WHAT IS NEWS?- Editors, reporters and readers have asked that question for centuries.
- News judgment: the ability to determine which stories are most interesting and important to readers.
- Reporters do the research and write the stories, but it's their editors who decide how successful they are—and if and where those stories run.
- What's news? That depends on the newspaper.
What Makes a Story Interesting to Readers?- Impact
- Immediacy
- Proximity
- Prominence
- Novelty
- Conflict
- Emotions
WHAT READERS WANT- What writers want to write isn't necessarily what readers want to read. That's why research is vital.
- Smart journalists adjust to the tastes, reading habits and news appetites of their readers.
- As new media transform the news media, it's essential to monitor how effectively you are delivering your message and satisfying your audience.
How Do We Know What Readers Read?- Focus groups
- Phone, mail and Web surveys
- Ethnography
- Sales/Web views
- Reader response
- Anecdotal feedback
How to Conduct a Quick, Cheap and Unscientific Reader SurveyFive Things Every Reporter Needs to Remember About Readers- Readers are in a hurry.
- Readers have short attention spans.
- Readers want stories that personally connect.
- Readers want stories told in a compelling way.
- There's more than just one type of reader.
HOW A STORY GETS WRITTEN- Cartoon with reporter Jenny Deadline racing the clock to find out why a professor has mysteriously resigned.
HOW THE NEWS COMES TOGETHER- It's like an assembly line where workers race the clock to produce a new product each day.
Inside the Newsroom at The Oregonian- An hour-by-hour look at a day in the life of a typical metropolitan daily newspaper.
The Major Divisions at a Daily Paper- Newsroom
- Advertising department
- Production department
- Circulation department
Who's Who in the Newsroom- Publisher
- Editor
- Managing editor
- Photo editor, photographers and graphic artists
- Online editor
- Copy desk chief and copy editors
- Features editor and feature writers and reviewers
- Sports editor
- City editor
- Reporters: general assignment reporters and beat reporters
Life at a Small Weekly / Life at Big Daily WHAT IT'S CALLED The Parts of a Story- Not all publications use the same jargon, but there's agreement on most terms. Common elements in a typical story defined.
The Parts of a Page- No page is more important than Page One. Components of a front page defined.
TOOLS, TALENT & TEMPERAMENT The Basic Hardware: Tools Every Reporter Needs- Notebook
- Tape recorder
- Computer
- Camera
- Telephone
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