‘America’s Best Newspaper Reporting:’ baby you’re so classic

By Courtney Campbell

There’s a lot that we can learn from the past. More importantly we can find great writing there. The 20th century is filled with inspiring and influential stories with style that can be incorporated into a journalist’s writing nowadays. In the times of social issues and civil rights, these stories made a difference in communities by informing the general public and revealing injustices.

These are the kinds of stories that would have won the American Society of Newspaper Editor recognition.

Chapter nine of America’s Best Newspaper Writing pays honor to ten classic pieces of reporting. These stories range from the funeral train of a dead president to mass media propaganda to racism in the Deep South. They all have something in common: the writer’s to skillfully craft a story, hold the audience’s attention and do it under a deadline.

Harold A. Littledale “Prisoners With Midnight in Their Hearts” Jan. 12, 1917

During 1917, the conditions of state prisons were horrible. Writing for the New York Evening Post, Littledale combines a brief editorial introduction with hard evidence that lead to New Jersey to begin to reform their prisons. As the United States continues to deal with crime by adding more and more prisoner, its a story journalists can look to for inspiration for their own investigative reporting.

Littledale incorporates repetition throughout this piece to drive his the story along. He begins by repeating the word “bad” — “It’s bad in its structure, bad in its influence, and bad in it’s management” — to emphasize how all around horrible the New Jersey State Prison at Trenton is. He does this again by repeating “It is a fact” in a long list  of sentences of what the prison is and, more importantly, not doing and how it is costly to the taxpayer. This investigation lays out the facts in an easy way for readers to understand and want to do something.

William Allen White “Mary White” May 17, 1921

White began his career as a Republican politician after an argument ignited a flame that lead him to write the editorial “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” This story lead to his fame, and although unsuccessful in office, he became a profound writer. He is best known for his personal obituary column of about the his 16-year-old daughter Mary, who died in a horsing accident in The Emporia (Kan.) Gazette. 

This story clearly came from the heart and although objectivity is key in journalism, the piece connects to anyone that has loved their child. He describes the report of her death, something that was difficult, but then defends her love of riding and contributions to society. At first a simple list of her life, it grows to a deeper personal account of her. “But the soul of her, the glowing, gorgeous, fervent should of her, surely was flaming in eager joy upon some other dawn.”

Lorena A. Hickok “Iowa Village Waits All Night for Glimpse at Fleeting Train” Aug. 7, 1923

Originally, Hickok only wrote human interest and society news stories, as that was what women were allowed to write. However, she proved her worth with the city beat and was assigned to political and sport stories at the Minneapolis Tribune. Stationed in the tiny Iowa village of Honey Creek, Hickok waited with citizens to get a peak of the train that was carrying the dead body of President Warren G. Harding and framed the village and the looming future of the Depression.

Hickok begins not with the death of the president himself, but focuses rather on the excitement of town first. This paints the image of America and the respects they repay for their leader. Although the president was the driving piece of the story, she chooses to describe chatter and follows a chronological structure to explain the days events to visualize the excitement. “Red tail light half a mile down the track — ‘Well, it was worth is, wasn’t it?’ ‘It was.'”

Richard Wright “Joe Louis Uncovers Dynamite” Oct. 8, 1935

Wright was one of the few journalists of his time to focus on race in America. What he had to say was controversial and could not appear in mainstream media, so it was published in New Masses, a communist publication. In his story about a boxing match between black Joe Louis and white Max Baer, he focuses on Louis and the crowd, going beyond a simple event to the more complex issue of racism.

The lede brings the audience into the boxing match with playful dialogue. “WUN – TUH – THREEE – FOOO – FIIVE -SEEX – SEVEN – EIGHT – NIINE – THUNN!” Although he starts with the match, Wright focuses on those that attended and contrasting the blacks and whites that attended. By repeating “something” at the start of different sentences he describes how something has changed in each, causing fear and a riot. He shows how Louis not only won a match, but gave his people a taste of freedom.

