Modern News Editing: Chapter 7

Again, I would like to point out the good points of the book Modern News Editing by Ludwig and Gilmore. First off, the book is a quick read, supplemented by pictures and graphics that illustrated points. Along with those graphics and illustrations, the book also gives ample examples for different topics discussed in each chapter. This helpful and useful technique the writers employed was no different in chapter 7, “Writing Headlines.”

(I supposed I should follow the writing rules and write chapter seven as numbers fewer than ten are written out).

Either way, this chapter was interesting for a variety of reasons. One thing that I found interesting (yet complicated) was the numerical aspect of setting the headlines and picas and points sizes, etc. While it was a different aspect of headline writing to learn about, I am not completely sure I understand it. Okay, I don’t understand it, but I understand its value. (I like writing and English because of its general lack of numbers.)

One quote from the chapter that stuck in my mind was: “If the heads do their most important job – rapid summary – the careful skimmer will get the general drift of events and slow down for a story that may be worth careful reading” (107).

I see this in two ways. One: We are living in a fast paced, mobile society where people want information, and they want it now. People today need to get information quickly and can then make the decision – based on what they read in the headlines – whether or not the story is worth their time. However, this brings us to side number two: How many people in our society will actually take the time to read an article once they have read the headline? If the headline summarizes information, why would the readers think they need to read the article further?

This is where the problem lies because, I believe, that many people may not choose to read the article for more information, or they may not read the article carefully. This relates back to one of Neil Postman’s theories in Amusing Ourselves to Death. In his book, he thought that we, as Americans, knew lots of little bits of information, but were really uneducated on the hearts of the matters. We could tell you what we knew about an issue but it would usually have no depth. I agree with this in that the majority of Americans can regurgitate what they hear on a 30-second radio broadcast or read in a newspaper headline, but they can’t tell you anything in depth about the event or situation. In that respect, we are a very uninformed society that pretends otherwise.

A final aspect of this chapter that I found interesting was that they mentioned a few different times that a specific publication’s style lends to its personality and identity. And often, “a sudden, drastic change in heads may make a reader feel that a familiar friend has moved away” (108). Similarly, Ludwig and Gilmore stated that “readers become accustomed to these appearances and often express alarm when they are changed” (117). I think this all has to do with forming niches and brand loyalty. A reader will come back to a certain publication day after day because of how they do things (i.e. types of stories they cover, variety, aesthetic style, etc). Those are the specific things that draw those readers to that publication; therefore, editors should not change them unless readers express concern or their audience changes. In that way, editors need to know and understand the demographics of their audience and produce what appeals to those persons, while still serving the best interest of their publics by providing them with accurate, needed information.

Those are my thoughts on this chapter. Chapter seven did a very nice job of going over the basics of headline writing with relevant examples and supplemental graphics without getting overly technical with journalistic jargon.

And, the example they used of a clever headline, “Gift Wrap Goes Over the Top”, made me smile. Well done.

Modern News Editing: Chapter 6

Chapter six, in Modern News Editing, is (like chapter five) one of the most valuable I have found in the book. This is because it takes you out of the life of an editor and gives you specific rules and examples to go by when working with stories. This chapter gave lists of words that were mistakenly used as well as lists of grammatical points journalists should review and commonly misspelled words.

Honestly, I love lists! I love lists of facts and information that I can learn and then put to use in some situation in the future. I am positive that all of the random information and tidbits of knowledge that I have in stored in my mind will come in handy one day. And, these types of lists, regarding the English language and writing, fit perfectly with my talents and aspirations. I will definitely be keeping this book to refer back to when I am writing, creatively or journalistically or what not. Also, I can refer back to the list when I will, inevitably, get in word fights with other literary friends. It happens, all in good fun.

So, here are a few of my favorite examples from the lists:

Misused words

Sudden explosion is redundant. Um, yes. When is an explosion not?

Thief. A person who steals without threatening people or breaking into buildings. I did not know this. This is a great piece of information for me to use sometime.

Foreseeable future. Who can see into the future? This one made me giggle.

