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Guidance for reporters

Two main types of person are involved in the New Australia Media project:

  • Reporters: young people who have joined the project to write stories and to develop their journalistic skills.
  • Mentors: experienced journalists who will help the reporters to write their stories.

Each reporter will be allocated a mentor when they first join the project.  They will also be given a website login with permissions to submit stories and to edit them online.

Reporters can write about any subjects that are important to them.  However, they should be careful not to write anything that could be seen as defamatory of another person.

Stories will appear on the New Australia Media website and be made available to the Leader Newspapers.

Induction and training

Each reporter will attend at least one induction session when they first join the project.  Their ongoing training will then be via their mentor.

Matching reporters to mentors

We will match people based on story ideas, mentor expertise and availability.  Once matched:

  • Our Reporter Coordinator will contact each reporter to provide their mentor's name and contact details.
  • It will be up to the reporter to make the first contact with their mentor.

The mentoring process

Mentors will give guidance to their allocated reporter(s) on how to write the story of their choice.

It is suggested that over, an average period of a month, at least four contacts between reporter and mentor should take place: face-to-face and by phone or email.

Any face-to-face meetings should take place in a neutral, public place that is convenient to both parties.

The process of filing stories on the website

Each reporter will be given a login in to the NAM website so that they can enter and edit their stories.

Any stories will then not be visible to anyone else until one of our editors has reviewed and approved it.

Ownership and copyright

Ownership of stories will lie with New Australia Media but reporters should feel free to use their stories as they wish.

In terms of copyright, other people can replicate or link to your story as long as they attribute it properly.

Feedback and evaluation

 At the end of the mentoring period, both the mentor and the reporter will be asked to let us know how they felt about the program.

The Reporter Coordinator

The Reporter Coordinator co-ordinates and manages the overall process for the reporters so that the whole process is a productive and enjoyable experience for everyone.  She will keep in contact with each reporter during the mentoring period to make sure everything is going well.  If there are any concerns along the way, she can be contacted by phone or email.

Contact details:

Nicky Lo Bianco

nicky.lobianco@newaustraliamedia.org

0409 002400

  • By admin at 22 Apr 2010 - 6:36am
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