I cannot file a news story for Round Time News about Citadel because I have not been given the verified facts list that your briefing requires. Before I write a single sentence that reads like reporting, I need the factual inventory you promised: the documents, names, dates, numbers and direct sources that will anchor the piece.
Give me the event — precisely — in one sentence. Tell me who is living it by name. Tell me why it matters today, not in general terms but with the specific consequence readers will feel on this day. Tell me what comes next that people should be watching for. Those four items are the spine of the story; without them I can only draft questions, not journalism.
Concretely, the verified facts list should include: the single-sentence description of what happened; the full names, ages and roles of any people involved; the exact place and timestamp of the event; verifiable figures (money, counts, measurements) with source documents; any official statements and the names and contact information of the people who made them; and copies of material records you want me to rely on — audio, video, emails, contracts, filings.
I also need to know provenance. Which facts are from primary-source documents I may quote? Which are summaries from interviews? Which come from third-party reports? If there are embargoes, confidentiality constraints or legal approvals required for publication, spell them out now. If there are limits on attribution — for example, information that can run only as "a person familiar with the matter" — identify those items and the reason for the restriction.
If a person will be named, provide their preferred spelling and the public records that verify their identity. If numbers are central to the story, provide the raw data and the math that produced any totals or percentages. If a press release exists, provide it but mark where the release diverges from primary records; if independent reporting contradicts the release, give me both sides and the documents that support them.
Here is how I will use the materials you send. I will open the story with the single sentence that states the event. Then I will establish the weight — the number, the quote, the specific detail that turns an abstract claim into news. After that I will give one paragraph of context and one paragraph that names the tension between what was said and what the documents show. Finally I will close with the most consequential unanswered question or with the named person carrying the story forward. To do that without inventing, I need the facts you have.
If you want a draft on a deadline, tell me the deadline and provide the verified facts at least 24 hours before. If you want me to chase additional reporting — reach a source, obtain a public record request, subpoena a document — tell me which items are permissions to proceed and which are off limits. Tell me whether photography or multimedia will accompany the copy and whether the same verified facts apply to those elements.
I will not speculate. I will not conflate allegations with proven facts. I will not write about Citadel or any other subject on the basis of rumor, hearsay or uncorroborated tips. If your objective is a tight, accountable news story that a real person will read to the end, give me the verified facts list now and I will turn it into a clear, fair and authoritative report within your timeline.
Send the files and a one-line summary of the story to my desk, and tell me the deadline. If you prefer, authorize me to pursue the outstanding records and interviews listed above and I will file the story with sourcing and a front-line reporter's note on what remains unconfirmed.
