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Your Final Beat Memo
List important
sources contacted during the semester and their areas of expertise. Give specific
advice on contacting and handling the most important of these sources. In other
words, provide tips on the best way to work your top sources. Which sources
were the most valuable to you, balancing accessibility and cooperation with depth
of expertise? With whom would you advise anyone following you on this beat to
start?
List any
secondary sources that proved particularly valuable during the semester. In
other words, who were your “paper men” and what did they provide that enabled
you to use your reporting time more efficiently?
Assume this memo
will be passed on to a reporter who succeeds you on this beat. List stories
that you would encourage them to pursue that you did not have time to explore.
Mark each story one-star, two-star or three-star. In each case, include the
rationale – remember our news values – for pursuing each story.
In general, what
did you learn about working a beat during this semester?
Here's a link to a final beat memo from Toan Lam many years ago.
And here's a link to On the Media's interview with Jorge Ramos, sometimes called the leading Hispanic TV journalist in the U.S. What he says about how a news source should bring value to its particular viewers is useful.
Here's a link to a final beat memo from Toan Lam many years ago.
And here's a link to On the Media's interview with Jorge Ramos, sometimes called the leading Hispanic TV journalist in the U.S. What he says about how a news source should bring value to its particular viewers is useful.
