How can you prepare to cover an event?

What will be an ideal response?

If you never attended a speech or meeting before as a journalist, you should spend some time getting acclimated to what will likely happen. This includes understanding the physical layout of the room, who is involved, and what will occur at the event. Background research helps you determine what will happen at the event and who is involved. It can also help you feel more confident as you ask questions after the event or during a question-and-answer portion of it. If you need to get a story done in a hurry, you should consider shelling your story. Type up a basic set of elements in a story file ahead of time so that all you have to do is add the new material when you get it.