NEWSGROUPS

There are several ways you can read or take part in discussions on the Internet. One way is to subscribe to a listserv . Another is to join a newsgroup. The main difference between these two are that you sign-up for a listserv and the messages go to your e-mail box, while you go to a newsgroup area and read the messages like on a bulletin board. Newsgroup messages are posted publicly, available for anyone to read and respond to. There are over 15,000 newsgroup areas currently active on the Internet covering every conceivable topic from the arts to zoology.

Use for

• Story ideas: While some of the messages will be more like CB radio talk, others can give you a first alert about a developing new topic or area of concern to the group.
• Finding sources to talk to: The people who read newsgroup messages are a great source for information themselves, and they know others who are experts or experienced in the topic being discussed. By connecting to a newsgroup's population, you are connecting to their rolodexes, too.
• Seeking people who know about a specific topic: Again, anyone who joins a newsgroup is likely to be very interested, concerned or knowledgeable about the topic being discussed. The group is highly motivated to share information and to support the questions raised by other members.

What you need to use newsgroups

You must have access to a service which has newsgroup access. Most of the commercial bulletin board services (America Online, Delphi, Prodigy) do have newsgroup access. Any Internet provider's service should have newsgroup access as an option. Some may restrict which newsgroups you can get to.

Cost: The service you use for Internet access might charge by the hour for the time you spend reading messages. Otherwise, there is no fee for reading newsgroup messages or for joining newsgroup discussions.

Tips for using newsgroups

Newsgroups are great resources for connecting with experts and people with certain types of experiences. However, there are some things you should keep in mind as you are using them:

• You need lead time: You might post a message and not get a response for a day or two. Don't rely on responses for short deadline stories.
• Identify yourself: Although you're in cyberspace, you need the same ethics as when you're dealing with people face to face. If you are trolling for comments to use in a story, be sure to disclose who you are and something about why you are looking for comments.
• Remember, what you post will be read by who knows who: Don't tip your hand on a big story, there may be other journalists out there. Be as vague as possible but specific enough to get some response. Ask people to reply to your e-mail address, not to post to the newsgroup.
• Verify, verify, verify: Would you put in the paper something you heard at a cocktail party without verifying it? Of course not. Same with what you read in a newsgroup.
• Read the FAQs: Don't become instant flamebait by asking a question that has already been answered by the group. Be sure to find and read the FAQ (frequently asked questions) document which most newsgroups have available on their topic.
• Search the Archive: Many newsgroups retain an archive of messages. Before you send out a question, search to see if it has already been addressed by the group. (a great source for locating newsgroup archives can be found at: http://starbase.neosoft.com/~claird/news.lists/newsgroup_archives.html)
• Get a sense of the climate before you get active: Lurk (read messages but don't send or reply) for awhile on the newsgroup before you become active. Learn about the community of people, their concerns, their tolerance level before you solicit information from them. Be as sensitive to the group as you would be in a face-to-face situation. And don't overdo it. When Jerry Garcia died, a message was posted by a journalist to the rec.music.gdead newsgroup, asking for stories or memories anyone would like to share, information about local vigils, etc. One member of the newsgroup responded, "You want a comment? How about "GO THE F*** AWAY!" You can read the posts here. People are upset. Stop digging for news bites and let us grieve!" Bottomline: this is a great resource for journalists, just be sure to use it appropriately and sensitively.
• Find a few to monitor: As with all the Internet resources, if you start off thinking you have to eat the whole thing, you will quickly have a stomach-ache. Take small bite, find a few good places, monitor them well, and gradually build up your skills, gradually get this technique for covering your beat incorporated into your style of work.
• If there is a choice between a moderated and an unmoderated newsgroup on a topic, go moderated: Moderated lists usually have someone who oversees the message traffic to see that it stays on topic and to mediate flamewars. Unmoderated are "anything goes" and what often goes is trivial, off-point kinds of messages. Most newsgroup lists and finders will indicate whether or not a newsgroup is moderated.

How to find newsgroups

http://www.cen.uiuc.edu/cgi-bin/find-news

Search on "religion", for example, and over 30 newsgroups from alt.hindu to talk.religion.newage are listed. The word is found if it occurs in the newsgroup name (talk.religion.newage) or if it part of the brief description of the newsgroup (alt.hindu The Hindu religion)

Search Newsgroup Messages at:

Deja News http://www.dejanews.com/

Excite http://www.excite.com/

Infoseek http://www.infoseek.com/

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Nora Paul
Poynter Institute
mailto:npaul@poynter.org

Updated 9/12/95