Monday, January 24, 2011
How to spell Mallary ... and other important stuff
The writer Mallary Jean Tenore writes about the frequent misspellings of her name, and why it's important to get things right.
Just added to Other Sites of Interest: The Constitution of the United States
You also can find a link to the Constitution here.
From the Wall Street Journal: The Newswatch Never Stops - Nor Should It
OPINION
JANUARY 21, 2011.The Newswatch Never Stops—Nor Should It
By PETER FUNT
When the New York Times reported erroneously via its website on Jan. 8 that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was dead, two things followed quickly. The first was a much-needed correction. The second was a renewed assertion among some print journalists that nonstop, 24/7 reporting—driven by the Internet—is perilous for news providers and puts responsible reporting in jeopardy.
The Washington Post suffered similar embarrassment last June when its website reported that John Wooden had died, although at the time the legendary UCLA basketball coach remained alive. In the aftermath, one senior editor at the Post said the intense pressure of a never-ending deadline was "like walking on egg shells."
All this fussing by newspaper folks as they wake up to demands of the digital era is rather quaint. The Internet has made real-time reporting more prevalent, but it certainly didn't invent it.
All-news radio began in the early 1960s at stations like WAVA in Washington, D.C., and WINS in New York, where it was refined to become the nonstop reporting format that remains popular today. In 1980, media visionary Ted Turner launched CNN, and nonstop television news has been a vital part of American journalism ever since.
As it happened, the incorrect report about Rep. Giffords was actually generated by broadcasters at CNN and NPR and was simply picked up by the Times. But while managers at CNN and NPR fumed over the mistaken facts—as they should—print veterans seemed equally determined to fault the process.
At first glance, the headline on the Times's own analysis of its coverage, "Time, the Enemy," made me wonder if the newspaper had some sort of quarrel with Time magazine. I never imagined that the "enemy" was time itself. Arthur Brisbane, the paper's public editor, wrote that elements of the Tucson coverage "illustrate how difficult it is in the current environment to be both timely and authoritative."
Yet that has always been a challenge for journalists. Even publishing once per day, the New York Times, like The Wall Street Journal and most other papers, must regularly print corrections. Mistakes happen. Would there be fewer errors if newspapers came out weekly? Perhaps, but the extension of that argument is that the best way to avoid mistakes would be not to publish at all.
Parkinson's Law states that, "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." Half a century ago the pioneers of all-news radio wondered about the converse: To what extent would the task of responsible reporting suffer as the time to accomplish it shrunk?
The answer lay in the definition of news itself. News is instantaneous. With the exception of the tree that falls in the empty forest, reporting begins at some level at the very moment that news happens. Professional journalists—whether print or electronic—are simply an extension of the process. All deadlines are artificial.
I recall going to work at the ABC Radio Network shortly after the company expanded from one newscast per hour to four; all of a sudden there was a deadline every 15 minutes. For many of us on the news desk this schedule was extremely difficult at first, because we felt that time had collapsed while the task of creating a finished five-minute newscast remained the same.
But colleagues working nearby at the all-news radio station were not similarly burdened. For them the pressure was removed, or at least sharply reduced, when there were no deadlines at all. On television, legendary coverage by Walter Cronkite and others during events such as the Kennedy assassination and the first moon walk—in the days before CNN and 24/7 TV news—demonstrated how deadlines could be measured by fact rather than time: Get it right and get it on. That was the schedule.
This is not to say that the power of the Internet to quickly disseminate errors is not cause for concern. Nor is the 24/7 news cycle an excuse for journalistic carelessness.
But the notion that nonstop news coverage is something new, some recent innovation developed as a product of the Internet and utilities such as Twitter, is bogus.
What newspaper editors could learn from broadcasters is that time need not be the enemy. It is integral to the very definition of news. Also, it waits for no journalist.
Mr. Funt is a writer and the long-time host of "Candid Camera" (www.CandidCamera.com).
JANUARY 21, 2011.The Newswatch Never Stops—Nor Should It
By PETER FUNT
When the New York Times reported erroneously via its website on Jan. 8 that Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was dead, two things followed quickly. The first was a much-needed correction. The second was a renewed assertion among some print journalists that nonstop, 24/7 reporting—driven by the Internet—is perilous for news providers and puts responsible reporting in jeopardy.
The Washington Post suffered similar embarrassment last June when its website reported that John Wooden had died, although at the time the legendary UCLA basketball coach remained alive. In the aftermath, one senior editor at the Post said the intense pressure of a never-ending deadline was "like walking on egg shells."
All this fussing by newspaper folks as they wake up to demands of the digital era is rather quaint. The Internet has made real-time reporting more prevalent, but it certainly didn't invent it.
All-news radio began in the early 1960s at stations like WAVA in Washington, D.C., and WINS in New York, where it was refined to become the nonstop reporting format that remains popular today. In 1980, media visionary Ted Turner launched CNN, and nonstop television news has been a vital part of American journalism ever since.
As it happened, the incorrect report about Rep. Giffords was actually generated by broadcasters at CNN and NPR and was simply picked up by the Times. But while managers at CNN and NPR fumed over the mistaken facts—as they should—print veterans seemed equally determined to fault the process.
At first glance, the headline on the Times's own analysis of its coverage, "Time, the Enemy," made me wonder if the newspaper had some sort of quarrel with Time magazine. I never imagined that the "enemy" was time itself. Arthur Brisbane, the paper's public editor, wrote that elements of the Tucson coverage "illustrate how difficult it is in the current environment to be both timely and authoritative."
Yet that has always been a challenge for journalists. Even publishing once per day, the New York Times, like The Wall Street Journal and most other papers, must regularly print corrections. Mistakes happen. Would there be fewer errors if newspapers came out weekly? Perhaps, but the extension of that argument is that the best way to avoid mistakes would be not to publish at all.
Parkinson's Law states that, "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." Half a century ago the pioneers of all-news radio wondered about the converse: To what extent would the task of responsible reporting suffer as the time to accomplish it shrunk?
The answer lay in the definition of news itself. News is instantaneous. With the exception of the tree that falls in the empty forest, reporting begins at some level at the very moment that news happens. Professional journalists—whether print or electronic—are simply an extension of the process. All deadlines are artificial.
I recall going to work at the ABC Radio Network shortly after the company expanded from one newscast per hour to four; all of a sudden there was a deadline every 15 minutes. For many of us on the news desk this schedule was extremely difficult at first, because we felt that time had collapsed while the task of creating a finished five-minute newscast remained the same.
But colleagues working nearby at the all-news radio station were not similarly burdened. For them the pressure was removed, or at least sharply reduced, when there were no deadlines at all. On television, legendary coverage by Walter Cronkite and others during events such as the Kennedy assassination and the first moon walk—in the days before CNN and 24/7 TV news—demonstrated how deadlines could be measured by fact rather than time: Get it right and get it on. That was the schedule.
This is not to say that the power of the Internet to quickly disseminate errors is not cause for concern. Nor is the 24/7 news cycle an excuse for journalistic carelessness.
But the notion that nonstop news coverage is something new, some recent innovation developed as a product of the Internet and utilities such as Twitter, is bogus.
What newspaper editors could learn from broadcasters is that time need not be the enemy. It is integral to the very definition of news. Also, it waits for no journalist.
Mr. Funt is a writer and the long-time host of "Candid Camera" (www.CandidCamera.com).
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Blogging for class
This semester, you will be given blogging assignments, worth 50 points as part of your total grade. These assignments will serve a couple of purposes. First, it will help those who are on the quiet side to express themselves about important copy-editing matters. Also, it will give you the chance to take some time and offer your views and thoughts on matters, perhaps using the resources of the Web to back up your thoughts.
I’ll have specific blog assignments and due dates, but you may use your blog for any other matters; just make sure I can get to your assignments and read them.
I have no particular allegiance to any Web sites for blogging, but your location must be accessible to me for grading and, if necessary, comments. My class-related blog is at www.blogger.com, where you can create one if you have a Yahoo! or Google/gmail ID. If you do not have one of those IDs, they are easy to create, after which you can create your blog. In the past, I’ve also been able to access blogs at Wordpress, Typepad and LiveJournal. My e-mail address for Yahoo!/Google/gmail access is dcwoodell@yahoo.com. Please take whatever steps you need to grant access to that ID; otherwise, I have no preference as to whether you keep your blog otherwise private or public.
