Guiding Principles for Journalists‘Handout courtesy of Kelly Mc Bride. Ethics Group Leader, Paynrer Institutefl]!; ]L:!]; rtji questionsfrom Bob Steele, Poynter InstituteI. Seek truth and report it as (lilly as possible

Inform yourself continuously so you in turn can inform, engage and educate thepublic in a clear and compelling way on significant issues• Be honest, fair, and courageous in gathering, reporting and interpreting accurateinformation• Give voice to the voiceless• Hold the powertbl accountable

2. Act independently- Guard vigorously the essential stewardship role a free press plays in an open society• Seek out and disseminate competing perspectives without being unduly influenced bythose who would use their power or position counter to the public interest• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise your integrity ordamage your credibility

• Recognize that good ethical decisions require individual responsibility enriched bycollaborative efforts

3. Minimize harmBe compassionate for those affected by your actions• Treat sources, subjects and colleagues as human beings deserving of respect, notmerely as means to yourjournalistic ends• Recognize that gathering and reporting information may cause harm or discomfort,but balance those negatives by choosing alternatives that maximize your goal oftruth-telling

Doing Ethics: Ask Good Questionsto Make Good Ethical Decisions‘liandout country o,f Kelly McBride. Ethics Group Leader, Poynter institutequestions from Bob Steele, Poynser Institute

I. What do I know? What do! need to know?2. What is my journalistic purpose?3. What are my ethical concerns?4. What organizational policies and professional guidelines should I consider?5. How can I include other people, with different perspectives and diverse ideas, in thedecision-making process?6. Who are the stakeholders—those affected by my decision? What are their motivations?Which are legitimate?7. What if the roles were reversed? How would I feel if I were in the shoes of one of thestakeholders?8. What are the possible consequences of my actions? Short term? Long term?9 Ur are my alternatives to maximize my truth-telling responsibility and minimize harm?10. Can! clearly and fully justify my thinking and my decision? To my colleagues? To thestakeholders? To the public?

Ethics on Deadlinellandow courtesy ofKelly .tI’cUride, Ethics Group Leader, Poynter Institute

• Name the issue.Develop a vocabulary that will serve you. Is this a conflict of interest or a case about

minimizing harm? Is your journalistic independence being compromised?

• List your ethical concerns.

This list should include all of your concerns, not just journalistic issues. Too often

journalists dismiss criticism as outside our realm of concern. “It’s not ourjob to

worry about how a source will feed his family if he gets tired as the result of my

story.”

• ldentifr the stakeholders.

Write down a list when possible. Brainstorm with your editor or another colleague.

Think in broad categories as well as individuals.

• Find at least three alternatives.

The more the better. Share these with the decision-makers in your newsroom.

Depending on the situation, this might include your immediate editor, a copy desk

chief, a photographer or a managing editor. Approach the topic in the spirit of

inquire: “Have you thought about this...”

• Get input from an outsider.

Develop a list of wise people and good clear thinkers in your community. This could

include people with particular expertise, but they need nothing more than the ability

to help you think through problems.

• Jot down your justification.

What will you say if challenged on your decision? Think through your answer ahead

of time. Write it down. Consider publishing it with the story as a way of letting your

readers or viewers in on the process.

WRITING NEWS-Mat Canton, 1O/3t2008, Hudson Valley Community College (The iludsonlan)m.cantoreó hvtt.edu

There’s no “I” in NEWS“I” and “you” are two words that should NEVER appear in a newspaper, except within ina quote from a source. In a news story, anything outside of a quote MuST be fact, orsupported by a statement actually made by a source (it goes without saying we do NOTfabricate quotes).

ExamDle:John Q. Interview says, “I think education is worthless, and all funding should be cut”INCORRECF WRITEUP:While John Q. Interview says he thinks education is worthless, I disagree completely, andso should you.

coiwta wRrrEuP;John Q. Interview is against funding education: “I think education is worthless, and allfunding should be stopped.”

INCORRECT WRITEUP:John Q. Interview is strongly against education. “I think education is worthless, and allfUnding should be cut” Why Lr this incorrect? ft uses the word “strongly,” which is aJudgment that cannot be directly supported by his statement. Had he sold “Jam stronglyagainst education.. “ that would have been acceptable.News is purely about factNews stories can be given an angle, however, resist the temptation to inject personalopinion. Instead, find sources to give quotes that support (or oppose) a specific positionand print THOSE as fact A truly GOOD news story attempts to present BOTH sides.Examøle:Reporter Sally Scoop decides to cover a story on the decision to put additional parking oncampus. However, she herself thinks the location is inconvenient and a bad idea.mxcoruta APPROACH:The new parking lot proposed by the administration is a poor solution to the parkingshortage. There are many students against the proposal. The new parking lot proposal isjust a bad idea all around. This iv rife with judgment without justVication Even ftherewere interviews that support U, this is the reporter’s opinion until quotes cite used tosupport positions.

CORRECT APPROACH:

Students oppose the proposed parking lot as a solution to the parking shortage on

campus. “It’s too far away, and won’t have enough spots,” said Jim Student, representing

the sentiments of several other students. However, not all students agreed with that. “It’s

better than what we have now, and it attempts to address the issue,” said John Parker. “It

was the most inexpensive, viable solution we could find,” said Anne Murray, vice

president for Student Affairs.

Note: This implies factually talked to Jim, JoIm, cmdAnne, andfound the students’

opinions represented by their quotes based on other students I talked to.

News cannot be Investigated and written from the Interntt

It’s altogether too easy to sit in front of a computer screen, or even with copies of

local/national papers, and piece together a story based on the facts contained within. It’s

also very poor journalism. A real news story attempts to report on events that affect the

readership directly. This means capturing stories in such a way as to be relevant to your

readership.

Example:A story is needed on the presidential candidates, and their views on education. The story

is assigned to Marvin Martian. who promptly pulls up the candidates’ Web sites, CNN,

the New York Times, and reads several articles, stories and ideas.

INCORRECT APPROACH:

Alexander Hamilton, Democratic candidate for President, is in favor of increasing taxes

slightly and increasing fimding for education. “Without schooling, we cannot compete in

a global market,” Hamilton says in a key statement on his Web site. Thomas Jefferson.

Republican Candidate for President, offers a different approach. Jefferson supports

increased privatization of education, saying it would reduce the overall load on public

school, thereby freeing up resources and making for a more effective system. Why is this

Inconect? There ‘s nothing In here that can t be read on a Web site. readers won’t

read this in my paper; Ifthey do; they ‘II simply see it as a cheap repackage worth

nothing.

CORRECT APPROACH:

Several students reacted Thursday to Democratic Presidential Candidate Alexander

Hamilton’s stance on education. “1 think he’s right on, public schools are in dire need of

more fimding” said Jeremy Irons, I S-year-old HVCC freshman. Local public school

officials also agreed “There’s rio way we can move forward without increasing

resources, and protecting these kids,” said Charles Barkley, principal of Iansingburgh

ELementary, “Right here at home, we’re not getting what we need, and Hamilton would

fix that” Not everyone agreed. I’d rather see [Republican presidential candidate]

Thomas Jefferson’s approach, because it takes away the burden from poor schools tying

to raise rich kids,” said Preston Peeper, 21-year-old HVCC senior and political science

major. Again Balanced Both sides are represented The story Is relevant because local

people react, and demonstrate the local Impact ofafederal story.

News means getting out there and asking questionsWe can’t theorize on what people think and feel, or hope we will find out what’s goingon. We only know what WE think and feel, but when we’re writing a new story, ouropinion doesn’t count News happens everywhere BUT the newsroom, so get out there!Example;Four staff writers are sitting in the office when suddenly five public safety officers driveup in three vehicles, jump out of the vehicles, and race into the building directly acrossthe campus quad.

INCORRECT ACTION:“Wow, I wonder what just happened,” says one student. “I don’t know, maybe we’ll hearsomething about it later,” says another. “Yeah, we can call Public Safety tomorrow if wedon’t hear anything. What are we doing for lunch. I’m hungry?’ says a third.RRECT ACTION:One student grabs a camera, another student grabs a notebook, and all four immediatelyrace over to the building. They clearly identif5r themselves as members of the studentpress, and start asking questions of anyone they can find — public safety officers, nearbywitnesses (students, staff, and faculty). They write down everything they can, takepictures of everything they can see, and after things quiet down, return to the newsroom.News reporting requires valid infonnation, and lots of It, and reporters can’t be shy.One of the most critical things to do when interviewing someone for a story is get theirvital information. Name, age, address, contact information and position that makes them“qualified” to speak on a subject. This could mean they are a vice president of a college,a witness to an event, an expert on a specific subject, or even just a neighbor who knew aperson.

