on doctors, nursing home violations and hospital quality, among others. We will dive into Medicare data and data that local and state reporters can use.
Tags: Medicare data; nursing home; hospital; pharmaceuticals
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From community colleges to universities: Investigating higher ed with the help of students
McBride's Powerpoint is chock full of great tips and story ideas on how you can cover your local higher education institution with the help of journalism students.
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Mining for Gold in County and State Government
Shipp provides useful tips for mining through your county and state government agencies, including how to deal with employees who aren't familiar dealing with reporters and what to know before you even talk to them.
Tags: mining; local; county; state; government agency
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Examining Public Authorities and Local Development Corporations
Local governments "are the fastest growing form of government in the country but remain the least accountable, despite numerous reform efforts." Get valuable tips on how to hold your government accountable.
Tags: local government; budgets; annual reports
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Close to Home: Great stories begin with local reporting
Gabrielson shows how to elevate local reporting from the \"numbing procession of planning and zoning meetings, \'not in my backyard\' protests and feel good articles about people.\" He suggests focusing on reporting that isn\'t linked to a daily deadline and investigating the data available from different entities within the city. He includes four examples of great local reporting.
Tags: data; local government; city government; local reporting; city hall;
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Tracking the stimulus
Cochran points out some of the excellent coverage of the stimulus - such as ProPublica's continuing project that includes data and guides to coverage; the Investigative Reporting Workshop's focus on renewable energy grants; and some local coverage. He points to resources available on the TARP/bank bailout, and government sources such as GAO reports and Recovery.org
Tags: stimulus; TARP; Troubled Asset Relief Program; Recovery.org; Government Accountability Office; GAO reports; bank bailout
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Databases: Investigating Locally and Around the World
Donald's presentation explores the importance of a "data state of mind" for reporters. Beyond knowing FOIA laws, he outlines the (at least) 25 databases every newsroom should have and use in their reporting. The databases cover several different beats, and Donald details the value of each.
Tags: databases; reporting; census data; budgets; audits; tax data; personnel files; campaign finance; financial disclosure reports; voter registration; election results; crime statistics; sexual predators; business demographics; SEC 10K: EDGAR; 990s; EPA Toxic Release Inventory; EPA Enforcements; water quality data;
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Quick-hit watchdog stories: Where to find them
Sforza describes the documents to ask for so journalists can "an eye on those holding the public trust and how they’re spending our money." Making a habit of gathering this material will provide a constant stream of stories at your fingertips.
Tags: public trust; watchdog journalism; local government; public records; records requests; FOIA;
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Alternative models for investigative reporting
Donohue outlines details of creating a managing a local nonprofit daily online publication. He address basic needs to get such an organization off the ground including budgets and staffing. He also touches on how to define your content; potential revenue streams; and marketing
Tags: nonprofit; daily publication; online; small staff; small newsroom; budget; revenue; staffing;