Beat reporters are experts on certain topics, anything from the St. Louis Cardinals to St. Louis County government. They know what’s at stake, who the main players are. They move fast.Â
On most days, I am an enterprise reporter. I am an expert at being confused. Often starting from scratch, I approach stories with question marks. Then I try to answer them. This doesn’t always yield a story, but my goal when it does — for me, for you — is to find a pathway of understanding to complex topics or people off the beaten path.
As a news reporter for about 20 years, I’ve found that access is necessary for understanding. I am not the expert. Doors must open. Public records need to be available to study. People need to be willing to speak, share their knowledge and experiences. And I must handle the information with care.
Here’s a question that’s often in the back of my mind: Â
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If access helps us understand, then why aren’t some public institutions more transparent? Is there a valid legal reason? Is it just bad timing? Or something more?
Here are five questions I tried to answer in 2021:
• Why are more children in foster care in Missouri, and why won’t state officials talk about it?
If you have questions that need to be asked in 2022, or answers, send me a note to jbogan@post-dispatch.com or 901 North 10th Street, St. Louis, Mo. 63101. My phone number is 314-340-8255.
In this Series
News staffers’ most memorable St. Louis area stories of 2021
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Joel Currier's memorable stories from 2021: NFL/Rams settlement, gun-waving lawyers and dropped murder cases
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Michele Munz’s memorable stories from 2021: The fight against COVID and the price paid by health care workers
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Mark Schlinkmann's memorable stories from 2021: A new voting process and historic redistricting
- 19 updates