Example:A story is done on a fire on campus and three people are interviewed as witnesses to whathappened.

INCORRECT ACTION;Only first names are recorded, along with quotes regarding the fire. Why is this aproblem? What Iflater on, follow-up questions need to be asked about the event? There Isno way to get in contact with the people.

CORRECT ACTION:The first questions should always be: “What is your full name, and how do you spell it?How old are you? What is your official title? What is your current address?’ Some ofthese pieces do change a little depending on the story. For some type ofofficial (electedappointed, corporate, etc.) Age and address Is not necessaiy, but always helpfid. Officialtitle may mean neighbor, orfriend too, but then age and address are requfrei

i h.coIIegepractical journalism lipsBy Gregg McLachlan

Misspelled namesTips to never misspell another name again

NCLnr :iç Cow

Why do journalists get names wrong?I * Failure to double-cheek at the point of interview2. Assumptions3. Sloppy note taking - Getting names wrong affects your credibility and the newspaper.After all, readers will wonder Ifyou can’t get a name right how can you get anythingelse right? How many of us have received an invitation, trophy, plaque or letter with ourname misspelled? Remember how you felt? Enough said.Tips to Never Misspell A Name AgainI. Spell back the name to your subject2. Show your subject the spelling in your notebook3. Double-check the name in the phonebook4. Never assume: Smith isn’t always Smith. it can be Smyth. Trisha isn’t always TriSha. Itcan be Tricia. Linda isn’t always Linda It can be Lynda.

When a reporter’s interests get in the wayWe’ve all seen this type of lead over the years:Author John Q. Fuddyduddy once wrote that petunias are God’s gift to gardeners.It’s the type of lead which should make newspaper reporters cflnge, especially ones whoare tuned in to their audience. Firstly, reporters are taking a huge risk that thá readershave ever heard of John Q. Fuddyduddy. Secondly, why would readers care?Before you write a lead that goes something like En the Hollywood movie, My MotherAte Uncle Joey’s Tomato, actor Gino Pasquale said a tomato is a work of art, be awarethat you may be failing to connect to a large portion of your audience. Once again, maybeGino Pasquale said something about a tomato at some point in time. But ask yourself;will my readers care? Will my readers even know of a Gino Pasquale? Will they haveseen the movie My Mother Ate Uncle key’s Tomato?Most often, these types of leads are derived from a reportei9s own interests. Perhaps, theyare from a reporter’s favorite movie, book or show once seen on television. The pitfallwith many of these types of leads is that they represent what interests the reporter, not thereaders. & careful. More times than no, the obscure (FILL N THE BLANK) once said,• . lead doesdt work.it’s a good reminder that you’re writing for readers... not about what interests you.

navscoIIegepractical journalism tips

NCtnn, ;n*

Get to the source of attributionFailure to attribute. It’s a source of frustration in our industry.

Just recently, I had a fellow editor point out a feature produced by a journalist at another

daily newspaper. The story contained passages and quotes that were verbatim from a

press reLease. The bylined work contained no attribution. To the reader’s eye, it was a

feature written and reported by ajournalist. To an editor’s eye, it was a case of a

journalist being unethical and attempting to fool readers that the work was written by

him/her.Was it caught by anyone? Probably not Chances are the reporter slipped one past the

editor. And readers got hoodwinked * . . although they’ll never know it

The fact that reporters are continuing to do this today is a worry. How many times does

the issue have to make national headlines before journalists finally get the message about

credibility?As an editor, I still see a failure to attribute on occasion. Quotes from press releases are

used, but never attributed to the press release. Quotes and content from wire stories are

used verbatim, but not attributed. It’s a serious issue.

In Canada in 2004, at least two reporters - one left his position, another was terminated -

for failing to attribute parts of their work to other sources.

A major metro daily in the U.S. reported that an extensive review of a columnist’s work

found he sometimes used quotes from other news outlets without giving proper credit

After going over more than 600 of the writer’s columns, the paper said the writer had

used quotes from newspapers, TV programs or other publications without showing that

he got the material elsewhere.

The most common issues! see relate to press releases and wire service stories. They

represent some of the easiest traps for journalists. During a hectic day, that helpful quote

in a press release or wire story can mean one less phone call The problem comes when

quotes or material are just plopped, unsourced, into a story. The editors will be none the

wiser, some reporters will think.

Wrong. Editors do notice. And reporters will be quickly called on it.

The Orlando Sentinel’s policy on attribution “forbids lifting verbatim paragraphs from a

wire service story without attribution or a shirttail pointing out that wire services were

used in compiling the report”

The policy also dictates that in the interest of accuracy and credibility, quotes of

individuals taken from intermediate sources (other handouts, press releases, other stories)

should be soured.The policy is much the same at the Lincoln Journal Star in Nebraska Its policy states:

“Material from other sources, such as press releases, literary works or other newspapers,

must be clearly attributed in the body of the story. When we modify wire service

material, we should change the byline only when we make significant changes - and even

then we must credit the wire service in the story at the end.”

It’s not a game of trying to foci readers or slipping one past editors. It’s about being

credible

collegepiactical journalism tipsNC

Inahrtnve rd

The lead-in paragraph and the quoteGive special attention to your lead-in paragraphs before you quote people. These can useup valuable space when you have a 450-word limit If you’re just recycling the quote byusing different words to create an intro paragraph, you’re wasting space.Example: John Johnson is angry at the collection agency over the seizure of his carMonday and said he will challenge the action in court. The agency says Johnson owes$10,000 in outstanding fines. “I’m really mad about this,” Johnson said. 9Thsey had nobusiness taking my car. I’m going to fight this in court.” Word count: 54Space is at a premium. Double check your lead-in paragraphs to quotes. Ask yourself:Am I progressing the story, or just repeating what’s coming next? Don’t over attributein lead-in paragraphs. If it’s a fact, let it stand alone. And then make your quotes do theirown work.Example: The collection agency seized John Johnson’s car Monday over unpaid finestotaling $10,000. “I’m really mad about this,” Johnson said. “They had no businesstaking my car. I’m going to fight this in court.” Word count: 34

Don’t downsize the importance of your newspaperOver the years, I’ve witnessed this scene many times: A reporter, starting a phoneinterview, says: “Hi, I’m a reporter from the Anywhere Tribune. There’s a story intoday’s edition of the Big City Star, I’m not sure if you’ve seen it. I’m doing a story forthe Anywhere Tribune.”Unfortunately, this can be a common opening line for reporters in small markets. It’salmost like insecurities force some reporters to justil’ to the public why he/she is doing astory by mentioning the Big City Star. “Hey, if I mention a real newspaper they’ll thinkthe story is important!” a reporter might think.Remember, your newspaper is important. In fact, a small-market newspaper is arguablymore important to its community than a big city paper. Your readers share a uniquecloseness with you. They seldom have local radio or TV news to fall back on. You’re itfor local news. Next time you’re on the phone, forget the Big City Star. Make it clear:You’re from the Anywhere Tribune and you’re working on a story that’s of interest toyour community

I WV scolleoepractical journalism tips

Don’t forget the follow-upGetting scooped by your competition is one thing. Getting scooped because the

competition followed up your story that you neglected to follow up (are you following

this?) is a gaffe. Remember to read your stories the next day. Ask yourself the key

questions:What’s still to be resolved?What’s the next step?Have I missed anything?Have I reported on how this affects people?

Take ownership: If you broke the story, then be sure to follow up the story. It’s your duty

to your readers.Tollow-up file’ - Keep a weekly ifie of your stories. Revisit them the following weeL A

few phone calls can reveal a follow-up story Good reporters rarely leave their readers

wondering, “Gee, whatever happened to...”

Don’t be a thingamajig reporterThing: An unspecified object or item (Oxford Dictionary)

Want to frustrate your readers? Tell them about things. Lots of things. Like that thing you

did last weekend. Or that thing that drives you crazy. Or maybe it’s a thing you’ve been

thinking about doing for months.Here’s die thing Unless you elaborate, nobody has a clue about the thing.

Have you ever stomped around your house or office yelling “Where’s that thing! left ova

uerer“What thing?” comes the response.“The file folder on contact names,” you reply.

