UNLEASH

YOUR

WATCHDOG

WITH BEAT MAPPING

LINDA AUSTIN | LAUSTIN.NEWSTRAIN@GMAIL.COM | @LINDAAUSTIN_

1

Photo

by F

lickr user

Kars

Alfri

nk

ARE YOU SUFFERING

FROM BEAT CREEP?

2 By Flickr user Natalie Maynor

UNABLE TO GET TO

WATCHDOG STORIES?

3 By Flickr user John Keogh

4

PULLED IN A MILLION

DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS?

By Flickr user AJ Cann

DEMANDS FOR

STORYTELLING GREATER

5 Contents of veteran tech journalist Dean Takahashi’s bag, as

photographed by Tyler Orsburn for Columbia Journalism Review

WHY ARE WE SO

FRAZZLED?

6

1 IN 3 GONE

2 CHOICES:

7

By Flickr user Russ Seidel

BUFFETED BY WAVES

2 CHOICES:

8

By F

lickr user

Ville

Mie

ttin

en

BEAT MAPPING

WHAT IS

BEAT MAPPING ?

9 By Flickr user Peter R.

WHAT IS

BEAT MAPPING ?

10

Michael Roberts (standing), former NewsTrain director,

at NewsTrain in Vancouver

11

“Stories built on quotes.

No context. ‘Conflict’

stories rather than

explanatory or

investigative stories.

Reporters dependent on

sources to tell them what

is happening, rather than

sources being held

accountable.”

Michael

Roberts, former

NewsTrain

project director

and deputy

managing editor

for staff

development,

The Arizona

Republic

12

“Beat mapping is as much

to protect the reporter as

to cover the beat.”

Michael

Roberts, former

NewsTrain

project director

and deputy

managing editor

for staff

development,

The Arizona

Republic

By F

lickr user

Chri

sto

pher M

ichel

USE BEAT MAPPING

OR ANOTHER SYSTEM?

13

By Flickr user VCalsidyrose

4 STEPS TO

BEAT MAPPING

14

1. Beat map

2. Beat focus

3. Beat expectations

4. Beat sources

By F

lickr user

US

FW

S M

ounta

in-P

rairie

4 STEPS TO

BEAT MAPPING

15

1. Beat map

2. Beat focus

3. Beat expectations

4. Beat sources

By F

lickr user

US

FW

S M

ounta

in-P

rairie

“EVERYTHING IS

CONNECTED…

16

By F

lickr user

Ellio

tt B

row

n

…TO EVERYTHING

ELSE.”

By F

lickr user

Todd D

ailey

Leonardo da Vinci

HOW TO MIND MAP

17

1. Add the

central

topic.

2. Add

branches.

3. Add sub-

branches.

.

By M

ichael P

ow

ell

1. BEAT MAP

18

Draw a web to

illustrate all the

• organizations,

• people,

• events,

• issues

that could be within

your beat.

Circle those that

should be priorities.

By Michael Powell

Organizations People

Events Issues

YOUR BEAT

SHARE YOUR BEAT MAP

19

By P

aepin

Goff

-Mayol

4 STEPS TO

BEAT MAPPING

20

1. Beat map

2. Beat focus

3. Beat expectations

4. Beat sources

By F

lickr user

US

FW

S M

ounta

in-P

rairie

2. BEAT FOCUS

21

Review the beat map

and distill it down to

the most important

people,

organizations,

events and

issues to follow.

Discuss:

• Where you are well-

connected?

• What’s the issue for

the year?

4 STEPS TO

BEAT MAPPING

22

1. Beat map

2. Beat focus

3. Beat expectations

4. Beat sources

By F

lickr user

US

FW

S M

ounta

in-P

rairie

3. BEAT EXPECTATIONS

23

List expectations for

content and the

reporting activities to

achieve those content

goals on a daily,

weekly, quarterly and

annual basis. Express

expectations in

frequency and quality.

4 STEPS TO

BEAT MAPPING

24

1. Beat map

2. Beat focus

3. Beat expectations

4. Beat sources

By F

lickr user

US

FW

S M

ounta

in-P

rairie

4. BEAT SOURCES

25

List the sources to

meet expectations:

• officials,

• quasi-officials,

• experts, and

• real people.

Where do you need

more sources?

BEAT MAPPING:

WHAT DID YOU SEE?

26

By Flickr user Peter R.

BEAT MAPPING:

BEAT SUMMARY

27

• Contract between

editor and reporter

• “Radical clarity” on

expectations

• Cover for the reporter

• Anticipating more

than breaking news

when deciding use of

time

WHAT GETS MEASURED

GETS DONE

28

By Flickr user Celestine Chua

IS THE STORY LOOKING YOU

IN THE EYE A BIG DEAL?

29

By Flickr users brett jordan and C.P.Storm

TAKE CONTROL

YOUR CHOICE:

WATCHDOG LAPDOG

30

By Flickr user Frantisek Fuka

By Flickr user DVIDSHUB

Linda Austin

laustin.newstrain@gmail.com

@LindaAustin_