Week 3: Journalism 2001

1. Week 3: Journalism 2001 September 22, 2008

2. What’s wrong? • Phantom’s, not Phantoms • Catalog, not catolog • too high, not to high • All of the above!

3. Extra Credit Opportunities • Did anyone attend this? • Media Expert: Wednesday, 9/17; 1 p.m., Kirby Rafters • Mark Anfinson, an attorney who represents newspapers on behalf of the Minnesota Newspaper Association, will talk about the First Amendment challenges faced by journalists and citizens alike at the recent GOP convention in the Twin Cities. • 10 Extra Credit points: Write 5 paragraph summary of what you learned; will be posted on class Web site DUE: 1 Week after event (9/24)

4. Another Extra Credit Opportunity • Peter Annin, former Newsweek reporter/researcher • Wednesday, September 24 • 11 a.m. • Humanities 480 (Jour 2001 class) • 10 extra credit points: • Submit 5 paragraph summary of what you learned that will be posted on the class Web site • DUE: October 1

5. Review of last week’s news

6. DNT Analysis • Excellent job! • You’re now reading the newspaper with a more critical eye • Better understanding of what goes into the newspaper; why editors make story selections • What surprised you while doing assignment?

7. Journalism Case Studies • Rob Karwath Column: • The future of newspapers is now, and we’re finding our place

8. Review: Summary lead assignment • Overall great start! • Remember: • One-sentence summary lead, 35 words or less • Use dateline • Write in past tense, active voice • Watch state abbreviations: Fla FL FLA • Watch wordiness • has resulted in the man’s death • stunned a man to death • leads to the suspect being shot • M-26 Taser stun gun

9. Here’s the summary lead from the Associated Press: HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A man behaving strangely in front of a hotel died after police shot him with a stun gun, then wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him because he had not been subdued. Many of your leads are just as strong! HOLLYWOOD, FLA – A man died Sunday after police used a stun gun on him after being called to a hotel where the man had been acting strangely and refused to cooperate with local authorities, which believed the man to be on drugs. A man acting strangely in front of a hotel died after a police officer accidentally killed him with a stun gun when he refused to cooperate and attempted to attack one of them. A man died Sunday when an officer shot him with a M-26 Taser stun gun outside a hotel in Hollywood, Florida after he displayed strange behavior and refused to comply with officers.

10. Let’s improve these leads: A man died in a police accident in front of a hotel on Sunday when he resisted arrest forcing officers to shoot him with a M-26 taser, he then ripped the stun darts out of his chest and charged the officers forcing them to subdue him but he died in the hospital shortly after. • Run-on sentence • 54 words: too much info – where to cut? • Why?

11. Man is pronounced dead after being tasered by police officer for acting strangely outside a hotel room. • Stick to past tense • When? • A hotel room? • Reads like an announcement, not news story 50,000 volts of electricity hit and killed a man police saw outside a hotel behaving strangely, probably on drugs, and when the matter was pursued he violently attempted to resident arrest. • What type of electricity? • Focus • When? • Intentional killing?

12. Review: Writing a summary lead • Usually a single sentence • No more than 35 words • Bottom line: • Use a single sentence of no more than 35 words to summarize an event

13. Use active voice! • Avoid “to be” • a man was killed…. • a man was shot by police…. • was behaving strangely

14. Grammar exercise • Dr. Grammar tips: • http://www.drgrammar.org/

15. Check egradebook • Assignments listed at egradebook: • http://www.d.umn.edu/egradebook • If assignments missing that you turned in, let me know ASAP

16. Assignment due today • Summary lead exercises • Steps to help you: • Identify the five Ws and H • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? • How? • Determine what’s the most important to include • Reminder: Summary lead contains no more than 35 words • Email assignment, written in Microsoft Word, and send as an attachment to lkragnes@d.umn.edu