Wherever you decide to host your blog, please make sure to keep your login and password in a safe place. While I’ll have access to everyone’s blog addresses, I won’t have login capabilities.
I’ll have specific blog assignments and due dates, but you may use your blog for any other matters; just make sure I can get to your assignments and read them.
I have no particular allegiance to any Web sites for blogging, but your location must be accessible to me for grading and, if necessary, comments. My class-related blog is at www.blogger.com, where you can create one if you have a Yahoo! or Google/gmail ID. If you do not have one of those IDs, they are easy to create, after which you can create your blog. In the past, I’ve also been able to access blogs at Wordpress, Typepad and LiveJournal. My e-mail address for Yahoo!/Google/gmail access is dcwoodell@yahoo.com. Please take whatever steps you need to grant access to that ID; otherwise, I have no preference as to whether you keep your blog otherwise private or public.
Wherever you decide to host your blog, please make sure to keep your login and password in a safe place. While I’ll have access to everyone’s blog addresses, I won’t have login capabilities.
Spring 2011: Welcome to copy editing
Thanks for your attendance Tuesday. I think we will have a good class this semester.
Please get your text and stylebook soon if you don't have them already. Please read Chapter 1 of the text, so that you will be prepared to discuss the material in class.
Please begin to familiarize yourselves with the stylebook, too. You may use it during quizzes and tests, but the more you know how to navigate it now, the less time you will spend having to figure out how it works.
I hope you also have browsed around the class Blackboard site to see what's available so far. More will be added as the semester proceeds. Among the items there are some extra-credit forms that may prove useful this semester. If you have any internship or work where you do what amounts to copy-editing-like work, you can print out forms and get them signed by a supervisor, and I will give you extra credit for your outside work. Editing at the Whit also is acceptable; just get the adviser or editor-in-chief to sign, in that case. Each task must be 1 hour minimum, worth 5 extra credit points, and I'll accept five such signed sheets, maximum. Either way, the total available extra credit in this area is 25 points toward your final semester grade.
A quick reminder: Please have your blogs set up by Tuesday's class, but if you have any problems, we'll take care of them then. Next Thursday will be the day your first blog assignment is due: I'm asking for a biosketch. A life history is not necessary, but please tell me a bit about yourself, your experience (journalistically and otherwise), your interests and your aspirations. This blog entry will be worth 10 points.
If you want to get tweets from me, just ask at Twitter, and I will approve those requests. Same with the class Facebook group.
I'm looking forward to the semester. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about what's going on, and I'll do my best to answer them. While e-mail generally will take care of most situations, if you think a phone call would be more expedient, please include a number where I can reach you. Talking by phone might be better than playing e-mail tag.
Please get your text and stylebook soon if you don't have them already. Please read Chapter 1 of the text, so that you will be prepared to discuss the material in class.
Please begin to familiarize yourselves with the stylebook, too. You may use it during quizzes and tests, but the more you know how to navigate it now, the less time you will spend having to figure out how it works.
I hope you also have browsed around the class Blackboard site to see what's available so far. More will be added as the semester proceeds. Among the items there are some extra-credit forms that may prove useful this semester. If you have any internship or work where you do what amounts to copy-editing-like work, you can print out forms and get them signed by a supervisor, and I will give you extra credit for your outside work. Editing at the Whit also is acceptable; just get the adviser or editor-in-chief to sign, in that case. Each task must be 1 hour minimum, worth 5 extra credit points, and I'll accept five such signed sheets, maximum. Either way, the total available extra credit in this area is 25 points toward your final semester grade.
A quick reminder: Please have your blogs set up by Tuesday's class, but if you have any problems, we'll take care of them then. Next Thursday will be the day your first blog assignment is due: I'm asking for a biosketch. A life history is not necessary, but please tell me a bit about yourself, your experience (journalistically and otherwise), your interests and your aspirations. This blog entry will be worth 10 points.
If you want to get tweets from me, just ask at Twitter, and I will approve those requests. Same with the class Facebook group.
I'm looking forward to the semester. Don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions about what's going on, and I'll do my best to answer them. While e-mail generally will take care of most situations, if you think a phone call would be more expedient, please include a number where I can reach you. Talking by phone might be better than playing e-mail tag.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Spring semester announcement
I'm looking forward to seeing you all this semester, but I wanted to take care of some "housekeeping" issues, particularly regarding our textbooks:
First, do not buy the workbook that accompanies the text. I have my own classwork, so save yourselves a few bucks!
