Reporting on national security is a tricky task, to say the least. Coming into the nation’s capital as a new face on the scene has its obstacles. Though many institutions, organizations and politicians’ offices are aware of Medill, people are still skeptical of new reporters merely because they don’t know who you are.
One of the best ways to help circumvent this is to get in touch with the agencies you will be covering during your first week here. Send them an email or give them a call letting them know you will be reporting on national security for the next three months. You just wanted to introduce yourself. This way, if a story comes around later on that you could use their help on then you’re not just some stranger. A little outreach can go a long way.
A lot of the sources on the beat will give you great information, but a lot of the time it may be off the record or for background. This is either because they don’t want their names associated with that particularly information or because the information itself is sensitive, which again you will come across a lot on this beat. The trick to this is not to burn your bridges. Some of the best information might come from these sources.
The good news for you is that there is an array of valuable resources at your everyday disposal. Take advantage of talking to the seasoned reporters in the area. They know more than you do. Watch them. Learn from them.
There are also many think tanks in Washington that deal with national security. The experts who work for these organizations have been around a while, have worked with various administrations and so they know lots of information that might spark some story ideas.
An example of this, my first video story here in Washington was on the Department of Defense’s Efficiencies Initiative. Basically, the DoD was looking at ways to bring down their spending costs. For further insight into this matter I interviewed defense budget expert Lawrence Korb at the Center for American Progress.
During my interview with Korb, he mentioned some programs that he felt were wasting the DoDs money, but that I wasn’t able to tackle in that particular story. However, this information led to another story I wrote for our National Security Initiative blog about the future of the Marines Amphibious Vehicle Program.
The point is that these people are aware and know much more than you do. Listen closely and you’ll have all the tools you need for story ideas.
Another important aspect about reporting on national security is the acronyms – DoD, DADT, NSC, DHS, DOJ, E.O., you get the idea. Most of the hearings and events you will attend will have this sort of language. Get familiar with it. You can’t write a story if you don’t know what people are talking about. Do research on your subject, whatever it may, beforehand and have an idea of the terminology used and associated with it.
The AP Daybook is another wonderful tool. Each day you have access to preview the next days’ events. The Daybook provides a listing of all meetings and events taking place. Attend these events. They undoubtedly give leeway for story ideas.
You have to, and I mean HAVE TO be up to date with global and domestic current events. You can’t expect to be a good reporter if you don’t know what’s going on around the world.
This may all seem rather intense. I remember my first week here in Washington. I felt like a fish out of water. Rest assured, you will find your footing and get into the groove. But like anything else in life, the most important aspect dictating what you get out of your experiences will be how much effort you put in.