Getting the Story: An Advanced Reporting Guide to Beats, Records and Sources.

In selecting a title for this text, the authors considered no fewer than a dozen alternatives. Several possible titles included the phrase "public affairs reporting" or a variation, but each version seemed overused, dating back to Public Affairs Reporting by Victor J. Danilov, published in 1655. But journalism teachers and students should make no mistake about this book's intent and focus. Getting the Story: An Advanced Reporting Guide to Beats, Records and Sources is about reporting in all its modern forms, and its goal is to teach young reporters what the title suggests: how to find and present news about issues and events important to the public. This textbook grew from the authors' long involvement as journalists and journalism teachers and their belief that of all journalistic pursuits, public affairs reporting plays a crucial role in helping a democratic nation to govern itself. As never before, the news media needs reporters who understand how public and private institutions work, who can identify and report news of public import to citizens can make sense of their communicaties and their lives.