Associated Press Reporting Handbook

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Associated PressReporting Handbook

• Ideas and How to Get Them
• Chapter 3

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Main Street Welcomes McDonalds -- but WorriesA
Story by Ted Anthony

• What was unusual about a McDonalds restaurant in
  Coudersport, Pa., that made it worth a story?
• What was the communitys main concern?
• What were some of the positive aspects of a
  McDonalds in Coudersport?

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• What brought Coudersport into existence 192 years
  before McDonalds came?
• In the mid-1980s, something happened that helped
  Coudersport survive population drift, fading
  industry and youth exodus.
• What concept does Gene Walsh believe makes
  McDonalds work in communities that favor
  independent business?

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• What does Edward McMahon mean when he says,
  There is no place in America today that will
  remain special by accident.?
• Why do you think the tables are full at Mickeys
  Diner?
• What does Bill Caldwell, the retired jobs
  officer, think has been the lifeblood of
  Coudersport?

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Ted Anthony on Story Ideas

• Some of our best ideas come directly from the
  world around us we see hundreds of things
  most of those things just pass through our minds
  and go out the other end.
• Thats weird! Thats interesting! I wonder what
  makes that tick!
• Record those thoughts on a digital recorder or in
  a notebook.

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• Nine out of 10 of those ideas may become nothing,
  but one may be a great story idea.
• Reporters often put down their antennas when
  they arent in the office.
• We have an idea mill, through which we should
  funnel all facets of our lives, from the grocery
  store to the Little League field.

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• I try to write stories that take the everyday
  and explore what it means Everything doesnt
  have a deeper meaning, but many things do.
• Two ingredients make a story exceptional
• Unique
• Something that is universal
• The real trick is to combine them

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• When youre reporting in a rural town and trying
  to get people to trust you, you cant go in with
  cameras rolling.
• Hang out at the hardware store!
• When I report in the Midwest, I take out my
  earring a reporter from New York with an
  earring is probably the kiss of death.
• Dress plain, at least not flashy, so you can deal
  with all kinds of people.

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• A digital camera can record the scene for you. It
  helps write description with accuracy.
• Gather as much background information about your
  topics, or sub-topics as you can.
• Anthony read a book about McDonalds history
  interviewed folks at their headquarters spoke to
  franchiser Gene Walsh and conservationist Ed
  McMahon.

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• Anthony has accumulated an electronically
  searchable list of experts and persons with great
  insight.
• He adds keywords, like FRANCHISING or MAIN
  STREET, to make searching easier and more
  fruitful.
• Always be on the lookout for sources, the same
  way you are for ideas.

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• It all channels into one big database of not
  necessarily definite sources but potential
  sources that are just kind of waiting in the
  wings for when I might need them.
• The toughest part of writing, for Anthony, is
  what is left on the editing room floor.
• Whenever you think youre done with a story, you
  can always cut 10 percent. (Pete Mattiace)

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• Take out everything thats good in a story when
  youre done with it, and all thats left will be
  great. (Bruce DeSilva)
• I fight and scream and curse and throw things
  at my bosses when they want to take things out
  of a story. But, ultimately, its probably a
  good idea.

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Associated Press Reporting Handbook

• Ideas II Listening to America
• Chapter 4

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Death of a BullyA story by Jules Loh

• How would you rate Lohs lead into this story?
  Did it prepare you for the story?
• Did you get a good mental picture of Ken McElroy?
• What struck you hardest about McElroy?
• Did you get a good mental picture of Skidmore,
  Missouri?

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• Why did the town want McElroy in a well-barred
  jail?
• Did anyone see this story, which was done was
  made into a movie?

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• The Movie Without Mercy
• A murder in Skidmore - winner of "The Standing
  Ovation Award" at Quinnipiac University. The film
  is based on a true story and examines the last
  six days in the life of a sex predator - Ken Rex
  McElroy - the self-proclaimed "King of Nodaway
  County." Ken McElroy was a violent sexual
  predator who was shot dead on the main street of
  Skidmore, Missouri on July 10, 1981. Fifty-five
  people watched, no indictments followed, no trial
  was held, no one came forward to reveal the
  killer or killers. What caused Skidmore's "decent
  citizens" to murder one of its own?
• Director Ralph ServerGenre DramaLength 113
  min

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• Were you surprised when Ken Rex McElroy was
  killed?
• Were you surprised that there were no witnesses
  to the shooting?

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• Were you surprised that Loh did not identify the
  person, based on what McElroys wife had told
  him?
• What did you glean about McElroy and Trinas
  relationship?
• Although it is said directly, where do we feel
  McElroy got most of his money?

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• What do you think happened to Skidmore?
• Do you feel the town did what Lois Bowenkamp
  wanted it to do go back to doing what we do
  best, which is minding our own business.
• From his story, what do you think of Jules Loh?

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Listening to America

• Jules Loh was author of the twice-weekly column
  Elsewhere in America for AP for eight years.
• Each column was basically 600 words, based upon
  the nicest or most interesting or most
  perplexing person in every town.
• He burned out.

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• A spot reporters looking for one or two things.
  I dont know what Im looking for. And so Im
  looking for talk -- just conversation -- and
  whatever comes up.
• They would tell me things that they havent told
  before. But its not because they didnt want to
  -- its because nobody pursued them

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• I know that I can outreport anybody. Because
  thats something you can learn.
• I always thought that writers were born but that
  you could learn to report. And I was just
  determined that I would do that. Ask all the
  right questions.
• Bird-watching helped him prepare to look for
  details, no matter what the subject.

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• So when he reported a story, he went in with his
  eyes wide open.
• There were certain things that I tried to
  include in every story, whether it was 600 words
  or 6,000. I always felt that I owed the reader a
  description of where I am or who Im talking to.

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• After 39 years, Loh retired.
• I was printed in 600, 700 newspapers But I
  really cherished my anonymity. There were a lot
  of people who read it, and I wound up on many
  refrigerator doors and got a lot of Christmas
  cards and things like that, but I could still go
  into any town and be utterly anonymous.

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• The story he didnt write The Coffee Shop
• But, I never did write that, because I knew I
  always could.