NEWSGATHER

ING
JERWIN C. RECITAS, LPT, MEd-LE
The secret of good
journalism is in
newsgathering. You may
be a very good fiction
writer, but if your facts are
all wrong, then you are not
a journalist---you are a
fiction writer.
The amount of data you will need to
write your story depends on the type
of news article you are planning to
write. If you are writing a straight
news story, then you must begin
newsgathering by getting the 5 Ws
(who, what, where, when, and why)
and H (how) from the witnesses of
the event. The more in-depth the
story, the more time should be spent
on gathering data. In fact, as a rule of
thumb, reporters collect more data
than they need for a story. This way,
they can be certain that they can
explain and expound well on the
idea, issue, or event.
The secret to finding a story is having what
journalists call a "nose for news", which is
the ability to recognize the news value of
an idea, event, or issue. A person is said to
have a nose for news when he/she can
recognize something that he/she sees or
hears as something that would interest a
lot of other people or is something that
people need to know about. For example,
if the mayor is seen talking to the principal
of the school, this can mean many things:
the mayor will sponsor a school event; he
is planning to give funds for a new
building, his daughter will be enrolling in
the school; or he is simply visiting all the
schools in his municipality.
A person is said to have a nose
for news when he/she has the
ability to recognize clues which
may be very casual but may
lead to the discovery of
important news. For example,
if a teacher is seen packing up
his things from his office and
loading these boxes of his
personal stuff in a car, it could
mean that he has been fired
from his job and will not be
returning.
Also, a person is said to have a
nose for news when he/she has
the ability to recognize the
connection or impact of some
other news on his/her own
coverage area, For example, after
a typhoon that hits a certain
province or municipality, a related
story could be the number of the
people in your school who come
from those places and who were
badly affected by it.
News Sources
A news source is traditionally defined
as a person, publication, or
document that contributes to the
information needed in reporting an
idea, issue, or event. But these
sources do not drop out of the sky
into the reporter's lap. Journalists
have to diligently seek them out.
News Sources
To ensure that all events are covered by a
newspaper, journalists are usually assigned to
news beats, which represent areas of coverage
wherein reporters are expected to gather news of
the day's events. The term is actually borrowed
from a US police terminology. In the early
nineteenth century, police patrols were given
"beats." or areas which the police officers had to
patrol to ensure the safety of that part of the
community.
 News Sources
Beats are part of the newspaper's
structure to ensure that all important
events are covered. Major beats are
identified as: police, city hall, the
Congress, justice, and Malacañang
(Office of the President). Other minor
beats include: education, agriculture,
environment, and health. On the
other hand, general-assignment
reporters are those who do not have
a specific beat but cover breaking
news stories assigned to them on a
daily basis by the paper's editors.
 News Sources
A beat reporter is expected to know
the persons who wield power and
influence in a specific area. For
example, a police beat reporter
should know the heads of the
Philippine National Police and the
various police precinct chiefs. A
justice beat reporter should know the
officials of the Department of Justice
and the justices of the Supreme
Court, while the city hall beat means
familiarity with the mayor and other
local government officials.
 News Sources
Knowing the names of your potential sources and
their responsibilities can save you from going on a
wild goose chase when going after a story. For
example, in doing a story on crime statistics in
Manila, the reporter can go directly to the
Western Police District headquarters, which is
responsible for the city of Manila, rather than
going to the Eastern Police District headquarters,
which is responsible for the Pasig City area.
Apart from high-ranking officials, news sources
can include the people who work under them.
These people, while they may not be direct
sources of news, can give the reporter tips or
valuable information that can lead to a news story.
Tips for effective beat
coverage
1. Get to know the organizational
structure of the government offices
under your beat. For example, if you are
assigned to the police beat, you should
know the organizational chart of the
Philippine National Police, the heads of
the various divisions, such as the
Criminal Investigation and Detection
Group and the Police Community
Relations.
Tips for effective beat
coverage
2. Make a courtesy call to the heads of
each division or department in your
beat, This is one way of familiarizing
yourself with your sources and getting
them to know vou.

