How To Identify Different Types of Journalism By B. Danesco
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Being a critical reader has perhaps never been as important as it is today--in an age when any moron (I'm sorry, did I say moron?) with a PC can create a "news blog" and when the twenty-four hour news cycle is firing information at us from all sides nonstop (which is why they call it the twenty-four hour news cycle, I guess). As critical readers (people trying to discern things like what's worth reading and how a piece is meant to be read), one skill we may want to work on is that of identifying different types of journalism--knowing how to distinguish hard news, editorial journalism, infotainment, tabloid junk, and stylized literary journalism. Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to identify different types of journalism.
1. Check the facts. A lot of partisan critics of all stripes these days derail different "hard
news" channels, papers, and Internet sources for being "slanted," liberally or
conservatively. How then, is one supposed to recognize real "hard news" or indisputable
journalistic coverage? My suggestion is to look for facts instead of opinion. Look for facts,
figures, and a focus on the classic who, what, where, when, why and how of an incident.
Fact is the hallmark of hard news.
What if opinions are given in the course of a factual account? Say you're watching a BBC
news item on Darfur and some relief worker gives an opinion on the cause of the genocide
there. Then look how the opinion is integrated into the piece. Is it made clear that this is
just one person's point of view? Is it mixed into the fuller context? Is a counterpoint
offered? As long as the opinion is a part of the story as in "Here's what some people
think...," then it can very well be hard news.
One example of hard news is PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. The nightly segments cover
world and national events using facts, extensive interviews with people from different sides
of the issues, and no editorial commentary from Jim Lehrer or others on the staff after the
report.
2. Check your blood pressure. If you find yourself getting incensed by what you're reading
or watching, or find yourself wanting to buy the commentator's latest book because he's
just SO right, you're probably reading or watching editorial journalism. This is the kind of
journalism where people talk about what they believe, what they think, and what they think
they know. Facts are used selectively. The lines between "bad guys" and "good guys" are
clearly drawn. And for a lot of the editorial journalists and their fans, sadly, truth is often defined as whatever is said the loudest.
Also unfortunately, we often confuse editorial journalism for hard news. We seek out people
whose political opinions are similar to ours and take their interpretation of the facts, their
commentaries, their list of rights and wrongs perpetrated during the day or the week, and
we embrace them as objective reality. We do very little fact-checking on our own. We
dismiss opposing opinions. And we don't tune into hard news (like NewsHour) because
we're convinced the people there are "against us" because they may show us factual
accounts of things we'd rather not have reported (for example, they make our guy look
bad). Too many people have stopped caring about being informed and care only about
being agreed with or pandered to.
Now if you're looking for an example of editorial journalism, just reread the above
paragraph. It's my editorial commentary on the state of the American journalism consumer.
No facts, just opinions.
3. Check how much fun you're having. "Infotainment" is information merged with
entertainment, and I believe that it has two branches. The first is the branch that operates
under the guise of covering "hard news." This branch consists of the shoddy over-reporting
of non-important events solely for the gratification of the consumers' sensationalist tastes
and the ratings-greed of the news source.
An example of what we might call infotainment "branch one" would be the coverage of the
Lacey Peterson case. This was a tragic event, but the reason it was covered to the degree it
was--for almost a year--had nothing to do with its relative importance. Consumers wanted
the dirt and the scandal, so the newscasters on Court TV, etc. kept on covering it with their
serious, indignant countenances all severe and analytical. The line is blurred between news
and movie-of-the-week.
The other kind of infotainment isn't as exploitative. It doesn't try to be anything other than
it is. It's what you might call "fluff" journalism--unimportant, human interest type stories
that include facts but are really just there for fun. Unfortunately, a lot of serious news
outlets can bulk up with this sort of infotainment when we really need to know more about
serious issues. For instance, we know more about recent celebrity births than we do about
the huge global problems the celebrities are trying to call attention to, like the spread of
HIV, poverty, malaria, or whatever it might be. We love infotainment. It's happy and it
makes us happy. But it also keeps us from reality sometimes and surely exploits the people
who it covers. 4. Check if it could happen in reality. Infotainment should not be confused with tabloid
journalism. Infotainment is the overexposure of the real, while tabloid journalism is, well,
stuff like "Hitler's Nose found in Oprah's backyard" or "Dolly Parton makes deathbed
confession to JFK assassination." You know this type of stuff. We read it for information, but
not the kind we actually believe. It's sort of a joke, isn't it? Personally, I don't find it very
entertaining.
5. Check if it really happened, but sounds a lot cooler now. A growing subgenre of
journalism is that of literary journalism, or literary non-fiction, wherein authors take their
subject matter, research or experience them in depth, and then write about them in a very
descriptive, engaging way. Or try to. It's sort of an answer to the dumbed-down news byte
mixed with the desire to write in a less black-and-white journalistic manner. Many
magazines today are comprised of literary nonfiction pieces. For example, some Sports
Illustrated writers can turn a baseball game into an epic battle. Authors like Gay Talese and
the late Hunter S. Thompson have works in this genre, too--telling real stories in a creative
way instead of just "what happened when." You may consider the "Essay" segment on PBS'
NewsHour to be literary journalism.
