Week 7

This week could have, well probably should have had my first bylined story in the paper. A former reporter told Greg and I that a current basektball players' brother might have been shot in his hometown (I am leaving details out just because I think this blog would show up on Google news if somebody typed his name in). A story like this is never good - reporting on death is not fun - but it is a relevant part of the job and I wanted to take it on and learn from the experience. Unfortunately I still don't have any details to follow up with so the story is not yet in the paper.

The obvious first place to check is with the athletic department. When the SID didn't answer either phone I spent the next couple hours frantically searching blogs and other newspapers for any mention of it. Then I started checking the newspapers of his hometown to see if I could find any records of a murder with a similar last name. Nothing. Eventually I got a call back from the SID who said the team was taking pictures all afternoon so he was unable to answer earler. Then I asked about the tip he acknowledged that something had happened but said he didn't know any details and hadn't talked to the player yet. A little while later he called back saying he still didn't have any information, whether it was a brother, cousin or just friend, whether it was stabbing or shooting, finally if it was even fatal. Then he said I was the only one to even call about it so he would get more information and call me right away.

Since I am new to a story like this, I was trying to ask Greg for tips on how to go about it throughout the day. After this last call, he said to call the newspapers in hi hometown. This is a very relevant practice that I had never even thought of. I had to go through a big bureucracy to find the right person (it is a big newspaper) but then the guy I talked to was very helpful considereding how little I had to offer. I told him the players name, the area he went to high school in and the alledged tip, but unfortunately he couldn't find anything matching.

The next day I had trouble reaching the SID again but eventually got in contact with him midday. He said he was home and sick but waiting on a call for more information. To me, the fact that he was sick pretty much said that he was not really trying very hard. Likewise, by the end of the day he still didn't have the information, and that's where I am right now.

Overall I am kind of disappointed that I don't have any information to report yet. Granted it's not a big story or even a super important story for our audience, but it is something that should be reported on because it affects a public figure, and I could have broken the news ahead of the Tribune, which would have been good. Technically, I still feel like I am going to be the first one to report it. I am going to work today to keep trying to find information so hopefully I finally get something and really get my semester of advanced reporting rolling!