Seek Source Diversity

Mitchell Hartman of American Public Media’s Marketplace Money offers listeners a piece that focuses on people who aren’t showing up on the standard unemployment numbers because they’ve given up on the job search.

Mitchell ‘s segment includes the voices of a 54 year old, a 28 year old and an ex-convict.

“Of course, in a recession this deep, unemployment doesn't discriminate,"Mitchell said."Some who've barely gotten into the job market have already dropped out.”

Today’s Tip: Diversify your sources, especially when covering economic issues that affect everyone.

While social media sites like Twitter have helped expand our source searches, you still need traditional pavement pounding to ensure your story captures a variety of people. As a Business Insider piece pointed out, different sites attract different audiences.

For more tips on diversifying sources, check out this handout from No Train No Gain, which offers resources for newsroom trainers.

Balance in Business Forecasts

Sean Sposito balances car dealers’ expected sales with other sources in this article for The Boston Globe. While he cites a pending sales tax increase and the roll out of the government’s incentive program as evidence that consumers will buy, he notes that limited qualifications and the recession may squash those forecasts.

Today’s Tip: Unlike weather forecasts, business forecasts need balance.

To be a useful consumer piece, you have to provide context. Seek sources until you feel that you have balance in your piece. Don’t forget to step back on the final read to ensure you didn’t create a promotional piece.