We often get notes from readers indicating they were able to mine WebTips columns for ideas for their own stories. Since many of my ideas are “borrowed” from elsewhere on the Web (at Chip Scanlan’s writing classes at Poynter, this act of borrowing is called, with tongue firmly in cheek, “honoring”), I thought it was time to list some of the places I mine for technology story ideas. Even if you are not looking for tech story ideas, many of these sites, newsletters, and blogs are worth visiting for better ways to, say, use the Internet.
(Unlike most of the links I usually publish here, I am also including some visible URLs, if they are easy to remember.)
Walt Mossberg’s Personal Technology on WSJ.com: This free site (ptech.wsj.com) publishes 90 days worth of Mossberg’s signature Thursday column, his Thursday Q&A with readers, and his new-ish Wednesday column, “The Mossberg Solution.”
Tech:Knowledge at MikesEjournal.com: This is the blog of Mike Wendland, who co-founded the WebTips column and is the tech columnist for the Detroit Free Press and Internet reporter for NBC-TV News Channel. He blogs a lot of material on tech happenings in cyberspace and in real life.
Gizmodo.com: This blog is a great way to keep pace with cool tech stuff coming down the road. The site is published by blogging mogul Nick Denton’s Gawker Media and here’s the self-description: “Gizmodo is an online review dedicated to gadgets, gizmos, and cutting-edge consumer electronics.”
Al’s Morning Meeting on Poynter.org: While most of the ideas from Poynter broadcast and online group leader Al Tompkins (poynter.org/morningmeeting) aren’t tech based, he often has terrific tips on how to use the Internet as a better reporting tool. Here’s how I have described the column previously: It “is one of the single best resources for journalists who need story ideas (and who doesn’t?). Each day, he compiles ideas, story links, and more from around the world. Make sure you sign up to receive the column every weekday morning.”
USAToday.com Tech: Reading USAToday.com’s techonology section (tech.usatoday.com) is a good way to take the pulse of the current state of tech news. I also recommend subscribing to the free daily tech newsletter. Those of you who like to hear about new sites will especially like the “Hot Sites” roundup.
News.com Personal Technology: The rest of News.com tends to be more technical than this section, which combines columns, news stories, and video clips.
WiredNews.com: This site, which is separate from Wired magazine (though it does link to the print publication), breaks up its stories into sections such as technology, politics, business and culture. You can also read it in Spanish, Portuguese, and Japanese.
NYTimes.com Circuits: If all the daily tech coverage gets overwhelming, then the weekly Circuits section (nytimes.com/circuits) of The New York Times is the way to go. The features and columns such as “How it works” are written for a general audience – it’s like reading a newsweekly just about digital stuff.
These are just some of the handy sites I visit when trying to get story ideas. In future issues, I’ll write in-depth about one or more of these resources to show you how you can use them in your daily work.
Your turn: Send your thoughts – and useful sites – to poynter@sree.net.
Sree’s Links:
