STONE,I.F - THE PRACTICE OF REPORTING

LF. Stone, the life-long radical journalist, often was lauded for his superior reporting. No work, however, has dealt systematically with hi s method of reporting. The purpose of this article is to analyze and a ssess the benefits and limitations of I.F. Stone's approach to reporti ng. Drawing on analyses of Stone's work, published interviews, seconda ry sources, and conversations held shortly before his death, the artic le identifies four key emphases in Stone's method: his strategic appro ach to documents, his commitment to history, his devotion to on-the-sc ene research, and his independence from sources. The article then cons iders limitations and adaptations of Stone's approach for the practice of reporting and for understanding the role of the reporter in contem porary American journalism.