Whatever kind of journalism you read, listen to, or watch, take care to be objective and to recognize when the journalists aren't. There's more news than ever, and not all of it is worth considering. Glossary body, body copy - the main part of a story. byline - a journalist’s credit (as in ‘by Jane Doe’). casual - a freelance journalist (frequently a sub) who works on the premises of a publication for agreed periods of time (‘shifts’). correspondent - a news journalist operating in the field who is a full-time employee or contracted to a publisher or broadcaster (see also ‘stringer’). commissioning - the process of getting a freelance contributor or company to produce something - from a single story or photograph to a series of books or a programme strand - for print or broadcast. In books or TV, undertaken by a commissioning editor. In newspapers or magazines, undertaken by an editor, assistant editor or section editor. consumer journalist - a journalist working for a consumer publication or programme. consumer publications - publications aimed at the general public typically focusing on a particular area of the consumer market. copy - text, usually forming the body of an article, report or book. copy editor - a journalist, typically in the book trade, and sometimes in magazines, who acts as a cross between an editor and a sub. current affairs - news features in TV-speak. editor - in news and magazines, an editor is a journalist with overall charge of a title; in books, an editor may be the person responsible for a series of publications or for a single publication comprising contributions from several authors; in broadcasting, an editor is the person responsible for a programme strand; in film, an editor cuts and splices film or video to build the finished narrative. fact-checker - a journalist who checks the facts and assertions in a story for accuracy. A largely American phenomenon. feature - a lengthy article providing topical background or non-topical information, frequently interview-based. Also a factual tv or radio programme. feature-writer - a journalist who writes features. freelance - a self-employed journalist who provides material for a number of publications or media companies. head, headline - the text at the top of a story usually in big type. house magazine - periodical produced for an organisation as promotional literature or to communicate with staff or customers. May be produced by a specialist company or in house by the organisation itself. house style - typographical, grammatical and lexical conventions established by a particular title or media company. illustrator - someone who provides pictorial items - but not straightforward photographs - for printed stories industrial councils - elected NUJ bodies charged with developing the union’s work in different areas of journalism. learndirect - a Government initiative to encourage lifelong learning through the provision of courses and support for adult learners. magazine - in print, a periodical publication, typically printed on glossy paper and appearing at most weekly; in broadcast, a programme comprising several stories or items. make-up, page make-up - the process of creating a design for a page which will be turned into a printing plate. mark-up - annotations within a story to instruct designers how the story should be presented. news agency - an organisation which collects news items, usually using its own reporters, photographers and correspondents, and sells them to news outlets. news wire (see ‘news agency’)
NTO - National Training Organisation. Currently, there are two NTOs relevant to journalism, the Publishing NTO (which brings together the training activities of the Periodical Publishers Association and the Newspaper Society) and Skillset for broadcasting.
NVQ - National Vocational Qualification - a national standard for vocational training allowing practical skills to form the basis of a qualification (called SNVQ in Scotland). package - a self-contained broadcast item, often produced as part of a news magazine. pre-entry, pre-entry qualifications - the stage immediately before becoming a journalist; qualifications essential for anyone about to become a journalist.
PR - public (or press) relations. According to the Institute of Public Relations, ‘the planned and sustained effort to establish goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.’ programme - a single broadcast event. proof, proof copy, proof reader - a proof or proof copy is a pre-publication printed version of a story or title. A proof reader is a journalist who checks proofs for mistakes. pure play - a term indicating online enterprises which have no involvement in better established forms or media. reportage - news in narrative form. reporter - a journalist who specialises in writing or presenting news items. researcher - a journalist who discovers basic information on behalf of writers or others. section editor - a journalist responsible for a part of a publication such as foreign news, reviews, fashion or sport. shift - a conventional division of the working day determined by the production cycle of a publication. sms - simple message service; the technology behind text messaging by mobile phone - among other things, a developing medium for journalism. snapper - a photographer. staffer - a journalist working on staff (as opposed to a freelance). stm - scientific, technical and medical, a category in publishing. story - a news item or feature in every phase of its existence. strand, programme strand - a series of (usually factual) programmes appearing at regular intervals under the same series title (such as Horizon, Panorama or Newsnight). stringer - a news journalist operating in the field as a freelance correspondent (see also ‘correspondent’). sub, sub-editor - in print, a journalist who cuts copy to the required length while preserving its meaning, checks spelling, grammar, house style and (less often) factual accuracy, and marks up the copy for designers; in broadcast, a journalist who writes short bulletins or scripts. syndication - re-publication of material (typically in other countries) under the terms of a joint agreement. title - a publication or the name of a story, publication, programme or programme strand. trade papers, trade press, trades - publications aimed at a professional or business readership, as opposed to consumer publication. wire service (see ‘news agency’)
Types of Online Journalism
Digital and online journalism has changed the face of journalism and the way in which consumers access the news. The way in which the public and journalists alike, access news and information on the internet is possible through a variety of channels. “Mark Deuze, an assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam, identifies four types of online journalism, these include, mainstream news sites, search engines such as yahoo and google, media watchdogs and media discussion groups and lastly ‘share and discussion’ sites� (Reuven, 2002: 38). The first type of online journalism is the mainstream news site. Mainstream news sites offer a selection of editorial content and also a moderated form of participatory communication. Some of these online news outlets include sites such as ABC News and CNN. These web sites are very important as they “act as indexes to the vast field of online news.� (Hall, 2001: 32) Since the role of these news sites is primarily editorial, web links are provided within each story in order to provide a more holistic view of the issue being discussed.
The second type of online journalism represents search engines that assimilate news from existing services for subscribers and also offer links to various mainstream news sites. “Online journalism doesn’t only make news and comment available on the Internet, it directs consumers towards the sea of information from governmental, quasi-governmental and corporate agencies and provides navigation charts� (Hall, 2001: 37) through such avenues as search engines like google and yahoo.
Personal websites and weblogs are also included in this category of online journalism. Weblogs are “websites run mostly by individuals, as opposed to professional news organizations, that are updated regularly using content management software.� (Kawamoto, 2003: 16) There is debate however, as to whether personal pages and weblogs qualifies as digital journalism, as there content can be somewhat irrelevant, inaccurate and unreliable.
The third type of online journalism is made up primarily of sites that discuss media content and act as a media watchdog. These websites are mainly concerned with content regulation on the Internet, enabling the public to discuss and debate such issues with other like-minded people. Such discussions can be informative as they help people formulate and revise their own perspectives by creating a forum to articulate their ideas, listen to what others have to say, and respond to different points of view. (Kawamoto, 2003: 13)
Lastly, the fourth category consists of ‘share and discussion’ sites. These provide place for exchanging ideas “often centered around a specific locality/community, or a particular theme such as worldwide anti-globalization activism or computer news� (Reuven, 2002: 38). These web sites exist for a variety of reasons including, information sharing, companionship, support, romance, advice, commerce and criticism to name a few. “The content circulated in these groups often provides alternative or supplemental sources of news and information, albeit with differing degrees of credibility, than that collected and distributed by mainstream media.� (Kawamoto, 2003: 15)
It is through these four types categories that create the framework for online journalism. Although there are some critics of digital journalism that think that the ‘real news’ may get lost in the array of new technologies or in the chaos of ‘too much information’ it is important to remember that online news sites are extremely valuable. They deliver and transmit up to the minute breaking news to the public, provide interactive and engaging content that can build audience relations and on a day to day basis act as an invaluable source of entertainment and information.
