Reporters dispatched daily to fill pages with news articles
Haley Hauptman, 10, a fifth-grader at Mundelein's West Oak Middle School, asked, "How can newspapers get so many articles done every day?"
Newspapers serve a very important purpose. Each day, either delivered to your front door or on the Web, the newspaper explains all the important news events that shape our world. Reporters are the people who seek out the news. When something important happens, they speed off to the scene, ask questions, research the topic and write the story.
Sometimes the job is very difficult. They might need to investigate a top politician suspected of wrongdoing. Sometimes it's very challenging. They might need to encourage people to take risks to tell the truth. Sometimes it's very sad. They might be asked to speak with families about a tragedy or death. Knowing that the article could make a difference and bring help is what drives reporters to do their very best on the job.
Many times the news is uplifting, like the stories about 16-year-old Kendall Ciesemier who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to combat AIDS in Africa. There are momentous presidential elections and thrilling sporting events, miracle comebacks and world records
The Daily Herald has more than 60 reporters, critics and columnists at work, according to its human resources department. Most have a specific topic area like law, politics, sports, business, schools, health, autos, entertainment, television, food and fashion. They make sure they learn everything they can about that topic and develop contacts with people who work in those fields.
Staff reporters have busy jobs - they have to go wherever the news is on that particular day. They have to gather all the facts and then write the article on the same day the news is happening. They have deadlines - 11:30 p.m. at the main Arlington Heights office and as early as 9 p.m. in one of the three satellite offices. When they can't be somewhere they use correspondents - freelancers who are asked to report on a specific event, like a high school girls basketball game or a band concert.
Readers also have a role in the news. Many people write and call the Daily Herald offices to let reporters know about important events and people of interest.
When breaking news happens in far away places, like across the ocean or on the other side of the country, the newspaper depends on wire services - businesses that gather news in foreign and distant locations. When those reports affect our readers, the Daily Herald will assign a reporter to gather the information that readers need to know so it can be reported in the next day's newspaper.