By Leigh Dana, WBNG, Binghamton NY

As the senior reporter for my station, a main responsibility is to come to the morning assignment meeting with plenty of story ideas.  In many newsrooms, news directors require their reporters to bring fresh ideas to the table not found on other local news station or newspaper websites. In small TV markets, often times it may seem difficult to find lead worthy stories. But, there are few ways to go after one and sometimes, it doesn't even require leaving the office to get it.  So, here are a few examples of how I've learned to find lead worthy stories, making my daily pitches a valuable asset for our newscasts.

Social media has begun to reign as a key way to find stories - A Facebook post or a tweet can help reporters gain ideas. But, don't forget local blogs or forums. Every day, I search our community's local forum for an interesting post. Just reading what people have to say on the site can "point to news."  Rumors may surface along social media sites but it still requires a little investigative journalism. Our reporters saw rumors posted about a principal being arrested for shoplifting. However, there was no public record of the arrest, because the charge was dropped and sealed.  Our story was twofold; addressing the arrest as well as the legal ramifications that may arise for posting sealed information on social media sites.

And even though it may be 5 o'clock and your story is ready for air, that doesn't mean that's the end of it.  News reporters can come up with great story pitches, just by following up on something you've covered in the past.  This past month, our news department has been extremely busy covering crime and fires throughout the area.  For the first time in a year and a half, I finally wrote up a list of stories I've covered that need to be revisited. That way I don't forget about them (I usually have a pretty good memory). Granted, some of the follow ups to these stories are easy to figure out and often make news the next day -- like the fire cause, or the preliminary trial hearing for the suspect involved in the crime. But, let's go back to our stories from months ago.

In June, I covered a federal court case that resulted in mistrial. The prosecution, at the time, said it would retry the case for a 3rd time.  And several people commented that it would be a waste of taxpayer money.  The follow up to that was finding out the average cost for a federal trial and the re-trial date.

A follow up story can also take weeks of phone calls to local officials. Tell yourself you will call the public information officer, say, every Tuesday morning for any updates. Our station was the first to report a business facing lockdown because I persistently made calls on any possible developments. Don't forget to also call some of the people directly involved in the story. They might have information, too. And if you are nice, they might fill you in.

Developing contacts and a professional relationship with your sources is more than just making calls. It is about recognizing they have a job to do and respond like anyone else by being treated with courtesy and respect. This is especially important when dealing with local police agencies. I've found they will respect you for reporting the facts and asking the right questions.  That was the case with one homicide I recently covered. While the Sheriff did not want to publicly comment on some information I gathered from the community, he promised to follow up with me first with any new details that may arise.

Ultimately, the key to finding stories is to utilize all available outlets, whether it's online or through people in the community. Reporters can't expect news to just fall in their laps, and I've found these tips help me prepare for when I step into the office each morning.

Leigh Dana can be reached on her website: click here