Bibliography
Hall, J. (2001) Online Journalism, London: Pluto Press Reuven, F. (2002) News About News, New Leader; vol. 85, no. 5, pp.38-41. [Online] Available: Ebsco Host Academic Search Elite Database. [Accessed 7. Sep. 2004]
Kawamoto, K. (2003) Digital Journalism: Emerging Media and the Changing Horizons of Journalism, Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc.
Kellie McCall 17:40, 19 Oct 2004 (EST)
By Mindy McAdams e-mail: [email protected] Online Media Types University of Florida > Online Journalism > Writing for the Web > Interactivity > Scholarship > How to make use of these online media types TYPE SUBTYPE CHARACTERISTICS COMMENTS
Text Static Similar to printed text: May be inside a scrolling Does not move or change; box cannot be changed by users
Moving Typical in ads; "flying Not the same as a scrolling text"; may disappear or box that contains text; change; may show and moving text actually travels hide; may expand and and changes contract
Link Clickable; usually May be embedded in static differentiated from or moving text; may be unlinked text by color or navigation (reused decoration, e.g. underliningthroughout site for wayfinding) or independent (not for wayfinding)
Photos Independent; More than one independent "singles" Not part of a photo group; photo may appear on one may accompany text, have page a caption, or be accompanied by audio
Slide show Set of photos that are Passive (user only displayed in a sequence; watches) or active (user usually with no preview of can control speed or upcoming photos order); with or without audio (music, narration, ambient / natural; may be looping or not); photos may move or zoom (see example)
Gallery Linear (after user's initial Set of photos displayed in selection, the gallery takes some way that allows userson a slide show format) or to select which photos to nonlinear (user can view; usually with always select the next thumbnail images photo from a set)
Graphics Static; fixed Does not move, is not Difference between a photo clickable, is not a "realistic"and a graphic may be hard photo; may convey to discern in some cases information, or not; (e.g. a "photo illustration"); includes logos and some graphics are headings in cases where illustrations with little or the text is an image (text no information value; is not selectable but is part "infographics" of the graphic) deliberately convey information, e.g. a diagram of a car engine
Moving; motion Animation; may convey Passive (user only information or not (e.g. a watches) or active (user blinking light bulb); may can control or make include clickable sequences choices regarding the within the animation action); may be integrated with or include photos and/or video; with or without sound (see example)
Link Clickable; may be static or Navigation (reused moving; may have a throughout site for rollover (mouseover) visual wayfinding) or icon effect, or not; may include (reused throughout site but text as part of the image not for wayfinding; always (such text is not means the same thing, e.g. selectable) "download") or independent (not navigation or icon; may be reused)
Audio Instant Usually of very short Usually provides feedback duration to users, e.g. a beep sound when a button is clicked
Looping Soundtrack repeats Controllable (user can endlessly, e.g. a music loopstop or start sound and/or change volume; sometimes can even change the track) or not controllable
Non-looping Sound plays once and does Can be ambient/natural not repeat automatically sound, music, voiceover, etc.; controllable (user can stop or start sound and/or change volume; sometimes can even change the track) or not controllable
Video Motion recorded with a May include photos or still camera (note that an shots; may include audio; online video player can compare with play non-video media; Graphics/Moving and motion online often is not Photos/Slide show video)
User Form input Text fields, radio buttons, Typical uses are polls, interaction check boxes, selectable quizzes, surveys; also used lists allow user to enter or for shopping; response to choose information user may be delayed (check back later for the results) or immediate; when submitted, form data may be saved in a database, e-mailed, used to generate a response, or all of these
E-mail input Provides both an e-mail May be a mailto: link address and a means for (opens an e-mail sending e-mail application) or a form for sending e-mail to a specific e-mail address
Discussion Asynchronous, many-to- May take place via e-mail many discourse among two or through a Web interface or more participants (e-mail discussions are often archived on the Web); may be moderated or unmoderated
Chat Synchronous discourse May be archived after among two or more completion; may be one- participants to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many; may be moderated or unmoderated
Publication Users contribute content to Includes group Weblogs a site they do not own or and community sites (e.g. control; content typically is IndyMedia.org) compare not edited by anyone other with User than the contributor interaction/Discussion
Contents of this page copyright © 2003-2006 by Melinda J. McAdams. All Rights Reserved. Printed copies of this page may be used for educational purposes only if this copyright notice and the URL of this page are included. Anyone may link to this page, but no one may enclose this page in a frameset. It is a violation of U.S. and international copyright law to include this text on another Web page or to use it in print without a complete attribution acknowledging the source and the author.
Publication date: 11 March 2003 Last update: 19 November 2006
By Mindy McAdams e-mail: [email protected] Using Online Media Types University of Florida > Online Journalism > Writing for the Web > Interactivity > See the chart of online media types TYPE COMMENTS ABOUT USE
Text How much will a person read on a Web page? Is there a limit? Maybe. My informal analyses have shown that a typical long-form journalism story "switches gears" after 300-400 words, then again after 600-800, etc. (See the Web writing tips page.)
Photos Even one relevant, good-quality photo might make the story more interesting to the online user. Don't forget to get pictures! Standard mug shots are not interesting. Posed photo ops are not interesting. Some online photos are saved improperly; this makes the file size over-large and the download slow. Do gaudy ads on the page diminish the impact of the photo?
Graphics Can you illustrate any part of the story? Can you use a geographical map? A diagram? A bar chart or pie chart to compare numbers? Users can understand better and faster when certain kinds of information are presented visually. Plan ahead and get the graphic artists involved in your story.
Audio If you can get people in your story to speak, the user will get more out of hearing their real voices. Let them tell their own story. It only takes a little practice to gather good audio. If the photographer can't or won't do it, then send someone else along. All reporters should invest in a decent, sturdy, omni-directional microphone.
Video When is video justified? When does it complement or enhance the story? Video always requires a big download. This is becoming less burdensome as more people get broadband Internet connections, but most video online still makes the user wait. And wait. After the video begins to play, how long will the user sit and watch before getting a twitchy mouse finger?
User Form input What are you asking the user to tell you, and why? Will interaction your questions seem intrusive (e.g., "What is your income?"), irrelevant, or just too time-consuming?
E-mail input Can the users find an e-mail address for you quickly and easily? If they send e-mail, will they get an answer? Will someone read their e-mail, or does it just go into a trash bin?