“Oh, that Yes, I saw it over by the photocopier,” the other person answers.

Life is so much easier when we’re clear not vague.

Remember the TV show The Addams Family? Remember Thing? Can’t

remember Thing? Well, Thing was a hand. The hand in the box.

“Oh yeah! Now I know what Thing is!”

The message is simple: Explain your things

collegepradilcal jouniahsm tipsBalanced reporting = credibifity

NC[uffi rnpwetew

There are two sides to every story.It’s a cliche, yes, but it’s a piece of wisdom that can be forgotten by reporters.Years ago, I remember some young journalists questioning the need for more than onesource in stories. I used every piece of ammunition I had: It’s Journalism 101, there aretwo sides to every story, different viewpoints engage the readers... Etc.In the end, the most powerful tool proved to be a challenge I issued to the reporters: Ifyou feel so strongly that one-source journalism is acceptable, you’re invited to host aworkshop, Why One-Source Stories Are Good Journalism, at an upcoming journalismcareer development day at a university. Each reporter received the telephone number ofthe professor hosting the event . Not surprisingly, no reporters accepted the challenge.Fact is, we know multi-source reporting is essential. But sometimes one-source storiesstill get filed. Maybe iVs the end result of our hectic days juggling multiple assignments.When starting your reporting, develop a list detailing the sources you need to contact towrite a balanced story.

Your credibility as a reporter hinges on your efforts to produce balanced copy. Readerscan’t make informed decisions about a topic if they are not given both sides of a story.Remember, readers are skeptical about what they read, hence the cliche: Doth believeeverything you read. Let’s not add to that stereotype by limiting viewpoints in our stories.Today, getting second, third and fourth opinions is routine. For major home renovations,we get multiple estimates. People get second opinions from doctors. Whether we want anew roof, or knee surgery, we want the facts before we make a commitment Readerswant the same from reporters.Journalists carry much responsibility with their reporting:Unbalanced reporting can misleadUnbalanced reporting can create undue fearUnbalanced reporting can manipulateUnbalanced reporting can harm your credibilityAt work or in your personal life, what happened the last time you only got one side of astory? Did you make a decision and then regret not getting more information fromanother source?You will only be informed if you seek to get informed. Do it for your readers. Do it foryourself. Do it because a good journalist never believes just one side of a story untilhe/she checks it out, gets other viewpoints, etc.

colleoepractical journalism tipsWhy certainly

NCturn, rnprnvtC’a

Next time you do an interview tzy to remember to use one of the most effective words in

the history of conversation. Why? (read on)

Kids are great at asking open-ended questions. They’re great at forcing adults to say

something that means something. And all it usually takes is one word: Why.

“Daddy, I want some ice cream!”

“Sony son, you can’t have any!”

“Why?”“Because I said so!”“Why?”“Because you have to eat your vegetables first!”

“Why?”Because they’re good for you!”

“Why?”“If you don’t eat your vegetables you won’t be getting all those good vitamins that will

make you grow up big and strong like your Dad.”

It’s strange to admit it, but a five-year-old has taken command of the above conversation

(interview) in pursuit of answers. And it has been done with one word in a follow-up

question: Why.OK. the process between the parent and child can be a bit painful, but eventually, little

Johnny gets an answer with some substance. In your interviews as a reporter, you

certainly don’t want to use why so often that it annoys someone. Pick your moments and

places.Whyisawordthatissobasic—almostchildlike-thatitcanoftenbcoverlookedby

reporters? It’s a one-word question that can produce 1,001 answers.

Nobody is suggesting you pepper your interviews with why, why, why, why and never

ask an intelligent question. But see the value in why. It’s not a stupid question. Its a

brilliant word for getting more from your interviews. It’s a brilliant word for follow-up

questions and/or starting questions: Why would you say such a thing? Why should the

public care? Why should the public be interested in this idea? Why is this happening?

Etc.Why is why so important in a journalists toolbox of interview skills?

Because it works. That’s why.

The No. 1 problem the public has with newspapers is it sees too manyfactual errors andspelling or grammar mistakes. The Free Press checklists are designed to fry to eliminatethese errors. - John I. Miller, Detroit Free Press public editor

REPORTER CHECKLIST1. Have you double-checked all names, titles and places mentioned in your story?Have you tested from the screen and CQ’d ALL phone numbers or Web addresses?2. Are the quotes accurate and properly attributed? Have you filly captured what eachperson meant?

3. Is this story fair? Who or what might be missing from the story? Have they been calledand given a chance to talk?4. Have you run spell check and checked the math?5. Have you fact-checked your information given to graphics or photography?Have you seen the completed graphic or photo?

ASSIGNING EDITOR CHECKLISTI. Did the reporter double-check all names, titles and places mentioned in this story? Didthe reporter properly CQ all phone numbers or Web addresses?2. Are the quotes accurate and properly attributed? Have we fully captured what eachperson meant?3.Is the story thir? Who or what might be missing from the story? Is the lede or nut graphsufficiently supported?4. Are there visual elements possible? Have they been assigned? Have you seen andapproved the completed work?5. Are the background and context complete enough to tell readers why the story isrelevant?6. Did the reporter sign off on changes made in the story?

COPY EDITOR CHECKLIST1. Is the headline accurate & balanced? Do all aspects of the story and headline seemfactually accurate? Is the story fair? Who or what might be missing?2. Is the background and context complete enough to give readers a sense of why thestory is relevant?

3. Is the lead sufficiently supported? Is the story fair?4. Have all phone numbers and Web addresses been CQ’d? Have you checked the math?Have you checked the spelling?5. Have you checked photo captions and graphics information against the story?6. Have you proofed the display type?

PHOTO EDITOR CAPTION CHECKLISTI. Are you familiar with the story, reading it in AlEX when available? Do the photoschosen accurately represent the event or person?2, Is the caption complete and error-free? Are the quotes accurate and properlyattributed? Do they filly capture what the person meant?3. Is photo cropped for maximum impact?4. Have the photo proofs been delivered to designers in enough time to allow thoughtfuldesign and careful copy editing of captions

Thou shalt not concoct thy quoteSupreme Court decides on the rules of the quotation game

Masson v. New Yorker Magazine reversedan earlier ruling that the quotes attributed toJeffrey Masson by Janet Malcolm wereallowable.

By Steve Weinberg“In this libel case, a public figure claims hewas defamed by an author who, with fullknowledge of the inaccuracy, used quotationmarks to attribute to him comments he hadnot made.”

—Masson v. New YorkerIf Janet Malcolm had let Jeffrey Massonread her profile of him for The New Yorkerahead of publication, a law suit recentlysustained by the U.S. Supreme Courtprobably never would have progressed to itscurrent dangerous stage.Most journalists oppose pre-publicationreview (PPR, for short) on ethical and legalgrounds. They won’t show an entire story oreven part of it to a source in manuscriptform. They won’t participate in telephonereadbacks. They won’t check directquotations for accuracy and context.But that journalistic taboo is misguided. Ihave practiced PPR as a newspaper staffwriter, a magazine freelancer and a bookauthor, Never have I regretted my practice.What I do regret is failing to do it during thefirst decade of my career because ofmindless adherence to tradition.I started using PPR occasionally whileworking as a project reporter on the DesMoines Register in the mid-70s. It was thelint time I had the luxury of writing non-deadline stories and therefore theopportunity to check for accuracy. Manysources had feared talking to me, knowingwhen I called, it usually meant they’d bepart of an investigative piece. But promisingthem the chance to check my manuscriptgave them the self-assurance to talk after all.It was nearly 10 years ago that I startedmaking PPR my normal practice. The story

that played a major role in my decision wasthe same one that led me to forever abandonrelying on anonymous sources. Ironically, itwas not an investigative piece but a fairlylight feature for a leading journalismmagazine.The topic: computer-assisted reporting,something very new in 1982. My peg was aWashington correspondent for a major.metropolitan daily who’d devised marveloustechniques for building computer databasesthat yielded interesting pieces. Some of thereporter’s colleagues, however, disliked thisnewfangled journalism. I quoted one of thedetractors, anonymously. My point: to showthat anybody considering such a high-techmethod might run into newsroom doubters.That anonymous quote started a witch huntwithin the newsroom to identify my source.The Washington bureau chief begged me,then angrily ordered me, to reveal the nameto him. I refUsed. The anonymous sourcewas upset, too, because of the witchhunt andbecause he/she felt I’d failed to use strongenough criticism.Dining the midst of this brouhaha, I attendedmy first journalism ethics conference andrealized the stupidity of anonymoussourcing and of risking inaccuracyunnecessarily.Journalists have lots of ethical obligations;at or near the top of the list is accuracy. Andaccuracy encompasses a great deal,including getting facts straight, quotationsverbatim, paraphrases in proper form wheneschewing exact quotes, and providingcontext. PPR allows reporters and editors toaccomplish those goals without surrenderingcontrol over the ultimate story.Maybe Janet Malcolm will become aconvert. Her main outlet has always beenThe New Yorker, which was previouslyrenowned for its fact-checking. But herprofile of psychoanalyst Masson waschecked only part way. If he’d beenpermitted to review his quotes, he and

Malcolm might have worked out their

differences. Instead, they’re enmeshed in a

multi-million dollar, multi-year, unnecessary

libel action that could seriously erode

journalists’ First Amendment protections.

