Where Does the Media Get its Stories From?

Police and Fire Services: reporters make regular calls to the emergency services to check for incidents.

Courts and Inquests: some cases will be covered by a reporter.

Council Meetings: the media are sent agendas and papers in advance of the meeting. These are checked by reporters.

Contacts: Contacts are very important. They make the effort to meet a journalist in a pub, or ring them up with a good story, or maybe just to pass on some information. Journalists will call their "contacts" to ask if anything is going on.

Press Release: A press release is the most common way news is passed to the media. The biggest users are local authorities and commercial companies (often using a public relations company) trying to get free publicity. Voluntary groups and campaigns can compete successfully because their material is local.

Tip off: The public may write to a news editor or call / text a radio programme with a story or a tip off. Protecting a source is a key journalistic principle, and if you wish to remain anonymous be prepared to be asked some questions by the reporter so they can establish whether you are a credible source. For more information on how the BBC deals with anonymity click here.
 
Other Media: All of the media monitor what the opposition is doing because of the fear of missing a good story.

Investigative Journalism: this is rare. Local media do not tend to employ a "Roger Cook" type of reporter but if you want a scam exposed it's still worth talking to the news editor.

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