Dorothy Thomas “Mr. Welles and Mass Delusion” Nov. 2, 1938

Inspired by the radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds, Thomas comments on media and mass delusion. She calls the broadcast “the story of the century” and connects it to the current century, which is filled with a brew of media, politics and celebrities. Published in the New York Herald Tribune in her column “On the Record,” her essay developed the journalists role as a media critic.

Thomas explains how the broadcast brought fear to the public, and how silly and ignorant those people are. She repeats “They have” in the start of a group of sentences to emphasize what Orson Welles did to his audience and how it reflects on America, how people will believe anything the media puts out there. Welles himself did not expect this. Thomas concludes by listing what she has learned from this incident and how scared the public has become.

Ernie Pyle “The Death of Captain Henry Waskow” Jan. 10, 1944

Pyle became a war veteran himself, writing dispatches about common, everyday soldiers during the post-Vietnam era. He became loved by the soldiers he wrote about and died with them on the battlefield himself while reporting. The connection that he made with the soldiers is shown in his story of Capt. Henry T. Waskow in Scripps Howard Newspaper Alliance, showing how truly beloved this captain was.

Throughout the story he uses “I” and “we,” which connects both himself and the audience to the captain, emphasizing his importance. Pyle walks the readers through the funeral with captivating detail and how real and terrifying uncovering a dead soldier is. “You feel small in the presence of dead men, and you don’t ask silly questions.” He revealed a side that many people don’t think about and how real and scary the life of a soldier is.

Marvel Cooke “From ‘The Brox Slave Market'” 1950

Under the influence of W.E.B. DuBois, she got a taste of writing skills and activism. In order to get this his story, Cooke had intense investigation that required her to go undercover and experience looking for domestic labor. As the only black person and only woman on staff for The Daily Compass, she performed degrading work, but got her story and described her experience in graphic detail for a five-part series.

Cooke’s story flows like a narrative as she gives her personal account. She discusses not only the discrimination that she experiences, but displays how it started getting to her and how embedded she was in her role. “Suddenly I was angry — angry at this slave boss — angry for all workers everywhere who are treated like a commodity.” Although she gets adjusted to her role, she still is aware how terrible it is and compares it to a slave trade. This kind of undercover work that a true story.

Red Smith “Miracle of Coogan’s Bluff” Oct. 4, 1951

To report on a monumental sports event the journalist must perform as well as the players. Smith did this for the New York Herald Tribune when the New York Giants defeated the the Brooklyn Dodgers in a playoff game. He was also able to do this on a tight deadline while explaining the uproar and the fan base from a in depth experience.

The story begins at the end of the game, focusing on the drunken riots of fans, rushing on to the field and being pulled away by the cops. Although not the action of the game, it still draws in the reader. The rest of the story is told from the last pitch, the winning moment, what the audience was waiting to read. It’s complete with descriptive action writing that allows the reader to experience the play. “Then he started jumping straight up in the air, again and again. Then he trotted around the bases, taking his time.”

Myer Berger “About New York” Jan. 23, 1959

Berger was known as one of the best writers for the best newspaper — The New York Times. Serving as a war correspondent in Europe and North Africa, he got in on great narratives that recounted devastating events. When he returned home, he got out into the streets to find his story and once found and poor, old blind man who was once a great musician before he died himself.

The story itself flows like a piece of music. It crescendos and is filled with description that allows the audience to visualize the man as a song would. Although the man is old and has forgotten a few things, Berger makes sure he gets his facts right by doing some digging himself. “He said he was Laurence Stroetz, born in Fifth Street between Avenues A and B on Aug. 10, 1877, when the lower East Side was mainly German.”

Gene Patterson “A Flower for the Graves” Sep. 16, 1963

Patterson worked during the civil rights era and produced a daily column for The Atlanta Constitution, persuading other white Southerners to reject their racist past. After dynamite exploded in a Baptist Church in Birmingham and killed four black children, he responded to the public outrage. His column depicts a firsthand account of what happened and what needs to be changed.

