Yet never have journalists had a greater ability to do a better job, given the help they can gain from a Net-connected computer. Skillfully done, research becomes less costly, quicker and far more complete. It hurts to hear otherwise intelligent journalists bemoan the supposedly worthless mass of information on the Net. Here, then, are a few valuable tools, some of which non-journalists can use, too. Although many online databases may still cost money, a growing number of government agencies are turning to the Web to disseminate their research, statistics and press releases.
Info ranges from presidential speeches to congressional bills.
A huge list of reference sources helps fill in what the government agencies may leave out involving public policy matters. You'll find links there to everything from respected research organizations to concerned citizens. The PR Newswire Press Room provides a diverse inventory of news releases from private companies. News Index offers to let you search the feed from more than 250 newspapers and news sources from around the world. Then there's NewsWorks , which serves up a big menu of breaking news from a variety of newspapers.