2015 Atlantic Journalism Awards Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | A mother's plea for answers |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | Jan. 17, 2015 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | Telegraph-Journal |
| Name of Program: | |
| If co-produced, list partner: | |
| Location: | Saint John |
| List awards, grants: | |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | |
|
Short explanation of the story and how it developed: When something really bad is happening in a small region, the pressure is high for tiny newsrooms to react, and be relevant both online and in print. We know the story will see larger press make their way into the community real quick. There is no longer the luxury of time since weekly deadlines have been replaced with minute-by-minute updates and newsrooms with more resources are sure to visit your one-horse town for the juiciest stories. It makes sense, but of course we want to compete. The advantage locally, however, are the relationships that have been fostered between a local reporter and citizens long before they are needed for a story. This makes a big difference in not only whether you get an interview with someone tormented like this mother was, but it will determine what you are told. The stories of Jessica Miller’s disappearance, death and the arrest of her good friend who did it, unravelled over several days. While they didn’t take a lot of resources in terms of people or money, they required a lot of compassion. This mother was devastated, highly emotional and sometimes incredibly hostile. There is nothing more exhausting than holding onto an interview like that. This story shares some of the conversations with this single mom, and features her words which no other press were able to get. |
|
|
Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: |
|