How To COVER PUBLIC MEETINGS
So you're covering a public meeting and players that matter?
Maybe you're covering a school board meeting, city council election or town hall for the first time - here are some tips to help make the process easier.
Get in the Public Meeting Mindset: Research First, then show up IRL
Consume everything that’s publicly available. Hopefully a lot is already out there online: past agendas, meeting minutes, live streams of meetings, old news articles, TV or radio interviews, social media posts, government website bios of politicians and their photos, links to reports, bills, policy proposals
Show up in real life! There is no substitute for facetime. Shake hands, introduce yourself, get to know the players: who are the politicians? What are they doing? Who is advocating for or against the policies they’re discussing? Listen and watch the discussion. Ask lots of questions.
It's ok to feel like an outsider. You are!
Public meetings can often feel like a club of insiders who know a lot more than you do and have their own language. That’s okay. Don’t be intimidated!
Governments love acronyms, and meetings can be hard to follow sometimes. Maybe you don’t know what the heck MS4 stands for, and that’s all they’ve been talking about for the past hour. Don’t be afraid to lean over and ask someone. (note: it’s Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System, aka stormwater).
Be a translator: why does this even matter?
The whole reason you’re there is to be a translator and set of eyes and ears for the public. It’s your job as a journalist to explain what the government is doing and why all that stuff matters to people’s everyday lives.
Be patient. It will take time to learn the lingo, get to know the players, and what they’re doing, but you will be doing a public service by explaining things in a way that is relatable to everyday people. When you write your article, avoid using their jargon. Don’t call it MS4 in the headline—most people don’t know what that is! Use normal words, like “stormwater.” Explain why anyone should care.
Example: Federal rules are requiring local governments to do a better job managing pollution that can come from stormwater runoff during heavy rains. It means all property owners in town will soon have to start paying a new stormwater fee.
Find your sources. They are like gold
Who can help you navigate the confusing stuff that is going on? Your sources! Aside from the politicians themselves, there is likely a whole group of people who hang around the public meetings and pay a lot of attention to what’s happening. Get to know these people. They can include concerned citizens, grassroots groups, corporations and their lobbyists, rank-and-file government workers, nonprofit or advocacy groups that work on specific issues, and other politicians.
Begin by asking some of these people to have a conversation with you “on background” or “off the record.” This is a way to get to know them and hear their perspective without putting pressure on them to be quoted in a story.
On background vs. off the record
If you’re having a conversation with someone “on background” it means you can publish the information they are telling you in your story, but you will not quote them or attribute that information to them. Always fact-check it before you publish. Don’t just take their word.
If you are having a conversation with someone that is “off the record” it means everything you’re talking about is just between you and that person. You will not use or share that information with anyone, in any way, and you will certainly not publish that information or quote them.
If a source doesn’t understand the difference, explain it to them. Respect the confidentiality of all “off the record” conversations and work to earn the trust of your sources—sometimes they are taking a big risk to talk to a reporter! Do not share anything they said to you, even to your close friends and family.
These kinds of behind the scenes conversations are essential to journalists. Even though you are not getting a quote, and maybe you can’t even use the information in your story, you will hopefully gain a fuller picture of what is going on. You are an outsider and your sources are the insiders who can guide you. Sources can point you to important documents, tell you what is happening behind closed doors, and give you advice on who else you can talk to.
Sources are great, but….
Keep in mind they have their own motivations, points of view, and reasons for talking to a reporter. Even though you will work hard to develop trust with a good source, you do not work for them. You’re not here to advance their cause. Be careful not to conflate your interests as a journalist (serving the public) with their interests. For example, politicians or their staff members will often share “off the record” information with a reporter to damage a political rival. It’s your job to figure out—is that information true? Does it even matter to the public? Maybe yes, maybe no.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: In this time of responsible social distancing, reporting can continue, but in ways that protect student journalists, sources and society at large.
Face to face conversations outside your immediate circle should be replaced with virtual interviews. For decades news organizations have done “remotes” in separate locations with separate cameras. Think of all the YouTube and social media videos of people talking through screens. SRL team members are currently working on a one pager on how to produce remote interviews with FaceTime, Skype, Zoom or other virtual communication platforms. Stay tuned.
IF YOU DECIDE TO INTERVIEW SOMEONE IN PERSON, FOLLOW ALL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND COMMUNICATE YOUR PLANS WITH THE ADULTS IN YOUR LIFE.
Social distancing outside your immediate circle requires:
Filming outdoors
Maintaining 6 feet of separation at all times
Not shaking hands with sources
Sanitizing shared cameras, lavalier microphones
Visit SPLC for more on best practices for covering the coronavirus pandemic.