This is the third story I got above the fold (not counting the lead story), so I’m stoked about that. Also, I’m particularly proud of this story for two reasons:
1. My turn-around time on this was one day. I received the assignment mid-afternoon on Tuesday and had the story filed by 4PM the next day.2. I had to flex some journalistic muscle to get the story. After I was assigned the story I contacted sources, set up interviews and did other research. This was Tuesday. On Wednesday our editor-in-chief ran this opinion piece criticizing the group.
After reading it my two main sources decided, minutes before my interview, that they didn’t want to talk because they thought we would cast them in a negative light. Not wanting to give up I played damage control, massaged their egos a bit and assured them it would be an objective article.
They agreed, mission accomplished. Interviews in, wrote the story and filed it before deadline.
So yeah, I really felt like a journalist on this one.
Tomorrow I am interviewing Z Magazine founder Michael Albert. I can’t wait.
EDIT: After reading some stories on the same topic there are some mistakes I made with this story. Nothing ethically, but just journalism-wise. There are details I should have included in hindsight, such as some gun violence statistics, an example of concealed carry working somewhere (Utah) and the experience Culotta and Pollitt have with guns. Oh well, live and learn.