Anniversary tales -- once more with feeling

This week marks one year since the first domino fell in what would become a series of financial collapses that have left few of us untouched – either as consumers, taxpayers, citizens or journalists.

Events surrounding Lehman Bros.' Sept. 15, 2008, bankruptcy have been and will be dissected ad infinitum. Here’s The Wall Street Journal’s succinct recap of where we’ve come since then, which is one way to cover an anniversary.

Then there’s last weekend’s impressive package by The Guardian. It explains the collapse from a U.K. point of view, including video, audio, an interactive map showing the global ripple effects, editorials, narrative accounts of the days leading up to the failure and more.


In an irreverent vein, Bad Idea notes that a feature film, book, radio play and other productions to mark the occasion are under way.

And, it reports, Lehman Bros. itself has set up an eBay store to offload items with its logo, ranging from teddy bears to totes, umbrellas to – yes – a silver-plated baby rattle. I thought that was a joke but indeed there is an eBay seller named “thelehman store” – and ironically, it has a 99.5 percent positive rating from buyers.

All of the above are examples of imaginative, clever reporting that really adds texture and nitty-gritty detail to what could otherwise be a dull and dreary retelling.

If you decide to localize the global financial failure with a look-back, keep these points in mind. Should you be among the many communities that have experienced a failed or troubled bank, shoot for a meaty narrative or use alternative storytelling such as a chronology or graphic timeline.

And for the basics, here are previous tipsheets with hints on checking up on banks and covering bank failures.

Another option is to look for three to five local people whose financial lives have changed dramatically in the year since the Lehman collapse. Do vignettes on their stories with a short intro recapping the bigger picture and tying them to it.

The anniversary of Lehman points to the need to keep a tickler file of big local events -- a major plant closing, a wave of layoffs, the opening of a new mall or megaplex, the appointment of a new CEO -- and check back at appropriate intervals. How did things work out once the hype died down?

The key word in anniversary stories is that they actually tell a story. Well-done anniversary stories keep us from becoming entrenched in drive-by mode – covering crises and then moving on. But audiences connect with recap and “where are they now” features. They create a sense of dialogue and consistency that is well worth cultivating.

Come back to Your Daily Tipsheet each morning for advice on where to find sources, background and creative ways to make financial news and trends relevant to your audience.