Civic reporting may seem like a very mundane, uninteresting beat, but really civic reporting provides many learning opportunities for the journalist and provides important information to the public about local municipal news. In my past experiences in Civic reporting, I have reported on issues such as a septic rehabilitation program. This experience gave me the opportunity to learn about something I otherwise may have never looked into. It was also important because the rehabilitation program was of vital interest to the public, as many residents in the town I covered were unaware that their septic tanks were able to be restored for free. Reporting on this issue was vital to the public’s understanding of the rehabilitation project. This semester at Ithaca College, I plan to continue civic reporting for Ithaca Week and cover important municipal news in Ithaca, N.Y.
One story idea I have and have already begun speaking with sources about is a rehabilitation project for an integral bridge that connects Cornell to the city of Ithaca. The closure of the bridge will lead to a disruption in local traffic behaviors and possibly cause delays. I find that it is essential to report on this issue because the public deserves to have updates on an important piece of infrastructure in the city of Ithaca. Overall, I am excited to keep exploring this beat and hopefully, as I am covering this beat, I can write about my experiences and hopefully provide a different perspective on civic reporting, a perspective that understands why civic municipal news is so crucial to public knowledge.
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