He begins the story with an image of a mother holding a dead child’s shoe, which he then connects to the whole community stating that they all hold that shoe and are to blame. This is a bold, but accurate statement. Patterson begins with “We” for several short paragraphs, emphasizing that the entire community needs to come together and take responsibility for what has happened. The column is a call to action and reminds the white members of the community that they know better.

Here is other examples of classic journalism:

H. L. Mencken “Darrow’s Eloquent Appeal Wasted” July 14, 1925

In following the Scopes Monkey Trial, Mencken reports each day getting coverage of both evolutionists and creationists. Although there is little direct quotes, he includes grave detail of the events that occurred in the courtroom. He drives the story along, leaving each day a cliff hanger, just as those in the courtroom feel.

Albert L. Delugach and Denny Wals “From St. Lewis (Missouri) 1968 

These two journalists provide great coverage of abuse of power within the St. Louis Steamfitters Union, Local 562. They break down the information into sections, so that readers can see a murder and how it is connected to this company. The story is straight to the point, making it easy for the audience to understand.

‘America’s Best Newspaper Reporting’: working the the business of journalism

By: Courtney Campbell

Consumers love their products, which is why business reporting can be so beneficial. Readers can view what stocks are good, bad and ugly and make educated decisions from this knowledge. However, the business lingo can be difficult to understand, so it is up to the reporter to educate themself and regurgitate the information in a way so the reader can understand.

Although many journalists stay clear of math and fear numbers and prefer the writing craft, this information is most key to a business report. This type of information does not always have to be bland. By combining complex information with fun description or a narrative, the reader will hold their attention.

Graphic by Courtney Campbell

The journalists featured in chapter five of America’s Best Newspaper Writing have perfected the craft of explaining business in simplistic terms for the audience. They have successfully become experts on topics that they would not have ordinarily known, educating the reader and themselves.

William E. Blundell “The Life of a Cowboy: Drudgery and Danger”

Blundell’s advice has made it way into his standardized textbook The Art and Craft of Feature Writing. His formula for the perfect piece deals with six categories: the history, the scope, the central reasons of what is going on, the impacts, the gathering and actions of contrary forces and finally the future. Looking into present day cowboys for the Wall Street Journal, he provides an in-depth report on the few real ones left in all the hype.

Using intense narrative and description, Blundell immediately grabs the readers attention. “Animal blood, dust and blowing, the calf is dehorned with a coring tool, branded in an acrid cloud of smoke from burning hair and flesh…” From there, he goes into the life of real-life cowboy, Jim Miller. This then contrasts to the hokey life of a entertainment cowboy, complete with sparkly pants and snakeskin boots.

Miller himself is almost ashamed to be a cowboy with the hype associated with it. Using a “nut graph,” a paragraph or sentence that summaries the story, Blunder drives the point home. “There are very few of these men left. ‘Most of the real cowboys I know,’ says Mr. Miller, ‘have been dead for a while.'” This simple quote from Miller connects the whole story together, simplifying the message for the reader.

Peter Rinearson “Making It Fly: Designing the 757”

Writing about aviation, Rinearson has won the ANSE award for business writing in 1984. To keep readers interested with such technical reporting, he rewards them with compelling nuggets of information as they move down the story. Through an immense amount of humor and effort, he tells the story of how engineers fired live, anesthetized chickens to test the windows of airplanes against punctured in The Seattle Times.

Rinearson humorously contrasts the 323-pound door of the 757 with small woman, who can barely make it budge as she attempts to open it. As this attempt continues it is woven in between facts of the door and how engineers decided to construct it. Although the information about a door may seem boring to some, it is the hope to hear more about the women that keeps the reader going.

The firing of the chickens is just as funny. “The expectation was that the chicken would deflect off the cabin’s sloping metal roof. Instead, it pierced the airplane’s skin.” The poultry problem is then discussed with lengthy, but valuable information on how the engineers found a solution and designed the plane. The story ends by bringing it back to the birds as the “chicken test” is enacted again, this time a success.

