Vickie Chachere

As a writer it is often easy to be a little jaded about the credibility of other reporter's work. The best advice is skepticism, like the old credo of "If your mother says she loves you, check it out." So don't be lazy; check it out.

It is never as difficult or embarrassing as giving up and making a fool of yourself.

Vickie Chachere, former reporter and editor of the Tampa Tribune, had some excellent advice for young journalists. For those approaching a story that requires some difficult reporting, she said, don't rely on others in the media.

Her anecdote regarded a scientific study that was about the behavior of 3 and 4-year olds and the likelihood that some of them required very stern disciplinary responses. The moral of the story came from the popular press' reaction to the study. Instead of making clear the actual text of the study, they suggested that certain children were being severely disciplined. This kicked up the dust of the issue of spanking, one of the two things journalists can never safely discuss, according to Chachere (the other is abortion).

Instead of addressing the public's outcry and only piling fuel onto the fire, Chachere's editorial board did the reasonable thing. They tracked down the original study and the people who published it. The researchers had absolutely no idea where this discussion of abuse of children was coming from; it simply was not in their report, said Chachere.

In light of this fact, Chachere's office was able to do a very solid editorial on the sensationalism and lack of hesitance and tact of the modern media.

So, Chachere's lesson about quoting other journalists' work is a poignant reminder. Don't get ahead of yourself when faced with a story that's logistically impossible to do your own reporting on. There are often ways to get around it and stay above the current of public opinion.