By Breanne Stitt
Chris Coffey, an investigative reporter for NBC 5 Chicago, stopped by to talk about the converged newsroom and his reporting experiences.
Coffey talked about his personal career and how after graduating college his goal was to be in front of the camera. He started out in Midland, Texas, which was the home for NBC’s television series Friday Night Lights.
“Ninety-five percent of the time you have to start out in a small market,” Coffey said.
He built his career in Texas after reporting in other cities like Austin and Champaign. It led him to a position in Hartford, Connecticut, where he was one of the first reporters on the scene for the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.
Coffey said reporting for tragic events is always difficult, especially in situations like the shooting when people did not want reporters there. He said it was probably the toughest moment of his career. Approaching people who have lost a loved one is probably the toughest part about the job.
He said, “ approaching the victims, you have to be somewhat pushy, but respectful.”
A recent story he investigated here in Chicago deals with the Oak Park Teen, who recently admitted to killing her mom while on vacation. Facts are key to a good story; Coffey researched and discovered police reports that revealed the teen disrespecting her mother on numerous occasions.
Today, most reporters are taking on more responsibility when investigating a story. Coffey said in this industry, “We are a small fish, in a big pond. And we don’t want to be scooped, so he’s always looking over his shoulder.”
So, it is to our own benefit to be trained how to shoot video, write stories, and use social media when reporting stories. Coffey writes his on-air script and an online version for all of his stories. He said, “It just takes time, you have to develop a writing style, and find your voice.”
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