The Benefits of a Reporting Calendar
Journalists face a barrage of stories spanning extreme climate events, armed conflicts, major elections, and countless other urgent matters. Despite their adept management skills, they often struggle to keep pace with the relentless demand for coverage.
As significant events unfold in real-time, reporters find themselves in a perpetual cycle of playing catch-up. Thankfully, there are some ways journalists can utilize their organizational skills to take a proactive approach in selecting the stories they cover, starting with a reporting calendar.
Here are some tips and tricks.
Searching For Forthcoming Data Releases and Adding Them to the Calendar
Various sources provide forthcoming data release schedules. Consider the UK’s Office for National Statistics, whith offers UK government statistics on gov.uk, and NHS England’s 12 months statistics calendar. In the United States, there are a host of different organizations that allow journalists to explore census data from from the Decennial Census, American Community Survey, Economic Census, Equal Employment Opportunity surveys and more. Federal data sources can also be accessed via data.gov, though these of course aren’t the only places where data is readily available.
Deciding on the timeline would be the next step to take, whether the journalist is populating the calendar for the next two months, six months, or another period. Once that is determined, a journalist should next add all potential data releases from a given organization to the calendar, setting a low threshold for inclusion since the newsworthiness of a release may not be immediately apparent.
Beyond data releases, it may benefit journalists to include some of the numerous national and international themed days, weeks, and months which offer convenient hooks for data-driven stories. For example, World Press Freedom Day provides the opportunity to publish a data-driven article such as “How many journalists died last year?” and Equal Pay Day offers a chance to conduct an analysis like “What is the gender pay gap in your area?”
Sourcing Contacts
Once journalists have pinpointed significant dates for their reporting, they should commence sourcing contacts. Websites dedicated to U.N.-designated dates serve as valuable resources, often furnishing official documents that can jumpstart investigative endeavors. Supplementing these with platforms like Google Scholar and reputable reports from credible institutions can improve journalistic pursuits, as suggested by Community Manager Paul Adepoju.
Additionally, Adepoju recommends incorporating global conferences and conventions into journalists' calendars. For instance, the upcoming 9th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals, hosted by the U.N. in May, presents a noteworthy opportunity. Moreover, the prevalence of live streaming for many major events today gives reporters enhanced accessibility, facilitating deeper coverage.
Gathering Input and Assistance
Another step in putting together a reporting calendar involves soliciting feedback and seeking support from various sources. Journalists should not hesitate to reach out for assistance or guidance from your editors, mentors, colleagues, or subject matter experts. It benefits them to seek constructive criticism and welcome suggestions for enhancing both their work and calendar management skills.
Additionally, it is worthwhile to actively network and collaborate with fellow journalists, particularly those who share their niche, beat, or interests. They may consider joining or establishing communities of practice where they can engage in the exchange of ideas, resources, and opportunities with like-minded professionals. The ability to adapt, innovate, and collaborate is of significant importance.
By embracing these strategies and continually refining their approach, journalists can navigate the challenges faced in modern journalism with the overwhelming number of stories demanding coverage. They can use a calendar to put order to that chaos and remain at the forefront of delivering timely, insightful, and impactful stories to their audiences.