With this being our first semester at the new bookstore, if you are having problems finding the text, here are a few links to buy "The Art of Editing in the Age of Convergence."
Don't take these links as gospel; you are free to shop wherever you choose:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Editing-Age-Convergence-MySearchLab/dp/0205569641
Half.com:
http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Art-of-Editing-in-the-Age-of-Convergence_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ64358977
Downloadable version at CourseSmart:
http://www.coursesmart.com/0205648177/?a=1773944
B&N online:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Art-of-Editing-in-the-Age-of-Convergence/Brian-S-Brooks/e/9780205569649
---
The other text is the Associated Press Stylebook. If that is not available at the store, it is always for sale at http://www.apstylebook.com/
If you are buying this for the first time, please get the 2010 edition. If you've gotten it in the last year or so, we can adjust.
The Blackboard-CE location will be up and running later this month, with some early class materials for your perusal, including (eventually) the syllabus. Please take note of one important point on the syllabus that cannot be stressed enough: Attendance is crucial, but I understand when you have interviews or other important appointments that cannot be missed.You must inform me of your absence in a timely manner, or you will lose points from your attendance total. This serves two purposes: I have a constant reminder to get back to you with any missed work and/or assignments, and it helps you develop a sense of professionalism, because when you get into the working world, you cannot just fail to show up for work without telling the bosses.
Also included on Blackboard, under the Resources heading, is a document titled "Open Word_PPTinBbCE" to help you download Word documents from Blackboard; the process can be tricky. And when we get to class, you should know that with the Macs in class, Safari works better than Firefox in getting into Blackboard.
Meanwhile, you can visit the class blog below and see some relevant materials there.
Finally, you must have a flash drive handy, so that any articles/exercises you work on in class can be stored and taken home for finishing. After we begin class, I'll give you tips on renaming your device and making sure that, if you lose it, it will find its way back to you (providing the finder is an honest person).
Enjoy the rest of the semester break; I'm looking forward to a great semester.
Professor Deborah Woodell
First, do not buy the workbook that accompanies the text. I have my own classwork, so save yourselves a few bucks!
With this being our first semester at the new bookstore, if you are having problems finding the text, here are a few links to buy "The Art of Editing in the Age of Convergence."
Don't take these links as gospel; you are free to shop wherever you choose:
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Editing-Age-Convergence-MySearchLab/dp/0205569641
Half.com:
http://product.half.ebay.com/The-Art-of-Editing-in-the-Age-of-Convergence_W0QQtgZinfoQQprZ64358977
Downloadable version at CourseSmart:
http://www.coursesmart.com/0205648177/?a=1773944
B&N online:
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Art-of-Editing-in-the-Age-of-Convergence/Brian-S-Brooks/e/9780205569649
---
The other text is the Associated Press Stylebook. If that is not available at the store, it is always for sale at http://www.apstylebook.com/
If you are buying this for the first time, please get the 2010 edition. If you've gotten it in the last year or so, we can adjust.
The Blackboard-CE location will be up and running later this month, with some early class materials for your perusal, including (eventually) the syllabus. Please take note of one important point on the syllabus that cannot be stressed enough: Attendance is crucial, but I understand when you have interviews or other important appointments that cannot be missed.You must inform me of your absence in a timely manner, or you will lose points from your attendance total. This serves two purposes: I have a constant reminder to get back to you with any missed work and/or assignments, and it helps you develop a sense of professionalism, because when you get into the working world, you cannot just fail to show up for work without telling the bosses.
Also included on Blackboard, under the Resources heading, is a document titled "Open Word_PPTinBbCE" to help you download Word documents from Blackboard; the process can be tricky. And when we get to class, you should know that with the Macs in class, Safari works better than Firefox in getting into Blackboard.
Meanwhile, you can visit the class blog below and see some relevant materials there.
Finally, you must have a flash drive handy, so that any articles/exercises you work on in class can be stored and taken home for finishing. After we begin class, I'll give you tips on renaming your device and making sure that, if you lose it, it will find its way back to you (providing the finder is an honest person).
Enjoy the rest of the semester break; I'm looking forward to a great semester.
Professor Deborah Woodell
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