http://www.editorsweblog.org/ en Copyright 2009 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:35:30 +0000 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Lord Drayson, has praised the high standard of reporting in this field.

The reporting of public health issues by mainstream publications has come under heavy criticism for its inflammatory tone and exaggerated content. The recent coverage of the swine flu outbreak, a pertinent example, has been interpreted as unnecessarily alarming. Yet, speaking at the World Conference of Science Journalists in London yesterday, Drayson came out in defence of the work of science and health reporters. He rejected claims that the reporting of stories such as swine flu amounted to no more than hysterical headlines, but rather,  it provides an essential public service. Journalistic coverage of disease and health risks helps people make educated decisions by bridging a gap between science and the public, Drayson argued.  

]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/uk_minister_praises_standards_of_health.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/uk_minister_praises_standards_of_health.php Newspaper ethics Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:39:03 +0000 Press Gazette has compiled the top 50 best scoops in UK journalism from 1922 to 1995. The original impetus for the list was the Daily Telegraph's stunning work covering the MPs' expense reports, and draws from suggestions by Press Gazette readers.

Unfortunately, the complete rankings are only available to subscribers, but editor Dominic Ponsford has put together his personal top five, in chronological order:
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/press_gazette_names_the_best_scoops_in_b.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/press_gazette_names_the_best_scoops_in_b.php Newspaper awards investigative journalism Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:31:16 +0000 a tax break for newspapers in Washington state went into effect, giving print publications a 40 percent reduction in the state business tax. One lawmaker stressed the tax cut was "not a bailout." It is interesting to note Washington already offered equal exemptions to the aerospace and timber industries, both of which are critical to the state's economy.

In a year which saw the Seattle Post-Intelligencer make the move to online-only and the Seattle Times cut 500 staff members, many publications will welcome any relief they can get. However, others wonder whether the measure will be enough to revive struggling papers and what such aid means for the publications' journalistic independence.
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/us_washington_state_ushers_in_tax_breaks.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/us_washington_state_ushers_in_tax_breaks.php Newspaper Future of journalism newspapers and democracy Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:05:19 +0000 The Washington Post has decided to cancel its plans to host private, off-the-record dinner parties for political lobbyists at the home of its publisher after criticism from the newsroom at the suggestion that their services were effectively been sold. Publisher Katharine Weymouth was to host dinners that would give paying lobbyists and business leaders access to officials from the Obama administration and Congress, as well as Post journalists.

Politico first reported the story yesterday after obtaining a flier promoting the events that had been given to a healthcare lobbyist. The flier was entitled "Underwriting Opportunity: An evening with the right people can alter the debate" and advertised events with a maximum of 20 guests to discuss major White House policy initiatives, which participating firms could co-sponsor for $25,000 per event, with up to two sponsors per session. There was also an offer for 11 for the price of 10. The theme of the first July dinner was to be health care reform, and WaPo guaranteed the attendance of Obama administration officials and members of Congress as well as reporters.
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/wapos_controversial_dinner_plans_cancell.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/wapos_controversial_dinner_plans_cancell.php Newspaper editorial direction ethics Washington Post Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:14:11 +0000 In a bizarre new venture, the Washington Post had promised lobbyists a chance for off-the-record meetings with policy makers and newsroom staff for the price of a $25,000 sponsorship, according to a flier shown to Politico by a health care lobbyist. These "Washington Post Salons" would consist of dinners at the home of WaPo CEO and publisher Katharine Weymouth.

A WaPo spokeperson has responded to Politico, stating, "As written, the newsroom could not participate in an event like this." Apparently the event planning division of the company sent out the flier advertising reporters' participation without first alerting the newsroom.

Politico also obtained a copy of an internal memo sent by Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli, reaffirming that staff members would not be taking part in the events as "Our independence from advertisers or sponsors is inviolable."
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/washington_post_offers_up_politicians_an.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/washington_post_offers_up_politicians_an.php Newspaper ethics Washington Post Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:41:02 +0000 The Printcasting model is on its way to "democratise" print publishing in more cities in the US, it was announced last week. The initiative, financed by the winnings of the 2008 Knight News Challenge, has made its first newspaper partnership with Denver-based MediaNews Group. The publishing group controls 54 daily newspapers in 11 states, including The Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News.

The project originated out of the newspaper, the Bakersfield Californian and first went public in March to cater for the town of Bakersfield, California.

]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/printcasting_to_democratise_print_in_mor.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/printcasting_to_democratise_print_in_mor.php Newspaper innovation user-generated content Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:23:13 +0000 The American newspaper publisher Gannett plans to get rid of somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 positions, according to an article in today's Wall Street Journal. The job cuts will hit the company's 80 local dailies, rather than USA Today.

Former Gannett editor and reporter Jim Hopkins had previously predicted up to 4,500 slashed jobs on his Gannett Blog. He now says there will likely be 600 actual layoffs as a result of the restructuring, naming July 8 as the axe date.
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/gannett_to_axe_between_1000_and_2000_job.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/gannett_to_axe_between_1000_and_2000_job.php Newspaper Gannett job cuts Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:30:55 +0000 After the Hartford Courant redesigned its format last September, the response to the front page's new look was extremely negative. The paper's decision to move the nameplate from a traditional, horizontal position to a vertical orientation displeased enough readers that management decided to do something about it.

