How to Build a Beat San Diego Society of Professional Journalists 1/19/2016 Elizabeth Douglass Elizabeth_douglass@yahoo.com Some General Tips About Beat Coverage Pick focal points or themes for the year Most beats have these elements: Money Power/influence Technology Public impact Be flexible – curveballs and detours are inevitable Get off the beaten path Watch for omissions Keep your eye on technology – it’s affecting everything. Capabilities can be exaggerated; limitations can be glossed over It can also trigger sweeping changes Make use of two of the most revealing questions in your arsenal: Why? and Why not? Do explainers – they are useful for you & and your audience Most issues are complicated Show commitment and establish credibility Ask for feedback from sources – “Is there something I’m missing?” Some Tips and Guidelines About Sources (people) Where to find them: Institutions Colleges & universities Industry publications Government agencies, committees, advisory groups Public officials – and their predecessors! Non-profit/advocacy groups Relevant studies (authors & contributors) Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Stories by competitors and your predecessor People who attend or speak at relevant meetings Lawsuits & legal cases Labor unions, professional organizations Some Tips and Guidelines About Sources (people) A Little Advice: Be respectful Know the bias Resist dividing people into “good-guy, bad-guy” camps Examine assumptions and claims about exceeding ‘industry standards’ Meet people in person whenever possible Show your human side Cultivate staffers and people in the middle They know a lot and could be the Big Cheese some day Avoid using jargon, whenever possible Don’t forget the public, the customers, the taxpayers, etc. Use unnamed sources as rarely as possible Don’t forget to look overseas for sources Sources in other time zones are priceless Some Tips and Guidelines About Sources (documents, data, websites, Twitter, etc.) Where to find them: Institutions Colleges & universities – studies, research, funding Industry publications Government agencies, committees, advisory groups Public officials – e-mails, calendars Non-profit/advocacy groups Relevant studies – authors & contributors Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn – mentions, news Lawsuits & legal cases – exhibits Industry and specialty publications – citations, mentions Some Tips and Guidelines About Sources (documents, data, websites, Twitter, etc.) A Little Advice: Go back and read the entire report Key details and caveats often yield follow-up stories Know where the underlying information came from Read the footnotes and fine print Consider gathering your own data Spend time wandering around key websites, especially government sites Sign up for newsletters and news feeds Set up alerts about developments or new filings whenever possible If a public company is involved, listen to earnings calls with analyst Read the transcripts, too 4 Probes Reportedly Focus on PacBell Sales Tactics Utilities: The phone company denies that itpressures employees topush services customers don 't wont. January 16, 1999 ELIZABETH DDUGLASS TIMES STAFF WRITER Email ?share 6+1 I3 Paci?c Bell's aggressive sales pitches and advertising are under investigation by state regulators and at least three district attorney's of?ces acting on complaints that the company's methods are deceptive and a form of fraud, according to sources familiar with the probes. Investigations underway in Alameda, Monterey and San Mateo counties mirror an ongoing inquiry by the California Public Utilities Commission, which regulates phone and energy companies. PUC hearings on the case are set to begin Thursday. Hundreds of customers have complained that the San Francisco?based phone company is using misleading advertising and sales tactics to pressure them into buying packages of add?on phone services that they don't need or want. None of the district attorney's of?ces involved would con?rm the investigations. And a PacBell spokesman said the company has no knowledge of any district attorney investigations into PacBell "for any reason.II But sources familiar with the probes say the inquiries involve PacBell's highly successful push to boost sales of special phone equipment, inside wire repair plans, caller ID and other phone features. Don?t take their word for it check it out E05 A-AIIQBIBS $11135 