3. Keep a little black book of your

sources' direct landlines and cell phone
numbers.
Tips for effective beat
coverage
4. Get to know the stakeholders in the private
sector or affiliated non-government
organizations. These can be sources for public
reactions on new policies and the like. They
can also be sources for hot issues in the beat.

5. Get to know your colleagues in the beat. In

certain situations, it is better to cover an
event as a group than to go and cover an
event by yourself.
Tips for effective beat
coverage
For a high school paper, beats could
actually correspond to sections of
the paper. For example, if the paper
has a science section, then there
could be a science beat, reporting
on the school's science fair. Other
beats could include school
administration, student affairs, and
sports.
Newsgathering
Methods
There are three basic methods of
newsgathering: observing, interviewing,
and researching.
• Observation
The best and primary method of
newsgathering is by observation.
Journalists are expected to be
eyewitnesses of the event, tasked with
recording that parcel of history.
Newsgathering
Methods
A journalist would have to be in Mendiola to
report about a rally being staged there. Apart
from observing the placards and banners of the
rallyists and listening to their chants, the
journalist can do on-the-spot interviews with the
rally's leaders and participants to gain a better
understanding of their cause. The reporter can
also observe and gather information regarding
the response of government or whatever entity
the rally is being directed against.
Newsgathering
Methods
In covering a sports event for a high
school paper, the reporter should
actually attend the intramurals in
order to be able to highlight the
interesting and/or unusual aspects
of the tournament instead of merely
reporting about who won the
games.
Newsgathering
Methods
• Interview
When doing a story on an issue
rather than an event, the best
newsgathering method is the
interview. Interviews provide a quick
source of expertise regarding ad
issue as well as provide insight into
an event. Interviews also add
prominence and/or color to a news
story or feature.
Newsgathering
Methods
However, the usefulness of an interview depends on
the ability of the journalist to ask questions and note
the respondent's answers. Failure on either point
means the failure of the interview in generating a
good story. A formal or one on-one interview is
always the best option because it allows both the
reporter and the source to delve into a specific topic
with more calm and greater reflection. It is also more
respectful than the ambush interview method, which
often means barging into a source's work or home
environment without prior warning.
Tips for effective
interviewing
• Before the interview
1. Even before setting up an interview,
the journalist should do some
background research on the issue or
topic of the story to determine: (a)
what has already been published, and
(b) who are the most knowledgeable
sources on the topic.
Tips for effective
interviewing
2. Once the sources have been
determined, set appointments. Ideally,
an appointment should be set at a time
when the source is not rushing for a
deadline or some other urgent business.
It is customary to give the source an idea
of what the interview will be about to
allow him to also prepare for it. However,
the journalist should try to avoid giving
the source a set of questions in advance.
Tips for effective
interviewing
3. A set of questions should be drafted
before going to the interview. Ideally,
these are open-ended questions to
allow the source to expound on the
topic. Closed questions, which are
answerable by yes or no, should be
avoided. For example, you are
interviewing the school principal on a
story on a new policy for school
uniforms she had recently announced.
• On the day of the interview
1. Dress appropriately. If you are
interviewing a school official, then
it is best to be dressed in your
school uniform, if you have one. If
not, dress a little better than you
would normally do for school. For
example, instead of wearing a
faded T-shirt, try to dress smart by
opting for a shirt with a collar.
Wear pants, not shorts or miniskirt.
Make sure you have a working
ballpoint pen, small notebook, and
a digital voice recorder.
2. Be on time. It is the first
impression you will make on
the source.
3. When you meet the source
for the first time, make sure to
introduce yourself properly
and state the purpose of your
interview before proceeding
with the interview. Always ask
the source's permission before
recording the conversation.
4. Before ending the
interview, ask for a moment
to review your notes. Check
your list of questions to
make sure you have not
forgotten to ask anything.
Also, check your notes for
points of clarification.
5. Listen carefully to what the
source says and look out for
nonverbal cues. This will help
you determine if you need to
make a follow-up question that
is not in your original list. Do
not be overly dependent on
your recorder. If for some
reason technology fails you,
you should have enough notes
to be able to write your story.
6. Even if the source is dull,
try to look interested in
what he/she is saying. A
source may become
unwilling to answer your
questions if you look bored
or in a hurry (e.g., you keep
checking your watch or
looking at your cell phone).
7. Do not antagonize the source. Always ask questions courteously
and never argue with the source even if you disagree with his/her
opinion. Remember that you are there to get his/her side of the
issue and not debate with him/her.
However, you may try to get his/her reaction to
counterarguments. Going back to the school uniform example, the
reporter can ask, "What can you say about the negative reaction
of some parents as regards the new policy?"
Instead of a question, you can also see how the source will react
to a statement. For example, say, "Some people say that changing
the uniform will be an additional burden to parents with younger
children, since they will no longer be able to pass the elder child's
uniform to his younger siblings.
8. If the source cites a
document, such as a statistical
study or a policy paper, request
for a copy of the document.