Alumna, alumnus, alumnae, alumni. One female graduate is an alumna. More than one, alumnae. One male graduate is an alumnus. More than one, alumni, which is also the plural for a group including both men and women. This was VERY helpful. I had no idea there were such distinctions.

Grammatical Points

Farther refers to distance; further refers to thoroughness. “He wanted to check further on the flood damage, so he walked farther onto the bridge.” I NEVER understood this distinction until I read this. Then, it clicked. Finally!

Beside/Besides. Besides means “in addition to,” while beside means “next to.” That clarifies that!

Complement means “to accompany” or “to enhance.” Compliment means “to praise.” I never knew there was a distinction. Now, I do.

Misspelled Words

Guillotine is one of the most commonly misspelled words. Although, I just have to wonder how often it comes in writing for it to be misspelled. Hmmm . . . .

Sizable, lovable. I always want to add an “e” before the “able.”

Necessary. I can never spell this right! I mean I just did, but I had to.

So, there are some of my favorite examples from chapter six. This chapter has been my favorite so far, and I will definitely refer back to it when questions arise.

Modern News Editing: Chapter 5

In Modern News Editing, Chapter 5, “Working with Stories,” is a very valuable one. The other chapters have done a very good job at getting into the mind of the editor and what goes on in most newsrooms across the nation. However, I think those are things that can only be experienced on the job in order for someone to really learn something from them. While there is no doubt that information will prepare us on what to possibly expect in real life, there is a difference between reading it in a book and experiencing it first hand in an actual newsroom with actual assignment, and actual deadlines.

Chapter five, though, goes into more technical aspects of an editor’s job when they work with the stories they write and the ones that they assign. This chapter concisely gave examples of common errors and problems for which editors need to be on the lookout. This ranged from structural errors to pesky grammatical problems, homonyms, and word choice issues. And, honestly, one of my favorite things about this chapter was that it gave examples of actual errors that have either gotten through to the presses or that have been “good catches.”

Giving examples was extremely helpful, because I don’t know how many books list the dos and don’ts of one thing or another, but then do not give examples to show what they mean. That leaves the reader wondering, “Okay. But what do you mean by that? How do I do (or avoid) that?” With this chapter, it explained why something was correct or incorrect and then gave examples to support it and show what has occurred in the field in real life. Also, the examples were amusing and pointed out that even simple mistakes may be funny to readers, but they are embarrassing to the publication when they get through. For example, I would be kind of embarrassed if a story of mine got through with something like “killed to death” in it. I would be embarrassed that I wrote it, and equally embarrassed that it got through.

Another thing that I think was very important in the chapter was that they mentioned how an editor must know their community. This seems so obvious, but it is vitally important to serving the best interest of the readers. By knowing a community, an editor can avoid basic errors that may annoy loyal readers. This enhances the validity and reliability of the publication in the eye of the reader when an editor knows that it is Devonwood Drive instead of Devonwood Street. It also enhances the relationship between reader and publication when readers realize that the editors and staff care about their publication enough to avoid such errors or correct them when they do occur.

In conclusion, I think that chapter five is one that gives a great overview of who editors work with stories. It is definitely one that I will be referring back to as this course continues and as I work with my own and the writing of others. From what I can tell, I think the book is now going to shift into the more technical aspects of an editor’s job. It is going to shift into information that is valuable in a different way than that which came before it.

Modern News Editing: Chapter 4

Some of the information in chapter four, “Editors as Managers,” related back to thoughts I had about a previous chapter in regards to the importance of praise within a news organization.

A section of chapter four expounded upon this idea by discussing the importance of staff evaluations. It talked about how they can be used appropriately to better the work of staff members in a positive way, instead of being that dreaded thing that happens once a year. One really important thing the book said about evaluation is that “it should be a continuing process” (63). I believe this to be true, and I think it emphasizes the main theme of this chapter: An editor must always strive to develop the talents and potential within their staff in order to produce the best quality publication.

