Indianapolis’ history is preserved in old newspaper archives, but accessing them has become a challenge. In the past, reporters would ‘check the morgue’ to learn about the city’s history. Today, digitized records have made it easier to access information, but some argue that the loss of physical archives has resulted in a lack of historical context in reporting.
Importance of Historical Context
Reporters at the IndyStar and the Indianapolis Recorder emphasize the importance of historical research in their reporting. For example, the IndyStar’s story about 1970s life in the Circle City and The Recorder’s stories highlighting Black History Month demonstrate the value of historical context.
However, some argue that journalists do not bring history into their reporting often enough. The recent announcement by Gov. Mike Braun to end the state’s Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Program and Indiana’s Diversity Business Enterprises Program is an example of a story that would benefit from more historical context.
April Hines, the journalism and mass communications librarian for the University of Florida Libraries, notes that the move from physical archives to digital has created many efficiencies, but it’s not without consequences. ‘When you had those clip files, or a newspaper index, and you had content organized by subject, you had the element of discovery,’ she said.
Tulsa World reporter Randy Krehbiel knows the importance of historical research. In reporting on the 100th anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, he delved into his newspaper’s clip files and archives, which helped him understand the history of the event.
Access to Archives
The Indianapolis Recorder’s editor-in-chief, Camike Jones, encourages her reporters to consult the paper’s archives when writing stories. The paper’s archives are available online, and stories before 2000 can be accessed through the Hoosier State Chronicles, Indiana’s statewide digital archive of historic newspapers.
The IndyStar’s executive editor, Ryan Martin, says that the paper’s journalists extensively reference the archives for reporting projects and initiatives. The paper’s digital archive, which dates back to 1845, is available to subscribers through Newspapers.com.
Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.
