Sources

Every Reporter Should:

• Select sources for relevance - focus on what's most important
• Check sources for accuracy - make sure all facts and statements are true
• Balance sources for fairness - represent all sides of every issue
• Cultivate sources for tips and story ideas in the future

Use a variety of sources in every story

Newsmakers

• The people who are the direct participants in the news event itself, whether they willingly participated or note
• Examples: The firefighter who was battling the fire; the player that scores the big goal
• What to gather: their recollections, opinions and emotions

Spokespeople

• People that represent institutions or corporations. Could be representatives of public agencies like the police or a government office.
• In high school stories - administration and district officials are the "spokespeople"

Experts

• A professor, scientist, author, etc. to offer opinion or expertise
• Make sure their insight are reliable and relevant
  

Official Records

• Helpful statistics, reports, court record, etc.
• Many records are available under the Freedom of Information Act and the Florida Sunshine Laws

Reference Material

• encyclopedias, almanacs, dictionaries, articles from scholarly journals, studies, news sources

Ordinary Folks

• "the man on the street" or the "woman on campus" - everyday people
  
• What to gather: opinions or anecdotes, reactions to a trend, etc.
  

Source: Tim Harrower's Inside Reporting