What is the term for a list of established contacts a beat reporter uses to find or develop stories?

What is the term for a list of established contacts a beat reporter uses to find or develop stories?

• A. Beat Checks
• B. Source List
• C. Rolodex
• D. Contact Sheet

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is the reporter’s network of trusted people they can contact to develop stories. The best term for that organized list is Rolodex. A Rolodex is a rotating file of contact cards that a journalist fills with names, phone numbers, emails, and notes about the best way to reach each source. It represents a ready-to-use pool of sources the reporter relies on to obtain information, confirm facts, and generate leads on the beat. While a source list or a contact sheet describe similar ideas, the term Rolodex captures the classic image of a journalist’s go-to roster of established contacts. In today’s digital world, this idea lives on as contact databases, but the concept remains the same: a well-maintained, accessible set of sources the reporter can lean on.

The concept being tested is the reporter’s network of trusted people they can contact to develop stories. The best term for that organized list is Rolodex. A Rolodex is a rotating file of contact cards that a journalist fills with names, phone numbers, emails, and notes about the best way to reach each source. It represents a ready-to-use pool of sources the reporter relies on to obtain information, confirm facts, and generate leads on the beat. While a source list or a contact sheet describe similar ideas, the term Rolodex captures the classic image of a journalist’s go-to roster of established contacts. In today’s digital world, this idea lives on as contact databases, but the concept remains the same: a well-maintained, accessible set of sources the reporter can lean on.