When’s the last time you had to cover a new beat?

It’s exciting. It’s daunting. And it’s sort of both at the same time. I’m starting to work with smart people at IRE and Internet Archive on a project to train newsrooms to preserve their digital archives before the internet, time or misfortune eat them up, and I have these two feelings right now.  

Luckily, Internet Archive has a lot of resources to get us caught up, so the feeling is 80% exciting and only 20% daunting. If you’re facing new coverage, tough projects or just trying to keep up with this news cycle, I’m sharing a few guides that just might help. 

Vaccine reporting toolkit

Well, this one’s timely. SciLine created this toolkit to help you cover vaccines responsibly. It includes reporting resources, crash courses to get you caught up on the latest and SciLine’s always reliable media briefings and expert resources. Check it out.

Guide for reporting on missing persons

The Black and Missing Foundation and the Washington Association of Black Journalists recently published the “Media Guide for Effective Coverage of Missing Persons Cases,” which “provides recommendations on removing unintentional bias, establishing consistent coverage across outlets, and ensuring equal attention to missing persons of color, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location,” according to a press release. The project includes a journalist database that can inform you about cases in your area. Learn more. 

Resources for covering criminal justice

The Marshall Project built Investigate This, a toolkit to support criminal justice reporting. It includes a language and style guide, tips on how to work with sources, guidance on visuals and so much more. Get started here. 

What to do when sources shut you out

Last year, Poynter published a report on what to do when sources won’t cooperate. It includes good recommendations that are still pretty darn relevant. Here’s more.

While you’re here: 

• Speaking of guides, how should your newsroom tell stories visually about public safety? Here’s a resource from Just Journalism. 

• This week’s “The Poynter Report Podcast” features Chuck Todd, who spent some time talking about local news, including coverage of youth sports. Listen here.

• Documented, the nonprofit newsroom that works “with and for immigrant communities in New York City,” has a training program and stipends for six newsrooms. Here’s more.

• Here’s a gift link to read a really lovely obituary about a local journalist, written by her journalist son. 

• Read journalist Mario Guevara’s account from an ICE detention center. 

That’s it for me. Tell me one thing you’re doing right now to take care of yourself? Here’s mine: Before I open X, I set a timer on my phone for five minutes. It’s a lifeline every time. 😅

Kristen