02.12.01

By Jay-Anne Casuga

"It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it."

We’ve all heard this tired cliche; many times in our life, but the phrase never rang truer than when applied to journalists covering Virginia’s General Assembly.

"It’s physically demanding," said Hugh Lessig, a reporter for the Newport News Daily Press, explaining that covering the Legislature involves early mornings and long work hours for six to eight weeks straight. "You run the risk of burnout if you try to do everything."

Lessig, 47, has worked as a reporter for 17 years; the first 14 years spent at a small paper in Pennsylvania.

Even though this is only his second year in covering the Legislature, Lessig has many tips to help aspiring political reporters.

Here’s what he had to say:

10. Position yourself strategically:

When covering public hearings or press conferences, Lessig recommends that you stand in the back of the room. That way, it’s easier to catch people if you don’t know how to spell their name or you don’t know their title.

9. Prepare before meetings:

It’s always a good idea to obtain a copy of a bill that will be reviewed in committee or in session.

"That way, it’s easier to follow if they make any amendments to it," Lessig said. "Because in a few seconds, they could change the complexion of the bill with amendments."

8. Be patient:

Reporters covering the General Assembly must have patience.

"More often than not, you kind of rush somewhere to hear a bill or whatnot, and then you do a lot of waiting," Lessig said, adding that journalists should prepare themselves for boredom.

"Government is mostly boring – just watch C-SPAN," he said. "But it doesn’t mean it’s not important."

7. Get to know lobbyists and real people:

Stories from the Capitol don’t just originate from lawmakers.

"I’ve stumbled into feature stories just from talking to people other than the suits and ties," Lessig said.

6. Know your legislators:

"Know about what they do in their life so you can get more insight," Lessig said, explaining that the men and women at the Capitol are only part-time legislators. "Make it a point to just talk to them – not interview them. You can find lots of information that way."

5. Speak to the readers:

Reporters should write their stories in a "user-friendly" manner that will allow readers to understand stories quickly and easily.

"It’s really easy to use the words that legislators use – like ‘securitization’" Lessig said. "But we not writing for the legislators. We’re writing for regular people."

He added that he always tries to write his stories so his Aunt Mildred, who reads the paper cover to cover, can understand.

"My aunt always complains she never understand the stories," Lessig said. "So I always think to myself, ‘How do I explain to my Aunt Mildred without her complaining.’"

4. Cover all your bases:

When writing about a committee meeting, make sure to obtain both sides of a controversial issue.

"Track people down," Lessig said. "Otherwise, people will peg you as a reporter who is not fair."

At press conferences where legislators are promoting bills, keep an eye out for people in the back of the room. More often than not, they’re opponents just listening in on the arguments.

"You just have to try your best to get all sides," he said. "If you can’t find anyone, say they couldn’t be reached for comment or say, ‘so and so have said in the past…’"

3. Talk with your editor:

If you’re unsure about what to write, talk with your editor.

"Ask them, ‘What do you want me to look for?’" Lessig said. "You have to keep in mind what your local readers want to know."

2. Select your targets:

The hard part about covering the Legislature, Lessig said, is not so much writing the stories -- it’s deciding what to write.

"There is a tendency to want to cover everything," he said. "Your instinct is to be here, here, here and here."

This, he added, is not the way to cover the Legislature.

"You have to get out of the idea that you have to be everywhere," Lessig said. "You need a whole different sense of news judgement."

This process, he said, revolves around trial and error.

"There really is no way for a reporter to know," Lessig said. "But you’ll find you get better at it day after day."

1. Look at the whole picture:

"When you’re following one bill, it’s hard to see the big picture," Lessig said. "Try to keep a perspective on how many bills fall into one subject and how it affects the state."