Michael Gartner “Property Tax Exemptions: Legal but Terribly Unfair”

Gartner’s articles are a piece of music. He writes stories that are meant to be read aloud, containing rhythm and are clear to the reader. For his editorials, Gartner uses facts that build through repetition and word play with a big ending so that the reader truly understands what he is writing about. In his story for the Daily Tribune, he attacks the property tax breaks with numbers and also with lyrics.

The story has its own chorus with the short repetition of variations of sentences of “would” that break up large chunks of facts. By doing so, Gartner gives relief to the reader from intense information while still linking all of the facts of different businesses together. He then switches to “should” to add more of a persuasive element to the piece. This repetition really nails it to the reader how terrible the tax breaks are.

He also breaks up the information so that his audience really understands what is going on, and are more likely to side with him. He explains how $53 million untaxed property causes more difficulties for the little guys. “What this means is that the 8,846 homeowners and the 1,250 business owners and the 32 factor owners pay extra…for the people who work and live in these spots.” This reveal of injustice provides a crucial watchdog role for the public.

Here are more examples of business and explanatory journalism:

Les Zaitz “At the End of the Supply Chain: Staggering Loss

Follow Mexican drug cartels in Oregon, Zaitz uncovers the chain of heroin before it reached the now dead Jedidah Elliot for The Oregonian. Not only does he vividly describe the heinous death of Elliot, drawing in the reader, but he is able to give crucial facts to how the drug cartel works. The includes infographics of how the drug trade has spread through Oregon and the rest of the nation, making it clear for the reader.

David Kocieniewski “A Family’s Billions, Artfully Sheltered”

For the New York Times, Kocieniewski uncovers how Estee Lauder’s heir has a strategy for avoiding paying high taxes. By combining donations with tax shelter, Lauder has managed to maintain a net worth over $3.1 billion. Kocieniewski then breaks it down for the reader with a graphic that states where he has placed his money and how much he is saving from it. Using graphics like these take up space and allows the reader to clearly see the important information and keeping them up to date with these wrongdoings.

Dan Egan “An Invisible Menace”

Looking through a fish pond in Missouri, Egan uncovers the quest to stop the Asian carp and other invasive species into the Great Lakes for the Milwaukee Journal SentinelI. He breaks down researcher David Lodge’s DNA analysis in terms easy enough for the average reader to understand. Egan combines this with a narrative of Lodges detailed research and emotion, how he desperately did not want it to come out positive. Combining information with personality keeps the reader intrigued.

America’s Best Newspaper Reporting: Fighting crime and writing bylines

Even the Bible knows a thing or two about crime reporting. Stories about wrongdoing and deaths have been around for centuries, and the audience eats it up. These stories illustrate grieving parents, brutalized victims and outraged citizens and can lead to a call to action in terms of injustice. There’s something about crime that is so mysterious that mankind can’t help but listen and these stories can reconfirm civil order, putting fear at rest.

Many journalists will spend their time monitoring the police stations just to get a good story. A balanced story will include all sides of a controversial issue and will get it right. However, sometimes these stories are exaggerated and sensationalized in order to attract readers for larger profit. This can increase fear in the general public and do more harm than good.

The stories found in chapter four of America’s Best Newspaper Writing cover crime in the proper, conventional way that keeps the audience engaged without going too far. By putting themselves in the mindset of those they are writing about, they create descriptive narratives that reveal deep insights on crime. Although crime can be gruesome, it is another aspect that they public must be aware of.

Cathy Frye “Caught in the Web: Evil at the Door”

Using an intense narrative to keep the audience on edge, Frye describes an online stalker targeting a 13-year-old Kacie Woody in her story for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. This non-deadline reporting weaves the reader through chronologically, reliving each moment. Although this is a story that has been heard before, Frye puts a fresh spin on it and with persistence, got the family to open up their tale.

This story is every parents nightmare, which grabs the reader with their own fears. Frye immediately opens with fear and mystery with the thought of being watch. With the amount of description, it brings chills and keeps the reader on edge. “She was right there, only a stretch of dark and the front door, and she had no idea he had come for her.” This immense imagery continues throughout the story with each section ending with suspense up until the very end.