In this way, I think it is true that editors should also be considered coaches. They need to know where it is they want their publication to go, and then find out the best ways to motivate their employees so that they can do their best work, which will ultimately head the paper in the desired direction it needs to go.

And, I think that it is important to discuss the direction and goals of the paper with your staff. Reporters, photographers, and artists will feel more motivated if they know they are part of team working for the same goal. Also, they will feel invested in the paper because they know that their thoughts and decisions are valued. According to the book, “the publication then becomes ‘our newspaper’ or ‘our Website,’ not merely ‘the paper’ or ‘the site’” (62). Thirdly, another benefit (I suppose it could be called that) of all staff having an understanding of the goal of the paper (as well as the desired writing style, etc.) is that it can make it easier for staff to decide if this is indeed the right publication for them to be working on. This is because I believe the organization (and its goals, style, etc.) have to mesh well with the works own goals, values, and style in order for them to do the best work.

Along the same lines, I think that any reporter, photographer, artist, or other staff member needs to understand that they will not end up in their desired section or beat over night. They are going to have to prove to their editors that they are capable of handling such tasks by adequately performing what tasks are given to them, even if those stories or assignments are perhaps less than desirable.

Similarly, though, an editor needs to listen to the concerns and thoughts of an employee and recognize when their talent could be better put to use, perhaps covering stories in another section or taking a crack at a beat they have always wanted to try. They also need to consider assigning a different type of story or a different beat to a reporter whose writing may have been slipping lately. This could be just what he or she needed to get out of a rut.

All in all, what this comes down to is that communication is key in any newsroom. Staffers need to know that they can come to their editor with thoughts, ideas, and concerns without fear of being criticized or rebuked. Also, editors need to monitor what is happening in the newsroom to assess what, if any, changes need to made for the betterment of the staff, and in turn, the organization as a whole.

Modern News Editing: Chapter 3

In Modern News Editing, chapter three (“The Editor in the Newsroom”) reinforced some basic ideas I had taken away from other journalism/communication classes. The main concept that this reading reinforced was teamwork.

When working in a newsroom, you basically need to be able to play well with others. If not, then the entire publication could suffer, and that would not be good for anyone. You need to understand that no one could do this job alone and that your job, whatever it may be, is a vital part of the organization.

And a mainstay in maintaining that teamwork and positive morale within the newsroom is the staff or section editors. One thing the chapter brought up multiple times was the importance of positive reinforcement. While it doesn’t have to be anything drastic, just simple things like telling someone that they have written a good headline is important. One example of praising workers came from the San Francisco Bee where they send out newsroom wide emails to reward excellence (48). I think this is a good way to let staffers know about accomplishments happening amongst the employees. It is also very simple, yet effective. I believe whole heartedly that supervisors need to praise their staffers for excellent work. While it shouldn’t be over the top and so frequent that it becomes routine, positive reinforcement can go alone way. I think it is especially important nowadays when people are so bogged down by the economy, personal problems, financial worries, running a home, etc.. A few words of praise could brighten someone’s day and remind them that their work is appreciated and respected.

Another concept that was reinforced in this chapter was considering and covering all facets of a story. You need to look for your angle in a story that will make it the most interesting to readers. You also need to consider all of the different aspects that could be covered a given story, so that you can reach a variety of readers. I think the chapter did a good job of applying it to sports writing. I liked how it talked about how sports editors are starting to broaden the scope of sports on which they are reporting. Instead of just covering the basics like basketball, baseball, and football, they are putting together features on noncompetitive sports as well. This is good because it offers variety and can attract new readers. I also thought it was interesting that sports editors are working to make sure they cover a sport and not promote it. That goes hand in hand with keeping bias out of writing as much as possible and giving readers the information with which they can form their own opinions.

And, I still say that the job I would like to have at a newsroom would be that of a copy editor. With this position, I would get to utilize my writing talents and read a variety of news copy. I think it would be fun and interesting to be “the reader’s eye” for a newspaper. I had never considered that to be a key importance of the copy editor, but I think it is a vital one that I could handle.