Bring Back the Field Trip

For a reporter on deadline, every minute counts. Covering a Capitol Hill hearing via Webcast, dialing in to a press conference, or surfing your way to the information you need can be a tempting way to save time. It cuts down your commute, but there is a big downside. It robs you of opportunities to connect with your sources.

As a reporter, I wrote the in-depth, technical stories my editors wanted only when I got to know the people I was writing about and their business.

Years ago, I wrote a series on the national transition to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel. Pipelines, trucking companies, and retailers were concerned the fuel would be contaminated during transit. The reasons were complex, so I attended every industry meeting I could to learn more.

During one meeting, I met representatives from a giant U.S. pipeline company. Over coffee I asked if they’d be willing to let me visit a terminal. A few weeks later, I was wearing a hardhat and getting a guided tour of pipeline operations. My sources appreciated the attention, and my stories grew richer after my field trip.

Trucking is on my mind because the American Society of Business Publication Editors recently gave David Cullen of FleetOwner magazine its “best in class” award for his feature article “Fuel: Diesel & Beyond.” It was a multifaceted piece one judge said was “distinctive in its clarity.”

Cullen has spent almost 30 years writing about the trucking industry. Compared to him, I was an “instant expert,” but a credible one, thanks to on-site observation. There is no substitute, and it’s a lucky reporter whose editors get the message.

Mindy Long is a full-time freelance writer whose work has appeared in newspapers and magazines and on television. Samples of her work are online at www.mindylong.com, and she can be reached at mindy@mindylong.com.