JRN 300: What, Exactly, Is A Trend/Issue Story?

In this class, what we want to do is produce trend or issue stories, and not event or happenings stories.

An event or happening story is about something taking place: a public event, a press conference, a business opening, etc. It's focused on who-what-when-where.

And that type of journalism isn't of much value these days, when groups and organizations can put out such basic news on their own Web sites and/or social media pages. People can easily Google on their own to get those basic facts about an event upcoming or just-occurred. People really don't need journalism for that anymore.

What people need is to discover patterns happening in their midst, and making sense of events and happenings in terms of what they mean beyond the simple event. It's getting more into the whys and hows, and more into general topics and how they broadly influence everyone as opposed to a limited event with limited impact.

For example, looking at past JRN 300 stories one trend identified was the lack of diversity in Meridian Township. Click here for the story.

Another false from Meridian Township is the growing trend of students utilizing the "schools of choice" program. Here's that story.

A trend and issue story can be based on a happening, but we need to build way beyond just the simple fact that something is happening and get the pros and cons and why does this matter? answered, like with this story about a proposed express bus system through the Lansing area.

Or here, where we're not just noting that road repairs are planned for Lansing; we are examine what exactly they are -- are are NOT doing -- and why.