Discussion Many discussions deteriorate if there is no moderator, but it's usually impractical to have a moderator. Giving users a way to report foul language or even "topic drift" provides a workable compromise.
Chat A controlled live chat in which a special guest answers qustions from users can be really excellent. The trick is to have a human filter between the users' questions and the live chat interface.
Publication Users' articles or blogs can be excellent or terrible, much like discussions and chats. Do you edit them or not? Who polices the content, or is it unmoderated? If you have a clear plan, you can make a user-written section of the site vibrant and valuable. What kinds of content should users contribute, and why? So how do you want to tell your story? What media types advance the story or make it most clear, most interesting? Always ask yourself what else you can bring to the act of storytelling -- what, in addition to your usual form, your usual medium? Journalism » Choose a type of job to find out more about it
Broadcast journalist » Job description
Broadcast journalists are responsible for investigating, gathering and reporting on news and current affairs issues. They are expected to present this information in a fair, balanced and accurate way through news bulletins, documentaries and other factual programmes for radio and television broadcast.
Skillset (Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries) defines broadcast journalism as 'the collection, verification and analysis of events which affect people'. The work of a broadcast journalist shapes people's perceptions of the world in which they live and therefore has a far-reaching impact.
Broadcast journalists can fill a number of roles within the media including editor, reporter, presenter/news anchor, correspondent. » Typical work activities Although exact duties and responsibilities will vary from role to role and between radio and television, broadcast journalists will generally be involved in many of the following duties, on a daily basis:
generating ideas for stories/features and following leads from news agencies, the police, the public, press conferences and other sources; pitching ideas to editors and commissioners; researching and collating evidence and information to support a story using relevant information sources (internet, archives, databases etc); writing scripts for bulletins, headlines and reports which adhere to legal and contractual guidelines; selecting appropriate locations, pictures and sound and exercising editorial judgement on the best angle to approach a story from; identifying necessary resources and deploying/managing technical crews for location shoots, including sound operators and camera crew; providing directorial input, advising crews on what to film or record; using portable digital video (DV) cameras and other equipment to shoot material and appropriate editing software to produce complete packages for broadcast; preparing and presenting material 'on air' for both pre-recorded and live pieces; identifying potential interviewees, briefing them, preparing interview questions and conducting both live and recorded interviews; preparing timings for each news item and monitoring these during broadcast; deciding on the running order for bulletins and making any necessary changes during broadcast; developing and maintaining local contacts and assuming a public relations role.
Fashion journalist
A fashion journalist uses the written word to portray what is, essentially, a visual medium in interesting, creative, entertaining and imaginative ways. They need to understand the difference between fashion and shopping, taking into account wider and more diverse factors, including societal, cultural and economic contexts.
Tasks typically involve:
communicating the constantly changing fashion market to a wide audience; reviewing and keeping abreast of new ranges, designers and trends; visiting and building contacts with relevant PR companies; attending press open days, trade and consumer shows; researching the fashion media; interviewing designers; organising and attending fashion shoots; writing and editing features and news stories.
Magazine journalist » Job description
Magazine journalists research and write news and feature articles suited to a magazine's reader profile. The readership of a magazine is often defined by a common need or interest.
There are over 9,000 magazine titles in the UK covering a diverse range of topics and varying from glossy magazines to trade newsletters. Most fall into one of four categories:
business; professional; consumer; specialist consumer.
The three main branches of magazine journalism are news writing, feature writing and sub-editing. Although generally in paper format, many magazine publishers increasingly produce material in new media (for example, CD, web, or audio) in addition to hard copy. » Typical work activities
The work can vary considerably depending on the size of the organisation and the subject matter covered by the publication. It can also vary depending on the medium through which the magazine is produced. Typical work activities include:
researching a subject and story; talking to people; atttending seminars, conferences and fairs (some magazine publishers hold exhibitions and events to allow advertisers to meet their readership); generating ideas for stories; meeting with colleagues to plan the content of the edition and the character of the publication. Journalists, particularly freelancers, will also spend time networking and building relationships with publications and their staff. A commissioning editor will also be involved in monitoring the work of others.
Producing text that reads well and that is in keeping with the mood of the readership is important, but generating interesting ideas for subjects to cover is probably more significant overall.
On smaller magazines, the role might include all of these activities plus administrative work; in a larger team the role will probably be more strictly defined.
Newspaper journalist » Job description
Newspaper journalists, or reporters, source, research and write stories for publication in local, regional and national press - and, increasingly, newspaper websites.
Junior reporters are allocated work from the news desk and submit stories to the news editor, who passes it on to a team of sub-editors. Some multi-tasking may be involved on smaller papers, covering functions such as photography, sub- editing, illustration and layout.
Journalists cover all sorts of topics, including: news; politics; culture; sport; science; local and national events; entertainment; lifestyle, and 'human interest' stories. Correspondents cover specific geographical areas, or specialist subjects. Feature writers produce more in-depth pieces with a personal voice. » Typical work activities
There is no such thing as a typical day in newspaper journalism, but reporters may be involved in the following:
interviewing people in a range of different circumstances - for example, those experiencing distress (e.g. bereaved relatives), good fortune (e.g. lottery winners), celebrity success, or those affected by or involved in making political decisions (e.g. in relation to hospital reorganisation); building contacts to maintain a flow of news, e.g. police and emergency services, local council, community organisations, health trusts, press officers from a variety of organisations, the general public, etc; seeking out and investigating stories via your contacts, press releases, other media, etc; attending press conferences and asking questions; attending a variety of events, such as council meetings, magistrates' court proceedings, football matches, talent contests, etc; manning the phones on the news desk and reacting to breaking news stories; working closely with the news team, photographers and editors; recording interviews and meetings using shorthand or technical equipment; producing concise and accurate copy according to the newspaper's house style, and to strict deadlines - daily papers may have several each day; writing short 'fillers' to entertain, and researching and writing longer feature articles, sometimes for subsidiary publications - e.g. supplements; creating and uploading news content for the newspaper website.
Press sub-editor » Job description
Press sub-editors are journalists who work for:
national daily or weekly newspapers; local and regional newspapers; magazines.
They are responsible for ensuring that the tone, style and layout of final copy matches the publication's house style and suits the target market.
The work involves processing all the copy before it is published to ensure that it is accurate, makes sense and reads well. Sub-editors also lay out the story on the page and may be involved with overall page design.
Like other journalism roles, sub-editing is demanding and requires constant attention to detail within a fast-paced working environment. » Typical work activities
Work activities vary and can depend on the extent to which production and layout work falls within a sub-editor's remit. Only senior sub-editors would be expected to have legal knowledge, but there are common activities that form much of the work of most sub-editors. These include: editing copy to remove spelling mistakes and grammatical errors; rewriting material so that it flows or reads better and adheres to the house style of a particular publication; ensuring that a story fits a particular word count by cutting or expanding material as necessary; writing headlines that capture the essence of the story or are clever or amusing; writing stand-firsts or sells (brief introductions which sum up the story); liaising with reporters or journalists to clarify facts and details about a story; editing press releases or reports; compiling routine information, such as tables of sports results or financial data; checking facts and stories to ensure they are accurate, do not break the law or go against the publication's policy; cropping photos and deciding where to use them for best effect; writing the captions for pictures; discussing concerns with editors; proofreading complete pages produced by other sub-editors; working to a page plan to ensure that the right stories appear in the correct place on each page; laying out pages and, depending on the nature of the role, playing a part in page design; adding last minute news stories; keeping up to date with sector issues, e.g. by reading related publications.
Scientific journalist
A scientific journalist researches, writes and edits scientific news articles and features for business, trade and professional publications, specialist scientific and technical journals, and the general media. They often need to be able to explain complex scientific information, theories, practices in clear, concise, jargon-free language that can be understood by people who are not experts in these fields, whilst maintaining accuracy.
Typical work activities include:
attending academic conferences and visiting research establishments; attending relevant press conferences; writing reports and features for web and printed publications; interviewing and establishing a network of industry experts; reading and researching specialist media and literature, e.g. company reports, newspapers and journals, press releases and internet resources. A science degree is usually essential for specialist and technical journals. However, those without a science background may be able to enter general interest science magazines (since they are often able to explain complex processes to the uninitiated more clearly). Many employers now look for pre- entry or postgraduate qualifications in journalism. There are also a few postgraduate and PhD opportunities in science communication .
Glossary Some terms can be useful in providing a common vocabulary with which to discuss journalism.
Advertisement
the promotion of a product or service
Advertising manager
the person who oversees the sales representatives who sell space to advertisers, and ensures that ads are in the appropriate section
Advertorial
an advertisement section in a magazine that looks like an article or a feature
Advocacy
a style of journalism in which a reporter takes sides in controversial issues and develops a point of view a style of journalism which is opposite of mainstream journalism, in which reporters are expected to be objective
Angle
particular emphasis of a media presentation, sometimes called a slant
Attribution
credit given to who said what or the source of facts
B-roll
video images shot specifically to be used over a reporter’s words to illustrate the news event or story, to cover up audio edits of quotes (to avoid the jerking head effect), or to cover up bad shots (out of focus, poorly lighted, etc.) Background
information that is not intended for publication
Bias
a position that is partial or slanted
Broadcast feature
longer than usual broadcast news story that gives reporters 5-25 minutes (compared to usual 30-60 seconds) to develop a deeper look at a news event, trend, or individual the broadcast equivalent of a newspaper feature story; also known as "television magazine piece" or radio feature
By-line
the name of the reporter
Canadian press
National news agency set up by the daily newspapers of Canada to exchange news among themselves and with international news agencies
Caption
copy which accompanies a photograph or graphic
Classified ads
categories of products or services short, direct text ads which clearly indicate WHAT is being advertised, the PRICE, WHERE, and HOW the advertiser can be contacted
Column
an article in which a writer or columnist gives an opinion on a topic
Commercial
an advertisement that is presented on television, radio, or film
Conflict of interest the conflict that is created when a writer allows personal interests (friendship, family, business connections, etc.) to influence the outcome of the story
Copy
the words of an article, news story, or book any broadcast writing, including commercials any written material intended for publication, including advertising
Copyreader
the person who "proofreads" copy as it comes in, checking for spelling, punctuation, accuracy of style, and clarity
Credibility
believability of a writer or publication
Date line
the place the story was filed
Deck
a smaller headline which comes between the headline and the story
Display ads
ads that include a visual image to advertise a product or service
Editor
the person who "edits" a story by revising and polishing the person whose job is to approve copy when it comes in and to make decisions about what is published in a newspaper or magazine
Editorial
an article expressing a newspaper or magazine owner’s or editor’s position on an issue
Facts sheet
a page of significant information prepared by Public Relations people to help news media in covering a special event Feature article
the main article on the front page of a newspaper, or the cover story in a magazine
Five Ws and H
the primary questions a news story answers --Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
Gatekeepers
people who determine what will be printed, broadcast, produced, or consumed in the mass media
Gobbledygook
language that is unnecessarily complicated, unclear, wordy, or includes jargon
Gutter
narrow margin of white space in the center area in a magazine, newspaper, or book, where two pages meet
Hard news stories
factual accounts of important events, usually appearing first in a newspaper
Headline
the "title" of a newspaper or magazine story
Human interest story
a story that focuses on the human side of news and often appeals to the readers’ emotion
Inverted pyramid
the structure of a news story which places the important facts at the beginning and less important facts and details at the end, enabling the editor to cut bottom portion of the story if space is required
Investigative journalism a story that requires a great amount of research and hard work to come up with facts that might be hidden, buried, or obscured by people who have a vested interest in keeping those facts from being published
Jargon
any overly obscure, technical, or bureaucratic words that would not be used in everyday language
Journalese
a type of jargon used by newspaper writers language used by journalists that would never be used in everyday speech
Jump line
line of type at the bottom of a column which directs the reader to somewhere else in the paper where the story is completed, allowing more space for stories to begin on the front page
Kicker
an ending that finishes a story with a climax, surprise, or punch line
Layout editor
the person who begins the layout plan, considering things like placement and amount of space allotted to news and advertising copy, graphics, photos, and symbols
Lead
the first sentence or first few sentences of a story
Libel
publishing in print (or other media) false information that identifies and deframes an individual
Managing editor
the person who co-ordinates all news departments by collecting all copy and ensuring that all instructions for printer or typist are clear and consistent the person who meets and consults with the staff to make a plan
Masthead the "banner" across the front page which identifies the newspaper and the date of publication the publication information on the editorial page
Media relations
a function of public relations that involves dealing with the communications media in seeking publicity for, or responding to media interest in, an organization
Morgue
newsroom library
News angle
the aspect, twist, or detail of a feature story that pegs it to a news event or gives it news value for the reader
Newspaper styles
styles of various newspapers including dailies, tabloids, and weeklies
Newsspeak
language that distorts, confuses, or hides reality
Off the record
something a source does not want repeated in a news story
Op-ed page
a page in a newspaper that is opposite the editorial page, and contains columns, articles, letters for readers, and other items expressing opinions
Package
a completed television news story on tape, which is edited before a news show goes on air and contains reporter’s stand-ups, narration over images, and an out- cue for the anchor to start speaking at the end of the tape
Paraphrase
an indirect quote or summary of the words the news maker said
Photos still images which communicate the photojournalist’s angle or perceived reality
Pix
short for pictures
Plagiarism
using the work of another person (both written words and intellectual property) and calling that work your own
Public affairs
various activities and communications that organizations undertake to monitor, evaluate, influence, and adjust to the attitudes, opinions, and behaviours of groups or individuals who constitute their publics
Reporters
the people who gather facts for the stories they are assigned to write
Rules
lines used to separate one story from another on a newspaper page
Screens
shaded areas of copy in a newspaper
Sidebar
a column of copy and/or graphics which appears on the page of a magazine or newspaper to communicate information about the story or contents of the paper
Slander
similar to libel, but spoken instead of published
Soft news
stories that are interesting but less important than hard news, focusing on people as well as facts and information and including interviews, reviews, articles, and editorials
Sound bite the videotaped quote in television news
Source
a person who talks to a reporter on the record, for attribution in a news story
Spin
hidden slant of a press source, which usually casts the client in a positive light
Stand-up
a reporter’s appearance in a TV news story usually a head and shoulders shot which features the reporter talking into a microphone at the scene of the news event, often used as a transition, or at the beginning or ending
Style
conformity of language use by all writers in a publication (e.g., AP style is conformity to the rules of language according to the Associated Press)
Summary lead
the traditional journalism tool used to start off most hard news stories the first few sentences of a news story which usually summarizes the event and answers the questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
Super
a video effect that allows the television station to print and superimpose the name of a news source over his or her image when the source is shown talking in a news story
Tabloid
technically, a publication half the size of a standard newspaper page; but commonly, any newspaper that is splashy and heavily illustrated a "supermarket" tabloid that stresses dramatic stories, often about sensational subjects
Target audience
a specific group of people that media producers or advertisers want to reach
Transition a rhetorical device used in writing to move the story smoothly from one set of ideas to the next by finding a way to connect the ideas logically
Trend story
a feature story that focuses on the current fads, directions, tendencies, and inclinations of society
Video press release
a press release for television, prepared on tape, complete with images and sound which can be used by the news media without additional permission or editing
Voice
a writer’s development of distinctive characteristics and idiosyncrasies of language use that make his or her writing as easily recognizable as the inflections, tone, and pronunciation of speech that make a person’s vocalized speech pat terns distinctive
Wire services
services that provide news from around the world to publications that subscribe for a fee (e.g., Associated Press, Canadian Press, Reuters, and United Press International) co-operatives that share news stories among members (e.g., Canadian Press)
World Wide Web
large directory of information on the Internet
GLOSSARY FOR JOURNALISM
Included are specialized terms concerning the two areas most involved in publishing as school newspaper. For convenience, they are divided into two sections: desktop publishing and journalism. Since some apply to both, check the second if not found in the first.
Journalism terms
Adabbreviation for advertisement
Advance (advance story)news of an event to occur in the future
All capsa word or word written in all capital letters APabbreviations for Associated Press, a newsgathering service
Bannertype of headline stretching full width, usually at the top of a page; also called a streamer
Beatnews source that a reporter is assigned to cover regularly
Boxmaterial enclosed, either completely or partially, by a printed rule
Bylinethe name and identification of a story's author
Captionthe heading placed above a photograph; sometimes used to refer to the descriptive copy below a photo
Center of visual interest (CVI)the dominate item on a page usually a photo, graphic or headline
Classified advertisingads run in small type in a separate section, which is often classed into different categories, such as "Help wanted" or "Lost and found"
Column (1)a type of feature that is regularly run in a paper, featuring a single writer
Column (2)the vertical sections of type, which may have varying widths to story on a page
Column widththe actual measurement in picas or inches; also measured in character count as a way to determine the character count of the entire story
Copya story or article written for a newspaper; also used to describe a page or block to text
Copyreadingchecking copy for errors before it is entered into computer or receives its final rewrite
Cropto eliminate unwanted portions of a photo to emphasize its center of interest
Cutterm for a newspaper photo or art, taken from engraving parlance
Cutoff testreporter's check that finalparagraphs are not essential to story
Cutlinethe descriptive copy below a photo Datelineline at beginning of news story giving point of origin, if not local, and date, if significant
Deadlinetime at which job must be handed in or completed to make issue date of publication
Deckeach part of a headline in a single font, whether one or more lines (once used to define a single line of a headline)
Direct quotethe reproduction of a speaker's exact words, set within quotation marks and correctly attributed
Downstylethe use of a minimum number of capital letters in headlines and body copy, where good usage permits an option
Editorialan article that represents the paper's opinion
Editorial columnan article representing the opinion of a individual writer
Editorializinginserting the writer's opinion into a news story, which should be written objectively
Euphemisma milder word used instead of another word, possibly offensive not an acceptable way to soften a quote from a news source
Feature storyan article of special interest with a quality other than its timeliness as main attraction
5 W's and an Hthe Who, What, When, Where, Why and How the key questions answered by a summary lead
Folio linethe heading of inside pages, indicating section, school name, issue date and page number
Followupa news story written after an event has occurred
Graphshort for a paragraph (sometimes spelled graf)
Hammerheada large headline of only one or two words, followed by a longer and smaller head underneath the reverse of a kicker
Headlinelines of display type printed above a newspaper story, calling attention to relative importance and attracting readers to the story's content Headline schedulelist of styles and sizes, often with counts, for use in a newspaper
Indepth reporta story that goes beyond the surface to discover the news behind the news; also called an investigative report
Indirect quoteusing a version of a speaker's words without quotation marks. Example: He said that he expected to reject the plan.