9. End the interview by asking

for the person's direct
landline/cell phone and
permission to-call in case you
have additional questions.
Make sure to thank the source
for the time he/she has allotted
to see you.
• After the interview
1. Try to transcribe the interview
on the same day so that it is still
fresh in your memory.
2. Ideally, the story is also
written on the same day or at
least a few days after so that the
interview would also be fresh in
the source's memory and
he/she would be more willing to
entertain your call should you
have further questions.
• Most stories are better written if they do not
depend on a single interview. A balanced story
tries to get both sides of the story, for instance,
those who support a proposal and those who are
against it. However, the reporter should keep in
mind that he/she is after the truth. So, if he/she
realizes that one side is citing false claims to
support their argument, then this should also be
"uncovered" in the story.
• Journalists usually resort to
ambush interviews when a
source is elusive
• Journalists often do a stakeout of
the source in his/her office or
home to get a quote or two, since
no appointment could be made
and the interview is essential to
the story. Ambush interviews are
also common in particular beats
in order to meet daily deadlines.
Oftentimes, cabinet secretaries
are rarely able to predict their
availability for a sit-down, one-
on-one interview.
• However, a journalist should be able to zero in on
important questions since sources will rarely take
the time to go into a lengthy discussion on the
issues being asked during an ambush.
• Similarly, phone and e-mail interviews should
ideally be limited to follow-up questions. A
journalist can never be certain of the veracity of
information from this type of interview because of
the absence of nonverbal cues. In an e-mail
interview, we are not even sure if it is the person
him-/herself who answered the e-mail or his/her
staff.
• Nonetheless, phone and e-mail interviews are
useful if the journalist is merely looking for
background information, taking an informal survey
regarding an issue, or seeking additional opinions
for a story.
Research
• Documents as Source
Documents, with or without an interview to accompany it, can be news
source Many documents are available to the public and are easily
accessible. For example: Supreme Court decisions are released by the
high court's Public Information Office and this will give a reporter
his/her story for the day. Business stories can also be written from the
quarterly release of the National Income Accounts from the National
Statistics Office.
Basic documents in the police beat could range from a copy of the
blotter entry to the investigator's report on the crime.
In school, a policy statement or copy
of a memorandum to faculty or
students can be the source of news.
The annual report of the school
administration, especially for private
schools, is also a possible source for
news.
While the document can stand on its
own, it is always better to get an
expert source to comment on it. In
this way, we do not run the danger
of misinterpreting the document and
also, we can put greater context to
the data obtained.
An eyewitness or an expert
viewpoint can always help us
understand the data better.
Moreover, it is also not possible to
record every detail of an event.
Even something as important as
the Gospel, we have St. John
admitting, "But there are also many
other things which Jesus did which,
if they were written every one, the
world itself, I think, would not be
able to contain the books that
should be written." John 21:25
• Anonymous Sources
Many news articles rely on the so-called
anonymous source, or a source who is not
named but tagged as a "source who requested
anonymity" or "an unnamed source, "or a
"government source."

