Ask a Mentor

The competiton's editor is going to court. Do you write the story?

Mar 15, 2011 - Posted by Dana Lacey

Q: I cover the court beat for a weekly newspaper. Recently, the editor of a competing paper was charged with impaired driving and failure/refusing to provide a breath sample. There has been some debate in the newsroom about whether there is an obligation to cover this or if doing so is more "gotcha" than it is newsworthy. As a court reporter in a small town, I have written about people I know, their family members and even someone connected to my own family. Now I am faced with the question of covering a colleague's trial that could end their job in the community. Do I write the story? Answer by Don Sellar, former Toronto Star ombud.

What are the legal issues when retelling a potentially libelous life story?

Jan 18, 2011 - Posted by Dana Lacey

Q: I work in Kenora, where an elder has asked me to help her tell her life story. The parts about living off the land and descriptions of the culture are wonderful. The sections where she's talking about the abuse she suffered at the local residential school are trickier. She doesn't name names, but she does name the school. It'll also be possible to identify individuals in charge. The specifics make her story much more powerful, but she may end up with some legal issues. Any thoughts or advice? Answer by media lawyer Bert Bruser.

How to get back in the game

Oct 26, 2010 - Posted by Robert Cribb

Q: I graduated from j-school five years ago and slogged it out as a reporter for over three years before I decided to take a break. Now I find myself missing the excitement, the rush and the challenge of journalism. I'd like to do an internship or find a mentor in the newsroom. Should I go back to school or begin contacting publications directly? Answer by Wendy McCann, Ontario Bureau Chief for the Canadian Press.

How do I build a portfolio?

Aug 17, 2010 - Posted by Dana Lacey

Q: I am currently a 3rd year undergrad student and am looking into applying into a master program in journalism. I realize I have to build a portfolio. Can you suggest where I can go to gain experience in journalism other than university newspapers? Most media outlets in Canada seem to only have internship positions available for graduate students. Answer by Technovica editor Saleem Khan.

Should I share quotes with a source?

Aug 03, 2010 - Posted by Robert Cribb

Q: Some journalists willingly share quotes and stories with sources before publication. I’ve always been taught to never share my stories with sources prior to publication. What’s the proper practice and why? Answer by Lindsay Kines, a long-time reporter who covers social issues for the Victoria Times Colonist.

How do I interview cops and lawyers?

May 18, 2010 - Posted by Dana Lacey

Q: I am a crime & court reporter in a small community. I am also new to this beat. I was hoping for some interviewing tips when it comes to police officers (details of new charges and incidents) and lawyers in court (information about their clients and trials). Answer by Rob Tripp, who has been writing about bad guys, courts and prisons for more than 20 years.

How do I access government information?

May 11, 2010 - Posted by Dana Lacey

Q: What are some tips on using freedom of information to access government data and what specific kinds of records should I be asking for? Answer by investigative reporter Fred Vallance-Jones.

Cops won't talk to me because I'm a reporter

May 05, 2010 - Posted by Dana Lacey

I'm a fairly new court reporter out in Jasper, Alberta. I tried talking to the police to get arrest details, and the RCMP stated, "We’re not obliged to release information unless it's in the public safety to do so." So, what are the police's obligations to share info in Alberta and if they aren't obliged to share that info, how could I get it -- aside from just waiting for it to come up in court? Answer by Robyn Doolittle, who covered the police beat at the Toronto Star before moving to the city hall bureau.

Where's the (freelance) sports coverage?

Apr 14, 2010 - Posted by Dana Lacey

QUESTION: I am a sports columnist and member of the CAJ, my work has been published in smaller newspapers and online for the past three years. I am quite aware that the daily newspaper business is in a state of flux but when I approach any daily newspapers with my work, hoping to reach a new level with my writing, I run into one dead end after another. I would love to get paid but being published is more important at this point in my career. Even without being paid, editors have told me if they use a freelance writer, the union gets angry. How do I overcome this hurdle and get published and, hopefully, paid one day? Answer by Chronicle Herald sports editor Andrew Waugh.

Covering bikers: dont flirt, avoid underlings and never, never touch the bikes

Nov 24, 2009 - Posted by Regan Ray

QUESTION: What advice do you have for reporters who cover dangerous figures (bikers, organized crime members) and want to keep their kneecaps right where they are? Answer by Toronto Star reporter and author of The Bandido Massacre, Peter Edwards.

Ask a Mentor

edited by ROBERT CRIBB

Ask a Mentor provides answers to practical questions about the craft. Our mentors will steadily expand this fount of tips, traps and shortcuts on the trail to truth. Submit your question and we'll pass it on to a mentor for answering. Robert Cribb is an investigative reporter and deputy investigations editor at the Toronto Star, past president of the Canadian Association of Journalists and current president of the CAJ Educational Foundation. He is also a lecturer at Ryerson University and co-author of Digging Deeper: A Canadian Reporter's Research Guide.