Textbook Notes: Page 475-81

• Journalism isn't just a career, its a way of life.
• Many publications have gone online ONLY since 2008.
• 21st Century Journalists Must Be Able To...
• Write news and feature copy for print and web.
• Visualize stories for magazine and web formats.
• Write a blog.
• Sub-edit news and features for print and web.
• Record an interview with audio and/or video.
• Record a stand-up piece to camera and edit it for publication.
• Use a content management system.
• Be active in their online community.
• Be able to understand and implement SEO (search engine optimization) tags.
• Be flexible with writing structures.
• Work experience is crucial, it shows career commitment.
• Your schooling must be dedicated to practical journalism.

33,105 Tires Per Hour

Information Graphic By Vince Baarson

Textbook Notes: Page 203-210

• Developing Interview Skills
• TIPS
• Avoid questions that produce yes & no answers.
• Ask open-ended questions that will yield a clear answer.
• LISTEN
• Think about what the answers mean.
• Think about what the reader wants to know.
• Check spelling of names and places.
• Determine whether a photo is needed.
• Make sure the interviewee has your contact information and you have their's.
• Think of taking video or audio recording to use for the online article.

How to Write Headlines: Video Notes from Website

• Writing for the web yeilds a constand deadline.
• Headlines for web
• write heads, thinking about the key words people will search for on a search engine site.
• Keep key words close to the beginning of the headline.
• Use place names and peoples names.
• Needs to make clear the subject of the story.
• Readers want to know if the story applies to them before they read it.
• Keep headlines short.

Interviewing Notes: Pages 207-8, 212-13,321-25

Story Structure:Inverted Pyramid

• Begin with simple questions.
• Confirming basic details.
• When writing notes in an interview be sure to periodically look at the interviewee and nod to show them you are attentive.
• Difficult Interviews
• How to deal with uncooperative interviewees when the say...
• "This must ve off the record"
• You don't have to go off the record retrospectively.
• Ask them why the want to be off the record.
• If the give good material, off the record, ask if some of the information an be put on record.
• If NOT ask if it cam be attributed to a source (company, organization, etc).
• "Promise me you wond report this"
• Be reluctant to make any promise.
• Tell them that if you do report material of their concern, it will be from another source.
• "Can I see you story before it is published?"
• BAD IDEA!
• Sometimes it is necessary to agree to som kind of disclosure of the story before it is published.
• It MUST be a signed contract.
• Otherwise be very reluctant to show the interviewee a copy before it is published.
• If they insist, let them ONLY verify their quotes, don't show them the full article.

• Interviewing for Features
• A "life in the day"
• The person is interviewed about their day, in describing if they reveal a good deal about themselves and their life.
• The day's events determine the story structure.
• Structure A General Feature
• Refer to the inverted pyramid as a guide.
• With a feature you can start your story at any point (sensably).
• Your inro's job in this case is to hook the reader.
• Ask yourself...
• Whats the most interesting thing?
• Whats the one thing you remember from the interview?
• What is the key point?

Textbook 3A3 & 3A4: Notes

• 3A3
• Shooting Pictures
• a camera phone will get the job done.
• shooting many pictures of an event allows you to tell the story through images.
• Lighting: 3 Types
• Natural - ambient light
• Flash as a main source of light
• Ambient and flash together
• The subjects face should be near the top of the photo when taking a face shot.
• Keep your photos simple
• Be conscious of what is in the background of the photos you take.
• Rule of Thirds
• Divide an image into 9 equal parts by 2 equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines.
• The subject of the photo should sit at the intersection of 2 of the lines.
• 3A4
• Editing Pictures
• edit a copy of each photo, not the original.
• crop the photos (ethically)
• edit out wasted space
• optimize the image if posting it online.

Verification & Data Visualization

• Story Verification
• Objectivity involves verifying facts.
• Techniques of Verification
• Edit with skepticism (aka Prosecutorial Editing).
• Adjudicating (act as a judge) a story line by line.
• When Editing, Ask Questions
• How do we know this?
• Why would a reader believe this?
• What is the assertion behind the sentence?
• Tip: Editor and reporter sit side by side to edit the story.
• Keep an Accuracy Check List
• Ask More Questions
• Is the lead of the story sufficiently supported?
• Is the context of the story complete?
• Are all stakeholders in the story identified?
• Have other sides of this issue been contacted?
• Does the story pick sides or make subtle value judgements?
• REMEMBER: When a journalist has an agenda going into an interview the story them becomes propaganda.
• Final Questions To Ask
• Have you attributed (given credit to) all of these facts in the story?
• Do the facts back you up your story?
• Did you double check the quotes and make sure they are in proper context?
• Data Visualization / Information Graphics
• Information graphic is a set of information organized in a visual manner.
• Information design makes complex information understandable to more people than traditional text.