Reporting on Rural Realities

From CCJ partner NewsLab [1].

Think of most of the stories you’ve seen on television recently about rural America. They probably featured a farm or a ranch. Let’s face it, when stations set out to do stories in the rural parts of their ADI, they often focus on farming or ranching.

There are plenty of good stories in those areas, of course, from the transition to sustainable agriculture to "agritourism." But there’s also rich vein of rural stories yet to be mined.

This tip sheet offers some suggestions, plus a guide to Internet resources on covering rural issues [2].

Focus on Change

Follow the Money

Educate Your Viewers

Compare and Contrast

Click here for more details on NewsLab.org [3].