Managing editor Dee J. Hall from the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism talks with people at Lakeside Street Coffee House in Madison, Wis., during an event featuring NPR reporter Eric Deggans.
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Dear Readers,

Back in May, we announced changes that would open up more information to you about our operations here at the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.

Those changes included three policies — all of which are now posted on our website — outlining our standards for use of unnamed sources in news stories, how we approach the issue of diversity in our news coverage and operations, and how we handle personal information we receive from users of our website.

Today, we’re pleased to expand opportunities for you to engage with the Center — including an invitation to share your perspectives with people who are passionate about Wisconsin.

Like you, we care about Wisconsin and the issues affecting the people and quality of life in our state. We are investigating broken and failing systems, holding the powerful accountable, exploring solutions and training the current and next generations of investigative journalists.

We want to hear from you about how we are doing, what you think of our stories, and how we can continue to improve.

While we are a small-but-mighty team of journalists, you are a frontline witness to life in Wisconsin or wherever you are located. You may help us develop an individual story or line of coverage, answer questions that a story may raise, identify related or under-covered issues, and teach us about new and diverse sources, experts and perspectives.

We believe that our news organization has a responsibility to engage with the public on the values, issues and ideas of the day, and that we have much to gain in return.

We invite your tips, comments and questions on news stories, and suggestions for issues to cover or sources to consult.

We are interested in your views, too. We will publish a selection of letters to the editor, guest columns and other opinion pieces on our site, in our new Opinion section. The first letter is now posted here.

Opinion pieces such as a “Letter to the Editor” or a guest column may be addressed to opinion@wisconsinwatch.org. Include a clear subject line such as “Letter to the Editor” or “Opinion piece.” We will respond and discuss with you whether the material is appropriate for publication on our site, including edits that may need to be made prior to publication.

When submitting material, please include your name, title, address and daytime phone number. We request that your opinion piece be brief, timely, respectful, focused, original and relevant to issues that we cover. Please let us know about anything that might be seen as a conflict of interest. Publication of letters to the editor, guest columns and other opinion material does not imply endorsement by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. Authors are solely responsible for the facts and views expressed in opinion material published by the Center.

Thanks for reading — and writing!

Andy

P.S. For more ways to interact with the Center, check out our newly published Public Engagement page here.

The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.

Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

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Andy Hall / Wisconsin WatchExecutive Director

ahall@wisconsinwatch.org

Andy Hall, a co-founder of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism and a former Investigative Reporters and Editors board member, won dozens of awards for his reporting in 26 years at the Wisconsin State Journal and The Arizona Republic. Since the Center’s launch in 2009, he has been responsible for the Center’s journalistic and financial operations.

Hall began his career in 1982 as a copyboy at The New York Times. At The Republic, Hall helped break the “Keating Five” scandal involving Sen. John McCain. At the State Journal, Hall’s stories held government and the powerful accountable and protected the vulnerable through coverage that addressed the racial achievement gap in public schools and helped spark the creation of the nationally noted Schools of Hope volunteer tutoring program, revealed NCAA violations by University of Wisconsin athletes, and exposed appalling conditions in neglected neighborhoods such as Allied Drive and Worthington Park. Hall won a first-place award in 2008 for beat reporting from the Education Writers Association. He also has received National Headliner, Gerald Loeb, James K. Batten and Inland Press Association awards for investigative, financial, deadline and civic journalism coverage. Hall has served as a mentor to the staff of La Comunidad, a Spanish-language newspaper in Madison, and has taught numerous courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism & Mass Communication. He serves on the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council Board of Directors, Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism Board of Directors, and Indiana University Media School’s Journalism Alumni Board, of which he is president. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and, in 2016, received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU Media School. He also serves as a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News membership task force to create and uphold high industry standards.