Expand your reporting with the Internet

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Providing a unique perspective on the war in Iraq can be difficult, especially with limited resources in newsrooms. But by getting organized and doing some basic Internet research, journalists can delve deeper into these issues.

Here are three things to do first:

• Before diving into a Web search, chart your course.  Think about what questions you want answered and what potential sources you might need. Are there specific types of people who would have information on what you need? Nonprofit organizations? Government agencies? Media organizations?
• Once you have a handle on the sorts of information you want, use a Web search site to find information, or use one of the links below as a starting point. When deciding which search engine to use, consider whether you’re trying to get information on a broad subject where a category search engine, such a Yahoo might be best, or whether you have a specific search that would be done better in Google or another full-text search engine.
• Once you get to your search engine, take a look at the help button, so you can make the most out of your search. You’ll get better search results by the tools search sites provide to narrow your search.

Local sources

Census data can help you to find people in your community who might provide insight into a particular issue or culture. It  will help you pinpoint where particular people live. When the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Bosnia, reporters used census data to find the neighborhoods with high proportions of Bosnians. The data provided a map for where to report.

If you have database and spreadsheet software, you can download census data into your computer and do your own analysis; otherwise, you can use the Census Bureau’s American FactFinder.

Nonprofits: Your community might be home to nonprofit organizations that deal directly with international issues. Internet resources can help you find out what organizations are in your area and can provide you with information about them. Guidestar has a database of IRS 990 forms and other information about nonprofit organizations. The search tool lets you search by location and subject. Additionally, you can download the entire IRS database of tax-exempt organizations for each state from the IRS Web.

Alternative media

Alternative media outlets are those that are outside the mainstream press. They might help you come up with ideas or find people to interview. Several Web sites provide links, stories and opinions from an alternative perspective.

Alternet, the Web site of the the Independent Media Institute in San Francisco, provides links to media and investigative projects. Unlike many mainstream Iraq special reports, Alternet’s contains stories more critical of the U.S. bombing of Baghdad.

Skyhen, a Web site based out of Guelph, Ont., provides links to alternative media around the world. The focus of the site is to educate users about injustices around the world and to reveal hidden agendas of government actions around the world.

The American Library Association has put together a good list on alternative information sources.

The Smoking Gun provides documents, videos and other information you might not find elsewhere. The site recently posted the BBC’s controversial footage showing George W. Bush getting his hair coiffed before announcing his decision to attack Iraq.

Journalism groups

Around the world, groups of journalists are working to do better investigative work. In several countries, they have come together and formed organizations that train other journalists and provide guidance to reporters wanting to do critical or investigative journalism. Such organizations are sprouting up even in countries that have a long tradition of state-owned media.

The Armenian Association of Investigative Journalists, a nongovernmental organization founded in July 2000, is working to develop of investigative journalism in Armenia. Its goal is to strengthen and develop the freedom of speech and democratic principles. The organization has 31 working journalist members representing 14 media organizations.

In Denmark, a group of reporters from the Copenhagen-based Jyllands Posten formed the Danish Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting. The group does training and provides resources for European journalists. Its Web site provides a database of tip sheets and stories from journalists around the world. DICAR will the second international investigative reporting conference in May.

A group of journalists write for an alternative site called the Arabic Media Internet Network. The site provides a critical and alternate view of issues faces to Arab world.

Periodistas de Investigacion is a Mexican organization that helps journalists from Latin American countries do investigative reporting.

While some of these groups sprouted from independent journalists who took great risks to work for independent media coverage in their states, other organizations were founded through U.S. government programs.

IREX (the International Research & Exchanges Board) is a nonprofit organization specializing in higher education, independent media, Internet development, and civil society programs in the United States, Europe, Eurasia, the Near East, and Asia. Its programs fund independent media development in many countries. Although IREX is supported through funding from private organizations, a significant amount of its funding comes from the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Advocacy Organizations

Amnesty International is a human-rights organization that researches and reports on abuses worldwide.  While the organization has an obvious agenda, its library of reports and resources is a great starting point for information on human rights issues. The organization’s online library is searchable by country and topic.

The American Civil Liberties Union works to safeguard individual freedoms. Although most of its work is in the United States, the organization also addresses international civil liberties violations. Its report on 2002 international civil liberties is available online.  In addition, the ACLU has been the leading organization fighting to keep open access to court proceedings of those detained by the U.S. government in its War on Terrorism.

Greenpeace is a nonprofit  international organization that addresses environmental issues such deforestation, global warming and degradation of oceans.  The organization also has been a vocal opponent to the U.S. attack on Iraq from both a human-rights perspective and an environmental perspective.

As you’re looking through these organizations’ sites, remember that they often rail against their opponents. It’s worth checking out the Web sites of opposing groups to gain a balanced perspective.

The Invisible Web

Remember that no search engine really searches the entire Internet. You’re usually just getting a sampling of what is out there. Your favorite search engine will not be able to find information that is buried within a PDF report on an organization’s site. It won’t search a database that is on an organizations site. It won’t search newspaper archives. A few sites search some of these hidden resources on the Internet, among them invisibleweb.com and the Invisible Web Directory Infomine.

Universities

Universities are warehouses for specialists in all sorts of fields.  For example, the University of Maryland has a specialization in military sociology and the University of Texas has the Middle East Network Information Center. You also can use sites such as Profnet to find a university expert in a particular field.

Some final words

As you find useful sites, keep track of them by bookmarking them in your Web browser according to categories. It’s a little work upfront, but in the long run you’ll be glad you stayed organized.

As you find information, be as critical of Web sites as you would be of people you interview. Most sites should provide contact information, the date when the page was last updated and a link explaining the purpose of the organization. If that information is not available, use caution.

You also can find out who owns a particular domain by searching sites such as Whois, Register or Checkdomain.com.

Jennifer LaFleur is the 2002/2003 McCormick Tribune Journalism Fellow for The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.