Newspaper | Words & Tricks

Watchdoggin’: Top notch reporters & editors share investigative journalism tips for ethnic media

April 13th, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in Writing by Chris Pommier

This weekend the nonprofit Investigative Reporters & Editors, Inc., a grassroots organization devoted to improving the quality of investigative journalism, brought professional journalists from the New York Times, the St. Paul Pioneer Press and the Wisconsin State Journal to Minneapolis for a two-day conference and workshop. With partners New American Media the Twin Cities Daily Planet and the Twin Cities Media Alliance, IRE provided workshops and networking sessions focused on strengthening watchdog journalism, and building coalitions, among local ethnic media.

It’s not often that I have the chance to be trained by professional, working reporters and editors from nationally recognized, Pulitzer Prize winning newspapers. For a nominal fee of $25, which included lunch and a year’s membership to IRE, I was practically obligated to go. More »

Minneapolis Star Tribune wins multimedia journalism award

February 26th, 2008 | No Comments | Posted in Minnesota, News by Chris Pommier

The Newspaper Association of America gave the Minneapolis Star Tribune a Digital Edge award for Most Innovative Multimedia Storytelling in 2007 for the paper’s piece A People Torn. The story explores the experience of Liberian immigrants in their home country and in Minnesota.

This is particularly interesting to me, because I’m currently working in my free time as an Editorial Intern for the Minnesota Literacy Council. There are three of us who volunteer our time to put together this year’s book, which compiles entries from the various literacy programs in the state. Many of the adult learners are immigrants, and many of those are Liberian.

I’ve been incredibly moved by the stories that many of these adult learners share. They are often strikingly honest about their experience as refugees. Stay tuned to this blog and I’ll let you know when we publish the 2008 book. It’s worth a read. Perhaps I can get permission to post some of their stories here, as well.