Because the story is both narrative and chronological, very few direct quotes were used in order to assure accuracy. Frye relied on email and instant messages to bring the true voice of a 13-year-old to the story. It also brings to light how scary, manipulative and real the situation is. Although the reader does not now where Kacie is now, its the power of fear that drives the story home by ending with a chat. “Tazz2999: what happen to Kacie…”

Linnet Myers “Humanity on Trial”

Writing for the Chicago Tribune, Myers focuses on government reporting. Doing so she has watched for corruption on behalf of the public. Additionally, she covered Chicago’s Violence Court, choosing the most bizarre and prominent to report on. With so many murders, she could end up writing four stories a day. When she took time to step away from breaking news, she was able to get an in-depth narrative of the court system.

Myers brings the reader straight into the story, guiding them through the court room. “Step through the metal detectors and enter the multicolored stream of humanity that flows through the Criminal Court building each day.” This brings deep insight to something that the general public does not normally get to see, but can now picture perfectly. Although the descriptions are dark and gruesome, it is what keeps the public intrigued.

Myers hones in on the specifics of the larger issue of murders and crime in Chicago and gives a fresh angle on it is they are handled. “Prosecutor John Mahoney reads the charges: murder, armed robbery, burglary, theft.” She goes straight to the point and describes each case with no fluff, just as each case is handled. Each case is spitfire, one after another, emphasizing how much crime occurs and how normalized it is. The frustrations of the court, both inside and outside perspectives, are described and brings to question why does this happen and is this working, something the public continuously wonders.

Anne Hull “Metal to the Bone, Day 1: Click”

Hull went from copy clerk to a non-deadline reporter for the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times. In a three part series she illustrates the differences between a project dweller and the police, after a female officer was shot. During the first part, she focuses more on causes that lead to crime and the effects that it has. Hull produced a narrative with grave detail that she obtained while getting in on the action while riding along with a special police squad.

The story opens up with immense description, which haunts the reader. “The sound she heard from the gun would reverberate for months. Click.” Using the information she obtained from others, she put together the history of Lisa Bishop, the shot cop, giving her a life and personality. Her life then transforms into a narrative, chronological account that brings the reader into the shooting, into Bishop’s fear.

Hull chooses to refer to Bishop as “Lisa” rather than her last name. This adds more of a storytelling element to the account, immersing the reader into her tale. Although Hull herself was not there, she brings the story to life by adding voices and action that go well beyond simple facts of the account. The story then shifts to Hulls account and observations of the other police officers viewpoints, keeping the story alive and the reader interested.

Here are additional examples of crime reporting:

Spencer S. Hsu “For D.C Man, 28 Years Lost”

Hsu hones in on a wrongfully accused man for a crime he did not commit, which is a crime itself. Santae Tribble was in prison for nearly 30 years and fuels the story. Hsu begins with Tribble’s pain, confusion and the difficulties he now faces because he has a criminal record, making the reader sympathize with him. By beginning with his pain, it provides a face the audience can connect with before giving the hard facts of the crime. Hsu uses one man’s horrible experience to bring a much greater issue to light.

Danny Hikam “At State-Run Homes, Abuse and Impunity” 

Bringing back the issue of abuse in group homes, Hikam hones in on a home in New York that has been accused of violations. Although grusome and touchy, he goes into the detail of a rape between a supervisor and a seriously disabled 54-year-old patient. To handle the situation, the supervisor was not disciplined but transferred. Hikam uses a few similar examples of absue to illustrate a bigger issue and analyzes how these cases need to be handled.

Lawrence Mower “Analysis: Many Las Vegas Police Shootings Could Have Been Avoided”

The story opens up with a hazy incident, a police shooting with confusing circumstances and no witness. Mower using this incident to bring a greater issue of preventable shooting and why the court doesn’t question it. He did in-depth research, looking into police records and their outcomes, finding that they have increased. Although the story does not follow a specific narrative the entire time, it has strong facts that keeps the reader interested.

