Enterprise reporting remains central to what we do

Published 9:00 am Saturday, August 31, 2024

By PHIL WRIGHT
East Oregonian

: Cattle graze in southern Union County as a rain squall covers part of the Elkhorn Mountains west of North Powder in 2023.

Dear readers,

Enterprise reporting in broad terms is relying on sources and research to generate an original news report or feature rather than reporting from press releases or news conferences. It’s the kind of work that feeds the mind and soul of a journalists, and while the EO Media Group’s east side newsrooms are smaller than ever, our reporters and editors are managing to produce more than their fair share of enterprise reporting.

Baker City Herald editor Jayson Jacoby’s report that ran online and on the front page of the Aug. 28 edition of the East Oregonian about how ranchers will endure the effects of this summer’s wildfires years exemplifies enterprising work. The EO’s Berit Thorson recent work on happenings at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution in Pendleton also are fine examples of Enterprise reporting (one of those has run online, “First foods and finding balance at Pendleton prison’s annual pow wow,” and will run in print, the other is coming out soon).

There are more examples, and more of those stories in the pipeline.

Original reporting takes longer but comes with greater benefits of more information and more context. It also means we don’t get churn out right away every press release we get. I’m OK with that. A press release is going out to all kinds of media outlets, so it’s not like we’re really beating anyone to that news.

BREAKING: Pilot Rock sawmill shutting down

Pendleton relocates Fourth of July fireworks show

UPDATE: Pilot Rock sawmill closure due to market pressure

But press releases don’t compare to being the reporter in the field talking with people about their concerns and problems, which EO reporter Yasser Marte did this week for an upcoming story about a property owner with a conflict with a local government.

I rather have all of our reporters digging into that kind of stuff than sitting for hours at their desks working as human copy-and-paste machines to get out a press release. I think they would rather be out there as well, and I hope you, our readers, agree.

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Phil Wright is the managing editor of the East Oregonian.