Local news – A searcher’s underused treasure
When you need focus and depth for online research, try local news. Long after the national news packs up and leaves after a hurricane, for example, the local press continues to delve into the storm’s aftermath.
For due diligence background investigations this means that, as the hometown heroes (or villains), your subjects’ accomplishments and failures might be well-documented in the local news. If you’re checking out company history, local sources will have more info than national – even for large, well-known firms.
And don’t stop at newspapers. Look for television and radio broadcasts, magazines, and news blogs. Check out the alternative press as well.
So, find out where your subject is from or currently resides, or where the company is headquartered, and try these sites for local news:
U.S. Local News – From the University of Texas Libraries, this directory includes a state-by-state listing of news outlets offering free access. For global coverage, try ABYZ News Links.
American City Business Journals – With weekly newspapers in more than 40 cities, this is an excellent source of local business insights.
Radio-Locator – Search by city or ZIP Code for webpages and audio streams of private and public radio stations in the U.S.
Google News – If you can find the advanced search page (look for the arrow in the search box), enter a topic and location, or just use the location syntax in the basic search box: Coors location:Denver
Due diligence investigations require in-depth research, and local news sources will help you dig deep. What are your favorite sites for local news?