By now, numerous journalists reading this

are likely apoplectic. i’ve raised this topic in

enough newsrooms while conducting

investigative reporting workshops to know

I’ll get hate letters and enraged phone calls.

But the prospect of the Malcoim-Masson

dispute going to trial is reason enough to

subject myself to the ire once more. And

every time L raise the subject. I hear from

journalists who prnctice PPR but fear

coming out of the closet.PPR has many benefits, First, it often gets

rue access to suites otherwise reluctant to

talk because they’ve been misquoted or

because they have a vested interest in

keeping quiet, or both. My written promise

of pre-publication review puts someof their

fears at rest Of course, I spell out that the

review is for purposes of accurAcy only and

that I retain total control over whetherto

make alterations.Second, PPR has occasionally caught errors

of fact or interpretation, which is the point.

Third, PPR has jogged the memory of

sources, who often offer me even better

quotes, even more compelling evidence,

than during the original interview.

The objections I hear from journalists fall

into four broad categories:

Sources might deny direct quotes or other

information, thus censoring the story before

it appears. My reply: If the denials ring true,

it’s time to reevaluate the evidence. 1f on

the other hand, my shorthand notes, tape

recording and/or documents confirm my

version, 1 change nothing.

Sources might place pressure on higher-ups

in the news organization to kill the story

before publication. This is a melodramatic

objection that almost never happens and has

certainly never happened to me. If it did, I’d

present my evidence to my editor or

whomever and if he or she failed to back

me,,l’d never work for them again. Vd also

make sure my colleagues knew of their

cowardice.

Sources might threaten to sue upon reading

the manuscript. So what, I reply. Courts

almost always reject pre-publication

censorship. Besides, if a source is angry

enough to make that threat, the same source

who hasn’t seen the article beforehand might

sue after publication. Should that occur,

many judges and juries would be impressed

that the reporter offered an opportunity to

check accuracy.Ike-publication review is unprofessional.

Reply: No matter how much we like to think

journalists get stories correct, this is wishful

thinking. Every journalist I know who’s

been quoted but not afforded PPR has later

complained about being misquoted or taken

out of contextUsing PPR might spare media the necessity

of running corrections and clarifications

almost daily. It is shocking that some

magazines, The New Yorker included, some

newspapers and perhaps the majority of

broadcast stations afford no opportunities

for setting the record straight short of

litigation.Any journalist condemning pre-publication

review reflexively — because “it just isn’t

done” — ought to try it at least once. In the

unlikely event it backfires, then there is

cause for debate.

Now a freelance writer in Missouri, Steve

Weinberg was a staffwriterfor several

newspapers and magazines and executive

director ofInvestigative Reporters &

Editors. Source: fineLine: The Newsletter

On Journalism Ethics, voL 3, no. 7

6July/Augusr 199!), pp. 3-4.

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Culling the Anonymous SourcesTHE PUBLIC EDITORBy CLARK HOYTThe New York TinierJune 8, 2908

A study that I requested by students at theColumbia University Graduate School ofJournalism suggests that The Times hasmade progress in its effort to set higherstandards for using anonymous sources, thelifeblood and the bane ofjournalism.Anonymous sources have provided some ofthe most important information in TheTimes, like the disclosure of the Rushadministration’s extralegal bugging ofinternational communications. Rut they haveembarrassed the newspaper too, as withunsubstantiated suggestions that JohnMcCain had an extramarital affair with alobbyist.Vital as they can be, their use is sometimessilly: a CBS producer talking about KatieCouric could not be quoted by name becausemanagement did not want anyone criticizingher. The producer said people who workwith her like her.Readers hate anonymous sources becausethey cannot judge the sources’ credibility forthemselves.“How does a reader or a viewer know if the‘high-ranking official’ ... simply has an ax togrind and may even be the janitor orimaginary?” wrote James R. Poling ofLaguna Niguel, Calif., who said hediscounts stories with unnamed sourcesbecause he does not trust news organizationsand thinks they are biased.Because the painful Jayson Blair scandalinvolved articles containing unnamedsources who apparently did not exist, TheTimes tightened its standards in 2004, BillKeller, the executive editor, and AllanSiegal, then the standards editor, wrote apolicy declaring. “We resist granting sourcesanonymity except as a last resort to obtaininformation that we believe to benewsworthy and reliable.”

The policy requires that at least one editorknow the identity of every source.Anonymous sources cannot be used whenon-the-record sources are readily available.They must have direct knowledge of theinformation they are imparting; they cannotuse the cloak of anonymity for personal orpartisan attack; they cannot be used fortrivial comment or to make an unremarkablecomment seem more important than it is.Although the purpose of the policy was notexplicitly to reduce the number ofanonymous sources, Keller said last week.“It’ you tell the editing system to be morechallenging of anonymous sources, it oughtto reduce the number.”Not long after I arrived as public editor lastspring, I asked a class at Columbia to studyThe Times’s use of anonymous sources tosee how well the newspaper was living up tothe 2004 policy.A group of 17 students under the directionof Professor Richard C. Wald, a formerpresident of NBC News, read every word ofevery article in six issues of the newspaperpublished before the policy and six from lastfall. Here is what they found:The number of articles relying onanonymous sources fell by roughly half afterthe policy was introduced.Most anonymous sources — nearly 80percent — were still not adequatelydescribed to readers. flow did they knowtheir information? Why did they needanonymity? But that was still better thanbefore the policy, when nearly 90 percentwere inadequately described.The use of anonymous sources to airopinion not fact, increased after 2004, eventhough the policy would seem to discouragethat.Anonymous sources were much less likelyto appear on Page I under the new policy,perhaps because tbnt-page articles got morescrutiny from editors.The use of anonymous sources declined invirtually every part of the newspaper, except

the Business section, where they

inexplicably shot up. Stories from

Washington, where anonymity is bred into

the political and government culture,

accounted for roughly a third of all

anonymous sources in the newspaper before

the policy and declined to roughly a quarter

of them afterward.The findings suggest that The Times is

policing the unnecessary use of anonymous

sources better than the students or I expected

— but that it still has a long way to go to

help readers understand the reliability of an

unnamed source and why that source cannot

be identified.“I’ve worked in newsrooms,” said one of the

students, Jim Edwards, who hopes to be an

investigative business journalist. “I was

expecting that there would not be a very

dramatic effect, and it surprised me there

was.”The study highlighted something else. It is

easy to say, in the abstract, that anonymous

sources are bad. But when the students

started discussing them, the judgments were

very difficult. Cassandra Lizaire said the

students had a lot ofdebates over whether a

particular anonymous source was necessary

and even what constituted an anonymous

source.The students decided, for example, to count

quotations from the Defense Ministry of Sri

Lanka or a Ford spokeswoman as

anonymous sources, because an individual

was not named. Keller did not agree with

that, and I agree with him that these clearly

are official statements that an institution is

standing behind.The study highlighted something that

bothers readers and that Times editors were

already trying to fix: the common but

uninformative explanation that a source

could not be named “because he was not

authorized to discuss the matter.”

Sanjay Arwade, a reader from Amherst,

Mass., wrote recently to ask if such

explanations “really mean anything more

than that the source did not want to be

quoted by name. They seem like empty

justifications to me.”

In an in-house critique to the staff in April,

Phil Corbett, the deputy news editor in

charge of the style manual, said that relying

“on such standard formulas works directly

against our goals in accounting for

anonymous sourcing.” lie said that if the

source is afraid of getting in trouble with the

boss, that is what the explanation should

say. But the more important thing to tell

readers, Corbett said, is how reliable the

source is, The Columbia students found that

The Times failed to do that quite often.

