Surfing the Net on Deadline

• Rule #1: Troubleshoot your software when you aren't on deadline.
• Rule #2: Don't surf on deadline.
• Build -- and maintain -- a bookmark file for your beat or specialty.
• Update and organize your bookmarks during downtime.
• Organize your comments about Web sites and other Internet information. Use a PIM (personal information manager), a database or a third-party application that works with your browser.
• Don't be afraid to browse. You never know where you might find a good story idea.
• Try to spend at least 30 minutes a day online at first. A little time now will save a lot of time later.
• Set a time limit when you're browsing.
• Use newsgroups and mailing lists to monitor discussions on various subjects and to find sources and story ideas.
• Trust but verify.
• Whenever possible, spend time "lurking" in a newsgroup or on a mailing list before posting messages. This will save you from embarrassing mistakes.
• Check the posting date. Just because it's new to you doesn't mean it's new.
• Search for similar messages using a search engine like DejaNews -- www.dejanews.com
• Learn Netiquette and check for guidelines specific to a particular mailing list or newsgroup, sometimes known as FAQs.
• Consider creating a second e-mail address to use for newsgroups and mailing lists.
• Check your e-mail at least twice a day.
• Use e-mail to contact potential sources or to conduct interviews once you know someone and feel confident dealing with them this way.
• Don't rely on e-mail replies on deadline. Pick up the phone.
• Use search engines early and often.
• Never rely on one search engine.
• If the search engine offers help use it.
• Learn simple query language.
• Get an e-mail program with a filter if you're going to get more than a few messages a day.
• Use a news tracker to "catch" stories of particular interest to you. Use more than one to broaden the net.
• Be adventurous. Be intuitive.
• Be cautious. Treat information from the Internet the same way you would information from any source.
• And remember, Ethics in Online Journalism = Ethics in Journalism.

Some Notes for Editors/News Directors:

• Set up shared bookmark database for newsroom.
• Encourage staffers to practice their skills between deadlines.
• It's ok to have newsroom Internet specialists but -- at a minimum -- everyone should know the basics.
• Include ethics in your newsroom training and your continuing education.
• Set up guidelines for including urls and other Internet info in articles.

copyright Staci D. Kramer 2000
May be distributed in print with appropriate credit