As much as possible, the journalist should

strive to look for sources who can be named
and quoted. The problem with anonymous
sources is that they lack credibility What
assurance does the reader have that the
source is a true person and not the figment of
the writer's imagination?
Anonymous sources should only be
used when the revelation of the
source's identity could mean a
threat to his/her well-being,
ranging from the loss of a job to the
loss of his/her life. Speaking off the
record implies that the source is
willing to share the information to
give the journalist a lead as to what
is happening. If the source asks the
journalist to keep everything
he/she says off the record, it means
that the journalist cannot use this
information in his/her story but
must seek other more official
sources.
The journalist should also realize
the gravity of agreeing to
protect the identity of his/her
source. Once promised, the
journalist should be ready to go
to the extreme situation of
spending time in jail for refusing
to reveal the source's identity
when summoned to reveal it by
a court order.
• Internet Sourcing
In this day and age, the
first place anyone goes for
information is the Internet.
It has become a global
source of information from
the weather to medical
diagnosis to every
student's homework
Unfortunately, not everything on
the Internet is factual. Keep in
mind that the low cost of
publication on the World Wide
Web has brought about a large
number of dubious websites that
appear to be informative but are
really just falsehood or, worse,
malicious pranks. So as not to get
duped, efforts should be made to
ensure that the information you
have accessed from the Internet
is legitimate data.
To assess the credibility of the Internet source, here are
some things anyone researching on the Internet should look
out for:
• 1. Authorship - For ideas and issues, check if the author is
an academic, an expert in the field, or just a random
blogger. For events, check if the author is the organizer, an
eyewitness, or a a random storyteller.
• 2. Publisher - Who published the material? Was it a news
site, an online academic journal, a nongovernmental
organization, a personal blog? Checking the "About Us"
page will also help you assess the credibility of the
The domain of the site can also help identify its publisher, For example, the
library of the University of the Philippines (UP) is <http:// ilib.upd.edu.ph/s,
the domain "edu" immediately tells you that the site is indeed an
educational institution, the address "ilib.upd" tells you that this is the
Internet Library of UP Diliman.

In any case, a basic knowledge of domains is always useful. What do

domains mean?
• edu = educational institution
• .com, biz, and net = commercial site
• gov = government institution or agency
• .org = nonprofit organization
• Philippine government offices always have the "gov.ph" domain.
Another way of checking a website is by
visiting the website called Who Is Hosting
This, at
<http://www.whoishostingthis.com/>. If
the website claims to be in the Philippines
but is hosted by an unknown company in
California, then you need to double-check
the authenticity of the site.
• 3. Date - Is the website current? Is the date of
publication indicated? If this is not identifiable,
the information may be false or, at best,
outdated.
• 4. Writing style - Is the writing style journalistic
or academic? Is it written in good Filipino or
English? Bad grammar is almost always an
indicator of a non-credible website.
• 5. Tone - What is the tone of the website's language? For example, the
site US Press News looks very much like an authentic news site, but the
sarcastic or witty tone of the articles should give the viewer a clear signal
that it is not to be believed.
• 6. Viewpoint - Is there any sort of bias evident in the website? Is the
online article published in a well-known publication or organization or is it
on an e-zine (i.e., an online magazine) from an unknown source? If the
article is published in an online version of a well-known publication, then
one can judge the article's credibility based on the reputation of that
organization or publication. Web sites are created for a reason. Most Web
sites are upfront about their raison d’être (reason/justification for
existence) and the Web researcher should keep this in mind when using
information from these sites.
ACTIVITY

• Form a group of four members. Each group

competes to be the first to procure the
following data. You will be given a maximum
of 30 minutes, after that everyone comes
back to the classroom for a plenary session,
whether finished or not.
ACTIVITY

• A list of the college faculty members

teaching PE subjects during Saturday.
• Names and courses of the officers of central
student council
• The agency of the school’s security guards
• Names of HCC Board of Directors
ACTIVITY
• Points of Discussion
1. What strategies did your group adopt to
obtain the information?
2. What made you decide to go to those
particular sources to obtain that
information
3. How did you feel about the time limit?
ACTIVITY

• Practice Interviewing. Find a partner from

the opposite end of your classroom; write a
personal profile about each other. The
profile should be written based on an
interview with your partner and his/her
school friends.