3:11an EDHECTIDNS "r Back to Original article Look Good . bun-o}- Xoul self March 16, EUU4 EIiza oeth Douglass Times Staff Writer At least a dozen emplovees of Southem California Edison Co. manipulated customer satisfaction survevs hv tricking a polling f'nm into calling people who would give glowing reviews na_melv= the emplovees themselves- Edison= which disclosed the scam said the sort-'evs helped persuade state regulators to grant the 3:3 million. in hpELidi son-its: nu-thti 199? and 20m]. it looking iIltD whether the emplovees were aiming to in?ate their own bonuses- The utilitv= which was tipped off lav an insider= said it hadn't finished investigating the matter but pledged to retum to customers anv rewards it didn't ea.m. "ls Southem California Edison's service so had that emplovees are cooking the hooks in order to make things loolt better than thev reallv are?" said Douglas Heller= executive director of the Foundation for Taxpaver and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "This is an eve?opener.rl Look for trends stories that illuminate the big picture In Keystone Fight and Beyond, Infrastructure Is Energy Policy NEW pipelinesr power plants and export facilities would Ioclt in carbon emissions for another generation and continue the dominance offossil fuels. B?lr EUEABETH DOUG LAEE. INEIDEC LII-HATE EWE :Ah 3. EDIE MOE o1:l'c tonne-n cg :Itt'le Hermon? 2t. Iron-u Cum 1; Eula. 1c Two-1.0m "crsCarcd: As almost countries to work out an agreement in 21115 to slash carbon emissionsr the LLB. and others are about to make the climate task tougher by ad ding new.I fossil fu el pipelines. power plants and other infrastructure that could in crease pollution for deoacl es. The installations threaten to deepen the pla nEt's dependence on fossil fuels and loclt in new carbon emissions over the long term. jeopardizing the world's ability to slow global warming and prevent catastrophic droughtsYou can find exclusives even when stories have drawn in national media Exxon Pegasus Pipeline spill in Mayflower, Ark. -- March 29, 2013 Don’t be afraid to challenge official conclusions, or to get really technical to understand what happened Hook crack in the a steel pipe – something like it led to the Mayflower oil spill. Find studies that are relevant to the issue A Research Development Program ?ne: 01/19/2016 01:24 AM PH SA Project Search Modem Search med-ranted Search I: His:o'ica $ea'ch P'o'ec: Summa'les RD Pm?? Quem Historical Proiects (before 2002) Quem Modern Pro'ects '1 PLIDIIE {8:3 Page Final Repofs a Joe Pages 1 Recent Projects (last 5 years) I: uuesnons an: - Awards Starting in FY-2015 'Cnd'l?r' "Bavesian Network Inference and Information Fusion forAccurate Pipe Strenqth and Touqhness Estimation" End FY: 2018) 0 "Embedded Passive RF Taqs towards Intrinsicallv Locatable Buried Plastic Materials" (DTPH5615HCAP08, End FY: 2018} 0 "Application ofAmorphous Metals for Plastic Pipeline Detection" (DTPH5615HCAP05. End FY: 2017) "Small-Scale DIAL for Methane Detection" End FY: 2017) "Chemically Bonded Porcelain Enamel Coated Pipe for Corrosion Protection and Flow Ef?ciencv" End FY: 2018) "Advancement in the Area of Intrinsicallv Locatable Plastic Materials" (0TPH5515HCAP09. End FY: 2017) "Electromagnetic Strateoies for Locatable Plastic Pipe" End FY: 2018) "Mitiqatino Pipeline Corrosion Using A Smart Thermal Spravinq Coatinq System" End FY: 2018) 0 "An Inorqanic Composite Coatino for Pipeline Rehabilitation and Corrosion Protection" (DTPH5015HCAP04, End FY: 201?) "Understandino and Mitiqatino the Threat ofAC Induced Corrosion on Buried Pipelines" (DTPH5615HCAP02: End FY: 2018) "Corrosion Under Insulation Innovative Solutions to Cold Climate Corrosion Challenoes" End FY: 201?) 0 "Approac hes for Preventinq Catastrophic Events" (DTPH5015T00001. End FY: 2016) a "White Paper on Risk Tolerance" End FY: 2016) 0 "Comparison of Exclusion Zone Calculations and Vapor Dispersion Modelinq Tools" (DTPH5615T00005, End FY: 2015} 0 "Evaluation of Corroded Cast Iron Pipe" End FY: 2017) a "Statistical Review and Gap Analvsis of LNG Failure Rate Table" End FY: 2016) When the Mayflower spill happened in early 2013, pipeline regulators were already studying problems with vintage pipe of the kind used in Exxon’s Pegasus pipeline ….but it wasn’t a new issue. Pipeline regulators commissioned a series of studies that dated back at least to 1992 2002 1992 2004 Deparlmenl of Transportation I . Research and Special Prugrams Administration Of?ce of Pipeline Saiety @i?e ner_ CorIMat Enqina-arinq Services. ac. inrnqiarntr?l TTO Number 5 Integran Management Program Delivery Order TESS 91303 6 Law Frequency ER and Lap Welded Langitadfna! Seam Evaluation FINAL REPORT Rem'sian 3 by Michael Baker J12. Inc. April 2004 In mew-Enrica wan.