Consumer reporting informs the public about issues tied to everyday spending, as well as consumer rights and protections. It often involves investigating the problems people encounter, including fraud, unfair business practices, and potential scams.

At its core, consumer reporting serves as a watchdog for the public. Journalists identify issues that may extend beyond a single complaint and uncover problems that could have a broader impact on the community.

By attending this class, you will learn:

(1) The breadth of consumer reporting.
(2) How to identify and evaluate potential stories.
(3) The process of verifying claims to build strong, accurate reports.

Every day, police officers respond to reports of all sorts of events most of which never make the news. The Boston Globe’s Blotter Tales — reported by Emily Sweeney — features many amusing, shocking and heart-breaking incidents from the police log books (a.k.a. blotters) in our communities. Join us as we speak to Emily about the most surprising stories she found and how she found them. We’ll also discuss a new contest for student journalists who want to use the skills Emily describes to find their own stories . . . and win great prizes.

Join the Office of Campaign and Political Finance on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. for a webinar on the Massachusetts campaign finance system. This session will include a guided tour of OCPF’s online reporting system, where statewide, legislative, mayoral, and other candidates and committees report their campaign finance activity. 

We will also demonstrate how to register for E-Notify, OCPF’s alert system that notifies you when a candidate, PAC, ballot question committee, or political party files reports. You can choose to follow all filers or only those in your community, receive updates on new filers, and access reports of agency actions by OCPF’s legal staff. A new press-release module will be added soon to keep you informed about broader campaign finance news. 

Register for the webinar at https://ocpfreporter.us/SeminarRegistration/ and select General Webinar under the type of seminar. You may also register by visiting www.ocpf.us and following the links under Upcoming Seminars.

We look forward to having you join us. If you have any questions about the webinar or any campaign finance issue, contact Jason Tait, Director of Communications & Public Education at jtait@mass.gov or by calling (617) 979-8300.

The Center for Community News is hosting a webinar spotlighting community college-led student reporting programs: innovative models that deliver high-impact, career-shaping learning experiences while strengthening local news in communities that need it most.

Faculty from five community colleges are already leading these programs for their students and communities. CCN actively supports and expands this work and is now offering new resources, guidance, and funding to help additional community colleges launch their own programs so their students can gain hands-on experience that directly prepares them for careers in journalism, public service, and beyond.

Panelists include CCN Director Richard Watts; Holyoke Community College digital media faculty member Gyuri Kepes; and Front Range Community College English and journalism faculty member Aaron Leff.

Let’s take your reporting for a walk! Learn how to utilize walking tours as another medium for local journalism, stepping outside to take a walk with the communities we serve.

This session draws from Cara Kuhlman’s RJI Fellowship project, A Tour Guide for Journalists, a free digital guide to help other journalists launch their own tour pilot for local audiences.