The Daily Routine
This policy is a good place to start for reporters new to daily journalism. This holds especially true for municipal and government reporters:
1) Evening before: talk to assignment editor live or by phone to make sure we’re on the same page and make game plan about next day’s assignment and schedule. File photo requests.
2) Arrive 10 a.m. Check Voicemails. Open e-mail. Call for evening meeting agendas. Read newspaper.
3) If scheduled in weekbook, go to beat first. Or spend first 30 minutes calling beat sources to develop source list and find stories. But if you go to beat first, call in before 11:15 to check in with editor.
4) By 11 a.m., check daily budget. Make sure budget line and weekbook match. If skeleton budget line, send full budget line. Make sure of deadline on daily budget.
5) Plan time to complete and file dailies by deadline. If your are doing overnight story, spend 5-10 minutes rereading notes. Underline lede subject, best quotes, issues you will report. Make calls to fill holes or check facts. Spend 10 minutes prewriting/outlining.Write top. Then take a short break.
6) If story is not an overnight, plan, make round of calls, spend 5 to 10 minutes in story conference with editor.
7) Complete live assignment reporting. Either call from field to check in with assignment editor or talk to assignment editor as soon as you get back
8 ) On Dailies, depending on whether live event, write top before 2:30 meeting. Five minute story conference with editor who reads top.
9) Overnight deadlines 2 p.m. Daily deadline 4 p.m.
10) Edit and Rewrite time.
11) After deadline, go over agenda for night meetings with editor for story selection.
12) After deadline, update weekbook. 10 minutes. Enter new stories and add story ideas/tips. Don’t keep lower list
13) Take dinner break/rest before night meetings.
14) Arrive early for meetings. 10-15 minute Schmooze.
additionally:
A) write list of all officials on boards/councils that you cover in your towns. Check the ones you know now, and find a way to meet the others. Work on your beat map.
- Jonathan Maslow, Herald News, March 2005