‘America’s Best Newspaper Writing’: Keeping with the local beat

By: Courtney Campbell

Beat reporting, or specialized reporting, requires a journalist to get in-depth on a particular topic, whether it is weather, politics, education, entertainment or sports. Over time a reporter will have great knowledge and familiarity on the topic while building connections with reputable sources. This not only gives the reporter a resource to quickly find a story on the beat, but it also builds credibility with the audience and other media outlets, which could lead to future jobs.

Some of the best kind of reporting is known as “shoe-leather.” I means walking and talking to people on the street and finding out needs and concerns that lead to a powerful story. It are these local stories that audiences are most drawn to because it connects and relates to them. This is why journalists need to maintain their watchdog roles and monitoring the community for the greater good. These local stories can be found from any beat, which is why every reporter needs to keep an eye out.

The stories in chapter two of America’s Best Newspaper Writing highlight reporters who have each mastered their beat. Each one has developed their own style from constantly reporting on the same topic, producing great pieces.

Rick Bragg “All She Has, $150,000, Is Going to a University”

Bragg follows a storyteller’s approach to new, by listening to others tell long, detailed stories and covering them. While reporting for the New York Times, he explored the South and shared the stories of the people there in grave detail. Bragg’s words puts the reader into the story, which is shown in his coverage of an 87-year-old washerwoman, Oseala McCarty, in Mississippi who uses her savings for a college scholarship.

Bragg’s gave description is evident throughout the piece, enhancing the phrase “cleans laundry” with “she took in bundles of dirty clothes and made them clean and neat for parties she never attended, weddings to which she was never invited, graduations she never saw.” This lengthier wording really explains what this woman does in a more interesting way.

He also uses parallels to connect the two sides of the story, writing that McCarthy’s dying wish is to see the graduation of the student who receives her gift, which reflects back to “the graduations she never saw,” in the lede. The stories of the recipient, Stephanie Bullock, and McCarthy are similar: both have worked since they were children and without this scholarship Bullock would be unable to attend college. Recognizing this shows that Bragg’s has mastered the art of connecting people.

Thomas Boswell “Losing It: Careers Fall Like Autumn Leaves”

Writing as a sports columnist for The Washington Post, Boswell has mastered the art of describing baseball. He takes from classic literature, building a climax within his stories by including more descriptive language before bringing it back down again. He does this in his story of baseball careers ending because of old age.

“Age is the sweeper, injury is his broom.” Boswell uses tight, descriptive writing to show a falling career while relating it back to baseball terms. This is not just great storytelling, but it also shows that he know what he is talking about in relation to the sport, making him credible.

Boswell also connects these fallen players to the love of the game. They attempt to play for as long as possible, but the end is inevitable. He repeats that “age, with his broom of injury, will sweep them out someday,” connecting it back to the lede and bringing the story full circle.

Jonathan Bor “It Fluttered and Became Bruce Murray’s Heart”

Bor focuses on the health and medicine beat for The Post-Standard. He uses an “hourglass” pattern to describe a heart transplant story he wrote in 90 minutes after reporting without sleep. The larger news elements of how the surgery occurred stand out in the beginning and then flow into a chronological series of events, from finding a donor to recovering from surgery.

The lede of the piece took center stage. “A healthy 17-year-old heart pumped the gift of life through 34-year-old Bruce Murray…” Not only is it a descriptive comparison between the ages of the donor and recipient, but it also puts more focus on the surgery by stating “heart” instead of the donor first.

What is also truly remarkable about this story are the details Bor was able to get from being on the floor with the surgeons, making him just as tired as them but allowed him to get action quotes from nameless technicians.

Mitch Albom “Mackenzie Football Star Another Gunplay Victim”

Albom knows sports and he knows how to keep it interesting as a columnist for the Detroit Free Press. His article on Dewon Jones, begins as if it is another story of sports stars that are lost to violence. However, he keeps it lively by adding a plot twist: Jones survives.

He draws the reader in by beginning with Jones’s experience with guns at the age of 10 and another at 12, rather than jumping into the juicy tale of his most recent, deathly encounter. This narrative allows the reader to see how much guns have impacted this young man’s life and how it probably will continue to.

