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An interview with Soledad O'Brien, a renowned broadcast journalist, is presented. She discusses her career journey, the challenges in journalism, and the importance of providing context in news reporting. Topics discussed include her early career choices, the evolving landscape of journalism, and the need for responsible journalism in the age of misinformation.

The article focuses on the worry of international journalists on how the American press will cover the 45th U.S. president. The association of a semblance of normalcy with the office of the president of the U.S is mentioned. According to a Russian journalist Alexey Kovalev, editorial independence in a country that is dominated by state-controlled and-funded media is going to be difficult.

The article presents the issue of journalists and the nature of relationships with their sources of information. The Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics states that journalists are to remain independent of their sources, yet the author interviews a reporter who claims that a personal relationship at some level is often necessary to regularly obtain necessary information. This is presented as an ethical dilemma and the remainder of the article discusses both sides of the issue.

This article examines the state of investigative journalism in the U.S. as of 2006. Students at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the Arizona State University recently conducted an electronic survey about the current state of investigative reporting in U.S. newsrooms. The survey went to members of the Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. at the 100 largest newspapers across the country. Of the 86 investigative reporters and editors who responded, 42 percent thought there was greater support for investigative reporting in newsrooms in 2006 than 10 years ago, yet only 12 percent of their newsrooms had four or more investigative reporters. A common complaint among reporters and readers today is that there is not enough investigative journalism.

The article assesses the media coverage of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. in 2005. Experts observe that journalists getting too close to the situation they are covering seem to write stories on subjective feelings and emotions rather than based on facts and objective observations. After the storm, erroneous accounts and other falsehoods were showed in national news. According to Robert Lichter of the Center for Media and Public Affairs, journalists must maintain enough composition and not get too emotionally involved in order to perform their responsibilities.

Discusses the author's experience in covering news stories for CNN network. Memory of scenes during the first Gulf War in 1991; Travel to Saudi Arabia; Commitment of CNN to news reporting.

This article comments on the changes in journalism in the U.S. during the administration of President George W. Bush. For all the depressing transformation that has taken place in the media business, even more startling is the patent loss of courage to challenge the powers that be since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, apparently out of fear of being called unpatriotic or un-American. The press went mute when it should have been asking the questions. The usual justified skepticism reporters have displayed when it is clear they are being snookered was missing in the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. Not only was the press compliant, it was complicit by not probing and using its privilege to find the truth.

This article describes the relationship between investigative reporting and Texas Hold 'Em, a variation of poker. The author says that in both pursuits observing and understanding subtle aspects of human behavior can provide valuable insight. Bluffing is also an important technique for both pursuits as is understanding when it is necessary to quit a story or a poker hand. The author says another valuable characteristic is maintaining composure when others are losing theirs; doing so can mean the difference in breaking a story.

The article discusses whether there is a need for fact checking at U.S. newspapers. The problem is that journalists who plagiarize from other reporters may go undetected for a long time, especially if they plagiarize from someone not likely to read the offender's paper. Similarly, reporters who make up sources from whole cloth don't have to worry about those sources calling up editors and complaining about being misquoted. The longer the problem goes unchecked, the bigger the hit to a newspaper's credibility when it all finally comes out, as recent high-profile cases have demonstrated. That can also have an effect on readership, and, in the end, on profitability. Starting in April 2004, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has decided to follow the trust but verify dictum when it comes to journalists and their stories. Its news research department will conduct Lexus-Nexus searches looking for possible plagiarism. They will also double-check facts and verify information in an effort to help spot any potential fabrications. The Star-Telegram already uses a follow-up questionnaire, which is a popular way for newspapers to gauge the accuracy of their questions. As a result, the paper's reporters aren't completely unfamiliar with the sensation of having someone looking over their shoulder as they work.

The article features journalist Boyd Huppert, who makes thousands of stories including the close relationship between a World War II veteran and a three-year-old boy. It mentions that Huppert gave the story the tenderness and the mutual respect that other journalists could have missed. It adds that the story take delicate understanding and listening skills, which Huppert practices carefully.

The article discusses the integration of print and multimedia news at U.S. news organizations. The author offers several anecdotes from his first attempt at "backpack journalism," using portable multimedia equipment to take digital pictures and record video as he wrote stories about the Indiana State Fair for his organization's online and print news outlets. Several newspapers that have given their reporters multimedia responsibilities are profiled including "Newsday," the "News-Press," and the "Ricky Mountain News."

In a mid-March 2004 meeting at the National Press Club, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) joined with other groups to chart a course for national access coalitions. Representatives of two coalitions -- one made up of public interest groups and the other of journalists and media groups -- talked of strategy in a post-Sept. 11 environment of unprecedented secrecy. Some common themes emerged from the March meeting: Creating a communication system between the diverse groups that can alert members about top threats to access; setting priorities for legislative improvements of the Freedom of Information Act and other information laws and regulations; and sharing common resources already in place for education, litigation and creating more grassroots involvement. During that conference, speakers said the post-9/11 environment has fostered a new era of secrecy. At the top of panelists' list of concerns were the Critical Infrastructure Information allowed under the nation's Homeland Security Act and a new Secret Homeland Security Information designation. Critical Infrastructure Information includes basic information about cities, environmental hazards, transportation and energy. The Secret Homeland Security Information applies to information shared by the federal government with local authorities.

