Verification is one of the most important elements in journalism, especially for beat reporters faced by time pressure and competition. This is what I learned from my mentor, as we had to do a story about a man who allegedly died from heat stroke in Mandaluyong.
We had to call authorities and other relevant people to confirm the name of the victim and what really happened and to get pertinent firsthand information.
It was challenging, but verification is a skill that every journalist shall acquire and practice.
This is what we wrote:
A man was proclaimed dead on arrival at a hospital in Mandaluyong due to apparent heat stroke.
Albert Fulgencio of Brgy. Highway Hills reported that around 7 AM, Grijaldo Jose Arnaldo Amigo was seen lifeless by Bantay Bayan volunteers on a sidewalk at the northbound lane of EDSA.
Officers of Metro Manila Development Authority immediately brought the body to Victor Potenciano Medical Center. Attending hospital staff could not confirm the cause of death as of press time.
Fulgencio said the man was a resident of Tondo, Manila.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment