INSIDE: 10 WITH WASHINGTON POST EDITOR MARTY BARON • EIJ CONFERENCE NEWS • SHIELD LAWS FOR ALL
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016
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VOLUME 104 NUMBER 5
FEATURES SHIELDS UP 14 Passing a federal shield law — or “reporter’s privilege” — has long been on the agenda of journalism groups like SPJ (and many others). As presidential administrations and congressional leaders come and 5 7 go, there are still 50 states and the District of Columbia to consider. And they all have a different way of protecting (or not protecting) jour- nalists and their confidential sources from forced disclosure. DOODLE THE GOOGLE DATA 24 Working with data and creating and displaying your own maps is as easy as … following along with step-by-step instructions. Have a free Google/Gmail account? You’re ready to go. But first you have to read along.
DEPARTMENTS 3 FROM THE PRESIDENT 5 SPJ REPORT 10 10 WITH MARTY BARON 12 QUILL THROUGH THE YEARS
TOOLBOX 9 NARRATIVE WRITING Like driving in school zones, storytelling requires you SLOW DOWN. 20 EDUCATION Journalism degrees have deep value beyond newsroom jobs. 21 WORDS & LANGUAGE A witch hunt for "which" and "that." 23 FREELANCE New to freelancing? Don’t get lost; get inspired. 10 31 ETHICS Creative non-fiction is still (supposed to be) non-fiction. 32 DIGITAL MEDIA Choosey journalists choose GIFs.
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ON THE COVER // Image: Shutterstock.com // Illustration: Tony Peterson SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 1 ‘… a magazine [that] surveys and interprets today’s journalism while stimulating its readers to collective and individual action for the good ofour profession.’
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2 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBERMAY/JUNE 2014 2016 FROM THE PRESIDENT Journalism isn’t changing; it has changed. So has SPJ.
OW! My first column as president of the Society I look at being SPJ president the same way. This is my Wof Professional Journalists. opportunity to serve the journalism community and help I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous and a make a difference inside and outside of SPJ. lot excited. But mostly I am grateful and honored to serve Journalism isn’t changing; it has changed. The ability to you and have an opportunity to be a representative voice make a difference as a journalist hasn’t changed, though. for journalists. I would argue there is even more opportunity now to raise I caught the journalism bug in high school. I signed up awareness and help a community with the power of social for a journalism elective at the Catholic school I attended media and the internet. in Columbus, Ohio, and had no idea what I would be do- SPJ has the power and potential to make a difference, ing. At the time I was probably more interested in taking too. I hope to lead you and help make that happen this year. photos and arranging the layout of the print pages than You may see some non-traditional proposals this year the reporting itself. or see news about SPJ reaching out to non-journalism or- LYNN WALSH
But I stuck with it and eventually became co-editor with ganizations. My hope is that by thinking differently we can Lynn Walsh is 2016-17 national another classmate. I would work on the paper, layout, pho- introduce the values of what SPJ stands for to new audi- SPJ president. She leads the tos and stories any chance I could get. I even had the ad- ences that are interested or already practicing journalism NBC7 Investigates team in San viser write notes so I could skip study hall and work on the online. These could be bloggers, YouTube broadcasters, etc. Diego. She loves holding the paper. But it wasn’t until I worked on a particular story that I want to see SPJ continue to be relevant within the powerful accountable and I fully understood and came to truly love being a journalist. journalism community. I also would love to see the orga- spends more time than she It was my senior year and time for yet another pep nization widen its reach to educate the public on what would like fighting for access rally. My school was a quintessential Ohio football school. ethical journalism is while helping to bring the public and to public information. Sports were a big deal! journalists together, instead of further apart. Connect on Twitter: @LWalsh. The event was pitched as a “fall sports rally.” Football, It won’t be easy, but I think SPJ has the history, suc- Email: [email protected] obviously, but this also meant it was a time to celebrate cess record and most importantly the people in place to other sports like cross country. As the date of the pep rally make it happen. loomed closer, it was announced that it was going to be I encourage you to reach out to me with ideas and bring canceled. The pep rally was scheduled close to when the issues to my attention that you think SPJ should know football team played a big rival. It could be too distracting about. I also challenge you to think how you, as a member, a for the team, we were told. journalist or a supporter, can help further ethical journalism, The announcement brought some disappointment government transparency and diversity.t among students, one in particular who voiced concern in class. He was on the cross country team and wanted to GET INVOLVED AND LEARN MORE ABOUT SPJ: celebrate and be recognized. But with the pep rally can- celed, he wouldn’t have the opportunity. • President’s Blog: blogs.spjnetwork.org/president I thought he brought up an interesting point. I inter- viewed him. Then I interviewed the football coach. Next • First Amendment Advocacy Fund: thing you knew, the pep rally was rescheduled. The cross spj.org/firstamendmentforever.asp country team and all fall sport athletes were given an op- • SPJ Communities Hub: portunity to be recognized. spj.org/communities.asp I don’t remember if my story had even published before • Freelancer Community: this happened or if it was out of date by the time it hit the spj.org/freelance.asp presses. I also can’t say whether my story was the reason • Digital Media Community: it was rescheduled. But there was something about the spj.org/spjdigital.asp process and the way the events unfolded that made me • International Journalism Community: realize journalists can make a difference. And I wanted to spj.org/ij.asp make a difference. • Gen-J Community (early-career journalists): I like to think that is what I have been able to do, like spj.org/genj.asp all of you, serving your communities with story after story.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 3 Many thanks to the Scripps Howard Foundation for its continued generosity in support of the Ted Scripps Leadership Institute. Since 1996, the program has trained and empowered more than 1,000 industry leaders around the country. Here’s to 1,000 more! SPJ REPORT People power
BY RACHEL SEMPLE For George Daniels, journalism is about the people you meet along the way. Looking back, he recalls the names of several mentors who helped him develop from high school on to college and in his career. Those five mentors he considers instrumental, saying they shaped his career in broadcast journalism and journalism/mass communication as a professor. His first journalism experience in eighth grade was learning about meteorologist roles at local TV stations. That interview sparked his interest and future career in local TV news. Winning “Best Story Under Deadline Pressure” during a summer workshop in 10th grade solidified that journalism was a place where Daniels could be successful. After college and briefly working three concurrent jobs in Virginia, Daniels spent several years in the Midwest before moving to Atlanta. Five years later, the daily newsroom experience felt like a pattern of repetition. Searching for something more, Daniels decided that academia could be the place for him. He pursued a master’s degree and, later, a doctorate at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communi-
Courtesy Janet Walker/University of Alabama cation at the University of Georgia. Interacting with students as a graduate student was a positive experience. When met with the opportunity to work as a full-time journalism professor at the University of Alabama, Daniels was sold. Live newscasts are still produced several times a day at Alabama, and the WVUA-TV newsroom is a short walk down the hall from the classroom. That was of great value to him. In his 15 years at Alabama, he has researched diversity issues in the media workplace and change in television newsrooms. As a professor, Daniels teaches students the responsibility of their power to shape an audience’s understanding of issues, especially race and gender. Stu- dents in his classes learn the experiences of groups that differ from their own experiences and build a representative list of sources for their stories. Getting more people involved as sources adds different aspects to their stories. For the past four years, he has served as the assistant dean in the College of Communication and Information Sciences. Though he’s an introvert in his personal life, Daniels enjoys being highly involved in profes- “On every committee sional organizations including the National Association of Black Journalists, the Radio Televi- and effort, George sion Digital News Association and others. Since he joined SPJ in 1998, Daniels has served always contributed in on the national SPJ board in a variety of roles, including as campus adviser at-large, and he previously chaired SPJ’s Diversity Committee. a thoughtful way and Hagit Limor, past national SPJ president, said that during their time working together, “On served as a dependable every committee and effort, George always contributed in a thoughtful way and served as a member of any effort. dependable member of any effort. George has a way of navigating even controversial waters with quiet determination and class.” George has a way of Of their time serving on the national board — almost a decade — Limor said, “George navigating even didn't speak often, but when he did, everyone listened.” controversial waters Daniels said his favorite part of SPJ is gathering with others at the Excellence in Journalism conference. Between the networking opportunities and the training, the SPJ business meetings with quiet determina- at Excellence in Journalism make the organization unique among his other memberships in professional organizations.
GEORGE DANIELS tion and class. A self-proclaimed pack rat, Daniels said that collecting newspapers along his travels is a
— HAGIT LIMOR, past national SPJ president favorite hobby. Every city and state he’s visited in the United States is represented in his stack of newspapers at home. Looking toward the future, Daniels wants to leave a lasting impact. On his to-do list: writing three to five books that will change media research for future generations. He also hopes to contribute to others’ success as much as his mentors have contributed to his. Reflecting on his goals, he wants “to have a long list of journalists whose lives I’ve influ- enced. So far, I can name at least five working journalists who were former students of mine. They’re successful, and I take so much pride in knowing I had a small part in their getting to MEMBER PROFILE where they are today.”t
KEEP UP WITH SPJ BLOGS: BLOGS.SPJNETWORK.ORG SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 5 SPJ REPORT
Georgia publisher receives standing ovation from chapter delegates BY CAROLYN S. CARLSON Mark Thomason, a Georgia publisher arrested on commending Thomason “for his relentless pursuit
EIJ16 NEWS felony charges in June for the way he wrote an open of the public’s right to know” and citing the Georgia SIGMA DELTA CHI FOUNDATION records request, was greeted with a standing ovation Pro chapter for its diligence in supporting the small- BOARD OF DIRECTORS by delegates in the SPJ business session at the 2016 town publisher. 2016-2017 Excellence in Journalism conference. Robert Leger, president Thomason was there to thank SPJ, and particu- Leger Strategies larly the Georgia Pro chapter, for its support during Irwin L. Gratz, vice president Maine Public Broadcasting Network his ordeal, which started with his arrest June 24. Hagit Limor, secretary The charges: making a false statement (for asking University of Cincinnati for checks that may have been “cashed illegally” by Howard S. Dubin, treasurer a judge he was investigating) and two counts of con- Manufacturers’ News, Inc. spiracy to commit identity theft (by using the infor- Sonny Albarado Arkansas Democrat-Gazette mation on the checks). Rebecca Baker “I am convinced that I would be in jail now if it New York Law Journal wasn’t for the Society of Professional Journalists,” Fred W. Brown, Jr. Thomason told the SPJ chapter delegates. Retired, Denver Post David E. Carlson Charges against Thomason were eventually University of Florida dropped after SPJ Georgia issued numerous public Jay Evensen statements detailing the progress in the case and Deseret Morning News condemning the judge who instigated the charges Paul Fletcher and the district attorney who brought the charges. Virginia Lawyers Weekly Todd Gillman The chapter also filed an official complaint with the Dallas Morning News Judicial Qualification Commission against the judge, Kelly Hawes Superior Court Judge Brenda Weaver. Indiana Media Group, CNHI The national SPJ FOI Committee helped spread Evelyn Hsu Maynard Institute the word about Thomason’s situation, which gar- Alex Jones nered national media attention in his hometown of Retired Blue Ridge, Georgia, and his 5,000-circulation news- Bill Ketter paper, the Fannin Focus. CNHI Delegates to the convention unanimously approved Jane Kirtley University of Minnesota a resolution calling on Weaver to resign her position, Sue Kopen Katcef University of Maryland Al Leeds Mark of Excellence Awards presented American Bar Association Sally Lehrman Exceptional student journalism from 2015 was honored National winners and finalists were first honored Santa Clara University during the Student Union awards and networking event as winners in one of SPJ’s 12 regions. First-place re- Bill McCloskey at the Excellence in Journalism conference. Awards gional winners in each category are then judged on the Retired were presented for national first-place winners in cat- national level. Judges then select one winner and two Gordon “Mac” McKerral Western Kentucky University egories covering newspapers, radio, television, maga- national finalists in each category. Dana Neuts zines, art/graphics and online journalism for large-and For a full list of all 2015 MOE national winners and Freelance Journalist small-school divisions. finalists, see spj.org/moe15.asp. Patricia Gallagher Newberry Miami University Russell Pulliam Money raised for Legal Defense Fund Indianapolis Star Sonya Ross SPJ’s Legal Defense Fund, which supports legal fees which featured items such as autographed books, Associated Press for journalists and news organizations, got an influx original editorial cartoons and historical newspaper Kevin Z. Smith of money with an auction held during the Excellence front pages. Ohio State University in Journalism conference. Close to $5,600 was raised J. Alex Tarquinio The live auction, held before the closing night Presi- Time Inc. through live and silent events, and donations. dent's Installation Banquet, netted $3,180 for the Legal Lynn Walsh About $2,399 came through the silent auction, Defense Fund. KNSD/NBC
The nonprofit Sigma Delta Chi Foundation supports the educational programs of SPJ. Learn more and make a MORE CONVENTION COVERAGE: EIJNEWS.ORG tax-deductible donation at spj.org/sdx.asp. 6 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 SPJ REPORT
STAFF CONTACTS EIJ16 NEWS Joe Skeel Executive Director [email protected] • ext. 216
Chris Vachon Associate Executive Director [email protected] • ext. 207
Linda Hall Director of Membership [email protected] • ext. 203
Tara Puckey Membership Strategist [email protected] • ext. 215
Chrystal Parvin Membership Coordinator [email protected] • ext. 213
Photo by Jennifer Royer Scott Leadingham Director of Education [email protected] • ext. 211
Jennifer Royer Communications Strategist [email protected] • ext. 218
Rachel Semple Cuillier earns Wells Memorial Key Communications Coordinator David Cuillier, past SPJ president and former chair- 2006, he now serves as the school’s director. [email protected] • ext. 205 man of SPJ’s Freedom of Information Committee, was One of Cuillier’s biggest efforts as an educator and Janine Wampler awarded the Wells Memorial Key, the highest honor SPJ leader was his 45-day Access Across America Communications Coordinator for a member of SPJ, at the President’s Installation tour. In the summer of 2010, he educated more than [email protected] • ext. 217 Banquet during the 2016 Excellence in Journalism con- 1,000 citizens and journalists across 32 states and 56 Abbi Martzall ference in New Orleans. locations about public records. In the summer of 2011, Awards Coordinator [email protected] • ext. 210 "I look around the room and I see everyone who I got he held the same tour, allowing open government co- to meet around America and through the years, so many alitions, SPJ chapters and small news organizations Katie Hunt people who have inspired me, and I get more energized free training on access to public records. Fundraising Coordinator [email protected] • ext. 204 about what we’re doing here," Cuillier said. “Thank you Outgoing SPJ president Paul Fletcher said of Cuil- so much, I appreciate all of you, and you’re wonderful.” lier, “Through his time as an educator and as an SPJ Tony Peterson Cuillier started his career in journalism as a city leader, he has fought tirelessly for freedom of informa- Creative Director [email protected] • ext. 214 hall reporter in the early 1990s but joined academia tion and public access, but that doesn’t even begin to in 2001. He was an instructor of journalism and me- describe his contribution to the Society — and for the Billy O’Keefe dia at the Edward R. Murrow School of Communica- profession as a whole.” Web Administrator [email protected] tion at Washington State University and the School of The Wells Key is named for Chester Wells, who died Journalism and Mass Media at the University of Idaho during his presidency of Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ’s original James Koenig Controller from 2003 to 2006. After joining the University of Ari- name, in 1913. Read more about the award and see a [email protected] • ext. 206 zona School of Journalism as an associate professor in list of past honorees at spj.org/a-wellsmem.asp. Sarah Beck Bookkeeper [email protected] • ext. 212 Want to submit a letter? Know of a fellow SPJ’er who would make a great member profile? Maybe your local chapter is putting on a cool program. If so, contact Quill editor Scott Leadingham at (317) 640-9304 or email him at [email protected].
MORE CONVENTION COVERAGE: EIJNEWS.ORG SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 7 SPJ REPORT
Session addresses coverage of transgender community BY NATALIE NIGG | EIJ NEWS STAFF When it comes to covering the transgender community, the media get it to meet their basic survival needs.” The National Health Care for the wrong, according to “Covering the Transgender Community” panelists at Homeless Council reports one in five transgender youth are in unstable
EIJ16 NEWS the Excellence in Journalism conference. living situations and at risk for becoming homeless. In order to support “We’re human beings,” said panelist and activist Jada Cabrera. themselves on the street, Cabrera says sometimes “girls and guys have “Number one, first and foremost, before you say I’m a man, before you to engage in unsavory actions.” say I’m a woman and before you say I’m anything else, remember: if you As a person of trans experience, Jackson was intrigued by the show prick me, I bleed.” “I Am Cait” that documented Caitlyn Jenner’s transition. Jackson thought Cabrera was referring to the way members of the transgender com- it was “absolutely genius that they picked it up and they showcased it munity are misrepresented when the media group them into dehuman- to the world.” izing stereotypes. Although she appreciates the coverage, Jackson said she is no Cait- According SPJ’s Code of Ethics, a journalist’s duty is to follow the lyn Jenner. “How does Caitlyn compare to Sy’ria?” Jackson asked. “Un- Code and treat “sources, subjects, colleagues and members of the public fortunately not. Because Sy’ria is not an Olympic gold medalist. She is as human beings deserving of respect.” not in anybody’s media box.” Panelist Sy’ria Jackson said journalists make assumptions about Panels like this create a necessary dialogue between those who “people of trans experience,” rather than treating them as individuals cover the community and those who live in it. The panelists asked the au- with unique experiences outside their trans identity — as human beings. dience to cover the transgender community with respect and remember, “They think we’re all out to get them,” Jackson said. “You know, although they are all transgender, they are also individual humans with if this person is this then the societal norm is that this is going individual experiences. to happen.” “My story is different from Jazielle’s story,” Jackson said, referring People who are transgender are often stereotyped as sex workers, to the third panelist, Jazielle Noelle. “Jazielle’s story is different from and some of the time that is an accurate depiction, but Cabrera attributes Jada’s story. We all are transgender and we all have a story.” the stigma to the high rate of homelessness among transgender youth. Respecting their human experience before their transgender identity Often when transgender youth come out to their family, they experience will lead to a more accurate story and promote better representation of rejection, and end up on the streets, according to the National Center the transgender community in the media. “Respect goes a hell of a long for Biotechnology Information. The Centers for Disease Control reports way,” Cabrera said. “Approach a person of trans experience with respect that “some transgender people who experience poverty rely on sex work and you will get the story.” t
MORE CONVENTION COVERAGE: EIJNEWS.ORG 8 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 uill TOOLBOX NARRATIVE WRITING Q Slow down and find the story worth telling
ROM TIME TO TIME I receive emails from young Could you do that with the planning department? The Fjournalists who want to eventually move into feature school system? The public works department? Make that reporting, but they find themselves on a beat where they your challenge. tell me they have no chance to work on storytelling skills. Each of the pieces I wrote — and I have more com- My first gig was at a weekly newspaper where I cov- ing — are reported in just a couple of hours. The writing ered four small towns. At my next stop, I covered one city, doesn’t take much longer. But each piece is a story, not a whether it was police, planning or city hall. I rarely wrote news story, because I incorporate voice and story thinking a feature. I fell into a rut because I looked at my assign- from the outset. ment as a news beat, not as a chance to write news and Here’s the opening to my first piece: features. I focused on the information, not the people. Unless someone dies, the stories tend to be forgotten Step back and look at your beat through the eyes of the by the end of the daily news cycle. In the news business, people within that beat. When you do that, you’ll see sto- they're called briefs. If you're a careful reader of them, TOM ries that offer a chance to practice narrative skills. When you'll see the same phrases: "rival criminal gang associ- HALLMAN JR. I covered the city council at a mid-size daily, every story ates," and "the Gang Enforcement Team responded." Tom Hallman Jr. is the lacked any humanity, drama or humor. The possibilities In late June, people in two cars were shooting at author of "Dispatches From were there, but I missed them because I failed to think each other as they drove along Interstate 5 near the 1320," an anthology of his like a storyteller. Broadway exit. One man, shot in the face, turned out to work. The book is available The mayor and council members, while elected, held have been shot once before, in 2013. Think about that: at Amazon.com. He can be full-time jobs. The council meeting was a place for them Gunfire on a Portland freeway just before 8 p.m. on a reached at [email protected] to star. I see now there was a story about the auto parts summer night. salesman who every Tuesday night put on a sport jacket No suspects, no arrests. But, as usual, the gang team and tie and spoke for the citizens. I could have written was investigating. about transformation, from the close of the work day to What officers have found is that in addition to face- the gavel coming down to open the council meeting. Every to-face encounters, rivals, friends and associates use council meeting featured the same cranks who showed up social media to talk smack to each other. That fuels ten- and sat in a chair for hours for the chance to make a public sions that end up with guns being pulled. comment. I never wrote about them. Who were they? Why Over the next few months, I want to take a look at did they show up each week? Portland's gang violence. Don't look for official state- Who are the people — not the big-shots — on your ments from leaders. There will be no crime stats or beat worthy of a profile? Is there something on your beat sweeping examinations of policy. that allows for a snapshot in time? Or a vignette? Who My goal is to move beyond the brief by telling the are the people who come to apply for a business license? stories about people who intimately know the world that What do they hope for? Who is the low-level planner who exists in our city. must decide what happens to a piece of land? What’s at The end seems to be the best place to start. stake? Who feels the impact? The receptionist at the Gresham funeral home led Thinking this way allows you to break down a beat or me down a long hallway, this way and that way, before subject matter into smaller pieces — stories — that are stopping at a small room where families meet to plan built around a person or place that then becomes a charac- services. ter in your story. To do this, you must slow down. Vincent Jones-Dixon is a funeral director at Bateman An example of how I put this theory into practice will Carroll Funeral Home in Gresham. Sometimes he helps a help you see how you can apply it to your beat. My editor family plan the funeral for a son, brother or husband lost suggested I take a look at the sprawling issue surrounding to gang violence. He carries with him a painful knowl- Portland’s gang problems. edge of what the family across from him in such a room I wanted to write something quickly. I started with as this is experiencing. Three years ago, his 21-year-old creative thinking. What people could I profile that would younger brother, Andreas Jones-Dixon, a Portland gang allow me to tell stories and impart the humanity that read- member, was gunned down in a shooting. ers crave? I came up with a list and began reporting, look- I then introduce readers to Jones-Dixon. Same family, ing for the right person to tell me a story about their role same choices, and yet he stayed straight. Why? What did in the gang world. he have to share? CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 9 SEE MORE ONLINE Twitter: @PostBaron Boston Globe “Spotlight” reporting: tinyurl.com/GlobeSpotlight
MARTY BARON
Quill poses Marty Baron took over as editor-in-chief of the Boston Globe at a 10 questions time before the internet significantly changed the business and to people with distribution of journalism. His pushing of the Globe’s now-famous some of the Spotlight team to deeply pursue the institutional corruption of the Catholic Church and its clergy sex abuse cover-up in the coolest jobs Boston Archdiocese is portrayed by Liev Schreiber in the Oscar- in journalism winning movie “Spotlight.” Baron has since moved on to lead The Washington Post. But with the movie reigniting interest in the BY SCOTT LEADINGHAM 2001 to 2002 Pulitzer-winning work of the Globe, he’s probably best known now for his leadership in Boston during that time. Baron was the featured speaker in a Q&A keynote session at the 2016 Excellence in Journalism conference Sept. 18 in New Orleans. Kirsten Lundberg, a journalist, professor and author of numerous case studies (including one on the Boston Globe investigation that helped spark the movie) interviewed him on stage. Following is a condensed version of that Q&A session. Questions and responses have been edited for length and clarity.
KIRSTEN LUNDBERG: I was wondering if we we couldn’t get past one side saying one thing could start with a little bit about your expe- and one side saying something else. Couldn’t we rience of the story from the inside. Talk us get to the truth of the matter? through the fall (after arriving at the Globe) and where the story went. LUNDBERG: Had you intended this to be a Spotlight project from the get-go? MARTY BARON: I was reading the paper before I started, trying to figure out what the good sto- BARON: Before I arrived in Boston I didn’t know ries were. I went into the morning meeting my that there was a Spotlight team. I was informed first day, and we went around the room just as of it when I arrived. I wasn’t thinking about it be- portrayed in the movie, and nobody mentioned ing a Spotlight investigation. I was just thinking the story (by a Boston Globe columnist writing we need to pursue this story. When I brought it about a legal case involving the Archdiocese), up, other editors there said we should bring the and so I inquired about it, and I asked whether Spotlight team into this. 10 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 LUNDBERG: I wonder if you could talk a little better than that, more than that, because I was AUDIENCE QUESTION: I’m a student and bit about some of the things about investiga- concerned that that would seem very sensa- going to be a future investigative reporter. tive reporting that are timeless and some of tional. One of the things I constantly get told is that the things you think are more contemporary, I shouldn’t go into investigative journalism driven by the internet. LUNDBERG: We all know that the business because it’s a dying art and there’s no jobs model of newspapers has changed dra- for it. What is your response to that? BARON: I think most of these things are things matically with the advent of the internet. that apply today. One is computer-assisted report- BARON: When you get into the career, you don’t Investigative journalism is a very expensive ing, although it’s much more sophisticated now. I just go into investigative reporting. You go into undertaking. How do you fund investigative think street reporting, just going out and knocking reporting. And then when you’re a reporter, you journalism in today’s news environment? on people's doors is really important. It think it’s investigate when the opportunity arises and a bit of a lost art these days. I think the cultiva- BARON: I think that every media institution has makes sense. Maybe your aspiration is to be a tion of sources is also something that’s incredibly to make that decision on its own. I believe that full-time investigative reporter at some point. I important. That’s something I think reporters need you fund it because it has to be done. It’s abso- think there is a demand for reporting, and there to do more of now. lutely core to our mission, and no matter what are opportunities in a lot of different arenas.t your resources, you have to find resources to do LUNDBERG: When you’re hiring for a unit that. I think that readers want that of us. They “I think street reporting, like the Spotlight team, what are you looking expect that of us. I don’t think they’d forgive us just going out and knocking if we abandoned that mission. And I don’t think for in an investigative journalist, and related on people’s doors is really to that, do you think anyone can do investi- that they should forgive us. I think that investiga- gative journalism or does it take a particular tive reporting actually does strengthen the loyalty important. It think it’s a bit of kind of personality? of readers. When I was in Boston and whenever a lost art these days. I think we had an investigative story, I would get lots of the cultivation of sources BARON: I think it takes a certain type. It takes emails from people saying thank you for doing a certain type of person who is not satisfied that story. is also something that’s with official explanations, a person who has a incredibly important. That’s great nose for a deeper story, somebody who LUNDBERG (On celebrity from the movie): something I think reporters is sort of willing to pull on the thread and see What’s it like now to walk down the street, how things unspool. Obviously someone who has to go into a restaurant … I just wonder if need to do more of now. acquired one way or another a knowledge about you ever have a chance to sit down with documents and where data is. I do think it takes your former colleagues at the Spotlight someone who has a good meter for BS, and not team and talk about how nice it was when everybody has that. … I think everybody should you were able to go down to the corner be an investigative journalist, no matter what Starbucks and have a peaceful cup of cof- your beat is. We shouldn’t be relegating investi- fee versus the reality today. gations strictly to investigative units. BARON: I’ve spent a lot of time with my former colleagues, and I haven’t once heard them say, LUNDBERG: When the Spotlight team was ‘boy, this is terrible.’ It’s just very strange. I view working on the story, was it a secret project? it as a low-grade celebrity. I do get recognized Were they in fact not able to tell families and from time to time, but the people tend to have so forth what they were working on? some sort of journalism connection. It’s weird to BARON: Yeah, they kept it as confidential as be asked for selfies. The great thing about it has possible. They work on a different floor. You walk been how it’s inspired a lot of people. I do hope through these cinderblock hallways until you get that it causes the public to think about journalism to their office, which was often locked. And so and the necessity of the work that we do. they didn’t tell a lot of people. AUDIENCE QUESTION: Would you please LUNDBERG: How do you as the editor de- speak to the accuracy of the film? cide when enough is enough? When you BARON: I think the movie is quite faithful to the have enough to go on? broad outlines of the investigation. I think it’s im- BARON: That’s a very hard question to answer portant to remember, though, that this is a movie; in the abstract. In this instance there’s that key it’s not a documentary, and a lot of stuff has to scene in the movie, which is accurate, that I was be compressed into two hours. There are cer- concerned that we would have a story that just tain details that are there for dramatic effect, said there are lots of priests who abused lots of but they’re designed to capture themes that kids, and I did not want a story like that. I wanted emerged over the course of the investigation. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 11 12 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 THROUGH THE YEARS...
NOTES ON: May 1994 SUBSCRIPTION RATE: $3 per issue / $29 per year RETURN OF THE NARRATIVE When surveyed in 1994, readers were asking journalists for nothing new: community-focused news, understandable facts, explanation and analysis of their world, coverage of real people, interpretation that adds meaning to pieces, and interesting sto- ries. With five tips, authors Don Fry and Roy Peter Clark urged a rebirth of writing. Newspapers should begin to accommodate the complemen- tary ways that radio, television, newspapers, magazines and books contribute to readers’ knowledge. Instead of functioning in competition with each other, Fry and Clark suggested that newspapers and other media should focus on where each best serves the public need. They recommended photos to capture things that are described poorly with words. A rebirth of newspapers would require the shift from photos as “art” to “visual information” to complement words and coordinate the meaning they create together. Storytelling, a tool that had once been eschewed for the inverted pyramid format, had renewed strengths to offer newspapers. The article encouraged explanatory writing, using characters performing actions for a reason, instead of a string of quotes and names. These actions had roundness, allowing readers to experience the characters. Approachable language that readers could understand is more important than packing sentences with details and formulaic hard- to-understand language. The recommendation was to use everyday language, not something resembling the Associated Press wire. Finally, short pieces and long pieces both have their place in journalism. Long writing was the journalistic gold standard for its tendency to win awards and make the front page, but short pieces require more reporting and researching. Longform journalism allows for the explanation, while short form work gave a place to news that television and radio couldn’t fit. Fry and Clark shared one secret: Journalists would have to work against a newspaper culture they didn’t create, but writing for the readers instead of journalistic convenience would make the change easier.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • A news roundup summarizing complaints by Reporters Com- • A call for conversation between two groups, referred to by the mittee for Freedom of the Press against President Bill Clinton author as “newsies and evangelists,” for the common good of for suppressing editorial freedoms, information gathering or the journalism industry. coverage of public events such as British Princess Diana’s visit • A description of the Dayton Daily News’ new organizational to a federal art museum. structure as a “newsroom without walls” and only two depart- • A column touting the efficiency and productivity of portable ments: gatherers and producers. technology, including wireless computers and cell phones, • A Foundation for American Communications briefing paper on allowing for easy story filing through wireless connection be- the economy of the United States and campaign coverage in tween editors and reporters. the upcoming election.t
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 13 Shield Laws NOTE: This article first ran online at CJR.org. It’s running in Quill as part of an editorial-sharing partnership between SPJ and CJR. Read the original at more CJR stories at tinyurl.com/CJRShieldLaw
AND Journalist’s Privilege: THE BASICS EVERY REPORTER SHOULD KNOW BY JONATHAN PETERS federal judge has ordered Glenn Beck to dis- nalist under a shield law? What types of sources or infor- close the names of confidential sources he used mation are protected? Is there a big difference between in his reporting that a Saudi Arabian man was a subpoena and a search warrant? involved in the Boston Marathon bombing. The Those are the questions I’ve been asked most often in man sued Beck for defamation after he was this area, as a First Amendment lawyer and scholar, and Acleared of any involvement. (Update: It was announced this post will try to answer them. (Please keep in mind in September that both parties had settled the suit for an that I’m a lawyer, not your lawyer, and these comments undisclosed amount.) shouldn’t be construed as legal advice.) Journalist and filmmaker Mark Boal, who wrote and produced "The Hurt Locker" and "Zero Dark Thirty," has WHY A REPORTER’S PRIVILEGE EXISTS (SOMETIMES) asked a judge to block a subpoena threatened by mili- Generally, any person who is asked or ordered to tes- tary prosecutors who want to obtain his confidential or tify at a legal proceeding, or to produce documents rel- unpublished interviews with US Army Sgt. Bowe Berg- evant to one, is required to comply. If the person doesn’t, dahl, accused of being a deserter. she’s subject to a contempt finding, which means a A state judge has ruled that a New York Times re- judge could put the person in jail, or fine her, or both. porter must testify at a murder trial about her jailhouse The penalty’s chief purpose is not to punish — it’s to ex- interview with the man accused of killing Anjelica tract compliance. Castillo, the toddler once known as Baby Hope. The However, there are exceptions called privileges. judge said the interview included the only statements The most famous is the attorney-client privilege that the man made about the crime other than those in his exempts an attorney from testifying against a client police confession. about confidential communications. Many states rec- If my inbox is any indication, those cases have ognize similar privileges for medical doctors, thera- prompted a surge of interest in shield laws and the prac- pists, religious advisers and spouses. They all stem tice of compelled disclosure. What is a shield law, ex- from the belief that there’s a public interest that jus- actly? When can a government official require a reporter tifies the exclusion of testimony by certain people to disclose sources or information? Who counts as a jour- against others.
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 15 For example, the attorney-client privi- couraging the disclosure of newsworthy nalist who has witnessed criminal activ- lege recognizes that clients need good information. ity to refuse to testify about it before a advice, and they can get it only if the cli- Moreover, the credibility of the press grand jury. However, the court’s opinion ent is honest with the attorney. The client depends upon its actual and perceived was joined by five justices, one of whom might not be honest if she thought her at- independence. If journalists are, or are wrote separately to say there could be fu- ture cases in which it would make sense Moreover, the credibility of the press depends upon its for a journalist to be privileged. Because actual and perceived independence. If journalists are, that was the vote needed to decide the case, some lower courts have invoked or are seen as, investigative arms of the government or the separate opinion to recognize a First private interests, then the public might lose faith in their Amendment privilege. Courts have been reporting and be loath to trust them with information. more hostile to it recently. Federal shield statute. Nope. There torney could be called to testify against seen as, investigative arms of the govern- is no federal shield law, despite many her. So rules developed that exempt at- ment or private interests, then the public attempts by the Society of Professional torneys from testifying against clients in might lose faith in their reporting and be Journalists and others to get one passed. most circumstances. loath to trust them with information. State constitutions and common law. Journalists have argued that they In some places, journalists can claim a should have a privilege for roughly WHERE DOES A JOURNALIST’S privilege based on the state constitution, analogous reasons. They rely on sourc- PRIVILEGE COME FROM? and in other places, journalists can claim es to provide the news they publish, and So that’s the theory. What’s the actual one based on state common law. For ex- those sources might not share sensitive legal source for a journalist’s privilege? ample, the New York Court of Appeals or critical information in the absence Here’s where it gets complicated. ruled in 1988 that the state constitution of anonymity — out of fear that they’ll The First Amendment. The U.S. Su- includes a privilege for journalists’ con- be punished for sharing it. So privi- preme Court ruled in 1972, in the land- fidential and non-confidential materials, leges developed protecting journalists, mark case Branzburg v. Hayes, that the while the Supreme Court of Washington because there’s a public interest in en- First Amendment doesn’t allow a jour- ruled in 1982 that case law allows jour-
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16 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 nalists there to claim a privilege in civil notes or materials, regardless of their suits. confidential or non-confidential status. State statutes. Roughly 30 states have Some protect any information obtained passed statutes, called shield laws, al- in the pursuit of news. And others pro- lowing journalists to refuse to disclose or tect all information obtained under an testify about confidential or unpublished explicit promise of confidentiality. The information, including the identity of scope of coverage varies widely. sources. The statutes vary significantly Third, many privileges are subject to from state to state in the scope of their exceptions and/or balancing tests, and protections. they affect whether or how a judge will State and federal procedural rules. apply a privilege on specific facts. Na- Regardless of whether a privilege ex- tional-defense exceptions, for example, ists, sometimes it’s possible under proce- can allow a prosecutor to overcome a Fellow of the Society dural rules to quash an order to disclose privilege if national security is implicat- is an honor bestowed information. For example, rules of civil ed by the case in which the journalist’s upon journalists for procedure can impose restrictions on information is sought. Balancing tests, extraordinary contributions subpoenaing a witness who resides, say, on the other hand, typically require a to the profession. more than 150 miles from where a suit is judge to consider the importance of the pending. Rules of evidence might apply, information to the case (importance fa- Deadline for too. They often prohibit duplicative testi- vors disclosure), whether the information nominations: mony, so if other witnesses testify to the is available from other sources (avail- December 1 same facts, a journalist could argue that ability disfavors disclosure), and wheth- her testimony is duplicative. And courts er the case is civil or criminal (criminal can create their own rules. For example, favors disclosure). Nominations after the New Mexico shield law was in- Nominations should be validated, the state supreme court enact- WHAT ABOUT SEARCH WARRANTS? accompanied by a letter(s) of recommendation that ed a rule giving journalists a privilege in In 1978, in Zurcher v. Stanford Daily, the addresses the nominee’s state courts. U.S. Supreme Court ruled that journal- contributions and/or service ists are subject to search warrants just to the profession and why WHO’S PRIVILEGED, WHAT’S PRIVILEGED, like any other citizen, and thus the First the nominee is deserving of AND WHEN PRIVILEGE DOESN’T APPLY Amendment grants them no special pro- this national recognition. Whatever their source, privileges vary tection from properly executed warrants. Self-nominations are from state to state. That means it’s criti- In that case, a city police department not permitted. cal to evaluate a number of issues to de- used a warrant to search the newsroom termine whether a shield will protect a of The Stanford Daily, a student paper To nominate visit: journalist in a particular case and place. at Stanford University. The police were The first question: Who’s a journalist? looking for pictures of a violent confron- spj.org/a-fellowsOTS.asp That might be a tired debate in some tation between police and protestors, to circles, but when it comes to journal- identify the assailants. Winner Announcement ist’s privilege, it’s a question that has to Two years later, Congress passed the and Presentation be answered. Some privilege schemes Privacy Protection Act, a federal law lim- Winners will be announced are narrow and apply only to full-time iting the authority of law enforcement in July and honored at the employees of professional news outlets, officials to search for, or seize, a journal- Excellence in Journalism while others are broad and extend to ist’s documentary materials and/or work Convention. bloggers, filmmakers, freelancers, book product. The law requires the officials to authors and student journalists. In other obtain a subpoena rather than a search For More Information: words, some are inclusive and others are warrant. That’s a significant difference For more information contact exclusive. The problem here, of course, because a search warrant is challenged SPJ Headquarters at is that innovations in technology have after its execution and after officials 317/927-8000 or via e-mail: complicated the endeavor of defining have seized the materials sought, where- [email protected] journalists and journalism. as a subpoena is challenged in advance. Second, what kind of information is There are, however, some excep- covered by the privilege? Some protect tions. A search warrant may be used only a confidential source’s identity. against a journalist in basically four Some protect a journalist’s unpublished situations: (1) there’s probable cause to
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 17 believe a journalist committed a crime, of promissory estoppel law, which says out these resources to learn more about defined here as an ordinary crime — not that if a party changes her position by protecting your digital information: something involving, say, possession of acting in reliance on a gratuitous prom- Defense against the dark arts: materials for journalistic purposes; (2) ise, then she can enforce the promise Basic cyber-security for journalists: there’s probable cause to believe a jour- even if it lacks the essential elements tinyurl.com/DarkArtsCyberDefense nalist possesses classified documents of a contract. The Supreme Court, siding or child pornography, making this a with the worker, said it didn’t offend the A Guide to Easy Cybersecurity check on the first exception above; (3) First Amendment to apply promissory- for Journalists: the information sought is necessary to estoppel principles to the press. tinyurl.com/MediaShiftCyberSecurity prevent injury or death; or (4) a journal- CPJ Journalist Security Guide: ist has ignored a subpoena or is like- PROTECTING SOURCES: Technology Security: ly to destroy the information sought if NOT JUST ABOUT THE LAW tinyurl.com/CPJguidetosecurityt it were subpoenaed. Knowing the ins and outs of the report- It’s also worth noting, as I’ve written er’s privilege is important when you’re Jonathan Peters is CJR's press freedom corre- before, that the Privacy Protection Act’s trying to protect sources — but I’d be re- spondent. An attorney, he is an assistant professor application to information stored on cloud miss if I didn’t mention that protecting of journalism at the University of Kansas, where he teaches and researches media law and policy, services is unclear. sources today is as much about technol- with an affiliate research position exploring big ogy and electronic security as it is about data and internet governance in the KU Informa- IS A PROMISE OF CONFIDENTIALITY the law. tion & Telecommunication Technology Center. On A BINDING CONTRACT? The Pew Research Center, in asso- Twitter: @jonathanwpeters Although it’s not exactly a privilege is- ciation with Columbia University’s Tow sue, I’m also asked in this area about the Center for Digital Journalism, last year consequences of revealing confidential released a survey of members of Inves- NARRATIVE WRITING information after promising not to do so. tigative Reporters and Editors which CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 The short answer: If a journalist makes found that 64 percent of respondents be- You could use that same template to write such a promise to a source in return for lieve the U.S. government has collected about a teacher, a planner or a worker on the city information, and the journalist later dis- data about their phone calls, emails or road crew. What about the school administrator in closes the source’s identity, the journalist online communications; 80 percent be- charge of discipline? Or the high school counselor could be sued successfully on a breach- lieve that being a journalist increases trying to help a kid get ready for college? How about small vignettes on the small town council Who’s a journalist? That might be a tired debate in some figuring out how to spend money that will influ- circles, but when it comes to journalist’s privilege, it’s ence the lives of all the residents in that town? a question that has to be answered. Some privilege Remember, the goal is taking readers into a dif- ferent world. And if you use people to explain that schemes are narrow and apply only to full-time employ- world, it will never be boring. Finally, these stories ees of professional news outlets, while others are broad require a real narrative ending, not a news end- and extend to bloggers, filmmakers, freelancers, book ing. This will force you to practice the techniques authors and student journalists. In other words, some you will need when you tackle long narratives and magazine pieces. Look how I end my piece: are inclusive and others are exclusive. "The people I deal with help me as much as I help them," he said. "Even if they don't know of-promise theory. In the 1991 case Cohen the likelihood that their data will be col- my story, I get to hear their stories. I've learned v. Cowles Media, a campaign worker in lected; and 71 percent of U.S. journalists about families who lost a child to drugs. Others the Minnesota gubernatorial race pro- have “not much” or “no confidence at all” said they had no clue their son was involved in vided opposition research to the Minne- that internet companies can protect their gangs until their house was raided." apolis Star and Tribune and the St. Paul data from third parties. Gangs, he said, are a complicated issue. Pioneer Press — after receiving confiden- The basic problem, of course, is that "You can't force someone you love to get tiality promises from them. The papers nearly everything a journalist does to out," Jones-Dixon said. "I don't have the answer. then identified the worker in their stories, communicate digitally leaves a trace, What I know is that someone's life impacts all and he was fired. and if you’re trying to protect a confiden- our lives, for good or bad. I know that it's not When the worker sued the papers, tial source, that can be a formidable risk normal to die in violence." they argued that the First Amendment to manage. Beyond the obvious admo- He opened the door. He had to get back to work. did not allow a plaintiff to recover dam- nitions not to keep anything hyper-sen- A family needed to plan a funeral that afternoon. ages for breaking a promise. More spe- sitive in the cloud, or on an unprotected Now, go out and find the person inside your cifically, they contested the worker’s use server, or in an unlocked phone, check beat who is more than news. Find the story.t
18 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 To become a member and join Thousands of journalisTs in our fighT, please visit spj.org.
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SPJ.ORG uill TOOLBOX EDUCATION Q Why you should (still) major in journalism
N A WARM SUMMER NIGHT, I’m volunteer- absolutely right. The journalism degree focuses on a set of Oing at the check-in desk at a community event. Dur- skills that are valuable to many potential employers, in in- ing a lull, I chat with a fellow volunteer. As often happens, formation and tech sectors, in non-profits, in government the topic turns to work. After learning I’m a professor, he — in just about any business that values critical thinking asks what I teach. and communication. “Journalism,” I said. Ask your students: What business would turn away a “I’m sorry,” he replied. potential employee who can wade through an endless sea How many of you have had similar conversations? of information, separating out the most credible and rel- Journalism faculty hear it from students, too. They say evant pieces? Who can synthesize that information, then their parents are worried they won’t find jobs. share it with focused audiences using a combination of I had a student whose parents kept giving her grief writing, visual communication and technology? These are for majoring in journalism. I asked what their reaction the skills that today’s employers are looking for. ADAM MAKSL would be if she told them she had changed her major So what does it take for us to get there? In an inter- to “digital media communications.” She said they’d be view for a Knight report on journalism education’s future, Adam Maksl is an assistant professor of journalism at impressed, given that so many new jobs focus on digi- Schaffer recommended starting with a renewed focus on Indiana University Southeast tal media. research, problem-solving and social entrepreneurship. in New Albany, Ind., where When many students first hear “journalism,” they tend That could mean revising our curricula, which I know can he teaches social media and to think of legacy media, especially print. So some journal- be controversial. But even if wholesale curricular innova- multimedia storytelling and ism schools and departments have reorganized to focus tion isn’t possible, individual journalism educators should advises the multiplatform start reframing the value of what we teach. more on the word “media.” We did it, too — adding the student news organization. word “multimedia” to our journalism track. I regularly trumpet five skills that I believe are at the He serves on the board of But the name change debate misses the larger point: core of our journalism program: critical thinking, commu- SPJ’s Louisville Pro Chapter. What is the true purpose of a journalism education? In a nication, collaboration, creativity and curiosity. Every one On Twitter: @maksl past era, when our graduates could easily find a job at of my classes, and every one of the projects in each class, directly aims to build at least one of these skills. Journalism should be the most I can’t take credit for those “five C's.” The Journal- versatile, flexible and in-demand ism Education Association uses part of the framework. It’s based on the Partnership for 21st Century Skills’ “four degree in the 21st century. In the C's:” critical thinking, communication, collaboration and words of Jan Schaffer, director creativity. A friend likes to add the fifth C, “curiosity,” a of the J-Lab Institute for Interac- skill that I think is at the core of journalistic work. In addition to focusing on the skills, let’s show stu- tive Journalism, it should be dents where those skills can take them. We need to cel- “the ultimate gateway degree.” ebrate the achievements of not only our students who get great media internships and jobs, but also those who use a local newspaper or broadcast outlet, our primary role their journalism skills for good elsewhere. of professional training made sense. But now, nearly a We should give our students tools that show how fifth of journalism graduates work in non-communications valuable this degree is. One favorite tool comes from Ben fields, according to a University of Georgia study, and Schmidt, an assistant professor of history at Northeastern nearly seven in 10 college journalism students study PR University who analyzes big data. On his website — ben- and advertising. Knowing this career change, we should schmidt.org/jobs — he has an amazing visualization of rethink our core purpose. census data that shows how popular college majors relate Journalism should be the most versatile, flexible and to various professions. Check it out to explore the wide in-demand degree in the 21st century. In the words of range of jobs that journalism majors have. I use this to Jan Schaffer, director of the J-Lab Institute for Interactive show students some possibilities. Journalism, it should be “the ultimate gateway degree.” In an era when we’re told millennials will change jobs I first read Schaffer’s argument in a MediaShift post and even careers three or four times by age 30, we should in 2014. She made the case that journalism should be a embrace and share with our students the broad value of degree that “can get you a job just about anywhere.” She’s the journalism degree beyond the newsroom. t
20 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 uill TOOLBOX WORDS & LANGUAGE Q A witch hunt for which and that
GET LOTS OF READER QUERIES about that be destroyed. I and which. Here’s a typical email: • The librarian said she would destroy all the books, “I’m pretty good at grammar and usage, but apparently which were damaged in the flood. I don’t have a clue about the correct use of which and This example shows a nonrestrictive clause. It tells us that. There’s some principle at work here that I don’t un- that all the books would be destroyed and offers the ad- derstand. Can you help?” ditional information that all were damaged in the flood. If There is indeed a principle at work here, and it eludes we omit the which clause, the sentence’s main meaning many, including (and sometimes especially) the highly ed- is not altered — it still means that all the books would be ucated. However, I can make a comforting promise: Once destroyed. Note that which is preceded by a comma. we “get” that and which, we’ll never again have trouble Examine the following. Restrictive or nonrestrictive? with those words. • He was wearing the suit which he’d worn to his The whole matter rests on whether a given clause wedding. PAULA is restrictive or nonrestrictive. (Use that with restrictive • The garden which surrounded the place made it LAROCQUE clauses, and which with nonrestrictive clauses.) Here’s special. what we mean by restrictive and nonrestrictive: • The diamond ring which had always adorned her Paula LaRocque is author If the content of a that or which clause could not be finger was missing. of five books, among them omitted without altering the sentence’s basic sense, the • Foods which have the lowest glycemic index are “The Book on Writing.” clause is restrictive and will therefore use that. Its content best for diabetics. Her latest fiction is a mys- is not parenthetical or simply added information. Rather, it All those examples are wrong as presented. Why? tery novel, “Monkey See,” available on Amazon.com is essential information: They are all restrictive and need that, not which: • The picture that hung in my study was damaged Email: [email protected] in the flood. There is indeed a principle at work “That hung in my study” is restrictive. It restricts be- here, and it eludes many, including Blog and website: paulalarocque.com cause it identifies or defines — we’re referring to this pic- (and sometimes especially) the ture and this picture alone. The clause is therefore essen- highly educated. However, I can tial to the sentence because its purpose is to say which picture was damaged. make a comforting promise: Empower Yourself Notice, too, that no comma adorns the that clause. Once we “get” that and which, Visit SPJ’s reading room for The picture, that hung in my study is not only incorrectly we’ll never again have trouble with more articles that will help punctuated, it also shows how integral and organic the you on your path to be- those words. coming a better journalist. restrictive clause is. It doesn’t want to be separated from spj.org/rr.asp the sentence even by a comma. • He was wearing the suit that he’d worn to his wedding. How might this clause look if it were nonrestrictive? • The garden that surrounded the place made it special. It would begin with which and would be enclosed in • The diamond ring that had always adorned her fin- commas: ger was missing. • The picture, which hung in my study, was damaged • Foods that have the lowest glycemic index are best in the flood. for diabetics. Notice that the nonrestrictive clause could be paren- It’s worth remarking that while we seldom see that er- thetical and could also be omitted without altering the rors, which errors abound. This observation underscores sentence’s main sense (which is that the picture was dam- two points: Not only are we more confused about which aged in the flood). than we are about that, but we also tend to overuse which Consider: in writing because we consider it more stately or learned • The librarian said she would destroy all the books than that. There’s no support for that assumption, how- that were damaged in the flood. ever, and we should give it up. This shows another that clause and is therefore re- Another stray point worth making: British writers often strictive. It tells us that some books were damaged in the don’t observe the grammatical distinctions between that flood, and only those would be destroyed. Its content is and which. But as we’ve seen, those distinctions matter. essential, and if it were omitted, the sentence’s meaning So let’s do ourselves and our readers a favor and go on would be altered — it would mean all the books would a which hunt.t
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 21 CONGRATULATIONS FARAH STOCKMAN // 2016 PULITZER PRIZE WINNER
IGNITE.
IMPACT. Photo: Essdras Suarez INSPIRE.
IGNITE A CONVERSATION. IMPACT COMMUNITIES. INSPIRE CHANGE. The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation supports great journalism that does all these things and more. Congratulations to Farah Stockman for receiving a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for her work funded by the SDX Foundation. Find out more about how SDX supports journalists: spj.org/sdx.asp
Farah Stockman received a 2016 Pulitzer Prize for “Boston After Busing,” a series of columns examining race and education for the Boston Globe. The project was supported by a $75,000 Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship for Editorial Writing from the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation, the educational arm of the Society of Professional Journalists.
spj.org/sdx.asp uill TOOLBOX FREELANCE Q Inspiration for freelance newbies
RECENTLY DECIDED TO BECOME a full-time Twitter is where I discover the best resources: I learn I freelance journalist after working in the field part time about existing networks, hit upon all kinds of story ideas over the past few years. As a full-time doctoral student, I and get insight into other opportunities for an emerging knew I needed to do something that allowed for a flexible journalist like myself. Take your Twitter account seriously; schedule and fulfilled my academic needs as well. it’s my favorite social media platform and such an impor- Freelancing seemed like a sound idea. But having nev- tant tool for journalists. (Feel free to engage with me at er received a degree in journalism, and thus having never @CMiriam.) found myself connected to the networks such training SHOWCASE YOUR WORK ONLINE gives you, I’ve really had to build my own career and com- Websites and blogs might be “old school.” Or, they might munity from scratch. It means I’ve had to make mistakes, not be. Opinions about their usefulness run the gamut. For often and a lot, but it also means I’ve had the opportunity me, there’s no question as to the value of both. to learn a thing or two that might be useful for others in a CIRIEN SAADEH I put a lot of effort into my professional website and similar place in their careers. blog. Both are fantastic spaces to organize my thinking, Below are some of my top tips for anyone just starting Cirien Saadeh is a freelance link to my online “places,” offer up a digital portfolio (I use out. I hope you’ll find it helpful, and if I’ve missed any big- journalist and student in the clippings.me platform), and keep track of my world and Prescott College’s sustain- gies, please share. who I am in it. ability education program BUILD RELATIONSHIPS I always recommend that professional freelancers put in Arizona. As a Ph.D. I am lucky enough to live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, time and energy into demonstrating a little about who they student, Saadeh develops where there is a thriving media ecosystem of independent are and how their work fits in the grand scheme of things, community-based journal- and non-profit journalism organizations. By connecting and a professional website is a great forum for that. It also ism curriculum, for with a number of those organizations, I have been so lucky looks cool and helps me feel connected to the larger jour- low-income communities to find paid work, land on great training opportunities and nalism community. of color, and is also develop- ing a cooperative journalism plug in to thriving journalism networks. Shutterstock.com As one example, I was able to publish my first investi- model based in those gative piece, an in-depth look at the decisions being made communities. You can find to close Minneapolis’ last public housing complex, with her at ciriensaadeh.com. the Twin Cities Daily Planet media outlet in May. It was On Twitter: @cmiriam an incredibly powerful experience to feel that the work I had done as a journalist was meaningful and helped to deepen the conversation about housing justice in the Twin Cities. Likewise, I encourage you to find organizations you can jibe with and build those relationships intentionally and strategically.
GO FOR COFFEE WITH PEOPLE Shutterstock.com Shutterstock.com YOU ADMIRE Admittedly, I still struggle to do this. There are dozens of journalists and news organizations I have great respect for in the Twin Cities and beyond, but it can be nerve-wracking to send an email introducing yourself or inviting somebody out to coffee. In the end, though, it just takes practice. The worst that somebody can say is “nope, sorry,” but the best is spending quality time with a person you look up to, who can offer suggestions, lead by example or even help brain- TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA storm story ideas. And, it’s fun to make new contacts. So, To be honest, I should probably use LinkedIn more, and take the initiative and reach out! I keep my Facebook on lockdown for the most part. But Good luck out there!t
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 23 MAKING A CHOROPLETH MAP BY FRANK BI veryone loves maps. Not only are they visu- ternative to Microsoft Excel. The link I’ve provided is ally appealing, but they’re also a proven a “view only” copy of our data, so you won’t be able method of storytelling, providing geograph- to use it for our purposes unless you make a copy Eical context beyond the text on a screen. of the data for yourself. To do that, click on the file Before free online tools such as Google Fusion tab underneath the spreadsheet title (FDNY Fire Re- Tables were available, for a newsroom to publish sponses by Borough) and then select “make a copy”: maps it’d take a trained cartographer to make them. Now thanks to those online tools, the barrier to making maps is all but a speed bump. In this tutorial, I’ll walk you over the speed bump and show you how to make an interactive map using Google Fusion Tables. Specifically, we’ll make an intensity map, or what’s more com- monly referred to as a choropleth map. There are a few different types of mapping, and some are wonkier than others, but the choropleth map is one of the most standard and basic maps. Note: If you’re not logged in to your Google account You’ve definitely seen them before: They’re maps yet, the “make a copy” option in the dropdown that have geographic areas shaded in proportion menu will be dimmed out and not clickable, so to a statistical variable. make sure you’re logged in from here on out. For this tutorial, our statistical variable will be Once you select to make a copy, a prompt will the number of fire responses by the New York City pop up giving you the option of naming the copied Fire Department, and our geographic area will be file, as well as the location of where you want the the five boroughs of New York City: Manhattan, copy to live. Feel free to leave these as they are, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. and click “OK.” Choropleth mapping is effective when you’re If you’ve followed along so far to this point, you looking to show data bound to a region. Because should have a new tab open and a new spreadsheet we want to show which boroughs make the most titled “Copy of FDNY Fire Responses by Borough.” fire calls — not where the fire calls are — chorop- leth mapping is the logical mapping method. Geographic shapes To start, we need three things: a Google Drive You’ve probably used Google Maps before, right? account so you can access Fusion Tables and a few The way most people use Google Maps is by giv- other free Google tools that we’ll be using; a data- ing it a start and end addresses, which is then set of fire responses by borough in New York City; marked on a map by a pin. Behind the scenes in and a file that contains the geographic shapes of the labyrinth of Google code, the address you pro- each of New York City’s five boroughs. vide it are translated to a pair of numbers: a lati- Let’s get these three things prepped before we tude and longitude. put them all together into our map. As a quick example of using latitude and longi- tude, go to Google Maps and instead of entering Google account an address into the search field, copy and paste If you don’t already have a Google Drive account, in the coordinates 40.775558,-73.9752702 and hit get one for free (bit.ly/1c3UgJf). Every Gmail account enter. If done correctly, the pin Google drops on has an associated Google Drive account, so you the map should be in a forested area in New York should already have one if you use Gmail. City’s Central Park. The pin location, accurate to within a few yards, is the location of John Len- Our data non’s memorial. The data for our map is available as a Google Now say instead of dropping a pin on a spe- Spreadsheet (bit.ly/2dH6hf6), a free tool that’s an al- cific landmark in Central Park, we want to
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 25 show Central Park as an entity — so a If this is your first time using Fusion pin would not suffice. To accomplish Tables, Google may prompt you to grant this, we want to show the geographic permission to Fusion Tables to access your bounds of the park as if we’re taking a Google Sheets account. If so, allow access. highlighter and tracing the boundary If you see this preview of your data, of Central Park. Since the park is a per- then good job, we’ve successfully up- fect rectangle, we’d just need four lati- loaded our FDNY data to Fusion Tables. tudes and longitudes, one set for each corner, and then connect those four positions to draw the boundary. Unfortunately, for most other bound- Once you find it, hit “Connect” and hit aries (think states, shapes, islands, riv- “OK” if another pop-up appears asking ers, etc) it’s not as easy to trace. Each about using it as a default program. contour in a geographic shape is drawn Once you’ve completed that step, out by thousands if not hundreds of close the search app pop-up and click the thousands of coordinate points linked “New” button again. This time, Fusion This is a preview of our data we up- together in a file. Luckily for us, we don’t Tables will show up as an option under loaded. If it looks like the above, hit next. have to worry about creating these sets the “More” option. Click that to begin a Now we’re prompted to provide some of coordinates; most geographic bound- new Fusion Table. metadata to our map. aries like state shapes, zip codes, even The data for our map is from NYC neighborhoods are already mapped out Uploading our data Open Data (bit.ly/1vc6VWm), so I’ll add for us. We just have to find them to be The first thing you’ll see when you start in the attribution and the link before hit- able to use them. a new Fusion Table is a prompt with the ting “Finish.” Back to our tutorial: We want the header “Import new table.” We need to Give Fusion Tables a few seconds to boundaries for each of New York City’s give Fusion Tables the data we’ve al- process things; once it’s finished, you five boroughs. And much to our good for- ready prepped. should see a screen like this: tune, it’s already available for us to ac- Google defaults here to letting you cess in Fusion Tables, so we don’t have upload a file from your computer, but we to do anything just yet. already have our data in Google Sheets.
Booting up Fusion Tables Armed with our data, a Google account and our knowledge of the five boroughs, let’s put it all together in Fusion Tables to make our map. Our first step is to go to our Google Now that we’ve successfully uploaded Drive; on the left sidebar, look for the our data and given it a name and attribu- big button that says “New.” Clicking tion, we’ll hop into the next section. on the button will drop a menu of prod- Click on “Google Spreadsheets” and ucts including Google Docs and Google you’ll be prompted to select a spread- Putting things on a map Sheets. We want a new Fusion Table, sheet from the ones available on your The Fusion Tables interface should re- but unless you’ve used Fusion Tables Google Sheets account. mind you a lot of Google Sheets or an- before, it’s not going to show up as an other spreadsheet program. The only option yet. new thing is the tabs along the top, one In the same drop-down menu, look of which is titled “Map of BoroName.” for the “More” option — selecting that Click on the map tab and you’ll see should show another drop-down menu something like this: with an option to “Connect more apps.” Clicking on that option will make a pop- up appear that shows the app inven- tory that is available to Google Drive accounts. Fusion Tables is not going to show up right away; we need to search Select “Copy of FDNY Fire Responses for it. by Borough” and proceed.
26 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 In our dataset from Google Sheets, we ample, we’re going to fuse the map we for our “BoroName” column by using the have two columns: one for the name of made with pins to another map that has drop-down menu and selecting “Bor- the borough and the other for the num- the geographic boundaries of all five ough” instead of “Area.” ber of incidents in that borough. Because New York City boroughs to create our fi- we didn’t provide any latitude or longi- nal interactive map. tudes in that dataset, Google didn’t know Hopefully you’re still on the page where to drop pins. In an effort to be help- where we made our map with pins ful, it geocoded — the process of trans- dropped on each borough. lating location names to coordinates — As I mentioned before, the file that the borough names and dropped pins on contains the geographic bounds of New its result: York City is already available in Fusion Tables. To pull it up, go to the “File” tab Hit next and you’ll be prompted to se- and click on “Find a table to merge with.” lect which data columns from each table This will open a new search box of you want to be merged into the new table. public data and maps you can merge Leave everything as it is and hit “Merge.” your own data with. Searching for “New If completed successfully, you’ll see a York City Boroughs” should yield several screen like this: results. You can click on “View Table” to the right of the name to see the map and ensure it is what you want to merge your own data with.
As you can see, the computer is only as good at geocoding a location name as the information you give it. In our datas- et, we didn’t specify whether Manhattan was the city in Kansas or the borough in New York City. We can overlook this That link will take you to your interac- inaccuracy specifically in this example tive map. because we don’t want pins dropped on each borough, we want the outline of Styling your map each borough, which will come from an- Once you click the link to our new table, other dataset that we’ll get in a moment. If you’re having trouble finding a map you should see a familiar screen like this: But as a good rule of thumb, you should with the boroughs, click on “Select a be as specific as possible when geocod- table from Google Drive” and enter this ing location name, e.g. adding New York URL (bit.ly/2dEGmbJ) for the geographic City or even USA as a location hint as an- bounds like so: other column in the spreadsheet or dur- ing the geocoding process itself. Go ahead and explore the map for a minute, zooming in and out of the New York area. You’ll see that the pins are dropped perfectly in the center of each Note that the columns “BoroName” and borough, known as the centroid of a geo- “IncidentCount” from the first dataset we graphic region. uploaded are still there — but we’ve add- In the next section, we’ll combine the ed extra columns including “AREA” and data with the geographic boundaries In our example, I used the link and “PERIMETER.” Don’t worry about trying to in a process that gives Fusion Tables entered the table manually like in the understand those numbers. its name. above screenshot. Now click on the “Map of geometry” In order to fuse the two tables together, tab at the top (it will take a second or two Fusing two tables Fusion Tables needs to know which col- to load). If you click on any of the high- The definition of fusion is the process or umns match each other. So in the table lighted shapes, you should see a window result of joining two or more things to- that we’re merging with ours, we need to pop-up like this with our data (see top of gether to form a single entity. In our ex- select the option that matches the names page 28):
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 27 The default colors they give us are all different colors, which is incorrect for our data. We want to use different shades of the same color so viewers of the map can visually compare the data. To do that, manually change the colors. I’m going to select green.
But remember we want to make a Specifically, we want to change the choropleth map where each geographic “Fill color.” area is shaded in proportion to a statis- Fusion Tables defaults to using the tical variable. Our statistical variable is same fill color in the “Fixed” tab, but we the column “IncidentCount,” but current- want to create buckets for our data where All other things the same, go ahead ly all the regions are shaded to the same each bucket is a different color shade: and hit save. It should kick you out of the color of red. Let’s change that. pop-up screen and show you your map To the left of the map is a button titled like this: “Change feature styles.” Click on that to see the myriad options you can use to style your map.
Click on the “Buckets” tab to change and select how many buckets (e.g. dif- As one can glean from just looking ferent shades) to use on the map — I’m at this map, the boroughs of Manhattan going to select five buckets. Once I do and Brooklyn require the most attention that, Fusion Tables will auto-populate from the FDNY. Clicking on the boroughs five different colors below representing pulls up the exact number of incident re- A pop-up like this should show up over each bucket. Also make sure you use ports. To format, add or remove data from your map: the column “IncidentCount” in creat- the pop-up box, you can go to the option ing these buckets as they’re the data we “Change info window” and deselect any want to show. of the data columns. And with a little bit of HTML, you can also add color and oth- er text to each pop-up window.
Because we’re dealing with areas (not “Points” or “Lines”) to represent our data, we want to use “Polygons.”
28 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Publishing your map There are two links visible on that pop- ing settings.” Under the section “Who has With your map complete, it’s time to up. The first is if you just want to email access” it likely says “Private — Only you show it to the rest of the world. someone with a link to your map. But the can access.” Click on that and change it Under the tools tab, select “Publish” second link — “Paste HTML to embed in to “On — Public on the web” and hit save. option: a website” — is what you’re looking for if If you’ve made it this far — congratula- you’re trying to embed it on your website. tions! You’ve made a choropleth map in Copy and paste that snippet of code. Google Fusion Tables.t But before anyone can see the embed- ded map, we have to change the map’s Frank Bi is an editorial engineer and data journal- visibility. Click on “Change visibility” ist at Vox Media’s The Verge. Reach him at frank@ and it’ll open another pop-up titled “Shar- frankbi.com or interact on Twitter: @frankiebi
A pop-up like this will appear with a highlighted warning that your table is private and not visible.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 29
uill TOOLBOX ETHICS Q Non-fiction can be creative, just not made up
HE SPJ ETHICS COMMITTEE handles a lot pulled from shelves after it was published in 2012, when T of issues that, as expected, involve news outlets he admitted fabricating quotes he attributed to Bob Dylan. representing all kinds of media. What may surprise some The Boston Globe reported in August 2012 that Lehrer people is that we also deal with a lot of issues involving could be forced to pay back his advance, and could be held non-fiction books. liable for other losses incurred by his publisher, Houghton These issues often involve works that could be classi- Mifflin Harcourt. fied as creative non-fiction. However, there are ways authors can guard against Gay Talese, one of the masters of so-called new jour- these accusations: nalism, recently published “The Voyeur's Motel.” The book 1) WRITERS OF ANY TYPE OF NON- was decades in the making and became a hotbed of con- FICTION SHOULD ALWAYS TELL THE troversy thanks to a series of decisions Talese made in his TRUTH TO READERS reporting of the book. ANDREW You may scoff at such a simple rule, but people writing Specifically, people took issue with Talese blindly prom- SEAMAN longform creative non-fiction are deeply invested in their ising protection to Gerald Foos, the book’s main source. Foos works and subjects. Sometimes that commitment can Andrew Seaman is chairman disclosed that he watched and documented the sex lives of blind people to evidence contrary to their thesis or point. of the SPJ Ethics Committee his motel guests over many years. In one case, Foos claimed Or, those deep relationships can lead people to lie or com- and a health/medical mit other offenses. Regardless of that investment, writers reporter for Reuters. Contact need to remember that the best defense is the truth. No him at andrew.m.seaman@ matter how good a lie is, the truth is always better. gmail.com. On Twitter:
Shutterstock.com Shutterstock.com @andrewmseaman 2) WRITERS NEED TO RESEARCH THEIR SUBJECTS AND PROVIDE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE Facts are what people expect when they read non-fiction. Struggling with a dilemma Providing sources through direct reference or footnotes on deadline, or just want to talk about a tough call are ways to back up those claims. Those attributions give you’ve had to make? readers added assurance that the writer did his or her Call SPJ’s Ethics Hotline at to observe a murder. Talese also admitted to touring Foos’ homework. Additionally, sources give readers the ability (317) 927-8000, ext. 208. to explore the subject in more detail. elaborate system of observation portals in his motel’s attic, Leave a message, and a and peeped on a couple having sex. 3) WRITERS SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT member of SPJ’s Ethics Additionally, Talese and Paul Farhi of The Washington Rarely will people know every answer to the questions Committee will soon be Post uncovered large discrepancies in Foos' accounts, people have when reading a book. Or, in some cases, writ- in touch. which caused Talese to briefly disavow the book (though ers may have to re-create scenes that rely on piecemeal he subsequently walked back that disavowal). information. In those cases, writers should be upfront about Books like “The Voyeur’s Motel” and other works of those limitations. Explain to readers in footnotes or an in- creative non-fiction have a complicated relationship with troduction that some pieces of information may be gleaned journalism ethics. While it’s relatively easy to view books from unconventional sources or re-created based on his- as non-fiction or fiction, creative non-fiction began as a torical evidence. Acknowledging limitations is not a sign blurring of the two genres. of weakness and ultimately strengthens the final product. In a 1965 review of Tom Wolfe’s “The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby” in The New York Re- The bottom line is that non-fiction must be true. “The view of Books, writer Dwight Macdonald called it “para- creative part of creative non-fiction comes in the storytell- journalism.” He said it “is a bastard form, having it both ing techniques that a writer uses to give the story color ways, exploiting the factual authority of journalism and and punch,” Patrick T. Reardon wrote in The Chicago Tri- the atmospheric license of fiction.” bune in 2006, when James Frey’s memoir “A Million Little Revered journalism figures like Truman Capote, Hunter Pieces” was exposed for fabrications and inaccuracies. S. Thompson and John Hersey all faced ethical criticisms Creativity doesn’t mean making up events and stories of their work. To some, those criticisms can be very costly. — unless you want your book catalogued in the fiction Jonah Lehrer’s “Imagine: How Creativity Works” was section.t
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 Quill 31 uill TOOLBOX DIGITAL MEDIA Q Choosey journalists choose GIFs
N JUNE, the New York Times Magazine published a tic, in January, featured a GIF banner atop a story on ag- I10,000-word article by Nikole Hannah-Jones about seg- ing, which showed a woman looking into a mirror. The regated schools in New York City. GIF rotated images of the woman at different ages in the Those who read the article online or on mobile devices reflection. (theatln.tc/2aZ1WWI). may have noticed a subtle multimedia element buried SUBTLE MOVEMENT halfway through the content: a graphic showing the shift- Vox added subtle movement to two graphics in 2015, when ing school zones for two Brooklyn schools. Just as the it wrote about states that passed laws requiring students school zones changed over time, so did the visual — auto- to learn cursive. The graphics look like someone is ac- matically fading to the new school district zone lines. (See tively drawing the details on the map. (bit.ly/2aRN36M) the article at nyti.ms/2bd01Q2.) Meanwhile, Cinemagraphs are gaining popularity This animated GIF (or Graphics Interchange Format among fashion and travel photographers. The still photo- photo) helped readers see movement without requiring JODIE graphs incorporate subtle movement, such as wind blow- MOZDZER GIL them to click play on a video or interact with a graphic. ing grass or eyes blinking, that play on repeat through an Although GIFs are commonly associated with blooper animated GIF. Jodie Mozdzer Gil is an assis- video replays and listicles, they are also being used in tant professor of journalism more subdued ways by serious news outlets like The New WHIMSY at Southern Connecticut York Times. In 2015, The Washington Post published a Kevin Durant State University and the Take, for example, another GIF the Times ran a couple free agency dress-up GIF alongside a news story. The GIF treasurer for the Connecti- of days after the school article. On June 16, Times Insider rotated different teams’ uniforms over an image of Durant cut SPJ chapter. On Twitter: staff compiled a time-lapse to chronicle how it covered dunking a basketball, while the text detailed the benefits @mozactly the Orlando nightclub shooting. (See the article and GIF at and drawbacks of Durant joining each team. nyti.ms/2bnC19k.) In May, entertainment magazine The Wrap ran stop- The single GIF takes readers through about 40 dif- motion photo GIFs of Emmy contenders to go with fea- Stay up-to-date on the ferent screenshots of the homepage, between 4:26 a.m. ture stories on the actors. In one image (bit.ly/2bbE1nk), latest digital media trends, June 12 and 9:04 a.m. June 16. It showed how the head- Keegan-Michael Key appears to spin on one foot during a skills and news with the lines, information and placement of the story changed as photo shoot. Digital Media Community’s the news evolved. “Net Worked” blog at CREATE YOUR OWN GIFS The time-lapse was created in GIF form, and it repeats blogs.spjnetwork.org/tech. Creating GIFs has become simplified by online GIF genera- automatically as readers browse the text details about the tors like MakeAGif.com and Giphy.com. These sites and oth- news decisions the Times staff made in the days following ers allow you to upload photos, videos and even links to the shooting. YouTube videos to create simple GIFs and add your own text. It’s simple. It involves movement. And it happens with- The downside is that each comes with its own water- out requiring action from the audience. mark, and they don’t allow much design flexibility. If you’re looking to use GIFs in your news reporting, For those who want to make their GIFs more custom- here are some tips on when and how. ized, Photoshop allows creating GIFs from videos and im- CHARTS AND GRAPHS age layers. GIFs work extremely well for time-lapses that show geo- To do so, use the Timeline feature and save for the graphical change. web. Several helpful video tutorials are available online In April, the Los Angeles Times used a GIF to show by searching “make a GIF in Photoshop.” a time-lapse map of the spread of an invasive beetle in BE CAREFUL California. (lat.ms/2bbwCo0) Consider the ethics of using GIFs in news stories. GIFs Vox has used GIFs to track the growth of slavery often mean changing a visual, so any illustration should (bit.ly/2bnGdG2) and the spread of marriage equality be labeled as such. rights (bit.ly/2b310hc), among other topics. The key to effective GIFs for serious news is to cre- FEATURE STORY PROMOS ate movement with purpose. Keep the message in the GIF GIFs can be found in promotional images for feature sto- simple, and don’t make transitions happen too fast, or you ries, such as with the Washington Post’s Zika risk assess- might lose your audience. ment (wapo.st/2bod9lQ) and the Wall Street Journal’s Finally, don’t make your readers seasick with too much electoral map interactive (bit.ly/2aRMvxR). The Atlan- movement or too many GIFs on the same page.t
32 Quill SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 HONORING THE BEST IN STUDENT JOURNALISM
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