An informal online poll asked readers to choose their preferred look for the Courant from among three options. The results overwhelmingly favored a horizontal nameplate, and the paper has since reverted to the more traditional format.
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/us_readers_vote_for_a_redesign_of_the_re.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/us_readers_vote_for_a_redesign_of_the_re.php Newspaper Newspaper redesign Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:36:47 +0000
The report, entitled 'Public Trust In The News' was conducted by researchers from Manchester and Leeds Universities and was published by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. It investigated the dynamics of news production and consumption, to ascertain if there is a difference in what "the public expects from news media and what journalists mean by serving the public".  The paper highlights the underlying causes of an apparent widespread disenchantment with the media and the detrimental effects this is having on the standards of reporting and civil participation in democracy. Thankfully, the report offers several propositions for a new journalistic direction, which could refresh the reader-writer compact.

]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/report_mainstream_media_leaves_the_briti.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/07/report_mainstream_media_leaves_the_briti.php Newspaper newspapers and democracy Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:42:25 +0000 Journalism Online has announced that it has retained ITZ Publishing to lead its efforts in working with small- and medium- sized newspaper companies to maximize their online revenue opportunities. ITZ will help Journalism Online's affiliated news publishers to design marketing and packaging strategies for online subscriptions, micropayments and combined online/print subscription packages.

It will do this by assessing audience usage patterns and hence helping the newspaper companies to build appropriate pay strategies through Journalism Online. "Greg Swanson and the ITZ Publishing team have been market leaders in developing breakthrough solutions for news publishers," Journalism Online's Co-founder Steven Brill said in a press release.  Another of the co-founders, Gordon Crovitz commented that "The marketing and data analysis expertise of ITZ Publishing will be especially valuable to publishers in retaining a large number of unique visitors and page views online while converting many free users to paying subscribers."
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/journalism_online_and_itz_publishing_ann.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/journalism_online_and_itz_publishing_ann.php Newspaper paid online content Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:12:25 +0000
First off, US Court of Appeals judge Richard Posner proposed on his blog that copyright law should be changed to "bar access to copyrighted materials without the copyright holder's consent, or to bar linking to or paraphrasing online content without the copyright holder's consent." Essentially, that would mean news aggregators like Google News would have to ask permission each time they linked to a newspaper article. Posner argues that traditional media lose so much revenue by these "free riders" reusing content it will eventually drive newspapers out of business.
]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/us_the_great_copyright_debate.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/us_the_great_copyright_debate.php Newspaper aggregation copyright Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:22:57 +0000 The media coverage of the shock death of Michael Jackson has served to highlight press dynamics, raising interesting questions concerning the nature of breaking news reporting, the cult of the celebrity and the relationship between newspapers and their online news rivals. Has the fact that most newspapers were delayed in the initial reporting of the death emphasised the widening gulf between print and digital channels of breaking news? Conversely, has the death been exploited by the printed press as a facile, reader guaranteeing hit?

The news of the performer's death, in terms of rumour, confirmation and reaction has been overwhelmingly 'digital' in expression. The scoop belonged to the Los Angeles based celebrity website, TMZ, which confirmed the death an hour after it aired whispers of a suspected heart attack. The reporting was rapid fire: time of death: 2.26pm, LA time, time of update: 2.44pm. 

]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/the_death_of_michael_jackson_as_covered.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/the_death_of_michael_jackson_as_covered.php Newspaper tabloid Twitter Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:31:03 +0000 according to the new Nielsen report "How Teens Use Media." In comparison, 45 percent of all adults pick up the paper on a daily basis.

About a third of 18- to 20-year-olds reads the Sunday paper, compared to 50 percent of all adults. ]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/us_1_in_4_young_adults_reads_a_daily_new.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/us_1_in_4_young_adults_reads_a_daily_new.php Newspaper young readers Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:21:58 +0000 In November 2008, the New York Times' investigative journalist, David Rohde, was taken hostage by the Taliban not far from Kabul, the Afghan capital, where he was conducting research for his book.  His driver, Asadullah Mangal, and local reporter, Tahir Ludin, were also kidnapped. Rohde and Ludin escaped earlier this month and their freedom, say the press, would not have been possible without the self-imposed media blackout.

Thanks to the efforts of New York Times executive editor Bill Keller, for seven months news of the kidnapping did not enter the public domain. Fellow newspapers understood that lives were at stake and nobody was willing to compromise Rohde's safety by breaking the media silence. "But that was pretty straightforward compared with keeping it off Wikipedia," says one New York Times journalist.]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/when_newspapers_choose_to_withhold_infor.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/when_newspapers_choose_to_withhold_infor.php Newspaper ethics New York Times Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:13:21 +0000 The World Association of Newspapers and IFRA, the leading international associations for print and digital news publishing, have merged into a new organisation, the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). The combined new organisation will represent more than 18,000 publications, 15,000 online sites and over 3000 companies in more than 120 countries. WAN-IFRA is dedicated "to be the indispensable partner of newspapers and the entire news publishing industry worldwide, particularly our members, in the defense and promotion of press freedom, quality journalism and editorial integrity, and the development of prosperous businesses and technology."]]> http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/wan_ifra_merge_into_single_world-wide_ne.php http://www.editorsweblog.org/newspaper/2009/06/wan_ifra_merge_into_single_world-wide_ne.php Newspaper Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:01:18 +0000