Book Review/Heather Seggel

Making the News

State, national and international news are critical to how we see the world; however, none of them will help you avoid food poisoning next time you eat out. Sometimes it’s the local reporter keeping an eye on health code violations who makes the critical difference. Author Lisa Loving has worked as a stringer for the New York Times and a staffer at KBOO Community Radio, but also spent a decade as news editor of The Scanner, an African American family-owned paper serving Portland and Seattle. She shares her experience in “Street Journalist: Understand and Report the News in Your Community” (Microcosm Publishing). It’s inspiring and encouraging, but wisely tempers the urge to publish with a call for ethics and thorough fact checking.

Loving begins each chapter with an overview outlining what you’ll learn, whether it’s how to fact check, find sources, or protect your emotional health while doing what can be very draining work. Clear, concise explanations make topics easy to follow, and there are exercises to get aspiring reporters thinking through the logistics of a podcast, blog, or newspaper story. There’s a timely discussion of how stories can deviate from the truth, from blatant falsehoods to bias that influences coverage. And there are repeated reminders to work ethically. If you’re personally invested in the story, it’s not yours to report; pass it along to a peer and see what their research reveals.

As someone who once worked for a handful of small local newspapers with no journalism background to speak of, this book would have been a godsend to me, and not just for learning how to craft a good story. I never went into writing with the dream of getting a scoop or becoming famous, but it was still a surprise to discover how tedious much of the work can be. Researching county records, pawing through lists, interviewing and then transcribing: So glamorous! But that’s often where the stories are lurking; remember all that nerdy cross-checking of names that was the crux of the movie “Spotlight”? All true.

It’s possible to report on a community you’re not a member of — Loving is white and was news editor of a paper that served a primarily black community—but forming alliances with community members is critical in that case, and good practice no matter what your area of interest is. Best to have knowledgeable people in your corner who can check your bias for you and ensure the accuracy of your reporting. Forging relationships and building trust take time, so if you’ve started to muse about your future area of expertise, seek out existing groups who may share your concerns while you forage for information.

With advice for those hoping to film news on their phones, would-be podcasters, tell-all bloggers, and old fashioned ink-stained wretches, “Street Journalism” would be a valuable addition to high school and college classes. One of my favorite things about the exercises is the way they encourage you to develop a style and voice before you begin reporting. Loving has lots to say about conducting interviews (including the oft-repeated advice to bring extra batteries and, if possible, a backup recorder when you head out), and the exercises include writing three quirky, attention-grabbing questions for an interview subject, along with three more normal, informational questions. Going into the interview with the ability to be freewheeling or focused as the situation demands helps to ensure a good outcome.

You may be angling for a Pulitzer, or just eager to unearth what goes on at those endless city council meetings. “Street Journalism” will help you clarify your goals, choose the medium best suited to your story, equip yourself well and get your story out. It will also make you a smarter, more critical thinker when you read, listen to, or watch the news. There are plenty of ways to get a story wrong; this straightforward guide will help you sidestep those traps and work with integrity.

Heather Seggel is a writer living in Northern California. Email heatherlseggel@gmail.com.

From The Progressive Populist, September 1, 2019

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