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Associated Press Reporting Handbook Changing Media and Media Careers Chapter 24

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Converging Media Convergence has been the buzzword of the past decade. Newspapers, magazines, radio, television and Internet try to incorporate a little of each into their presentations. New Media was only a clich for a new way to sell the same old media, but convergence is different.

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Versatile People A reporter will have to write a story for a newspaper or a magazine and then turn around and write a script because the story is going on TV in 10 minutes. Then, do it for the Web. Then, do it for a radio (split) broadcast.

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Maturity, not Perfection Maturing in each phase of information gathering and presentation impresses employers. You are not omniscient, omnipotent nor omnipresent. Perfection is not the question. You may not be a great photographer, but you can take a decent photograph.

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You are NOT Alone The lone wolves, and solitary investigators will have to adjust to a more collaborative way of working, joining with others to produce multimedia presentations. This can be terrifying to some people, especially those who have not developed skills or their attitude.

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Content is King Newspapers, news services, radio, television and dot-coms are all looking for content. James M. Donna, AP VP for human resources: Everybodys looking for content, and content is words somebodys got to write those words.

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The Competition U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says job growth for reporters will be higher for online positions. In 1998, out of 67,000 reporting jobs, only 10 percent were in magazines and news services. 60 percent were in newspapers and 30 percent were in radio and television.

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The Outlook U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says job growth for reporters will increase from 78,000 in 2000 to 80,000 by 2010. Consider that these are 2,000 new jobs. Statistics do not anticipate attrition, such as death and retirement. Donna says compensation ranges from $15,000 at small-town papers to more than $100,000 for veterans in metropolitan areas.

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Not Bad U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows median income currently at $29,110. More applicants have degrees in other fields: History, Political Science, Economics. AP Applicants have included a person with a medical degree and several with law degrees. These people will certainly earn less in journalism than they might as executives in other businesses.

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The Calling People come into this business because of passion. They could be making a lot of money but they are working in journalism making fifty to sixty thousand dollars a year working nights and weekends. Its all right because its a great story. They feel compelled to tell the world whats going on. This is their calling.

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The Journalist: And the Changing Face of the News

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Journalists Roles Watchdogs Ombudsmen Critics Provide a Forum Journalists do enjoy privileges not allowed to all citizens -- not legally, but in fact

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Changes in Public Affairs Reporting Street Reporter Persuader Crusader Investigator Exploiter Entertainer War Correspondent Broadcast Journalist

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Looking Beyond Government Branching out from traditional public affairs or government meetings, journalists realized from fees paid by the little league ballpark, school employee screening programs and sexual abuse by priests, the public wants to know who is responsible -- accountable?

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New Beats, New Viewpoints Social, economic and technological changes have shifted our news coverage and altered the beat system. Racial and Ethnic issues Energy crises Internet The Environment

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Limits of Traditional News Gathering Cause/Effect Event-Oriented Newsworthy timeliness effect proximity conflict prominence uniqueness

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News From the Top Avoid the Spin Officials are Setting the Agenda manipulative self-serving Reach beyond Officialdom Crime reports Watch the Statistics

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The Myth of Objectivity We cant just regurgitate information Let the reader decide Important background Reporters knowledge Interpretive journalism Fairness and Balance Diverse Perspectives

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Models of Reporting Interpretive Reporting Help public understand meaning and effect of events Humanistic Reporting How issues and events effect the public Explanatory Reporting Why and how events occurred

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A Reporters Training Strong liberal arts training Write and communicate well General knowledge of economics, psychology, history, political science, literature and sociology Training can begin in college, but it never stops

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Getting it Right The overriding compulsion to get things right should guide every reporters training. If you dont have time to get it right the first time, you wont have time to do it twice. Corrections -- complacency

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Understanding the System Each level of government has unique functions, procedures and terminology. Professions have their jargon Your contacts and your understanding of your beat can save you grief. Who has what kind of information, in what format -- who do I have to see? How do I get that information?

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Putting Theories to Work Checks and balances Reporters need to understand the principles and purposes of government and their roots. Combine skills, knowledge, academics, training, ideals, ethics, voracious appetite for information.

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Associated Press Reporting Handbook What is News? Chapter 2

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News? It is tomorrows history. The news you write will define your town, city or community for years to come. It defines you. Is it accurate? It is of local importance, sometimes state, national and international importance. Fortunately, or unfortunately, news is what you say it is! Reporter, Editor, Wire Editor decide at different levels.

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Coverage In the books example, Ron Harrist has six reporters to cover an entire state. How does that work? Harrist has air traffic controller syndrome. Controlled by the clock The publishing cycle. Your audience, to a degree, determines what is news.

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Reporting AP reporting is no longer at the local level. Precinct reporting is out for wire services. Your audience does not necessarily want a verbatim account of what happened in court. Louis D. Boccardi, AP president and CEO: What the times demand is helping the reader cope with this flow of information which is beyond anybodys capacity to deal with.

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Contributions AP receives thousands of stories every day produced by individual papers, according to that papers standards. These are not always in good AP style. AP makes mistakes, too: Examples of the 1935 Hauptmann trial verdict 1884 Election 2000 election: AP held firm and did not call the election.

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Accuracy if it isnt accurate, it isnt news. Its fiction.

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The End