Wald, Edwards and Lizaire presented the

findings a week ago Friday to Keller, Jill

Abramson, the managing editor for news,

and Craig Whitney, the standards editor. The

full study will soon be posted on the Web

site of the Columbia Journalism Review.

Abramson will answer readers’ questions

about anonymous sources on the Web site of

The Times this week.Keller sent a memo Wednesday telling the

newsroom that the Columbia study

presented “an excellent opportunity to

remind ourselves that unnamed sources are

not to be used lightly.”But he said it was “high-minded

foolishness” to suggest that The Times or

any newspaper forswear them altogether.

“The ability to 011W protection to a source is

an essential of our craft,” he said. “We

cannot bring readers the information they

want and need to know without sometimes

protecting sources who risk reprisals, firing,

legal action or, in some parts of the world,

their lives when they confide in us.”

That is why it is so critically important that

anonymous sources not be used lazily or out

of habit, and why, when they really are

necessary, readers need to be told as much

as possible about why the sources can’t be

identified and how they know what they

know.

What are the ethics of online journalism?The ethics of online journalism are, ultimately, no different than the ethics ofjournalism.The Society of Professional Journalists has articulated a comprehensive policy ofjournalism ethics that can help guide any conscientious online writer.That said, here are some basic qualities that any good online writer ought content oughtto demonstrate:

No plagiarismBy now, you’ve likely discovered that writing is hard work. You certainly don’t wantsomeone else swiping your effort and presenting it as his or her own.So don’t steal others’ work.Such theft is plagiarism. It includes not just cuffing and pasting whole articles, butcopying photos, graphics, video and even large text excerpts from others and puttingthem on your Web page as well.If you want to reference something on another Web site, link it instead.If you are concerned that the page you’re linking to will disappear, give your readers thename of the publication that published the page, its date of publication and a shortsummary of its content. Just like news reporters used to reference other content before theWeb. (In a Sept. 20 report, the Wall Street Journal reportedWhen in doubt, do both. There’s no such thing as too much supporting information.

Disclose, disclose, discloseTell your readers how you got your information, and what factors influenced yourdecision to publish it. if you have a personal or professional connection to people orgroups you’re writing about, describe it. Your readers deserve to know what hasinfluenced the way you reported or wrote a story.Don’t hide whom you work for, or where the money to support your site comes from. Ifyour site runs advertising, label the ads as such. Let readers know if you are makingmoney off links elsewhere on your site, as well.

No gifts or money for coverageOne common way journalists avoid conflicts of interest is by refusing gifts or moneyfrom sources they cover. Writers who accept gifts, payments or honoraria from thepeople or groups they cover open themselves up to charges that their work is a paidadvertisement for those sources. Or, at the very least that those writers are too “close” tothese sources to cover them honestly. You can avoid controversy by politely decliningsuch offers,Most major news organizations do allow their writers to accept free admission to eventsfor the purpose of writing a feature or review. But most of those organizations bar theirwriters from “junkets,” where groups provide free travel and hotel rooms in addition toattendance at their event.

Ethics:Journalism ‘ ‘UnderpantsBob Williams, ftrmer Repontrftr she RakØ News & Observer, July 3. 2007

I consider my ethics to be my journalistic underpants. I put them on every day and I &el veryuncomlhrtable without them. They need to fit at well and move as I do. If they are tootight they will bind and chalk. If they are too loose they will droop down, either tripping meup or exposing my ass. Like most men, I hate to throw away my underpants - even whenthey become old and a bit frayed around the edges. It takes a long time to break them inproperly. And my ethics, like my underpants. arc very personal. I can wear the same style,color or size as someone else, but it is a bad idea to actually wear their underpants. I need toexamine my underwear every day and make sure it is clean and relatively free ofholes. Iknow I could probably show up (hr work without my underpants (hr years and most peoplewould never notice. But then again, you never know when you might be in an accident. Allof this is not to say that ethics are simple. Good journalistic ethics are complex and requireconstant care. They are definitely not something you should let your mother pick out (hryou. Ethics fhrm the thundation on which is built the basic social contract that has to existbetween the credible journalist and the public he or she serves. The stronger that(hundation, the stronger the ties between writer and reader. But that strong Ihundation israrely obvious to the reader, or (hr that matter the writer. Ethics almost always remain in thebackground. usually only becoming evident when there is a problem. So what are the valuesthat comprise and hold together our journalistic underpants For me there are many. Someare vital, while others appear to be little more than decoration. But they arc all necessary (hrat to kd confident and competent in my role as a daily newspaperman.

FAIRNESS. I believe this is the most important value I have as both a journalist and aperson. I am constantly questioning whether I am being Sir to the people I am writingabout. Have I portrayed their thoughts and words &irly, or have I adulterated them in someway? Would I be comknable reading my story to the people involved? I think one of thebiggest compliments a journalist can receive is to be called tough but Sir by someone he haswritten about in an uncomplimentary way.

BALANCE. Many journalists think balance and fairness are the same, but I am not one. Ibelieve it is possible to write a per&ctly balanced story that is totally un&ir. To me, balanceis what you have to SI! back on when you are not able to be totally Sir. It usually involvescalling the so-called “other side” to get their expected response. Technically, that providesbalance, but it rarely enlightens the reader or advances the public debate.

ACCURACY. To tnt, accuracy is much more than simply making sure I quote someonecorrectly or spell his or her name right. It also means I put their words and opinions in theproper context. It titans I don’t embellish. It titans that I report on people and events astruthfully as possible. I don’t tidy up what happened to fit neatly into whatever angle me ormy editor might want the story to take, It means my writing is not tainted by whateverpersonal &elings I might have about the selected subject or people.

ObjectivityGuidelines

• Stick to the facts.• Be neutral. In a news story that’s

supposed to be objective, keep your ownopinions out of it.

• Be fair. Present all sides as best you can,giving people a chance to respond tocharges or criticism.

• Be impersonal in a hard-news story.Don’t try to sound creative or original orwrite in your own unique “voice.”

editori’alizeintr.v. editoriaFized, ed+to’ri’aFiring,

e&i1ori’aFizes1. To express an opinion in or as if in an editorial.

2. To present an opinion in the guise of an objective

report.editorialization n.

edFtoriaFizer n.The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language. Fourth Edition copyright

©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by 1-loughton Muffin

Company. All rights reserved.

Main Entry: edito’riaFize

Pronunciation: \ ,e-da-’ r-ë-a-, liz\

Function: intransitive verb

Inflected Form(s): editoi[aFized; ed’i’tori’aIlring

Date: 1856I to express an opinion in the form of an editorial

2 : to introduce opinion into the reporting of facts

3 : to express an opinion (as on a controversial issue)

editorializa’tion \-,to r-e-a-Ia-’za-shan\ noun

— ed’itoriaFizer nounfrom http://www.nierriam-webster.comldictionary/editorializing

edito’riaFize (-Ti)transitive verb, intransitive verb editorialized -. ized’, editorializing

—iz”ingto express editorial opinions about (something)

to put editorial opinions into (a factual news article, etc.)

Related Forms:editorialization ed’ito’rializa’tion noun

editorializer ed’ito’rializer nounWebster’s New World College Dictionary Copyright 02005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc.,

Cleveland, Ohio. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

What Is News?Charles A. Dana. who ran the New York Sun from 1869 to 1897, said:News is anything that interests a large part of the community and has never beenbrought to its attention before.

John B. Bogart, one of Dana’s editors said:“When a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if aman bites a dog, it’s news.”

Stanly Walker, city editor of the New York Herald Tribune said:News is based on the three Ws—Women, Wampum and Wrongdoing.So just what is news? Base your answer on these two general guidelines:1. News is information about a break from the normal flow of events, an interruptionin the unexpected.

2. News is information people need to make sound decisions about their lives.

Here are the Traditional Qualities of News Stories (Otherwise Known As News Values)1. Timeliness (immediacy)—Why are you telling me this now?2. Proximity—nearby or local aspect of a national or international event3. Unusual nature—man bites dog; man walks a lizard4. Celebrities—prominence of person5. human interest—special problems, special issues6. Conflict—people against government; people against people7. Impact—more people involved, the better8. Helpfulness— how-to, consumer health and well being9. Entertainment—amusing, make you feel good10. Issues or problems in the community—also usually include proximity and conflict11. Trends—-patterns or shifts in issues

There are two basic categories of news:Hard news—focuses on timely, conflicts, something just happened; tends to becrime, fire, meetings. speeches, court testimony; what happened, why it happened,how readers are affected

Soft news—entertains or informs, emphasizes human interest and novelty;profiles, features—people, places or issues and things

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Curiosity and ReportingA good reporter possesses a trait you had in kindergarten—curiosity. Youneed to ask questions that the reader will want answered in the story.Who—full names, correct spelling, preferred referenceWhat—sequence of eventsWhen—note day and timeWhere—location; describe the sceneWhy—what caused the event; what was the conflictHow—more information on how it occurredSo what—Impact; what makes this newsworthy—if you don’t answer thisquestion, people will get bored

What does the reader need to know to understand and care about your story.YOU must understand the event yourself to be able to explain it to others viastory.

DeveIopin2 your curiosity:• Role-playing—put yourself in the role of the reader• Using timelines—what is happening now; in the past (old papers); inthe future (campus calendar)• Being a detective—what questions would you ask to solve the “crime”

Curiosity will help you as you work your beat and develop story ideas.

Investigative Reporting Tips

Clark Mollenhoffwas a lawyer. reporter. columnist, and educator who won the 1958

Pulitzer Prizefor national reportingfor uncovering racketeering and mis use offimds by

some labor unions. During his long career, spent mostly at the Des Moines Register but

with a notable stop as a special LOUnSel to President Richard Nixon Mollenhoffwon 25

majorjournalism awards and wrote a dozen books He died in 1991 Each year the

Institute on Political Journalism (IPJ) presents the Clark MollenhoffA wards for

Excellence in Investigative Reporting. Here are his Seven Basic Rules For Investigative

Reporting:

I. Avoid political partisanship. You will cut off 50 percent of your effectiveness if you

investigate only one political party or even have a special leaning toward mvestigatlons

ofone party.

2. in seeking facts and answers make a conscientious and determined effort to be equally

aggressive whether the public officials involved are people you admire or distrust You

will do your friend a favor by asking him tough, direct questions because you will be

demonstrating that he will be held accountable.

3. Know your subject, whether it is a problem of city, county, state or federal government

or whether it involves big labor or big business. If you are in a highly technical area or

are dealing with a complicated fact situation, you may make unintentional mistakes

simply because you did not understand what you heard.

4. Don’t exaggerate or distort the facts of the law, Efforts to sensationalize will discredit

your investigation in the long run.

5 Deal straight across the board with your sources and investigation subjects alike Don

use tricks or pretense to get people off guardS Don’t use a false name or identity or

impersonate a law enforcement officer, If you deal straight with your subjects ofyour

in estigation, it is quite likely that they will be your best sources of inside information at

some time in the future.

6. Do not violate the law unless you willing to take the consequences. Any time you

violate the law to obtain information you develop a vulnerability that can destroy your

credibility as well as the story you are pursuing.

7. Use direct evidence when writing a stoty that reflects adversely upon anyone and give

that person an opportunity for a Oil! response to the questions raised. Direct testimony is

often unreliable, even when the witness has no personal interest, and the chances for error

increase geometrically as your source is removed one, two or three steps from the event

THE STUDENT PRESS LAW CENTER/ c\S P L C GUIDE TO FAIR USE[U (Jr N I VtEs I .vw CLN IE‘ 2009 Student Press Law Center, Inc.

1. WHAT DOES COPYRIGHT PROTECT?CopyrIght protects works in any medium literary works, sound recordings,artworks, musical compositions, computer programs, architectural designsprovided that they are:

> ORIGINAL: The author must have shown at least a small spark of creativity (i.e.,not just arranging the names in a phone book alphabetically).> FIXED IN A TANGIBLE MEDIUM: Only works preserved in a tangible form (a book, awebsite, a DVD) — not just existing in the artist’s mind.

Copyright does not protect:r Slogans, titles, names, words, short phrases, instructions, lists of ingredients,or familiar symbols or designs (“Just do it,” “The days of our lives,” “Fair andbalanced”). But slogans may be trademarked to foreclose commercial use ina competing or confusing manner.> Facts, statistics or ideas — only the manner of presentation is protected.

Copyright protects the rights to: (1) reproduce, (2) adapt. (3) distribute, (4)publicly perform, and (5) publicly display the work.

2. WHO OWNS THE COPYRIGHT?> GENERAL RULE: The copyright belongs to the creator of the work.

EXCEPTION: “Works for hire” — the copyright belongs to the employer. Whethera work is “for hire” will depend on:o LOCATION OF JOB PERFORMANCEo SPECIALIZED SKILLo DURATION I PERMANENCE OF EMPLOYMENTo SOURCE OF SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENTo CREATOR’S DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER WORK HOURSo EMPLOYER’S DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER ASSIGNMENTSo TAX rREATMENT OF THE PAY

3. How oo YOU KNOW THAT MATERIAL IS PROTECTED?. For works Created March 1, 1989, no format notice/filing required — thework is “copyrighted” from the moment it is reduced to tangible form. IN

r For works created before January 1, 1978 (and with minimal exceptions, all

those created before March 1, 1989), the creator must give notice: the

copyright character “©“ the creation date and the name of the copyright

owner.

o For published works, anything published before January 1, 1923, is in

the public domain.

o For unpublished works created before January 1, 1978, copyright lasts

for the life of the creator plus 70 years.

o For published works between January 1, 1923 and January 1, 1978, the

rule is the same — life of the author + 70.

o For works after January 1, 1978, the copyright extends either 95 years

from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever comes first.

> Registration with the Copyright Office is helpful in enforcing the copyright but

not mandatory— a work can be copyrighted even if the Copyright Office has no

record of it.

4. WHEN CAN JOURNALISTS USE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL?

> By CONSENT: Copyright-holder can (and often will) give consent — but make

sure you are dealing with the person who has the right to consent (e.g., a

person pictured in a photo is not the copyright-holder; the person who took the

photo is).

o BUT It is never enough — without consent — simply to credit the

source (“courtesy of Herald.com”)

> IN A PARODY: A copyrighted work can be parodied without consent of the

copyright-holder — provided that the parody:

o Is obviouso Uses no more than necessary to conjure the original to mind

o Does not devalue/destroy the market for the original

r PUBLIC DOMAIN: Works are fair game for use when they are in the public

domain, either by age, by consent of the creator, or by statute (e.g., federal

court opinions and documents published by federal agencies, such as GAO =

not copyrighted) [note that this also includes C-SPAN video feeds of Congress

in sessionj.

o BAil a copyright owner does not waive the right to enforce the

copyright merely by placIng an Item on a publicly accessible

website (YouTube, MySpace, Facebook) any more than you waive

ownership of your car by parking it in a public lot

... LjtJs: Newsgathering and commentary are recognized categories of “fair

use,” allowing 1IrnII reproduction of material that would otherwise be

copyright-protected.

5. WHAT IS FAIR USE?

Journalists and educators may use limited portions of copyrighted material withoutinfringement — depending on:> PURPOSE AND CHARACTER: Non-commercial uses (news reporting, criticism,commentary) are more likely to be fair.> NATURE OF THE WORIC Highly factual works (maps, lists) get less protectionthan highly creative works (novels, films).> QUANTITY OF THE WORK USED: No more of the work than is necessary may beused — but there is no formula for the acceptable quantity, percentage orduration. The key is, was the core or heart of the work re-used?> EFFECT ON THE VALUE OF THE WORK: The most important factor — is the “new”use a substitute that harms the market for the original?

FOR REPRODUCING ALL OR PART OF A WEB PAGE — the newsworthiness mustapply to the website, not its underlying content:> Screen capture from www.cbs.com to illustrate story about CBS’ use ofinternet to attract viewers — YES> David Letterman photo from fan site l_heart_dave.com to accompany yourprofile of Letterman — NO

LINKING TO ANOTHER URL => OK“DEEP LINKING” TO DOCUMENT WITHIN WEBSITE => PROBABL YOlK [RULINGS VARY]

6. PENALTIES FOR INFRINGING A COPYRIGHTA prevailing copyright owner gets to choose the greater of actual or statutorydamages:

r Actual damages: The actual amount of money lost by the copyright owner dueto the unauthorized use plus any profits made by the infringer.r Statutory damages: From $200 to $100,000 per infringement depending, inpart, on whether in the judge’s view the infringement was ‘innocent” or “willful.”r A court order to stop violating a copyright. Court may alsoorder confiscation of the copyrighted material and the machinery or tools usedto create it.

7. WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COPYRIGHT AND..,— TRADEMARK!NFFUNGEMENT: Trademark protects unique symbols, names orother “marks’ that businesses use, and consumers rely on, to distinguish oneproduct or service from another (the Nike “Swoosh,” the Golden Arches,Mickey Mouse’s ears). A violation arises when a mark is used commercially ina way that would confuse a potential consumer or devalue the mark

(‘dilution”). Trademark law does n prevent the use of slogans or images in

news coverage or commentary.

> PATENT INFRINGEMENt Patent protects a novel process or machine against

infringement by anyone attempting to make, sell or import the same invention

You do çjçg violate a patent by publishing information about a new invention or

explaining — even in very specific detail -- how something works. Literary

works are not “patented”

> Pi,piisM Plagiarism is not a legal term It is a term for the academic or

professional offense of posing as the creator of words, ideas or methods that

are not one’s own (It is possible to plagiarize Shakespeare but not to violate

his copyright, since his works are all in public domain.) Plagiarism is

punishable by professional sanction, not in a court of law

HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

> U.S. Copyright Office, “Circular 1: Copyright Basics,” available at

http:/lwww.copyright.gov/circs/circl .pdf

> University of Texas System, “Crash Course in Copyright,” available at

http:l/www.utsystem.edulogcfintellectualpropertylcprtindx.htm

> Student Press Law Center Copyrsht Duration Calculator, available at

http:/twww.splc.orglvirtual_tawyer/copyrighL7l 112. asp

t Student Press Law Center Guide to Copyright Law, available at

http:/M’ww.splc.org/legalresearch.asp?id=32#25

For more information:Student Press Law center

1101 WIlson Blvd., Suite 1100

Arlington, vA 22209703407-1 904sptc@splc.org

www Spit org

Getting The Most From Your InterviewsBy Slew Buu’y,Director of Tailored ProgramsAmerican hess Institute

I. PreparationSelect the right person to interview. Early in

your research on a story, you might need to talkto someone who can give you generalbackground. Later, you might seek someone witha particular experience or viewpoint to till yourlast hole or two. Use all the resources you can tofind and connect with the right characters:Directories, colleagues, your own library, othersources, the Internet, Profnet. In particularlysensitive stories, a mutually trusted third partymight help you connect with someone.

Research before you interview. Learn as muchas you can about the character and the topicbefore your interview, Re honest about what youdon’t know. You’re talking to this personbecause you don’t know everything. If you fakeknowledge, you probably won’t fool yourcharacter, and you will deprive yourself ofachance to learn from him.

Plan your questions. An actual scripted list ofquestions is stilted. But you might benefit fromrehearsing some questions in your head or evenaloud in the car on your way to the interview,Consider in advance what follow-up questionsyou might ask, depending on how the characteranswers a question. It’s a good idea to have achecklist of topics you want to ask about. Don’tbe a slave to the list during the interview, butglance at it toward the end, to see if you’veoverlooked something important. Use theelements of story as a checklist in planning yourquestions: What questions will help meunderstand the conflict? The character’smotivation?• Write what you can before the interview. If youwrite as you report, you will generate important.specific questions for later interviews. Yourstronger sense of where your story is going willgive a strong focus to subsequent interviews.

2. Rapport-’ Help the subject relax byaddressing various elements of comfort:

• Setting. If possible, do the interview in thesubject’s environment: home, workplace, school.church, place of leisure or recreation. Allow

that’s convenient for the subject. A lunch ordinner interview works sometimes, but also hasdisadvantages: interruptions for food and service,subject talks so much she has little time to eat,it’s more difficult to take notes. When you can, amoving interview is effective: Start out in theworkplace, go out to eat, ride home in the

character’s vehicle, ask her to show you thehouse and the yard.

Honesty. Tell the subject up front when youarrange the interview and again when theinterview starts, what you are working on. Thisdoesn’t mean you ask the tough questions first.But you tell the subject honestly what the story isabout and what you will be asking about, so thetough questions don’t feel like an ambush.

• Complaints. The person may have some gripesabout how you personally, your paper or themedia in general have covered something in thepast. Listen to the complaints. Don’t feel anobligation to respond specifically. If you do,don’t respond defensively or argumentatively.Don’t apologize if you’re not sorry or if youwere not responsible. The best way to handlemost complaints is simply to listen andacknowledge, with brief explanations offeredsparingly where appropriate.

• Personal connection. Seek ways to establish apersonal connection with the character. Do youhave a child the same age as one in the picture onthe desk? Ask about his children andcommiserate briefly about car seats or car poolsor car insurance, whatever stage the children are.Is the diploma on the wall from your school?Chat briefly about professors you might haveshared or how bad the football team is now orwhatever interests you might share. Don’t fake aconnection or stretch for one, but be alert forgenuine ways to make a connection. If you havelittle in common with the person, connect byshowing genuine interest in the character beyondthe narrow focus of your story.

• Control. Unless your character is used to beinginterviewed, she probably feels uncomfortablefacing you and your notebook. Early in theinterview and again toward the end, give hersome control. Sure, you’re asking the questions,but answer her questions if she asks any. Listen

plenty of time and choose a time, ifyou can,

Overcoming ‘Introverted-ness’Asking the questions that count when they countCaitlin O’DellThe Compa.csGainesville State College

One thing I’ve noticed about printjournalists is our shyness. That shynessis probably the reason we chose printjournalism rather than broadcast orradio.But often, we do have to interact withthe public and ask questions. Sometimeswe’re asked questions by the generalpublic. We’re the news people; we’resupposed to know everything, right?My first “real” assignment during myinternship last year with a professionalnewspaper was to call people and findout about boating trends for the summer.Firstly, I don’t enjoy talking on thephone. Secondly, I have a bias againstboaters because I participate in non-motorized water sports on the lake, andthe boaters have a reputation for messingus up. Thirdly, I’m very shy with newpeople and I had no idea what to do.With shaking fingers, I dialed the firstnumber. I ended up not being able toreach many people, and the story didn’trun, but I felt a little bit better and moreassertive from that experience.As I’ve done more stories withinterviews, I have learned that myshyness does matter, but it’s not that bigof a deal. I put on my journalist’s capand go for it.One thing that’s really helped me toovercome my introverted-ness is tofocus the attention on the other person.Ask another question, probe a bit deeperinto them, riot me. Stories are also a loteasier when you’re hiding behind a bigcamera.

The major event itt my journalism lifethat completely broke shyness for mewas a sporting event. I was covering ahockey game for our campus newspaper.Hockey is a violent sport. There are noquiet self-contained people who trulyenjoy hockey. The fans bang on thePlexiglas separating us from the players.They yell and scream and it’s very loud.I had to interview people about thegame. When I talked to them, I listenedand took notes, Then, as if I was gettingto know a character in a book, 1 askedanother question, probing deeper. askingfor clarification. I even interviewed twoof the players, and they were realty coolabout it. It seems that people love to beinterviewed and talk about themselvesand how they feel and think aboutthings.That’s just fine with me because I donot, and I’m sure most print journalistscan relate, open up quickly to strangers.Since then, I’ve become more confidentin class and during debates (with thedebate team on our campus). Theconfidence from speaking out in class orabout what I believe in has made me abetter journalist.Now, since I’m the editor of thenewspaper at a relatively small school,people talk to me a lot. [hcy ask aboutads, the paper, deadlines and letters tothe editor, among other things. It can beoverwhelming and from time to time Ido want to run in the office and lock thedoor.But I’m not a shy journalist any more. Ismile, nod, act confident and ask a lot ofquestions about them.

WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY & HOWA Reporters Check ListBy Donald M. Murray(Reminders of the questions you should have asked.)

WHO WHATFull name correctly spelled What happened in specific, accurateAge detailAddress What came beforeJob and title What came afterName and address where employed What was seenSex What was heardHeight What was feltWeight What was the smellHair color What was the tasteDistinguished physical features What was saidHow dress What was the central actHow speak What was the central reactionHow move What is the contextHow behaveflat believe

WHEREWho friendsWho enemies Country

Stateflat special skillsCountyWho is responsibleCity, town or villageWho isn t hereStreetWho is affectedBuildingRoomWHEN SizeHour and minute - and, perhaps, Shapesecond Light (or dark)Day ColorMonth SoundYear SmellHow long since last time TasteHow long til next time FeelFlow frequently Atmosphere (in specific terms)How infrequently Typicalnessflow long (lid it take UniquenessFlow short did it take TemperatureHow long does it usually take Special CharacteristicsHow early History of placeHow late Future of placeTime of day as told by weather: sky, Reason for placesunrise, sunset, etc.

