Resource Centre

New tool for social media verification carries heavy price tag

May 14, 2012 - Posted by Angelina Irinici

A new service, Geofeedia (previously Geofeedr) launched its new interface today. It aims to aid journalists when reporting breaking news by allowing them to monitor geographical areas or to identify an area of interest.

Experts lists: a dangerous, guilty convenience

Feb 24, 2009 - Posted by Regan Ray

There are hazards to using oh-so-convenient databases of willing, even eager, talking heads, writes former London Free Press editor Larry Cornies. Warning lights should be flashing when journalists reach into directories of easy-to-access experts.

IRE's Beat Source Guide

Jul 03, 2007 - Posted by Abby Goodrum

Created by Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. This site provides access to reporter contacts, links, and resources searchable by beat.

Find people and experts: a guide from Julian Sher

Jul 03, 2007 - Posted by Julie Ryland

Producer, author and webmaster of JournalismNet, Julian Sher, has created this guide on how to find people on the internet. By organizing the different tools into categories, the site presents search engines and websites that will help you find the person you are looking for. The categories direct you to online phonebooks, discussion groups, email and web address search tools, crime and personal databases, and other people tracking resources.

Sources online: a directory of experts and spokepersons

Feb 08, 2007 - Posted by Julie Ryland

Sources offers a Canadian site that provides a list of expert contacts and media relations people. It's a "service for reporters, writers, editors and researchers." There is a separate category for news sources, as well as an event calendar. For information and names in politics and government you can look in the Parliamentary Names & Numbers, and for the media there is a Media Names & Numbers section. The site also has a search engine for its directory, where you can choose to search in the name or the subject index, or you can browse the index of topics or the list of organizations.

Researching people on the Internet: tips from the OJR

Nov 16, 2006 - Posted by Abby Goodrum

This two-part article by Paul Grabowicz is published by the Online Journalism Review. Part one focuses on using freely available public records databases on the web to find information about individuals. Part two extends the search to gathering information about businesses and non-profit organizations, as well as political contributions made by individuals.