Database reporting is the “new buzz” in journalism, according to Jacques Von Lunen, a reporter who covers education for The Columbian.
Database reporting, which involves organizing and analyzing data, could be a “secret weapon” for journalists, Von Lunen said.
“You’re not just interviewing some dude and getting his opinion,” Von Lunen said. “You’re getting the raw facts.”
Von Lunen recommends journalism students learn database software, such as Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel.
“I found Excel to be more powerful than I thought,” said Von Lunen, who added that learning database software is more important for journalism students than learning how to shoot and edit video.
For several years, newspapers have used multimedia on their websites, including videos, photos and podcasts, to attract new readers and viewers. However, Von Lunen said, multimedia hasn’t attracted as many viewers as news organizations hoped for.
Nevertheless, journalism students should sign up for “whatever multimedia classes you can take,” Von Lunen said.
“You want the skills that not everybody else has,” said Von Lunen, who was a sound engineer before becoming a reporter. “Editing audio and editing video is like second nature to me.”
Von Lunen also stressed the importance for journalism students to create a portfolio of “clips,” or previously published articles, to secure jobs in the future.
“The trick is to get clips,” Von Lunen said. “Student papers are a great way to get clips.” Von Lunen said interning at newspapers is another great way to get clips.
Regardless if you’re interning or writing for a newspaper, “The most important thing is to be 100 percent reliable,” Von Lunen said. He added that meeting deadlines, writing well and organizing stories in a logical sequence are crucial skills for journalism students and young reporters to master.
Von Lunen, who writes 12 to 16 stories per month, on average, writes primarily on his computer at The Columbian office.
“I used to write my first draft by hand,” Von Lunen said. That was before he learned how to type with ten fingers. Now, he only takes notes by hand.
Von Lunen said he avoids recording interviews unless the story is “very contentious.”
“It’s twice the work,” said Von Lunen, who added that transcribing recorded interviews takes a long time. “A lot of times you just don’t have all day to just work on one thing.”
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