9 Easy Ways To Find Coronavirus (COVID-19) Story Ideas

9 Easy Ways To Find
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Story Ideas

Written by Lois Lane
🕒 May 07, 2020

For any reporter who covers a specific beat, whether that’s crime, education, or public health, sometimes finding a new attention-getting story in that same category feels like searching for a dollar in a dumpster—it’s possible there’s a buck in there, but you really have to dig through some trash to find it.

These days, all of our beats are coronavirus (COVID-19) related.

That means turning stories daily about the impact of this virus on our local communities, which can be exhausting to say the least.

Not to mention the constant battle of finding a new angle, or tracking down b-roll when all you have is a Zoom interview, it can be maddening. Plus, writing intros in a way that doesn’t seem like a repeat of yesterday’s story can be near impossible.

So, here are a few helpful ways to find COVID-19 story ideas:
          1. Follow the social media accounts for all local emergency responders, including the
fire and police departments even in the tiny 5,000-person towns.
          2. Twitter search keywords like your state name and any town in your DMA.
          3. Search your DMAs town names in GoFundMe, where you may find accounts for friends and family of people recovering from coronavirus.
          4. Sign up for newsletters from your local churches, which may be organizing relief programs.

5. Call your local Farm Bureau, and ask about the impacts of the virus on the farmers and crops in your DMA.

          6. Join random Facebook groups dedicated to helping people in your area. Also check out forums, or Reddit threads, that really exist just for ranting.
          7. Search for local agencies in your area that rely on state funding, and ask them how the virus is impacting their overall operation.
          8. Ask your parents, and younger siblings, how the pandemic has impacted them personally.
          9. Look up your community calendar, and find all the events that should be happening now or in the near future, and find out what’s happening with those events and the money paid/raised for it.

The daily turn of these types of stories is wearing on even the most seasoned journalists.

Telling important stories that impact our communities depends on our own mental wellbeing, so don’t be afraid to take some time away from all the COVID-19 coverage by diving into a podcast about food, crime, or sports.

So, I decided to share a couple of podcasts I’d recommend for some quality non-coronavirus you-time. Enjoy:
          1. The Happiness Lab
          2. Dirty John
          3. Bad Batch
          4. Planet Money
          5. This American Life
          6. Good Food
          7. Bodies
          8. My Favorite Murder
          9. Wardrobe Crisis

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