17. Assignment for 9/29 • More summary lead exercises! • Steps to help you: • Identify the five W’s and H • Who? • What? • When? • Where? • Why? • How? • Determine which is the most important to include. • A summary lead should contain no more than 35 words. • One sentence strongest summary lead. • Email assignment, written in Microsoft Word, and send as an attachment to lkragnes@d.umn.edu

18. Hard News 1 Story Assignment • Work in teams to interview Duluth citizens • Each reporter writes own story • Interview 8-10 Duluthians • Might not use all sources in story • List all sources, with contact info, at end of story • Groups of 1 to 2: • Will finalize groups TONIGHT! • Stories will be posted on class Web site: • Fall Jour 2001 Web site

19. Let’s brainstorm ideas of where Duluthians gather: • Greyhound bus station West Duluth • Amazing Grace café in Canal Park • Fond du Luth Casino/Old Downtown • First Street/Cozy Bar/Encounter • Gas station • Miller Hill Mall bus stop • Pizza Luce concert • Courthouse Courtyard • Public library • Canal Park/Lift bridge • WalMart • Dunn Brothers coffee shop

20. Ideas from last semester • UMD Dining Center/Kirby Student Center • Northlan Gaming Center • Lincoln Park/West End • Encounter/Cozy Bar corner (2nd Ave. E. & First St.) • Spirit Mountain • Miller Hill Mall • Community Center • DECC: Hockey game • Downtown: Superior Street • Marshal Performing Arts Center: Play

21. Hard News 1 Story Pitch Due: Wednesday, September 24 • Length of story pitch: three paragraphs, about 200 words • Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy Let’s look at the calendar: http://www.d.umn.edu/~lkragnes

22. Let’s form the groups: 1-3 students • Areas where Duluthians gather: • Dining Center: Mary, Ashley, Cody • Amazing Grace: Joli, Kjestine • Portland Square/SA: Betsy • Outside mall: Lauren, Claire • Canal Park: Sara • Super One Kenwood: Aaron • Electric Fetus: Katelin, Kate • Old Downtown Duluth: Gram, Nick • Cozy Corner/Encounter: Dane, Donny, Pat, Mike

23. What topics do you think that sources will identify? • Who are you voting for? • Why? • Iraq war • Economy • Health Care • Afghanistan • Leadership issues • Education • Environment • Race/Gender

24. Assignment for 9/29 • Summary lead exercises • Steps to help you: • Identify the five Ws and H • What’s the focal point? • Determine what’s the most important to include • Reminder: Summary lead contains no more than 35 words • Email assignment, written in Microsoft Word, as an attachment to lkragnes@d.umn.edu • Read Chapters 20, 21

25. Sports Story Story Pitch Due:Wednesday, October 1 • Select a UMD or prep sporting event to cover • Length of story pitch: no more than three paragraphs, about 200 words • Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy • Complete article due: November 6

27. Chapter 6: Developing a news story • Which stories are worth developing? • Major local news: Weather, fire, derailment, court trial • Other factors influencing coverage • Prejudices of reporters, editors • Size of market • Searching for a scoop • What the competition is doing • What other stories are developing

28. Phase 1: The story breaks • What, when, where, to whom • Mainbars • Reporting the breaking news • Sidebars • Extra stories that explain news, human interest • Examples of stories with followups • Beekeeper story

29. Phase 2: Second-day stories • Why, how • Any late-breaking developments • Clean-up, additional fatalities • Put story into perspective

30. Phase 3: Advancing the story • Color: Observation, narrative, anecdotes that provide a clear picture of a person or event • Background • Need to keep the news high in the story • New information

31. Phase 4: Follow-up developments • Reporters make routine checks • New developments • Release of a report • Air crash, investigations

32. Checklist for developing stories • Report latest news first • Put original breaking news high in follow-ups • Go to the scene; talk to as many people as possible • Always strive to put a face on the tragedy • Advance each follow-up; new developments • Look for new sources; consider all angles • Get color • Cooperate with other reporters

