ABSTRACT
No matter where young journalists begin or go in their careers, it’s important for them to develop an intimate knowledge and deep understanding of the communities they cover. They must become deeply familiar with the people who live there, what they care about and what motivates them in their daily lives. Young journalists learn the importance of walking a beat, going to places to meet people and listen to their concerns and issues. In Chapter 9, journalists talk about how they get to know and cover their communities and beats and the people who live and work in those settings. The best journalists say it’s important to hold a mirror up to the community to show both the good things and those things that need correcting. This chapter emphasizes the importance of paying attention to what’s going on around the world as well. Events that occur on the other side of the globe can influence what happens in a local community in this country.
