Drone Storytelling: How to get started

This month we delved into drone storytelling for our Innovation in Focus project. Here are five tips to help you get started if you’re new to drones!  1. Your first drone should be one you can crash — a lot Buy a cheap drone for practice so you can crash it without putting a dent in your finances. … Continued

Earn trust by sharing what motivates your journalism

Originally published on Medium Journalists, we need to talk more about the “why” of what we do. What does the profession exist to do? Who do we serve? Why are we doing this story or covering this issue? These questions do not have simple answers, of course. We’re motivated to different degrees by a variety … Continued

A more nuanced understanding of ‘journalism’ is needed  —  and we need our communities’ help

Originally published on Medium Trusting News works to empower journalists to demonstrate credibility by helping people understand journalism. Never has that been more important than today. Journalists are heading to work — the day after a mass shooting in a community newsroom — to keep telling stories that improve public life. In fact, the surviving members of the Capital … Continued

Five lessons learned about the drone part of drone journalism

The Missouri Drone Journalism Program has flown more than 450 sorties since December. Our drones have spent more than 38 hours in the air. We’ve had 32 different student pilots fly our drones, and they’ve flown our drones for more than 38 miles. In that time, we’ve had no serious incidents. In fact, our most … Continued

Data-driven storytelling: Bridges of Missouri

According to the Federal Highway Administration, Missouri has the fourth-highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the United States. This week for Innovation in Focus, Megan Smith investigates this number to learn why. Watch our second segment next week to hear from an expert on data-driven storytelling and why it’s vital to utilize at your news … Continued