Journalism 2001: Reporting and Writing

1. Journalism 2001: Reporting and Writing Week One January 23, 2006

2. Introductions • Instructor: Lucy Kragness • University of Minnesota Duluth Experience • 3/96 to present: Executive Assistant to the Chancellor • 1/05 to present: Jour 2001 instructor • 10/90 to 3/96: Alumni Director, University Relations • 8/90 to 10/90: Acting Director, Alumni and Media Relations • 11/84 to 10/90: Publications Director, Alumni and Media Relations • 3/89 to 5/94: Taught Publications Editing, a three-credit spring quarter journalism course • 6/85 to 6/90: Volunteer editorial adviser, Statesman student newspaper • Freelance Experience: • 7/86 to present: Freelance writer, photographer for several regional and national publications

3. Newspaper Experience: • 9/83 to 9/84: One-person bureau in Sheridan, Wyo., for the Billings Gazette in Billings, Mont. • 3/81 to 9/83: Assistant state editor at the Billings Gazette in Billings, Mont. • 3/80 to 3/81: Managing editor of the Williston Daily Herald, Plains Reporter (weekly) and the Williston Basin Reporter (bi-weekly), all in Williston, N.D. • 11/79 to 3/80: Assistant managing editor/Sunday editor at the Williston Daily Herald • 6/79 to 11/79: Reporter, business editor at the Williston Daily Herald • 11/78 to 6/79: Assistant editor at the Northeaster newspaper in Minneapolis. • Education: • Master of Education in Educational Computing and Technology, University of Minnesota Duluth, 2001. • Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota Minneapolis, 1979.

4. Texts • News Writing and Reporting for Today’s Media, Itule & Anderson (6th Edition) • Associated Press Stylebook

5. Student Responsibilities • Mandatory attendance • Please arrive on time • Turn off cell phones • Avoid surfing the Internet! • Respect classmates/instructor • Weekly writing/editing assignments • In-class assignments • Class participation • If weather questionable, call UMD snow hotline: 726-SNOW.

6. Daily reading of the Duluth News-Tribune • Front page, opinion, local news, sports • Weekly reading of the Statesman • Daily viewing of a local news program • WDIO-TV: Channel 10 (Charter Channel 13) • ABC affiliate • KDLH-TV : Channel 3 (Charter Channel 4) • CBS Affiliate • KBJR-TV: Channel 6 (Charter Channel 5) • NBC Affiliate What’s the connection between KDLH/KBJR?

7. Weekly reading of a news magazine (or online) • Newsweek • Time • U.S. News & World Report • Possible current event quizzes

8. Final Project: Portfolio • Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage. • Access Electronic Portfolio at: https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp

9. Words matter!

10. Chapter 1: Today’s Media • Text focuses on print reporters: • Jim Heffernan, opinion editor, Duluth News-Tribune • Tim Franklin, Minnesota Flyer magazine (former Statesman editor, editor/reporter in Cloquet, Grand Marais, Duluth) • Tom Wilkowske, Wave editor, Duluth News-Tribune

11. Journalism skills helped these UMD grads: • TV news reporters • Dennis Anderson, anchor for WDIO-TV • Amy Rutledge, former anchor for KDLH-TV; Westmoreland Flint representative • Public relations • Susan Latto, UMD Public Relations Director • Sports Information • Bob Nygaard, UMD Sports Information Director • Grant writers/non-profit organizations • Cindy Finch, Woodland Hills • Publication editors • Cheryl Reitan, UMD Publications Director • Advertising • John Hyduke, Westmoreland Flint • Government relations • Julene Boe, city of Duluth • Jess Myers, Minnesota Senate/former Hockey News

12. Newspaper industry shrinking • 1,745 U.S. daily newspapers in 1980 • 1,457 U.S. daily newspapers in 2002 • In 1970: 78 percent of adults read a newspaper daily • In 2002: 58 percent of men and 53 percent of women read a daily newspaper • Biggest drop in readers 34 and younger