Provides an update on journalism in the U.S. as of November 2003. Plans of Tom Curley for the Associated Press as its president and chief executive officer; Book deal signed by Jayson Blair, former reporter of the "New York Times" newspaper, with New Millennium Press; Resignation of Victor Neufeld from ABC News.

Presents a survey conducted by the journalism graduate research method class of the University of Mississippi to examine the diversity in campus presses in the U.S. Reason for selecting the Southeast Journalism Conference as the survey's subject; Issues addressed by the survey; Key findings of the survey.

The article discusses some suggestions for print journalism majors who want a sustainable career in news media. From the Web-design view, they should learn CSS or the coding language used for presentation, Javascript or the coding language that influences behavior on a website and HTML or the coding language that determines the content read and how it is laid out on the screen. It indicates that part of building a career is to maintain a sense of marketability.

The article presents tips for journalists to prepare for covering gay pride events. It advises them to know the language needed to cover a pride event. It recommends them to check out the clip files for past coverage and to know which events seem to be the most topical. It stresses the importance of understanding the risks of disclosing an individual's sexual orientation.

This article discusses journalism in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is strictly controlled by the government. The journalism group Reporters Without Borders explains that the UAE constitution guarantees press freedom, but the content and political line of newspapers is closely monitored. English-language media has a greater leeway than strictly Arab periodicals. A study on this monitoring was conducted by the University of Toronto, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the University of Cambridge in Great Britain.

This article offers tips for first-time beat reporters. The first and hardest part of starting a first beat is realizing that the reporter do not know who to interview, what stories to write or any history about the beat. A reporter should not be afraid to bring ideas and creativity to the beat; that will only expand coverage. Learn who the main sources are and tips for dealing with them. Learn about the big stories and ask for any story ideas the outgoing reporter never got to. Finding a good mentor will help improve a journalist's career. Find someone who will give frank advice on ideas, reporting, writing and journalism future.

This article offers tips for learning an assigned beat. A four-step plan can help a journalist create a strategy that gives direction and brings greater depth to his/her coverage. It goes like this: Pull the paper; poll the people; plan the approach; and process and proceed with the plan. Get back issues of the publication for the previous year. Gather statistics that bring context to the story and the picture. Explore what is appearing in other media, including print, broadcast and online--locally, regionally and even nationally. Provide a proposed coverage plan, an overview and story list to the editors.

This article recommends several time-saving strategies for journalists. A reporter should never wait on interviews. There should be calls going into at least five different sources. During interviews, typing fast means sources would not feel compelled to talk slower, something that may be polite but also has a tendency to stop their train of thought right in its tracks. Assignments should be done on short deadlines. Interviews should be timed. Writing demands a certain amount of discipline for best results. A reporter should set aside a certain time in the day that is strictly for writing, and then do it.

This article offers tips on freelance writing. Most of the time, freelancers do not sell stories; they sell the promise of a story. Freelance writers make the sales before writing query letters and informal pitches. Editors want writers they can trust, and so having a beat or specialty is a strong selling point. Information is a key requirement in journalism so it pays to consider the sources, the politics, the history and the angles. An effective freelancer should work toward compiling clips from markets that will establish him/her as the beat writer that he/she wants to become.

This article presents the author's views on the importance of having a variety of voices in delivering fair messages in the U.S. media, referencing the incident involving Sinclair Broadcasting before the presidential elections in October 2004. The questions raised by media consolidation may offer the country, and the society a way to look at this issue while respecting the highest principles of the First Amendment. We, as journalists, are--and ought to be--suspicious of attempts by government to regulate content. But the nation has a long history of legislating limits to the size and reach of American corporations. Using its antitrust laws, the nation has been willing to break big companies into smaller ones to serve the public interest. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) spoke out in May 203, as the Federal Communications Commission was preparing to loosen ownership limits. The perceived threat to diversity in voices was acknowledged but on the other hand, there are potential benefits, such as expanded audiences and more efficient allocation of journalistic resources. There are other questions being raised by journalists and the public about the content of American news media. But, increasingly, when people raise them with me, I respond by urging them to look at the questions of economic structure before they imagine ways to reign in First Amendment freedoms.

This article reports on the UNITY convention of journalists held in Washington, D.C. as of September 2004. The conference atmosphere was remarkable considering the discouraging news released there: journalists of color make up just 10.5 percent of the press corps in Washington, D.C., reported the University of Maryland and UNITY. The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Independent Press Association organized two panels to help mid-career writers bring a multicultural perspective to their pages. In general, magazines trail the efforts of daily newspapers and broadcast stations in acknowledging the U.S. population's changing demographics. But their editors have begun looking for more diverse readers, said both Angelo Figueroa, editor-at-large for Time Inc. magazines, and Charles Whitaker, an assistant professor at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. While most magazines focus on a niche market, they are realizing that the audiences they traditionally have sought are tapping out. Writers of any background can convince an editor to try something new if they surprise him or her with an outstanding idea, said Bernard Ohanian, associate editor of National Geographic.

