Reporting for Journalists

Chris Frost is senior lecturer in journalism at the University of Central Lancashire. A journalist and a teacher for almost thirty years, he chairs the National Union of Journalist's ethics council. He is the author of Media Ethics and Self Regulation

1. Introduction 2. The Role of the Reporter - Reporting in different media; News: what it is and how to identify it; Specialist reporting 3. Finding a Story - Market considerations; Diary stories; Off diary stories; Calls; Ethical considerations; More than words 4. Researching the Story - Contacts book; Computer assisted reporting; Using the internet; Figures as facts; Professional practice 5. Office Procedures - Office diaries; Story support material 6. On the Road - Looking good; Out and about; Personal safety and security 7. Making Contact - Building trust; Cultural expectations and problems; Ethics; Security 8. Inside the Door - Taking notes; The news theatres; Making promises 9. Interviewing - What the public expects; Types of interview; Your approach to the interview; Asking questions; Ethical matters 10. Broadcasting - Planning the story; Thinking on the move; Telling the story; Story treatment; The broadcast interview; Some broadcast do's and don'ts; Getting the story back 11. Filling the Story - Dealing with the office; Avoiding disaster 12. What Next? - What is creative thinking?; Following up a story 13. And Finally - Organisations with codes of practice; Glossary; Further reading; Bibliography; Internet sites of interest