Sounds: commuter traffic in morningand night etc.

WHYWhat is the conflictWho will gainWho will loseWhat will be gainedWhat will be lostWhat forces pushed it forward

What forces held it backWhat limits existedWhat limits changedWhy did it happen nowWhat will be different because it

happenedWhat attitudes are involved

What traditions are involved

What beliefs are involved

What problem is central

What conditions existed

What was the catalystWhat was forgottenWhat might have been done

What happened in the past

What rational factors were involved

Where or when did it happen before -

and whyWhere or when did it not happen

before • and why

HOWWas it expected or unexpected

Was it fast or slowWhat was it like/not like

What was it not likeWas it hiddenWas it crudeWas it subtleWas it legalWas it easyWas it hardWhat was the problem

HOW was it solvedWas it done wellWas it done poorlyWas it done wiselyWas it always done this way

Wifl it always be done this way

Was it expensive%Tas it dangerous

A SHORT COURSE IN INTERVIEWINGBy Mark Witherspooniowa State University

How to Screw Up:1. Turn off the source; being ill prepared; asking questions you should have looked up;being fearful; being argumentative; carelessness of appearance.

2. Not defining your purpose before you go, resulting in an aimless interview.3. Asking yes-no questions, vague questions.

4. Not listening; filibustering.

5. Failure to probe, to ask why and how.

Background to the Interview:1. Be sure you understand your assignment. From that, define the purpose of theinterview.

2. Conduct a background search. Remember, you’ll get out of an interview what you putinto it. Surprise the interviewee with your knowledge of him and/or his field. Be preparedto make him think.

3. Request an interview appointment. Ask in a way that appeals to their self-interest,stokes their ego, excites their curiosity. Tell the interviewee what you’re working on andhow he fits into the picture. Tell them about how much time you’ll need. Give them sometime parameters, if possible, and then let them set the exact time (My story is dueWednesday, so I’ll need to interview you on Tuesday. I am free beginning at II am.When would be convenient for us to get together?)

The Questions:I, Try to get a least 10 good questions before you go to your interview. These 10questions should lead you to your ultimate interview goal. But be prepared to take theinterview off in another direction if you need to. This ability will come from yourpreliminary research.

2. Use the GOSS formulaGoal Revealing Questions, such as ‘What are you trying to accomplish?” or “What’sthe real purpose of your organization?”

• Obstacle Revealing Questions, such as “What problems did you face?”• Solution Revealing Questions, such as “How did you handle the problem?” or “Whatplans do you have for resolving the conflict?’• Start Revealing Questions, such as “When did the program have its beginning?” or“Whose idea was it?”

• something they’re wearing• use his/her name; pronounce it right• current events in his area of interest• mutual acquaintances

3. Your goal is to put the interviewee at ease and cause him to like you and trust you.4. Gently work into the interview after no more than five minutes of small talk. Yourgoal is for the interviewee not to realize when the visiting ended and the interview began.

5. As you ease into the interview, pull out your notebook or turn on the recorder. Butdon’t announce that the interview has begun. One reporter said: “Flipping out thenotebook the minute you flush the quarry has never worked too well for me. it scaressome subjects. The best excuse i find for breaking out the pad is a big gush of blue-eyesadmiration for some happy observation they’ve just made. I may try, ‘Say, that’s good. Iwant to be sure I get that down just right.’ And write. The notebook now spellsreassurance.”

6. Especially as a college student, you must impress the source. Flow? The way you’redressed, your professional attitude, your knowledge of him or his subject matter, yourlack of fear. This gives him a sense pf trust in you that will prompt openness.

Taking Notes:I. Don’t worry if you continue writing after he finishes talking.

2. Sit where the source can’t see your writing.

3. You can largely control the interviewee by the way you use your pencil. If you stopwriting, he’ll stop talking. If you want to keep him talking on an area, but you knowyou’ll not use it, takes notes anyway-this’ll keep him going.

Concluding the Interview:1. Request documents.

2. Ask if he has any final thoughts. Ask if there’s a question he expected but you didn’task.

3. Ask if you can call back.

4, Stroke him; thank him; if you know when it’ll run, tell him.

5 Be alert for post-interview quotes.

6. Divert any requests to see the article. It’s against the paper’s policy.

News Elements ( Jul(IYIUI[tSI1I7 TEACHERS ONLY

hltp:/iwww.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/6763

The concepts that make news news.There are facts that are newsworthy, and there are facts that are not newsworthy. There are facts which might be newsworthyin one town or at one school, but not in another town or another school. There are facts which might be newsworthy today, butnot tomorrow.

What makes a fact newsworthy is how it affects the people in your locality, the people who would read your publication, If thefact is not interesting to them or does not affect them in any way, it is not newsworthy.

Among the most common news elements are:

• Proximity: This has to do with location. If the event is happening close by, it will impact your readers more than if it ishappening across town, or across the world, all other considerations being equal. A dance at your school, for instance, is morenewsworthy than a dance at another school.

• Prominence: This has to do with how well known the people involved in your story are. If the person or persons are wellknown to your readers, the story will impact your readers more than a similar story involving people they do not know.

• Timeliness: If something is happening NOW, it has more impact than something that happened yesterday or last week.Often, the most recent development is the feature of the story.

• Oddity: If something is unusual, the oddity alone can make it newsworthy, because people want to know why it has happened.

• Consequence: If the impact of an event on your readers is major, they want to know all about it. For instance, they might notcare that a particular street is being shut down for repairs, until it is brought to their attention that this will reroute the majorportion of the traffic into their residential areas. This will affect them in a significant way, and they will want to know about it.

• Conflict: Readers have an interest in disagreements, arguments, fights and rivalries. If an event has conflict attached to it,many readers will be interested on that basis alone. Stories that involve conflict are those about sports. trials, war. politics andeven Congressional debates.

• Human interest: If a situation makes you angry, sad, happy or overjoyed, it contains the news element of human interest.Some stories are newsworthy on this basis alone.

Most news stories will have a combination of news elements.

compiled from wothshop handouts

Quotes:What sets a professional journalist apart is knowing what you can say/write/report as wellas how to say/write/report the story. A lot of people can pretend to be journalists,photographers and even filmmakers. Are they good? Some are and some really suck. Themodern age of computers and software has just made it easier for people to pretend or atleast try. Trying isn’t bad either. American Idol is popular, in my humble opinion,because it removes/lowers barriers for the average Joe to become a superstar. VouTubecan do the same thing as well as a good blog. Nothing wrong with that. The Internet alsolets me do a lot of research on health issues. Still, it can’t replace a GOOf) doctor, nurseor care provider - or the training of a GOOD journalist.

Brad A rend!, barendt:hoisestate.edu

With great power there must also come --great responsibilityStan Lee, originally in Amazing Fantasy #15 (August 1962)

With great power comes great responsibility.Stan Lee,frorn later Spider-Man storks and the 2002 movie

Too often reporters seem to view’ their profession’s ethos of objectivity as a shield fromcriticism rather than a demand for self-criticism. Journalists, being human, have opinionson the subjects they cover. Objectivity challenges them to be vigilant about distancingtheir reporting from their opinions.

James Taranto, Rest of the Web Today, Feb. 25, 2008

I think we advisers do need to take some responsibility for long-term, recurring qualityproblems. because those may speak to how well we are training our students. True, thestaff changes from year to year. but the adviser can establish a standard of training andexpectations that live on from one staff to the next.That doesn’t eliminate every dumb mistake, but it does raise expectations and the level ofjournalism. We certainly don’t have to meddle with content to accomplish that.

If a football player fumbles once, it’s pretty hard to blame the coach. If a teamfumbles live times every game. then you legitimately start to wonder whether the coachis teaching players how to hang onto the ball.

Jim Killam. Adviwr Northern Star, Northern Illinots Univers’ity

And other useful stuffhiipi!y:wwjiewsrosim 101 ,com/ for AP and grammar exerciseshqp maconstate du the college \\eh s’te for names titles rhone numbers itidinformation about the college and the people you will be coveringhtpu rnatonstateeda studtntlifc stu&ntmtdi iasp br information ahou s-ourstudent media and where some of the handouts will he