13. Newspaper industry not dead • One of the most profitable U.S. industries • Captures huge share of U.S. advertising dollar* • Direct Mail: 19.4 percent • Daily Newspapers: 18.6 percent • Broadcast television: 17.8 percent • Radio: 8 percent • Cable television: 6.9 percent • All other 29.3 percent • All media face challenges * Source: McCann-Erickson Inc., Newspaper Association of America (News Reporting and Writing, The Missouri Group)

14. Multimedia Organizations • Time Warner • Began with Time magazine • Fortune • Sports Illustrated • Cable News Network (www.cnn.com) • Atlanta Braves • AOL

15. Walt Disney Company • Walt Disney Studios • Walt Disney amusement parks • ABC television network • Several local radio and television stations • ESPN and its magazine • The Disney Store • The Disney Channel • Microsoft Network • Recruited from newspapers, broadcast stations

16. How reporters cover the news • General assignments • Spot news • Night reporter • Beat reporters • Education • Crime/courts • Government: city, county, regional, state, national • Specialty reporters • Multicultural • Family • Taste • Business

17. Newspaper Editorial Organization Managing Editor Sports Editor Lifestyle Editor City Editor News Editor State Editor Sports Reporters Lifestyle Reporters Reporters Copy editors Reporters Chief photographer Photographer

18. Advertising Local display Classified National Advertising art Ad promotion Public relations Community relations Circulation Mail room Delivery Business Accounting Billing Credit Payroll Credit union Labor Relations Production Composing Platemaking Camera Data processing Press Other Newspaper Departments

19. What goes in the newspaper • Daily editorial meeting • Editors make story pitches • Editor/managing editor makes final decision • Photography or graphic assignments finalized • Deadlines for multiple editions

20. Words matter!

21. What is news? Folklore definition: North East West South Merriam Webster Online Definition: 1 a: a report of recent events b: previously unknown information <I've got news for you>2 a: material reported in a newspaper or news periodical or on a newscast b: matter that is newsworthy Chapter 2: Ingredients of News

22. Hard News • Murders • City Council meetings • Government meetings • Not always bad news: major announcements SoftNews • Retirements • School programs • Human interest

23. Convergence • Collaboration between newspapers, TV and Internet • KDLH/Duluth News Tribune • Newspaper reporter/radio reporter

24. What makes news? • Timeliness • Train derailment • Proximity/Relevance • Conflict • Prominence • Consequence/impact • Human interest/novelty

25. Factors affecting news • Instincts of reporters • Audience: local vs. regional • News holes • Space left after ads placed • Dummy pages • Availability of news • Saturday a slow news day • Wire services: AP, Knight Ridder, Gannett

26. Pitching a news story • What’s the angle? • Succinctness/enthusiasm • Monitoring other media

27. Assignment for 1/30: • Using the Wednesday (1/25) Duluth News-Tribune, list the stories on the front page, local section and the sports section. Determine if the stories where selected on the traditional news elements of: • Timeliness • Proximity/relevance • Conflict • Prominence • Consequence & impact • Human Interest Keep evaluations brief: no more than three sentences each. Email Microsoft Word attachment to: lkragnes@d.umn.edu

28. How to use AP Stylebook • Stylebook Key • Addresses: • Is this correct? 25 East Silver St. • Spellings: • Adviser/advisor; Legislative titles • Sports Guidelines and Style • Business Guidelines and Style • A Guide to Punctuation • Editing Marks

29. Words still matter!

30. Today’s assignment • AP Stylebook editing practice • Prepare a Microsoft word file with the following information and send it as an email attachment to: lkragnes@d.umn.edu: • Your name, hometown • Your year at UMD • Your major/minor • Your career goals • Journalism experience (OK if none!) • What you hope to get out of this class • Anything else you’d like me to know • Best day for media tour from 4-6 p.m.