The Indiana Publisher

www.newspaperconsultants.com | 910-323-0349 | info@newspaperconsultants.com More than just TV... ...It's Entertainment! Let ANC show you how to change your market's perspective about the weekly TV listings guide. learned that the city kept recordings of this board's meetings going back more than a decade. By listening to recordings of the meetings, Sheckler learned that the police chief had mischaracterized some offi cers' behavior and left out key information when he sought the board's approval for certain disciplinary actions. 2. If someone refuses an interview, look for records that tell his or her side of the story. If a person will not or cannot give an interview, seek out records that show what they have said about a topic in their words — for example, com- plaint affi davits and transcripts of court depositions. Audio and video recordings can offer details about how people presented information that cannot be captured in writing. "Our stories were very record-heavy and document- heavy," Sheckler said. "There were instances where we were able to tell a pretty thorough story relying largely on various types of records and documents, even when some of the key characters didn't want to talk to us and do interviews." 3. Get experience covering multiple beats. By covering different government agencies, a journalist can learn more about how different agencies work as well as how they maintain records and handle records requests. "I think it's important to cover as many beats as you can when you're a young reporter because you learn so much by covering a school board, by covering the depart- ment of health, by covering the police department and the courts," Armstrong said. "The more you get grounded in process and how government works, that's an invaluable education." 4. Establish a relationship with public information offi cers. Many government agencies have a dedicated person or offi ce of people who handle requests for public records. Armstrong said it helps to speak to a public information offi cer on the phone to explain your request and then follow up with a written request that cites relevant laws and provisions and documents the date that you spoke to the public information offi cer by phone. When public information offi cers are helpful, thank them because you likely will need their help again in the future. 5. Keep an entitled state of mind. Never apologize for asking for public records. "It's a real mistake to assume you won't get public records and apologize," Armstrong said. "Assuming the record exists and assuming you're entitled to it is an important approach in the beginning." Page 12 March 2019 Herald wins national picture editing contest JASPER — The Herald won top honors in The Best of Photojour- nalism national picture editing contest, taking fi rst place in the Newspaper Picture Editors of the Year category for newspapers with circulation of less than 65,000. The Herald's entries were edited by Visuals Editor Dave Weatherwax, Chief Photographer Sarah Ann Jump, Photographer Brittney Lohmiller, Managing Editor Justin Rumbach and Publisher John Rumbach. The Herald's portfolio, which can be viewed at http://bit. ly/2NXSwvW. — The Herald (Dubois County) News in brief "There were instances where we were able to tell a pretty thorough story relying largely on various types of records and documents, even when some of the key characters didn't want to talk ... " Christian Scheckler, South Bend Tribune Three papers move to USPS distribution JASPER — The Chronicle- Tribune (Marion), Herald-Press (Huntington) and Peru Tribune will change to same day delivery via the United States Postal Services (USPS). Publishing days for all three newspapers will be Tuesday through Friday, along with a comprehensive weekend edition published and distributed on Saturday. Zaltsberg receives Thomas Hart Benton award Bob Zaltsberg, who recently retired after more than 30 years as editor of the Herald-Times newspaper in Bloomington, has been awarded Indiana University's Thomas Hart Benton Mural Medallion from IU President Michael McRobbie. It is given for "meritorious national or interna- tional service to IU, or for exceptional achievements in any fi eld or area." Read more at http://bit. ly/2TMUrc5

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