- .?i?fejher and Aeriacr'ales. Inc. ("Drawer Engineering Sen-?ices, PC 2011 hManaging Challenges with Pipeline Seam Welds 8133Area 0? Event Summary Report The Wes?n Arlington Gateway Arlington, VA July 20, 2011 Battelle Final Repnrt [113111411 Nu. E?li?' ERW and Flash Weld Seam Failures If. Eie?aarartd Elsi Knlm?ieh September 24, 2012 2012 1:1. leuelsin assess efg?lpateutnf?li?'? app-ears mine a etren?reughjt is nethelpful 'tn elirnina?nglealis a.t 15. Setting?leptqset Edema] ?up?iedit hde-D?tl?til: is Eseutial In?senrite ?tigue-eulargedsearude?ens Tat 1d The meansnfesmblislhing appropriate tesest intersaJs tn pres-eat m-serrire faiJuTes EnrrnER?iL' and ?ash-welded sean1 anomalies are assemble. TerJtmiq'ues ?ar lat-editing suth mTers'aJs atepteseuted herein for antrmaliesdtatmieh'r Eie?ter .-1 ssat'irzres, Inn. 535 era's Cert? ?hin 43935 DSlE-ll?l (6141 333-3224? pesehy Eardle ?ilmEEaiJJrrEfrnmuarinns maun?erums? hydresmtir Test{rn111t5t 5 nt serendsj app-ears Te limitits level is prnhatlly as mere mat 95's as as an same pressure level is We 19.1'11et1's1 hasheen tirue. Due suth Eailtne was in?de dJedatabase Dpetamwhehaue mummgeef'fnimgrm pipe ['1th take steps Temr'uimieetheehamesnfa?rernic {l'fHIll EECEE tadletlitpm?recnienat'lhe DDsurl'acel Eernmmeuded responses are as feIJ-uws. 1. Rerie'a'nma?'arnue suds as brittle ?'aclure tn: da1a. If'il'?l he addressed under Euhtasik 1.4.) . techniques Te determiuet'ue e?ecttseteughness les'ds and Elder s1ress lesuds nfme bundJrues antl hear-affected runes nfEP-Jil? and ?ash-welded seatus. {Will he addressed idet Suhmsk . Evaluate the e?'ert'tseuess nufia?gne and gremlins-duals fli?iJJ be addressed idet I3-?u?tu3tslt 1.5 .J 4. Enndnuete teIJeEt audanal?e and ?ash-welded semfa?tu'e data. be done ifreuewed funding fer I.41senun1es available.) . Evaluate e?esdveness erads tn-uls based nn actuaJ esamples eftnelruns aud feline-up remains. m??lbe addressed Iruder Sub-ms]: EE-B LIJ LII Key Sources: 1. Retired materials engineer (San Jose State) 5. PHMSA-commissioned reports on 2. Pipeline construction expert (Univ. of Texas) hydrotesting & pre-1970 pipelines 3. Metallurgical report on accident 6. Pipeline safety consultant 4. Exxon’s 2006, 2010 & 2011 reports on hydrotests 7. Pipeline safety advocacy group (company fought their release, calling them proprietary) Sometimes not getting the information you want can still become a story Business, Suggests Regulator PHi-v-lSe has released spill response plan "'orthe ruptured Pegasus pipeline?but most of the crucial elements have been completely reclactecl. BY NAVEENA SADASWAM. INSIDECLIMATE NEWS Mobil Pip-G Lll'i'l Vulnerability Analysis l?lpEIHlli?. "e pr: re He: r:or_: ?ats? a Ea?ety A: 'at'ar? cc-"ii: etel; 'euactej "o 'e :nar? pages o? EEC-sage omega-3 'es or: "use the i'e c' was 'eleasezl as a 'esth "s new: 'ecuest. ?da 3?2'12 65} "ii a r:u:a the PegasL ks :Peo'e: ctLra: 'era as: Jcezl Burst Pipeline's Spill Plan Is None of Your Subscribe to Inside-Climate News MOST POPULAR Leaking Methane Plume Spreading Across L.A.'s San Fernando Valley Hers-m 2016: California's 'Staggering' IE. Leak Could Spew Methane for Months s. as California Declares State of Emergency as Leak Becomes Methane Equivalent of Deepwater Horizon i" Exxon's Oil Industry Peers Knew About Climate Dangers ‘We’ll let you know what we decide after we have a private hearing of testimony and evidence submitted by our investigators & Exxon. And no, the meetings aren’t recorded, and no, you can’t have copies of the exhibits…’ While wandering around and following a link from the PHMSA website, I found this: https://www.transportation.gov/mission/administrations/administration/workforce-information Which led me to spreadsheets like this… …which then led to this: The spreadsheets showed a spike in retirements, which led PHMSA to tell me about the buyout program…which was eliminating the agency’s most-experienced employees at a particularly inopportune time. Credibility with a source led to this! Rachel Maddow show, January 22, 2015 ELIZABETH DOUGLASS ELIHATE HEWSEPUETER