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The team can keep refining the outlines as new information comes in. Likewise, you and the reporters might decide to collapse two good ideas into one at some point. Make sure to engage the entire group in discussions at each step along the way, as some of your reporters may feel very proprietary about ideas they have proposed or information they have collected. The best way to do this is to seek consensus. Take a vote if necessary. What do the reporters think should be included? What should be left out? Why? Use this opportunity to discuss general journalistic themes again, such as objectivity and fairness. It may be that one reporter wants to include an unsubstantiated or unconfirmed rumor. Why is this a bad idea? Likewise, if one reporter is adamant about an idea but you feel uncom-fortable with it, discuss how that idea can be included in a balanced context by finding and quoting someone from the opposing viewpoint. Remind the journalists that the group must operate democratically and bow to majority opinion. But you can also do a little horse-trading: one journalist may have to give up an idea in exchange for the group agreeing to pursue another. By the fourth day of the project, the team should zero in on a single general story or several smaller stories with sidebars. At this point, the coordinator will have to ask hard questions: How many reporters are there, what are their skill levels, and how much time do they have? That will determine how many stories can realistically be written within the time frame and how long and ambitious they can be. Once the team finalizes topics and determines how many stories they will write, ask the reporters to outline each story. In preparing this outline, the reporters may want to ask a number of questions:
Posting the answers to these questions on a big plastic board will help focus the reporters' thoughts. As they conduct interviews and gather more data, these points can be reassessed to include the new information coming in.
Depending on where the project takes place, this concept may be new, but getting the reporters to think about symbols stretches their think-ing visually and conceptually in addition to thinking about the series in terms of language. Show examples of catchy logos that have accom-panied distinctive series in newspapers in other counties. Let them propose ideas and debate among themselves until they reach agree-ment on a logo. This could take several days of discussion. A graphic artist may then be asked to execute the idea, although this isn't necessary. The team may be able to turn to a graphic artist at one of the participating newspapers. In Macedonia, an artist at a one-stop printing shop de-signed the logo for about $20. At the same time, the coordinator should brainstorm with the reporters to come up with a catchy overall title that sums up the series. Again, this pushes the reporters to think through what they are doing by conceptualizing the series in key words and phrases. Think of it as the team slogan, a shorthand way to explain what the series is all about.
Incorporating graphics and photos into the project is also a way to draw in additional journalists and professionals to complement the core group. These might include specialists in newspaper photo, art, or graphics who can add depth to the series as well as augment the proc-ess of production. Before going on an assignment, the reporters should consider opportunities for dynamic photos. In general, they should avoid simple head shots and posed-looking photos. Instead, suggest that they shoot subjects engaged in an activity that illustrates the story. If a photojournalist isn't available, the project should provide a camera for the reporters to take on interviews. The reporters can rotate the camera among themselves, depending on the interview schedule for that day.
Each publication will have already agreed to publish the completed series. However, at this face-to-face meeting, reaffirm that commitment and discuss possible dates for publication. The coordinator will also want to ask what story lengths each outlet can accommodate and whether they would be willing to loan a photographer or graphic artist for a short-term basis. This is an appropriate time to thank editors for loaning a valuable re-porter for the duration of the project and reiterate its public-service as-pect. In addition, the coordinator can use this opportunity to discuss with editors some potential project add-ons, such as follow-up stories, newsroom training, a journalism round-table, mentoring and reporter swaps. Also discuss setting up a press conference to publicize the project
and various mechanisms to obtain reader feedback such as printing letters
to the editor, installing a caller hotline to express opinions, and organ-izing
a radio or TV talk show with reader call in and audience partici-pation.
(For a more detailed explanation of potential project add-ons, see Part
11, "Maximize the Impact.")
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