Infographa chart, diagram or graph presenting statistical information, such as survey results and enrollment figures, in easytograsp form
Inverted pyramida method of writing a story using a summary lead and facts in diminishing order of importance
Kickershort, leadin phrase above main head
Label heada headline without a verb; to be avoided
Lead (leed)the first paragraph of a story (see also, under Desktop publishing)
Libeluntrue statement or material that damages a person's reputation
Mastheadlist of the paper's vital statistics, including school name and address, staff members and other pertinent data, such as editorial policy; usually found on editorial pages
Menuin newspaper terminology, a frontpage box or boxes announcing a paper's inside contents, sometimes called teaser (see also, under Desktop publishing)
Nutgraphparagraph giving the key details of a news story the 5 W's and H when a variation on the summary lead in used
Objectivityan attempt to write a story without showing bias or injecting the writer's opinion
Photo releasea permission form used by photographers for persons in photos not taken at news events, granting the right to print the photo
Plagiarismunauthorized copying of another's work. Reproducing copyrighted material without permission whether words or art is a crime
Profilefeature story about a person; personality piece Pull quotequote from a story or news source that is "pulled out" and set as a graph in a distinctive format and type to attract readers to a story and add visual interest
Retractiona printed correction of an earlier error in the paper
Slugone or two words that specifically identify a story, typed in the upper lefthand corner of work to be edited or processed; also includes reporter's last name, plus date/time from edit menu
Steta term meaning "let it stand" or disregard a change that was previously marked or indicated
Stylerules regarding punctuation, capitalization, abbreviation, etc.
Style book, style manualcompilation of style rules for a newspaper
Summary leada first paragraph that contains the essential 5 W's and H of a news story
Teasera frontpage box or boxes announcing a paper's inside contents, sometimes called a menu
Trademarkthe legal, registered name of a product or business. Be sure to use capital letters when using such trademarked names as Kleenex and Coke, which are sometimes used generically Glossary of Journalism and Online Terms
Journalism Terms
attribute - to write the name of source of your information when using a quote, of book, or a part of any copyrighted work.
broadcast - communicating near and far using radio and television.
byline - your name, which is printed before or after an article.
closed question - This type of question doesn't help a interviewee to open up! Closed questions usually prompt a person to answer with simple "yes" or "no". But keep in mind that they can be the right questions to ask at certain points in an interview. They help you pin down important information and get a definite answer. copy - material for a newspaper or magazine article. beat - To cover a particular genre of journalism. (i.e.- Music Journalism or Sports Journalism) cutline - sentences at the bottom of a photo that describe what happened in it, which usually relate to a story. Also called a caption. deadline - The editor of a newspaper, magazine, or other media outlet sets a deadline. This is the time when they expect an article to be submitted. draft - Most journalists will write a draft of an article before submitting it. After completing this draft, they will edit their own work for content and mistakes before submitting it to the editor. editor - a person who edits material for publication or broadcast. editing - the process of reviewing a news story, revising the writing and checking it for mistakes before it is published or broadcast. editorial - a newspaper article written by, or on behalf of, an editor, especially one giving an opinion on a well-known issue.
"Execution at Dawn" - These are groups of people lined up against the wall to be shot (with a camera of course)! For large groups, cutlines end up being long lists of people from ‘left to right'. feature - A feature takes an in-depth look at what's going on behind the news. It gets into the lives of people. It tries to explain why and how a trend developed. Unlike news, a feature does not have to be tied to a current event or a breaking story. But it can grow out of something that's reported in the news. grammar - the study of classes and functions of words, how words are said, and how words relate in a sentence. journalist - a person who writes, edits, or reports for a newspaper, magazine or news broadcast. journalism - the business or practice of writing and producing news media. leading questions - These questions try to lead an interviewee in a certain direction. lede (or lead) - the first and most important sentence of the story. It sets up what the story is going to be about. loaded words - words that leave people with a distinct and often negative impression. That can prompt your source to get defensive or to disagree with your question – and that won't help you get an answer to your question! neutral questions - A neutral question is straight-forward. It doesn't have your opinion in it. You aren't assuming you know the answer already. Your question is clear and gets right to the point. In return, you will probably get an informative answer. off the record - this is what people say when they want the information they tell you to be unmentioned. This means that they don't want their names or quotes to be said to anyone or printed in your story. on the record - the opposite of "off the record". This means that you are allowed to use the person's name and quotes for your story. online journalism - stories that are written specifically for the Web instead of newspaper, radio, television or magazine. It can include the use of text, photos, graphics, hypertext, audio and video to tell stories. open-ended questions - these questions encourage the person to talk and share their thoughts and feelings on a subject. It allows them to tell their own story without much prompting from the reporter. pack journalism - this refers to large groups of reporters from different newspapers or broadcasting stations who are all after the same big story. You usually find mobs of journalists outside courthouses, city halls, or at the scene of an accident or disaster, to get comments from the important sources. Compare this to a pack of hungry wolves: they're all hunting one thing, the story, but they're all so hungry that they want to move in to get the biggest piece for themselves. photographs "Grip and Grin" - These are photos of people receiving awards or diplomas, cutting ribbons or passing out cheques. They just do the ‘handshake' pose and smile at the camera. publish - to produce or release a written work for the public to see or hear. scrum - The gathering of reporters around a person who is important to a particular story. When a scrum occurs, all the reporters shout questions to the person in an attempt to further their own story. This situation is much more informal then a Press Conference. source -a person, written article, book, song, video or film from which to get information syntax - the way that words are put together to make sentences. Wire - A source of information for Journalists. You may have heard a reporter say that they got their information "off the wire". The wire itself is an up-to-the-minute source of information for other reporters.
wrap-up questions - help you make sure you have all the information you need. You can ask your source questions like this to end the interview and clarify information he has given you during the course of your conversation.
Online Terminology
clip - a segment of audio or videotape that's included in a story that is broadcast on radio or television or on the Web.
download - to take files from another computer or server for use on your own.
encoding videos - the process of changing video camera footage into digital footage which can be read and displayed by a computer. (i.e.—RealVideo material)
FTP - (File Transfer Protocol) This is a program used to upload files and webpages from a personal computer to a server. After an individual creates a website, they must upload (transfer) this page to a server so that it can be viewed by others.
