We journalists have always been told that the most important tool of journalism is the ability to write.
Equally important, though, is the relationship a journalist builds with his or her sources.
In our weekly story meetings, we discuss developing stories in Rockbridge County and decide how best to cover all of our bases. In order to get the best and most accurate story, it is vital that reporters get to know their points of contact, or sources.
This relationship is almost a friendship—a two-way street that mutually provides information and additional resources.
When I was a reporter in Winter 2010, I covered the education beat. I knew that I would be working with Rockbridge County Schools Superintendent John Reynolds. So, when I went to my first school board meeting, I walked up to Mr. Reynolds and said,
“Hi, Mr. Reynolds. My name is Anne Vesoulis and I will be covering education in Rockbridge County this semester. I wanted to introduce myself because you’ll be seeing a lot of me this term, so get ready.”
From that day forward, I was in Mr. Reynolds’ office two to three times a week.
Just the other day, I saw Mr. Reynolds in Wal-Mart. He still recognized me and proceeded to say hello.
It is that kind of source cultivation that gets journalists the story.
This year, our education reporter, Melissa Powell, has had similar successes with her sources. In her coverage of Lexington schools’ decision to rebuild Waddell, Melissa is able to get the inside "scoop." This enables her to inform our readership about what went into the decision and any conflict—angles we wouldn’t have gotten without good sources.
If a journalist doesn’t cultivate a source, it is unlikely that he or she will get anything more than an overview or vague statement.
Getting to know your source is invaluable. Without information, how can we write a good story?
