Civic Reporting: Journalism for a New America


A workshop for radio, television and newspaper journalists. Sponsored by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation and the Pew Center for Civic Journalism.

Civic Reporting: Journalism for a New America

June 1-3, 2001
The Omni Severin Hotel, Indianapolis

Journalists around the country are increasingly turning to civic journalism to find better stories and report them in ways that re-establish a bond with readers, viewers and listeners. Come hear how to: 

  • Tackle tough issues.
  • Discover new local stories.
  • Interact with readers and viewers in new ways.
  • Use the web to improve reporting. 

The Pew Center and RTNDF will cover the cost of a hotel room for the nights of June 1 and 2, as well as most meals and all workshop supplies. 

Participants are responsible for covering transportation costs. 

Registration Fee: $50 ($40 for RTNDA members)

For more information, contact:

Pew Center for Civic Journalism
Phone: 202-331-3200
Fax: 202-347-6440
E-mail: news@pccj.org

Avni Patel, RTNDF
Phone: 202-467-5215
Fax: 202-223-4007
E-mail: avnip@rtndf.org

Tentative Agenda

Friday, June 1, 2001

6:00 p.m. Reception 

7:00 p.m. Dinner and Introductions 

Paul Irvin, Community Journalism Project Director, RTNDF
Jan Schaffer, Executive Director, Pew Center

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Mike Oreskes, AME and Director of Electronic News, The New York Times

Saturday, June 2, 2001

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:15 a.m. Local Reporting: A Roadmap for the Future 

Jan Schaffer, Pew Center 
Paul Irvin, RTNDF

9:15 – 10:45 a.m. Innovative Reporting – Better Journalism 

Computer Kiosks, Rob Chaney, Local Gov’t Reporter, The Missoulian
Speakers Boxes, KCTV-5, Kansas City
School Bus Safety Campaign, Greg Vandegrift, Reporter, KARE TV, Minneapolis

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break

11:00 – 12:15 p.m. Finding Better Stories: Tackling Tough Issues 

Teen Issues, Statewide Alcohol Abuse, Barbara Walsh, Reporter, Portland (ME) Press Herald
Standards of Learning tests, Len Witt, Executive Director, Minnesota Public Radio
Corn or Concrete, Griff Potter, News Director, WQAD-TV 

12:45 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch

KEYNOTER: Paul Overberg, USA TODAY Database Editor
“Stories Behind the Census”

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. Web Journalism: New Community Connections 

Databases, Len LaCara, Managing Editor, The Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, WV 
Convergence, Elissa Marra, New Media Editor, Democrat and Chronicle Online, Rochester, NY
Mapping Software, Mark Briggs, New Media Editor, The Herald, Everett, WA

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Break

3:00 – 4:15 p.m. The Role of Ethnic Media in Community Journalism 

Webcams, Emilio Nicholas, Jr., VP and General Manager, KVDA-TV (Telemundo), San Antonio
New California Media, Sandy Close, Executive Director, Pacific News Service

Launching A Hispanic WeeklyAlan White, Senior Managing Editor, The Eagle-Tribune, Lawrence, MA

4:15 – 5:00 p.m. Media Convergence Exercise

Sunday, June 3

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. News Partnerships

The Indianapolis Star and WTHR
Andrea Neal, Editorial Page Editor, The Indianapolis Star
Jon Schwantes, Associate Editor and Director of News Partnerships, The Indianapolis Star
Lis Daily, Community Affairs Director, WTHR-TV, Indianapolis

9:00 – 9:30 a.m. A Civic Mapping Primer: Building Newsroom Reflexes 

Jan Schaffer, Pew Center – An overview

9:30 – 10:45 a.m. Finding Better Stories Through Mapping 

Civic Mapping, Kamrhan Farwell, Asst. Metro Editor, The Press Enterprise, Riverside, CA
Fault Lines Mapping, Mark Trahant, Chairman and CEO, The Maynard Institute 
Civic Mapping, Mark Douglas, Reporter, WFLA-TV, Tampa

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break

11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Taking It Back to the Newsroom 

Paul Irvin, RTNDF
Jan Schaffer, Pew Center 

11:30 – Noon Feedback Session

Noon Adjourn