Album then focuses more on the pressing issue of gun violence. “If he has to take the bullet with him, so be it.” The bullet follows Jones around, forever in his head, just like the bullets follow Detroit around. This connection ties this one particular story to a bigger picture.

Russell Eshleman “Even for Trees, Age Could Have Its Privileges” and “Domino’s Bites Back at Tax”

Most of his stories are short, but pack a punch by getting straight to the important facts. Eshleman’s work focus mainly on the government, which can be more effective (and less boring) to the reader if it is short and to the point.

Eshelman keeps things lively with a bit of humor. “It’s called the Historic Tree Act, and the sponsor is ­­­­– as you may expect ­­­­– Sen. Stewart J. Greenleaf.” He put emphasis on the fact that he knows his audience and plays on the fact that the senator that is supporting an environmental bill has “green” in his last name, making a joke.

He also adds a bit of drama on the issue of pizza tax by pinning quotes against one another. Eshelman compares that the Revenue Department believes that it should be taxed the same as restaurant food because it is a luxury item, whereas an owner of a Domino chain does not believe that. This not only prevents both sides, but also adds humor.

Dan Neil “Caught Up in the Crossfire”

Neil’s rowdy lifestyle is reflected in his style of writing. As an automotive critic for the Los Angeles Times, he goes straight into his opinion with an honest voice. In his review of the Chrysler Crossfire he combines British slang and description to visualize it to the reader.

He focuses specifically on the beauty of the car, comparing it to Marilyn Monroe. Additionally, he uses pleasing phrases like “polished stakes,” “sculpted sufaces” and “precision-milled machinery” to describe the car in a positive way. He then goes on to mention a few of the flaws but not in a detrimental way.

Neil builds up his credibility by showing his knowledge of the history of the company. That knowledge coupled with his own personal opinion of the vehicle, makes him very agreeable and gives the reader the power to make an informed purchase.

Here are some additional examples of good local and beat reporting:

Dana Priest “CIA Terror Suspects in Secret Prisons”

Priest uncovered the secret prisons where the CIA was holding al Qaeda captives in Easter Europe in her article for the Washington Post in 2005. Like a good journalist, she questioned if what the CIA was doing was humane and brought the issue to light. This in-depth story came with a lot of research and a lot of connections. Most of the people that are quoted are not named and go by “CIA officer.” Despite these anonymous sources, Priest still had a detailed report that, although lengthy, included just the important information.

Diana K. Sugg “The Famous Dead Yield Only Murky Diagnoses”

The lives people with complex medical issues were told by Sugg for the Baltimore Sun in 2002. She speaks of the misdiagnosis of series issues of famous people that are now dead, like that Thomas Jefferson had a form of autism. Although these disabilities are seen as a positive thing because it promotes overcoming them and succeeding, Sugg proves this diagnosis wrong. She also points how that in a celebrity-driven society these figures become inspirations and a misdiagnosis would only hurt the reputation of someone that is not alive anymore.

Raquel Rutledge “Drug Dealers Use Child Care as Front”

In 2009 for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Rutledge drove into the crimes associated with local child-care centers. Using the money from tax payers, these centers provided fake employment criminals and stashed drugs. She uses multiple stories from different incidences to illustrate how series the problem was. This required multiple insights from the community, which is what a good local reporter does.

Quick storytelling: reporting on a deadline

By: Courtney Campbell

Not making a deadline is basically the death of a journalist.

It is unacceptable, unprofessional and unorganized. Today in the time of now and a fast paced lifestyle, these deadlines have become shorter and more crucial for readership. However, it becomes the journalist’s ally as adrenaline kicks in, pushing them to finish so that the story remains timely.

To successful complete an article on time while reporting, journalists must listen and think fast for their lede, quotes and facts. Below are important lessons from award-winning journalists on deadlines found in the first chapter of America’s Best Newspaper Writing.

