Four Keys to Recognizing a Good Reporter

Being a journalist does not require a specialized degree, although some reporters are j-school grads. Reporting is a trade that, to a large degree, can be taught through on-the-job training. In fact, if a new reporter is lucky enough to be mentored by an experienced journalist, that new reporter will get an invaluable real-world education. Sadly, this era of media consolidation has seen many of the most experienced journalists put out to pasture, simply because they are the biggest expenses on their corporate masters' budget sheets. The net result? There's a lot of new reporters out there, often looking like deer trapped in headlights, given bylines and put on the air before they've mastered the basic mechanics of their trade.

There's also an element of journalism that can't be taught: Some people instinctly can smell a story. They're the ones who always seem to be at the right place at the right time to produce a story no one else has, or they find a story angle everyone else has missed. As you might imagine, this type of reporter is few and far between.

So how can you tell which reporters are the good ones? The kind that make you sleep easier at night, knowing your country's fundamental precepts are in good hands? And who are the ones who are screwing everything up?

Here's some telltale signs:

Attention to Detail. A good reporter doesn't take anything for granted. Expect the spelling of your name and title to be verified, especially if it's a reporter who's new to you. Titles do change, and so do companies' names, now that we feel the need to rebrand everything we touch. Women's names change, too. If it's been awhile since the same reporter has called you, he or she should reconfirm this basic information with you. Expect other basic facts (places, people, dates, numbers) to be confirmed as well. Such an attention to detail tells you the reporter is committed to providing accurate information.