Basic Themes

 

  • Avoid stereotypes
  • Know your limitations and your data
  • Take a risk, change perspectives — but do it with a backup plan
  • Chip away

What is Herointown?

Finding Herointown*

*Trained professional. Do not attempt. 

How do we bring these stories to light? 

We ask.

Data Sources

SAMHSA - Federal Treatment data

http://www.samhsa.gov/data/

State Data - You're on your own

http://bit.ly/NJSAMS_Data

 

Rx Drug Data - Medicare Part D

https://projects.propublica.org/checkup/

CDC - Vital Statistics on overdoses

http://bit.ly/CDC_OD

 

Know Your Data

Find the data nerds and use them liberally

Filling the Town

Know your data's limitations

Be honest with your readers about what you can and can't show

Data was the Vehicle

People were the Fuel

 

The Stories

The Dead

 

Crowdsourcing Art

 

Multiple Gateways

Broken up into clickable, shareable posts

Write/Code for your Readers

 

Not for policymakers, other journos

Questions???

 

Stephen Stirling

@sstirling

sstirling@njadvancemedia.com

 

www.nj.com/herointown

Addicted: Nicar 2016

By sstirling

Addicted: Nicar 2016

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