Richard Ben Cramer 

In 1978 Cramer won a Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for his work with the Middle East for The Philadelphia Inquirer. To get the story he walked to the violent land between Palestinian and Israeli forces, which was no easy task. In his article titled “Shiva for a Child Slain in a Palestinian Raid,” Cramer uses grave narrative and detail to tell the story of the Hadani family, an Israeli family that lost their nine-year-old daughter in a Palestinian bus raid.

Cramer opens with the neighborhood mourning the daughter and flows into a detailed narrative of the incident, mostly told by the words of the mother breaking it up with his own descriptive paraphrases. It transitions to a call to action for peace as told by the father, giving the reader something to resonate with.

This story hones onto one family to describe the pain of many. Using no fluff, he picked out the pure facts and shared live changing event. Most surprisingly is how he got the story out: with frustration and difficulties sending it, but still meeting the deadline.

Leonora LaPeter

LaPeter has good rhythm to produce trial stories on time, something that she has learned from children’s books. By conducting interviews ahead of time to get a deeper understanding and writing while reporter, she got ahead of the game and produced a quality report. This is shown in her article “Jury Sends Santa Clause Killer to Electric Chair,” in the Savannah Morning News.

“The sentence had been read,” LaPeter writes with no nonsense before she goes into the facts and the killer Heidler’s tears. Throughout the piece LaPeter varies in detail and sentence length, flowing from three quick one-sentence paragraphs to a lengthier one. This is done with a purpose to make the story vary and more interesting.

LaPeters adds a counterargument to the piece by adding the voices of friends and families, who believe that Heidler was mentally ill. Like a good journalist, she added both sides to the story to keep it balanced.

David Von Drehle 

Writing for the Washington Post, Drehle has won the ASNE award for deadline writing. With news being so readily available, he distinguishes himself by making sense of it and using descriptive narrative. He recreates mood and theme as he searches for the meaning of the story.

In his article “Men of Steel are Melting with Age,” he sets the stage of President Nixon’s funeral. However, the reader does not originally know whom the funeral is for as it is quite vague. “How boldly they talked,” is reference to the men at the funeral, rather than the man himself, which keeps them interested.

Drehle’s story described the end of an era. Once strong men are now old, gray, and broken. Their bold voices “…cracked into a sob.” Drehle cynically reminds us that we all must come to an end and our once powerful now lay underground.

Francis X. Clines

Also winning an ASNE award for deadline reporting in 1989, Clines continues to go out in the field for reporting rather than working at a desk. The details of his stories comes from being there and taking it all in. It shows in his article, “In Belfast, Death, Too, Is Diminished by Death.”

The piece opens with a scene of innocence inside a churchyard, describing a girl, Kathleen Quinn, there as “full of fun and flirting.” He uses the Kathleen’s innocence to contrast the death of her brother and his funeral.

Clines uses these strong contrasts like “state of war” and “state of criminal terrorism” to label the two sides of reality that the people face. It puts more emphasis on the stark differences and helps the reader visualize the terror. He ends again with innocent Kathleen, to bring the story full circle.

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Here are some more examples of deadline reporting:

Rampage at the Navy Yard

Washington Navy Yard shooting coverage

On September 17, 2013 a team of reporters at the Washington Post worked came together to provide in-depth coverage of the shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. They give a detailed time lines of the events that occurred with commentary of the public in between. The article gives the straight facts with no fluff and also explains how the rest of the community was affected: games were closed down and all were in mourning.

A Beloved Principal

Sandy Hook Elementary School’s Dawn L. Hochsprung

During the Sandy Hook tragedy, the Hartford Courant published a series of articles that convered the facts with sensitivity as information unfolded. They particularly focuses on Dawn L. Hochsprung, the principal, who died, but left an impact on the community. In the short time, they found her history of before working at the elementary school and described what she wanted for the school, including safety.

Storm Descends on Joplin

Devastating tornado destroys Joplin, Missouri 

Despite 30 reporters losing their own homes, they were still out to report on the devastating tornado that hit the town in 2011. The story was constantly updated on facts likes deaths and injuries. The non-stop reporting kept the public and the nation updated. Although it is short, it is concise, removing any unnecessary information that changed during the disaster.