Happy Halloween!

Doing it right when sports is the top story

What if we said our punctuation out loud?

This video provided me with a delightful break and a good laugh this afternoon as I was grading papers. We still have a lesson or two on punctuation ahead of us, and this is a wonderful warm-up to the subject.

Chicago's Redeye faces up to the election

"Bad news for us journalism students"

Thanks again to Charlie Baser in Section 3 for pointing out this article on the state of affairs in the world of journalism today, something she refers to as "bad news for us journalism students..."

It certainly is a time of transition in the industry, and you will face challenges that my generation never did -- like figuring out a new structure for the whole business to pay for itself and ensure it has a future.

But I take heart from the last couple of paragraphs in the story, that someone very important realizes that without "the trusted news sources readers have relied on . . . the Web itself would quickly become a 'cesspool' of useless information." Some how, somewhere and sometime soon (I hope), someone is going to figure out how to prevent that from happening.

A big thanks to Section 1 for editing work

Section 1 of News Editing 380 spent Tuesday's class period going through the stories on MissoulasChoice2008. Today I received this nice note from Dennis Swibold, the professor who has been the main guru on the election project:

"Please tell your copy editors they did good work in editing the election site. I've gone through all of the suggested changes you sent me and followed them in most cases. In the bios I substituted consistency for AP style in some cases, but otherwise, the students' contributions were invaluable.

"So thanks to you, John, for having your class do this and for getting us the changes."

Dennis

Just let me add my own thanks and gratitude for a job well done.

Still time to try for a Dow Jones internship

Here’s a link to the Dow Jones online application. All application materials need to be sent in by Nov. 1.

The editing test will be given Thursday, Oct. 30, from 5-7 p.m. in DAH 316.

Try as I might, I could not resist this one

I try not to have the New York Post up here every day, and I think I've been pretty good about that. But this one sure got my attention.

As we talk about libel in class today, think about this page and what your defense would be if Mr. Whack Job got a lawyer and came after you for libel.

Not to be outdone on the football front . . .

Welcome to Massillon, Ohio, where every male child once received a football at birth. The U.S. may have bombed another country (Syria), presidential candidates may be criss-crossing the state and the economy is teetering on the brink of disaster. But in Massillon, the top news Monday morning is a Saturday afternoon football game that puts the Tigers back in the running for the state high-school playoffs. Time to get out the big type for a banner headline.

A reason to be afraid, very afraid

From The Associated Press on Monday:

MediaNews Group Inc. CEO Dean Singleton said his company was exploring outsourcing in nearly every aspect of their operations.

Singleton said sending copy-editing and design jobs overseas may even be called for.

"One thing we're exploring is having one news desk for all of our newspapers in MediaNews ... maybe even offshore," he said.

MediaNews publishes The Denver Post, The Detroit News and 52 other daily newspapers.

"In today's world, whether your desk is down the hall or around the world, from a computer standpoint, it doesn't matter," Singleton said.

Not everyone agreed with Singleton. The American Copy Editors Society said "sending copy editing overseas is a sure way to kill a paper's credibility."

And the unions that represent copy editors said outsourcing "threatens not only hundreds of jobs, but also quality and credibility – values the beleaguered newspaper industry needs now more than ever."

We've not heard the last of this one. As beginning editors, you'd best stay tuned.

What's important in football-crazy Ohio

With most of the nation's front pages devoted to the presidential campaign, The Times Reporter in New Philadelphia, Ohio (yes, it is a key battleground state in the election, but never mind that) came up with a different headline treatment on the big local subject: the 104th meeting of cross-town football rivals.

Reading assignments for Tuesday's class

For class on Tuesday, please read pages 352 to 369 in the AP Stylebook (2007 edition). The pages may be slightly off in other years' editions, but it is the section that starts out "Legal Principles of Publication" and ends with the section entitled "Corrections and retraction demands" (read that section, too).

We will also be discussing the article I linked to in an earlier post about a TV station that muted a mistake made by a candidate during a debate. Come prepared to take on the role of the editor or producer making the decision on what to do in this ticklish situation.

NYT column puts subjunctive in its place

Here's a good column on the subjunctive by Philip B. Corbett, The New York Times deputy news editor who is also in charge of the paper's style manual. You remember the subjunctive, right? That's the verb mode that, as Corbett says, expresses "an idea that is contrary to fact or entirely hypothetical."

Take a look at the article. It may help you the next time subjunctive comes around, and I know it will

Look, a dog's crawling out of McCain's head!

I thought the Chicago Sun Times was dead on with their headline this morning. Liked the face-off layout, too, although the dog crawling out of McCain's head was a bit disturbing. Your thoughts?

Interested in studying in Germany?

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals (CBYX) is accepting applications from college-age students and recent graduates throughout the U.S. who are interested in interning, studying, and experiencing culture and everyday life in Germany. CBYX is a scholarship funded by the U.S. and German governments for students in all career fields, and does not require any prior German language knowledge.

