Almost done

It was a lot of information to cram into six weeks, but I think we did it. Thanks for a fun summer session. I hope you learned some new skills and gained a deeper appreciation for journalism and those who practice it.

I look forward to continuing to work with those of you who may go on to take other journalism courses. Have a wonderful rest of the summer.

Always on deadline

Think the two-hour deadline article you had to report and write got the adrenaline pumping? How about being on deadline almost 24-7?

Journalists learn to thrive on deadlines. Sometimes they even win awards for their deadline writing. The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a winner of a deadline reporting and writing award from the American Society of News Editors for its coverage of corruption arrests that were unprecedented even for New Jersey standards.

A police investigation resulted in arrests of 44, including numerous local officials and religious leaders. Take a look at one of the stories. How do you think the story could have been different with more time for the reporters to investigate on their own?

A Code to Work By

The Society of Professional Journalists has written a Code of Ethics to help guide journalists in their work. Many news outlets also have their own codes.

Still, there are few absolutes in journalism and there is a wide spectrum of opinions about what constitutes ethical behavior.

Take a look at the code. What parts of the code might be most difficult for journalists to adhere to?

The Ethical Journalist

Ethical dilemmas frequently arise in journalism. Issues focus on the question of whether or not to publish, whether to allow sources to remain anonymous, how much or whether journalists should cooperate with law enforcement and whether journalists trample individual privacy rights in their rush to break a story.

One ethical firestorm arose over the decision by publications to run cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed in a derogatory manner. In addition to the irreverent tone of the cartoons, Islam forbids any depictions of the prophet.

Here is a case study about the issue from the website of the Society of Professional Journalists. What do you think should have been done in this case?

The Police Beat

Covering police news can be one of the most fun and exciting beats for reporters. Stories about crime, criminals and law enforcement are among extremely popular with the news-consuming public.

This is also an exacting beat, requiring a reporter to have a keen sense of the public’s interest, an eye for detail, sound observation skills, a willingness to build a rapport with police and fire officials and a sense of adventure. It also includes much more mundane tasks, such as the necessity to spend many hours reading records and researching documents.

Mark Puente, a reporter for The Plain Dealer of Cleveland, Ohio won the 2010 Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting from the University of Colorado’s School of Journalism. The award recognized a series of stories Puente wrote that detailed corruption by a local sheriff. Here is just one of those stories.

Award-winning reporting

The most lyrical, creative and powerful writing means little without the support of sound, solid and thorough reporting. Three basic manners of reporting are: interviewing, observing and conducting research from documents and databases.

The Pulitzer Prizes, a top journalism prize, annually rewards great reporting. Take a look at one article from a series that won the award for explanatory journalism. Examine how the reporters made the complex subject of the U.S. food regulatory process easy to understand and relate to.

The series was published in The New York Times.

Writing Obituaries

Traditionally, every beginning reporter was assigned some time writing obituaries. These basic news stories are jam-packed with details and specifics about people’s lives. And accuracy is essential.

The basic obituary of everyday folks has largely disappeared from the journalism world these days as many obituaries are now written by and paid for by family members of the deceased. They are more like advertisements than news stories.

When more famous or historically significant people die, however, obituaries remain a journalistic essential. These obits are more biographies and slices of history.

You will soon be trying your hand at one of these longer obituary-as-biographies. Take a look at these two examples and find some others on your own. Emulate these when completing your obituary on the fictitious Mr. Swimmer.

Art Linkletter from The New York Times

Civil Rights leader Dorothy Height from The Los Angeles Times

Writing Great News Ledes

The lead (often spelled lede) is the most important part of any news story. It is becoming even more important as people’s lives become busier, with more activities vying for their attention.

The basic manner to think about beginning lede writing is to consider the 5W’s — the most important Who, What, When, Where, Why, along with the 1H – How. If those elements get into your lede (the first sentence or two), then you are more likely to grab a reader/viewer.

But that doesn’t mean creativity has to be thrown out the window. How about this classic news lede on a weather story:

Snow, followed by small boys on sleds.

Beautiful writing. Brief and precise.

Here’s a clever lede from The New York Post:

Time to take the doughnuts.

A Queens cop has been helping himself to doughnuts and coffee at a Rockaways Dunkin’ Donuts — even jumping behind the counter to make himself sandwiches and cram his face full of crullers, the shop’s manager said.

And one more from The New York Times:

The Obama administration will begin a drive this week to expel Pepsi, French fries and Snickers bars from the nation’s schools in hopes of reducing the number of children who get fat during their school years.

Finally, here’s what Mitch Albom of The Detroit Free-Press and author of “Tuesdays With Morrie” and “Five People You Meet In Heaven” has to say about lede-writing:

I don’t look at my leads as a chance to show off my flowery writing. My leads are there to get you in and to keep you hooked to the story so that you can’t go away.

Quote for June 2

Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe.

–Thomas Jefferson

The liberty of the press is essential to the security of freedom in a state.

– John Adams

Welcome Newswriting 1 students

Welcome to the Summer 2010 semester.

This blog will be a place where the class can go beyond our class times.  I will be posting pertinent, newsy items here and expanding on concepts we talk about in class.

This also is a place you can ask questions, bring up issues, raise concerns, get clarifications, link to other sites, etc.

I look forward to a great semester.