How to report and write policy stories the public will actually read and use

Feb 28 2020

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Feb 28, 2020 - Feb 2, 2020

1:00pm - 4:30pm

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Professional Development

General Public Tickets
NPC Members: Please login for access to member tickets.

It’s one of the thorniest ― and most important ― challenges journalists face today: How do you get the public to read about policy? Whether you currently write for insiders (or outsiders who want to be on the inside), or you simply want to learn how to frame and report your work for maximum impact, this half-day workshop will give you the tools and knowledge to produce exclusive stories that reach people who don’t typically read about policy ― and also make insiders sit up and take notice.

Sessions will include:

How to write policy stories for the general public with story coach Andie Coller, a Politico and National Journal alum, where you’ll learn why general-interest policy stories are so important, why they frequently fail online, and how to identify, frame and present policy stories that will hook and engage people who don’t already follow the topic you cover.

When and how to humanize your policy stories, with New York Times investigative reporter Sarah Kliff, where you’ll learn why making the connection between personal stories and policy works (and when it doesn’t), how talking to regular people can help you break policy news, and the best tactics for finding the right human(s) to be the heart of your story.

Finding (and interpreting) the data your readers want and need, with McClatchy D.C. data reporter Ben Wieder, whose hands-on (bring your laptop!) session will teach you how to locate the data your readers really want, determine if what you find is trustworthy, and confirm reliable interpretations before your publish.

The workshop will take place from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2020, at the National Press Club. Registration is $25 for National Press Club members and $50 for nonmembers.

About the Instructors

Andie Coller is a journalist and editorial consultant who specializes in framing information for impact. She has been a reporter and editor at Politico, deputy editor of National Journal magazine, and national audience editor for McClatchy. She is a past program director of the National Press Club Journalism Institute.

Sarah Kliff is an investigative reporter for the New York Times, where her work focuses on how the American health care system does (and doesn’t) work for patients. She has previously written for Vox, The Washington Post, and Politico. She loves stories that can show the personal consequences of policymaking.

Ben Wieder is a data reporter in the McClatchy D.C. Bureau who has focused on political influence, government contracts and predatory lending. He worked previously at the Center for Public Integrity and Stateline and has also written for FiveThirtyEight, The Chronicle of Higher Education and Newsday.

About NPCJI

The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute serves as a beacon for journalism in the public interest.

Event details

National Press Club
529 14th Street NW (14th & F Streets)
13th Floor, Conference Rooms
Washington, DC 20045

Friday, February 28, 2020
1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

$25 for NPC members; $50 for general public

Please contact Julie Moos with questions, [email protected] or 202-662-7507.