Cover Student Gov With Newspaper Tips
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The document provides 10 tips for student journalists covering student government. The tips include attending all government meetings, knowing relevant laws, writing about people rather than processes, avoiding conflicts of interest, live tweeting meetings and immediately posting articles online, hosting staff training on journalism guidelines and procedures, continuing coverage of important issues, obtaining key government documents, and holding staff to high standards of journalism. The overall message is that student journalists should closely watch and provide thorough coverage of their student government.
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Cover Student Gov With Newspaper Tips
- 1. Watchin’ the dogs Covering student government
- 2. “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Thomas Jefferson
- 3. Some of the best stories on your campus come from those with authority over students.
- 4. 1. Attend all meetings
- 5. Watchin’ the dogs 2. Know the law
- 6. 3. Rotate the beat
- 7. 4. Write about people, not processes
- 8. Watchin’ the dogs 5. Avoid conflicts of interest - “job duty” agreements
- 9. 6. Break news online - Tweet meetings - Write online immediately
- 10. 7. Host staff training - Robert’s Rules - Guidelines for covering government/meetings
- 11. Watchin’ the dogs 8. Don’t drop issues
- 12. Watchin’ the dogs 9. Get their documents - Meeting schedule - Budget - Constitution/amendments - Phone list - Frequently used acts
- 13. Watchin’ the dogs 10. Hold your staff to the same standards - Meeting schedule - Budget - Constitution/amendments - Phone list - Frequently used acts
- 14. Kenna Griffin www.profkrg.com @profkrg www.facebook.com/ProfKRG
Editor's Notes
- \n
- - As the fourth estate, it is the media’s role to serve as a watchdog of those in power.\n- This supports the fundamental purpose of the press to provide the people the information they need to be free and self-governing.\n
- This includes your administration and your student government association.\n At some universities (especially private ones), it can be difficult to keep watch over administrators.\n That doesn’t mean you shy away from it, but it does mean that you realize constraints.\n Watching student government is an essential function of the student media. \n Tips for reporting on student government.\n
- Every time the Student Government meets, you should have a reporter there.\n You are likely to get at least two stories from each of these meetings.\n One of them isn’t that there was a meeting. Although, you can advance and follow the meeting. Focus on what is happening or happened, not on the meeting itself.\n Tell the story about SGA stopping the meeting to go get ice cream and then stopping it again \n
- Understand open meetings/records acts in your state and how they apply to your administration and student government.\n If you don’t have a copy of this, some of them can be found online. Otherwise, contact your local SPJ chapter. They will help. \n
- It’s good not to let any reporter get stale in this position.\nI recommend changing it every semester.\nTell about semester we tried to change it every week and how that didn’t work.\nIt’s an important beat, so put your top editors or best writers here.\n
- Make these stories as interesting as possible.\nUse graphics and bullets.\nTell the reader through sources why it’s important for them to know.\nDon’t bog them down with jargon.\n Remember to focus on what your readers need and want. Don’t let senators set the tone for your paper.\n Also, not every story from this beat will be Page 1 scandal. Do the day-to-day (positive and negative). Remember calendar listings, briefs, etc.\n
- Maintain your independence as much as possible.\n Fund your pubs if possible. If not, have administration sign a form declaring editorial independence. If you don’t know how to do this, get SPLC to help.\n Don’t allow editors to participate in Senate. They can vote and attend universitywide events.\n Don’t date them or endorse them.\n Don’t drink with them!\n Members of your editorial board should not be on the student government.\n No staffer who covers student government should be on the governing body or sit in any meeting where such coverage is discussed.\n
- Tell about tweeting the bird and how mad they got.\n Don’t forget Facebook. Put smaller details there. \n Don’t get scooped by the rumor mill. \n Follow the online story with in-depth coverage in the print edition.\n\n
- Handouts\n\n
- Continue your reporting each time you publish until there is a resolution.\n Ask hard questions and get them answered. Don’t be afraid.\n Climb the chain when necessary. Everyone has a boss.\n Sometimes the story is what they’re not telling you.\n Don’t let stories die. Just because you couldn’t get a big story for this edition doesn’t mean it’s not worth getting. Keep after it. Great stories take time.\n Track changes. Don’t just report about what’s happening this year or this semester. Report about how it works in context.\n
- The student editor has to know the SGA’s laws better than they do. That’s the only way to know if they’re breaking them. \n Don’t forget to follow money and friends. \n And, of course, make a “friend” or two in the SGA of your own. AKA: get a mole if you can.\n
- Tell about drinking.\nWhatever you hold Senate accountable for you must also hold yourself accountable for.\nThis includes codes of conduct and grades.\n Focus on the same goal. Remember that the newspaper and the student government are not enemies. You’re allies working toward the same goal - a more informed and active student body and a great university.\n
- [twitter]Let’s connect! Check out my blog at www.profkrg.com and/or find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProfKRG [/twitter]\n[twitter] Watchin’ the Dogs covering student government session slides [/twitter]\n\n