The Synthesis of Sources

My reporting in the last two years at the USF School of Mass Communications has centered around interviews and experts. In my last semester, I finally learned how to go to the record as a source for information. Gil taught us the power of a 119 request and “shoe leather” reporting. I’ve learned that you can make a story almost entirely from records based reporting.

In our last video, Steve Andrews, Senior Investigative Reporter and Executive producer of Investigations at WFLA Channel 8, gave us the tools to fuse records and interviews based reporting into a solid story. Stories with records and no quotes can be dry and lack emotion. Stories with all quotes and no records are less powerful and less informative. Steve showed us how getting your facts straight through records and databases makes you prepared for an effective interview that will make your story relatable to the readership.


Through Steve’s examples, we saw the life cycle of a story. It starts with a tip. This leads to public documents research, and it results in interviews to get all the perspectives on the story. Steve used his manners and tact to score a lead on the “Wii Bowling” story from a tipster who felt that FoxNews 13 treated him or her disrespectfully. Steve majored on the fact that respect will open doors for you and that being a tough reporter is not synonymous with being a jerk. The informant gave him a video showing Polk County Sheriff’s deputies playing Wii Bowling while performing a drug bust on Michael Difalco’s home. This huge story would never have broken without this critical tip.

After he got the video, Steve researched the search warrant and any other records he could get pertaining to the case. Finally, after gathering all these facts he called up the Polk County Sheriff for an interview. He was willing to talk to Steve because he was polite and informed.
After your extensive records research, the next most important part of a journalist’s job is to be a good interviewer. Steve suggested you write everything down and come in with your three most important questions that you must get in to the interview. He emphasized the importance of letting them “tell you what they want to tell you” while keeping command of the conversation and getting the answers you came to get. I appreciated this advice because I know as an inexperienced student reporter I have made plenty of mistakes because of being underprepared and timid in an interview.

The blend of records based reporting and good interviewing skills makes Steve great at what he does. His investigative journalism has uncovered several stories about our political leaders. He encouraged us to “keep powerful people accountable”. This is the basis for investigative reporting. All the stories he shared with us kept someone in power in check. He asked why Blue Cross Blue Shield denied a woman’s coverage for a life saving surgery. He asked Judge Stringer why a public servant who is supposed to uphold the law ignored it to commit bank fraud for a friend. He asked Lex Salisbury why he was using his position at the Lowry Park Zoo to pump assets into his own private animal park that he was building in a neighborhood without asking the neighbors.

By asking the tough questions, Steve Andrews has enterprised hundreds of investigative stories in his career. His niche in journalism makes sure the powerful stay in line using a synthesis of well-researched records and tough but fair interviews.