This article discusses the difficulty and complexity of investigative reporting. There is no shortage of material in this day and age for long-term projects and investigative pieces. The key is arriving at a manageable thesis and establishing a reasonable human crux around which to work the story or series. And then there are the sources, of course. Depending on the type of project one is pursuing, sources may be ready and willing to cooperate, or they may choose to not give the time of day. That is where networking, social skills and graces and all the other things they never teach at journalism school come into play. Perhaps most importantly, reporters must establish trust with their sources. Perhaps one key to establishing trust is saying the following: This story will help the respective town, city, county, state or country in which it is being written. In most cases, for most professional reporters, assembling sources is the least of their worries--if the stories or project are really worth pursuing. The real work comes in arranging information in a coherent manner. How a reporter assemble weeks, months, or even years of research in a way that does not intimidate or overwhelm the reader depends on the quality design team and editorial cooperation. No one can do it alone--that is the first rule of research reporting. A writer needs his sources, his photos, his graphics, his background. But in the end, there is no better feeling than finishing an investigation, writing it up and watching it run with the knowledge that you knocked it out of the park.

This article focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of deadline reporting. Deadline reporting assignments often do not come from an editor. It is the journalist's challenge to pack as much information as possible into that news cycle. The news might be, well, new, but the writer strives to provide the most complete picture possible, as if the reporter had days to research, interview and write. A good deadline report describes the scene. A great deadline report is fluid, and might start with the squealing police scanner, but goes through many drafts. When one is working against the clock, information is both gift and curse. Gift because it enriches the story, curse because it changes the story as the unrelenting deadline inches nearer. The best deadline report uses those gifts to weave a deeper tale. More than in any other type of storytelling, competition is fierce in deadline reporting. In many cases, several news outlets scramble for the same interview, each reporter looking to distinguish herself. For those in print journalism, reporting in a single news cycle offers yet another challenge. They must give readers something they have not already heard from their broadcast journalism counterparts. On the other hand, television and radio journalists have immediacy on their side. In print, professionals are compelled to find a fresh angle that yanks them into a story readers might have seen on television.

This article presents the author's evaluation of the changes that have occurred in the contents of the Quill magazine, which is a material for professional journalists. This column is a bittersweet one for me to write. After five years with Quill and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), I have made a career move to take a positive at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. As I have the bad habit of writing my column at the last possible moment, this column is the final piece of the last issue of Quill that I will put together. Five years may not seem all that long, but it is a good length of time in SPJ years. I am the second most veteran employee at the headquarters of SPJ, and I have had the privilege to work for SPJ during a period of dramatic change. I have seen the headquarters move from Greencastle, Indiana to Indianapolis. I have witnessed the transition from one executive director to another, and I have been here for several other changes in staff. I have watched the leadership of SPJ change hands, and sometimes priorities, year after year. But in the midst of all the changes, the things that truly define SPJ have remained constant. After five years, I am still impressed by the energy and hard work of the national and local volunteers of SPJ.

The article reports on the agreement between Lexington, Kentucky police and the city's largest news media organizations to discusses clearer guidelines so that reporters can safely cover high-risk events, such as standoff or hostage situation, without impeding the work by police. Lexington Police Chief Anthany Beatty said that, at his department's request, police officials met with news executives from the Herald-Leader, three Lexington television stations and radio stations WVLK-590 and WLAP-630. Beatty was joined on the panel by Bruce Carter, news director, WLEX-TV (Channel 18); Jim Ogle, news director, WKYT-TV (Channel 27); and Tom Eblen, the Herald-Leader's managing editor. The four panelists discussed issues that were raised during police actions and news coverage of the chaotic scene February 13 when Pat Hutchinson is alleged to have fired shots that killed his wife, Fontaine Hutchinson, and Lt. Brenda Cowan of the Lexington fire department. Another firefighter suffered a serious head wound in the incident but survived. Beatty said he has two main concerns from the episode. One was film taken and initially aired by WLEX-TV that showed Cowan as she was fatally wounded. He said his worry was the emotional effect if family and colleagues saw the film. Beatty's other concern was the potential damage from live TV coverage and what he said was an inadvertent telephone call from a Herald-Leader reporter to the alleged gunman while he remained in his house.

Presents the results of an independent investigation on the cotroversy between "The Tribune" and the "National Enquirer" newspapers over the Elizabeth Smart's abduction case. Tribune policy that were violated by reporters who presented the Smart news; Mistake committed by the reporters; Allegation against the "National Enquirer."

Acknowledges the efforts of journalism educator Marlin Shipman in his research into the subject of the press and capital punishment in the U.S. Strategy used by Shipman to make his research manageable; Link between journalism and its handling of capital punishment; Characterization of Shipman's work.