Associated Press Reporting Handbook Changing Media and Media
Careers Chapter 24
Slide 2
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.
Slide 3
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.
Slide 4
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.
Slide 5
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.
Slide 6
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.
Slide 7
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.
Slide 8
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.
Slide 9
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.
Slide 10
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.
Slide 11
The Journalist: And the Changing Face of the News
Slide 12
Journalists Roles Watchdogs Ombudsmen Critics Provide a Forum
Journalists do enjoy privileges not allowed to all citizens -- not
legally, but in fact
Slide 13
Changes in Public Affairs Reporting Street Reporter Persuader
Crusader Investigator Exploiter Entertainer War Correspondent
Broadcast Journalist
Slide 14
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?
Slide 15
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
Slide 16
Limits of Traditional News Gathering Cause/Effect
Event-Oriented Newsworthy timeliness effect proximity conflict
prominence uniqueness
Slide 17
News From the Top Avoid the Spin Officials are Setting the
Agenda manipulative self-serving Reach beyond Officialdom Crime
reports Watch the Statistics
Slide 18
The Myth of Objectivity We cant just regurgitate information
Let the reader decide Important background Reporters knowledge
Interpretive journalism Fairness and Balance Diverse
Perspectives
Slide 19
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
Slide 20
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
Slide 21
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
Slide 22
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?
Slide 23
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.
Slide 24
Associated Press Reporting Handbook What is News? Chapter
2
Slide 25
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.
Slide 26
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.
Slide 27
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.
Slide 28
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.
Slide 29
Accuracy if it isnt accurate, it isnt news. Its fiction.