Byline policy for CAR reporter
This policy was modeled heavily on one used by Rob Gebeloff of the Newark Star-Ledger. It’s a good place for newsrooms to start the conversation about the work of their data people.
This policy spells out when and how to give credit to the research reporter when he helps you with your daily and long-term stories:
- The research reporter is available every day for assistance, large and small, on daily, breaking and enterprise stories. The reporter is here to help locate data. When another reporter or editor asks the research reporter to look up a quick fact here or there (such as a basic Census figure), no credit is necessary. It’s part of the job.
- Many times, the quick fact search turns into an analysis of data. When this analysis produces “proprietary information” that supports a story, the research reporter should receive a tagline on the story. For example, a reporter wants a complete breakdown of Census data for a particular neighborhood—a task that would require the reporter to assemble the data piecemeal—this would create proprietary information unique to our newsgathering. If this information is even just a few paragraphs of the story, the tagline is appropriate.
- If the research reporter does a significant analysis of data that creates proprietary information that becomes the thesis of a story, he or she will receive a byline. Even if the research reporter does not write another word in the published piece, his or her reporting forms the basis of a story and thus warrants a byline. For example, the research reporter analyzes a new set of data released by a government agency and finds that homeowners in suburban Passaic County are scooping up flood insurance hand over fist. The reporter assembles the analyzed data and passes it on to our Middle Class Struggle reporter who finds additional sources for quotes and writes the story. The nut graf of the story should say “a Herald News analysis of TK data has found…” and the research reporter shares the byline with the other reporter.
- Herald News, July, 2006