34. Chapter 7: Quotations, attributions • Why use quotes? • Bring a story to life • Generate emotion • Provide vivid description • Bring a dull story to life

35. What’s the difference between an indirect and a direct quote?

36. Types of quotations • Complete direct quotations • “John Doe said that he did it,” she said. • Paraphrased quotations • John Doe said that he did it, she said. • Partial quotations • John Doe “said that he did it,” she said

37. Direct quotations • Exact quote: quotation marks around sentence • Most editors allow reporters to clean up grammar or to take out profanities • Make sure quotes are right! • Beware of leading questions; use paraphrase

38. Why use direct quotes? • Specific, vivid statements • Descriptive statements • Inner feelings • Capture personality • Supplement statements of fact • Reduce attributions

39. Paraphrased quotations • Indirect quotes • Used when direct quote dull, uninformative • Must attribute paraphrases to news source • When in doubt, paraphrase

40. Partial Quotations • Using part of a direct quote, often for emphasis • Can be confusing • Be careful: Could draw attention to a point, jeopardizing objectivity • She told police it was an “accident” when she hit the tree.

41. Most important rule • Never make up quotations or paraphrases • Shattered Glass: Stephen Glass Story • CBS 60 Minutes story • Stephen Glass index

42. Which one is right? • Text quotes AP Stylebook: • “Quotations normally should be corrected to avoid the errors in grammar and word usage that often occur unnoticed when someone is speaking but are embarrassing in print.” • 2006 AP Stylebook: • “Never alter quotations even to correct minor grammatical errors or word usage. Casual minor tongue slips may be removed by using ellipses but even that should be done with extreme caution. If there is a question about a quote, either don’t use it or ask the speaker to clarify.”

43. Pitfalls to avoid in quoting • Inaccuracies from source • Rambling on and on • Hard-to-understand quotations • Reconstructed quotations • Fragmentary quotations • Ungrammatical: If it doesn’t make sense, don’t use it • Use good taste • Watch out for offensive language • Be certain when using dialect: • North Country, Fargo

44. Use objective verbs of attribution • Straight news stories • Use neutral verbs: said, added • “Said” isn’t boring – readers expect it • No need to be creative • Avoid asserted, bellowed, contended, cried, declared, demanded, emphasized, harangued, hinted, maintained, opined, stammered, stated, stressed

45. Identification in attributions • Usually identify source by title, name • Follow guidelines in AP Stylebook • Title often used to streamline lead • Be cautious with “hearsay attribution” • Using a quote from a police report

46. Placement of attributions • Usually follows the quotation • Normally follows first sentence in multiple sentence quote • When sources change, new attribution needed • Use attribution once in a quotation • Use attribution between complete, partial quotes

47. Anonymous sources • On the record: Everything can be used • Off the record: Nothing can be used • On background: Material can be used, no attribution by name • On deep background: Can be used, with no attribution; can get confirmation • All the President’s Men: Woodward & Bernstein

48. Where the quote marks go Useful checklist: Pages 110-112 of text • Jones said, “We will be there tomorrow.” • Jones said that he would be there Wednesday. • He will be there Wednesday, Jones said. • “All our transcontinental flights are full,” she said. • Coach Jones said that it was his “dumbest mistake”: deciding to start an untested freshman at quarterback. • Coach Jones asked his team, “Can we win this game?” • “Johnson’s plea to ‘win this game for the community’ really fired us up,” Smith said.

49. “We’re so enthusiastic about this project that we can’t stop thinking about it,” Jones said. • “We’re so enthusiastic about this project that we can’t stop thinking about it,” Jones said. “We look forward to getting council approval. “We hope that will come at the next meeting.” • Get in there now,” the coach said, “before I make you run extra laps.” • “I think it is wise to lengthen the school year,” Smith said. It would be ludicrous to do so,” Johnson said.