Law, Ethics and News Literacy
As a sports editor and broadcaster, I must keep up to date with current events in my field. This includes national, state and local developments. Literacy in the world of sports can save careers, and my attention to detail separates me from the competition.
Interview prioritization
I pride myself on treating the interviewee as the most important person in our arrangement (because they are!) and I take pride in professionalism. I have always attempted to interview my subjects in person, because you cannot have the same intimacy and honesty over the phone or e-mail. Despite the challenges of interviewing someone who didn't work in the building, I was proud to make it work in this scenario.
In-person authenticity
This is my favorite interview I have ever conducted. It took over two weeks of scheduling, but I was able to meet a veteran official in-person for an interview about official shortages. Face-to-face, I was able to discern how important the subject was to him. It remains my longest and most in-depth interview, producing some of my favorite quotes.
Exactness of policy/law in articles
Whenever I am citing an official policy or law like the one seen in this screenshot, I always make sure to paraphrase directly from the policy/law itself and include a hyperlink for the reader. This assures zero mistakes are made, giving my articles credibility and solidifying my reputation as a journalist.
Favorited tabs
Here is where I stay organized and current in the world of sports. I have every major sports-oriented news website bookmarked. I give these a check each day, meaning I’m always aware of the latest developments on a national scale. More important, I have the standings and general information for every fall and winter KSHSAA sport bookmarked. I check these once a day, if not more often, to see where state-wide stories are developing and how they affect Bishop Miege.
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Breaking down the intricacies of brackets and standings allows me to provide unmatched detail like the descriptions found in my volleyball state championship article.
More on my volleyball article
The lead
This is the lead for my article. It's my personal favorite lead I've ever written. I set the scene - the team is facing elimination. I was able to remember this detail because I'd been watching the Clearwater match and started to do the math.
Research in action
I explain my research in full during the body of my article. It's here that the precision of ny research came to fruition, syncing up with the quotes and forming my angle.
The research itself
Here is the official scores for Pool A of the tournament. I found this page useful, but I wanted to ensure that my interpretation of the team's situation was correct.
Official procdures confirm findings
I reviewed the official KSHSAA Volleyball tiebreakers. This lined up with my earlier findings - Miege would have been eliminated if Clearwater beat Eudora. They had to wait until the final match of the Pool, even though they weren't playing, to find out if they were safe or not. My research was sound, and I had my angle.
Final confirmations
Painstakingly, I read through every possible tiebreaker outcome. Though these scenarios did not happen to Miege, I wanted to ensure that all of my boxes were checked. After reading through these policies, I knew I had found a dramatic, niche, sound angle for my story.