HTML - (Hyper Text Markup Language) HTML is the lingua franca for publishing hypertext on the World Wide Web. It is a non-proprietary format, based upon SGML and can be created and processed in a wide range of tools from simple plain text editors to sophisticated wysiwyg authoring tools. HTML uses tags like
and
to structure text into headings, paragraphs, lists, hypertext links and more.hyperlinks - The text you find on a Web site which can be "clicked on" with a mouse which in turn will take you to another Web page or a different area of the same Web page. Hyperlinks are created or "coded" in HTML. They are also used to load multimedia files such as AVI movies and AU sound files.
hypertext -A system of writing and displaying text that enables the text to be linked in multiple ways, to be available at several levels of detail, and to contain links to related documents. It refers to a nonlinear system of information browsing and retrieval that contains associative links to other related documents. The World Wide Web uses hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) to provide links to pages and multimedia files.
info-bahn - the information super highway (info, as in information and bahn, as in German for highway). *.jpeg *.gif - These two file extensions are the most common types of picture files. If you were to scan a picture into a computer yourself, you would need to convert the file to one of these formats for use on a webpage.
Real Video - The format of video files displayed on most Internet sites, such as SNN. search engine - a program used by an Internet browser to look for specific words and sort them for information. server - A computer in a network shared by multiple users. The term may refer to both the hardware and software or just the software that performs the service. For example, Web server may refer to the Web server software in a computer that also runs other applications, or, it may refer to a computer system dedicated only to the Web server application. There would be several dedicated Web servers in a large Web site. upload - to transfer files from your computer to another computer or server. web cast - a video or audio broadcast that's transmitted over the World Wide Web. Journalism Terminology
Learn the definitions and be able to apply the terms to the newspapers. attribution barcode beat bias break a story byline caption citation classified commentary (column) correspondent credibility credit a source dateline dilemma documentation edit edition editor editorial editorial board editorialize ethics filler first amendment for the record headline hearsay horoscope index journalist lead liability lottery mass media masthead mug shot no byline obit obituary political cartoon records reporter retraction rookie reporter scoop sidebar source syndication tabloid wire service Journalism Terminology
Be able to define the following terms and apply them to print, broadcast, and web journalism.
1. angle - The approach or focus of a story. 2. assignment - A job given to a journalist by an editor.
3. attribution - to mention the original source of material (usually pertaining to a quote from a copyrighted source)
4. beat - The area or subject that a reporter regularly covers.
5. bias - Where the article shows favoritism or disapproval toward a subject in an article
6. blog - An online commentary or diary often written by individuals about hobbies or areas of specialist interest.
7. blogger - A person who writes a blog.
8. blurb - Brief introduction to the writer, usually following the headline.
9. break a story (breaking news) - When a story is first published or aired.
10.broadcast - communicating using radio and/or TV.
11. byline - A journalist’s name at the beginning of a story. 12.caption - Text printed below a picture used to describe it and who took it. Sometimes called a cutline.
13.citation - To mention the source of original material or quotes.
14.column - A regular feature often on a specific topic, written by the same person who is known as a columnist.
15.copy - Main text of a story.
16.correspondent (or on-the-scene reporter) is a journalist or commentator who contributes reports to a newspaper, radio, or television news from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is in a foreign country.
17.cover story - Leading story used on front cover.
18.credibility - A good reporter will consider the credibility, or believability, of any source of information.
19.credit a source - A reporter must always indicate where the information in the story came from. If the source wants to remain anonymous, the reporter should credit the source as in the following example: "The President is involved in secret meetings with France," said a source close to the White House who spoke on condition of anonimity.
20.crosshead - A few words used to break up large amounts of text, normally taken from the main text. Typically used in interviews.
21.dateline - The place-names at the beginning of a story that tell the reader where the story occurred. A dateline includes the name of a city or town, and sometimes the country. Before high-speed transmission of data, it also included the date, which is why it is called a "dateline."
22.deadline - The time at which an editor requests a journalists to finish an assignment.
23.defamation - Information that is written by one person which damages another person reputation.
24.edit - the process of reviewing a news story, revising the writing and checking it for mistakes before it is published or broadcast.
25.editor - Someone who prepares material for print or broadcast.
26.editorial - an opinion column written by the editor of a newspaper. 27.editorialize - To write in an opinionated way.
28.endnote - Text written at the end of an article stating the authors credentials.
29.feature - A longer, more in-depth article.
30.follow-up - An update on a previous story.
31.freelancer - Someone that works alone, usually on a contract-to-contract basis.
32.hard copy - When the article is printed out on paper.
33.headline - The main title of the article.
34.hearsay - When someone relates a story without evidence to back it up.
35.journalist - Someone who writes, researches and reports news, or works on the production of a publication. Sometimes shortened to journo, hack or scribe.
36.kill - To cancel or delete a story.
37.layout -(noun) How the page is designed and formatted.
38.lead (also: lede) - the opening sentence or two of an article that contains who, what, where, when, why/how.
39.leading questions - A question that contains the predicted answer within the question.
40.libel - A case for defamation. Defendent would need to show claims were true, fair comment or an accurate record of parliamentary or court proceedings.
41.masthead - Main title section and name at the front of a publication.
42.mug shot - Police photograph of someone who has been booked on a charge.
43.obituary (obit) - a listing of someone who has recently died. Usually contains the person's cause of death, background, surviving family members, and services. 44.off the record - Comments made that are not intended for publication or to be aired.
45.on the record - Information given by a source that can be used in an article.
46.op-ed (opinion editorial) - A feature, usually by a prominent journalist, presenting an opinionated story.
47.photojournalist - a photographer who covers a news story.
48.political cartoon/editorial cartoon - a cartoon that expresses a bias about a current issue in the news.
49.puff piece - A news story that presents its subject in a favorable light, ignoring any controversial issues.
50.reporter - Someone who writes and researches news stories.
51.retraction - A withdrawal of a previously-published story or something that was presented as a fact, but which is either untrue or not proven.
52.rookie reporter (cub reporter) - A novice reporter.
53.run - To print or air a story.
54.scoop - An exclusive or first-published story.
55.source - An individual who provides information for a story.
56.splash - Front page story.
57.syndication - A column that is printed in a large number of newspapers.
58.tabloid - A "news"paper that prints sensational material that usually is exaggerated or untrue.
59.tip - A lead of piece of new information about a new story.
60.wire service - Stories or photographs sent electrically to your desktop.
61.wrap-up questions - Final questions that help clarify information a subject has given during an interview.