Participants spend a year studying and working in their career fields while completely immersed in German language and culture. For more information, visit www.cdsintl.org/cbyx

Application deadline is December 1, 2008 for the program beginning in July 2009.

This comes from Kevin Hood, the University's internship coordinator. His contact information is:
(406) 243-4613 or 2815
(406) 243-5866 (fax)
kevin.hood@mso.umt.edu
Web: www.umt.edu/internships

Montana Standard seeks copy editor

Here's part of the ad:

The Montana Standard (14,500 a.m. daily) in Butte, Montana, is seeking a sports copy editor/page designer.

The right person must be able to multi-task and make good decisions on the fly. Duties include creating eye-catching layouts, clever headlines and choosing a diet of relevant sports and feature stories for our readers. We use QuarkXpress and send pages directly to plate in the pressroom. Online updating may also be part of the job.

Many of our employees receive extensive training and move up to larger metros.

The job is for 40 hours a week, evenings and weekends. It includes benefits. Training for on-line updating of our Web site and web design is included. Visit our site at www.mtstandard.com.

Requirements:
A degree in journalism or related discipline, or equivalent experience. Knowledge and expertise in the use of QuarkXPress and Adobe Photoshop. An ability to write creative, accurate headlines. A desire for quality content, eye-catching layouts and meeting deadlines is a must.

Please send your resume with references, a cover letter and sample pages to:

Human Resources
The Montana Standard
25 W. Granite Street
Butte, MT 59701

Application deadline is Nov. 3, 2008

Here's a Page 1 story we will be discussing

Interesting article here worthy of discussion in our class at some point (next week after the midterm). The Allentown Morning Call has a story on a local TV station that edited out a candidate's mistakes made during a taped debate.

You're the editor. The candidate's campaign comes forward to fess up to the errors. It is after the taping of the debate but before it has been broadcast. What do you do?

One more fever chart on the Dow

Many newspapers have charted recent market activity across their front pages, and the newly redesigned Chicago Tribune used that technique today.

Color screens gone mad or effective use?

We return to the scene of the crime

We all need a Helene of our own

Here's a great article on a copy editor who made a big difference in someone's life. May you all have someone like Helene Pleasants.

Would you use this as your lead headline?

Words that “positively affect the impacts”

Thanks to Charlie Baser in News Editing Section 3 for pointing out this interesting -- and amusing -- article on mangled grammar on the campaign trail. Have look at Maureen Dowd's op-ed piece on Sarah Palin's use of language, which includes some choice observations on past presidents' word wonders.

We're taking on math today

I sent a message to everyone, but just in case you missed it, please bring calculators to class today. I have once again rearranged the class schedule to cover a news math and maybe one or two other subjects before the next story rewrite and the midterm (Oct. 16).

A reminder that AP style quizzes can be turned in any time before the midterm, which will be given two weeks from today (Oct. 16). You will be expected to correct for AP style on both the take-home and in-class portions of the midterm. The take-home portion of the midterm will be due on Oct. 16. So you need to get familiar with AP style soon. In other words, get going on those quizzes.

Stupid, opinionated, but hard to resist

Once again, a revision to the class schedule

OK, I can't seem to leave it alone this semester. I'm changing the schedule once again. Here's the latest reincarnation of how the rest of the semester will go in News Editing 380:


Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008 -- Counting the days: News math (Math assignment due before class on Tuesday, Oct. 7)

Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008 – Still counting: More news math.

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008 – Is it true? Accuracy and reference materials. (Reference assignment due before class Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008.) Take-home part of midterm will be distributed, due before class on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008.

Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008 – Review for in-class midterm.

Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008 -- In-class midterm (Take-home midterm and all AP quizzes due before class)

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008 – Libel, ethics, fairness, taste. (Reading assignment: Libel section in AP Stylebook, pages 352-370.)

Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 – Problems with ledes: Buried, dense pack and “The council met.” (Reading assignment: Chapter 14 in “Working with Words.”)

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008 – More on ledes.

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 – Getting organized: the beginning, the end and the muddle. (Editing assignment due before class Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008.)

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 – Election Day. No class.

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008 – Still getting organized.

Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008 – Veteran’s Day. No class.

Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008 -- Ethics online (Reading assignment in “Working with Words:” Chapter 16.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008 – Editing online

Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008 – Putting it all together (headlines, stories, photos, online and in print) on national, international and regional desks.

Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 – In-class quiz

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008 – Thanksgiving. No class.

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008 – Last rewrite assignment – and it’s a whopper.

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008 – Last class, review for in-class final (Take-home part of final will be handed out, due on day of final.)

In-class finals:

Section 1: Friday, Dec. 12, 2008, from 10:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Section 3: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008 from 3:20 to 5:20 p.m.

Laramie Boomerang goes beyond the bailout