Lexi Cortes got her first taste of investigative reporting at her college newspaper. When writing for the Alestle at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Cortes discovered major contradictions in the school administration’s statements regarding the closure of the school’s museum. She was hooked. Cortes now writes for the Belleville News-Democrat, where she … [Read more...] about Belleville News-Democrat editor: Local investigative reporting is the ‘bedrock’ of community journalism
investigative reporting
‘Quiet rooms’ investigation is a call to action for community news outlets
Monica Seals didn’t waste time. Within 24 hours after the nonprofit ProPublica Illinois and the Chicago Tribune published an investigation revealing the widespread practice of putting children into solitary confinement in school districts in Illinois, the Centralia radio reporter pressed local officials for answers. Seals, news director at the Withers Broadcasting … [Read more...] about ‘Quiet rooms’ investigation is a call to action for community news outlets
Journalism’s Never-Ending Debate on Anonymous Sources: Enough Already!
Just this past Sunday journalism’s unceasing debate on anonymous sources reared its head again. In the October 13 Sunday Review section of The New York Times Margaret Sullivan, the paper’s fifth public editor, wrote about “The Disconnect on Anonymous Sources.” Dan Okrent, first public editor from 2003 to 2005, confronted the same issue during his tenure. Even then, novelist and … [Read more...] about Journalism’s Never-Ending Debate on Anonymous Sources: Enough Already!