After producing 10 books, yesterday was my last day as a collegiate yearbook adviser. It's strange to know that it's not time for the staff to begin planning another book. We usually start work on the next year's book the week after distribution of the current year's book. Distribution was Wednesday, but no planning meeting is necessary this … [Read more...]
Nerd Note: Read Everything
One of the best ways to improve your writing is to read everything you can get your hands on. Chances are you're already doing this. It seems that people interested in writing also are avid readers. If you haven't developed a reading habit, you should. Books, newspapers, magazines, blogs... it doesn't matter what you read, as long as you … [Read more...]
What Barnes & Noble Really Needs
Something occurred to me recently as I walked through my not-so-friendly (Where did they get these people?) local Barnes & Noble store. "Do you know what Barnes & Noble really needs?" I thought to myself—books! Barnes & Noble has journals, magazines, puzzles, music, what seems like an entire toy store (Why are they selling … [Read more...]
Capturing Trauma: The Ethics of News Photography
A man falling to his death from the World Trade Center. A starving child crawling to a feeding station as a vulture circles overhead. A weather-battered woman pleading for help as she digs through rubble, searching for her infant after an F-5 tornado leveled her hometown. These photos are the product of photographers' split-second … [Read more...]
Quote Approval as an Attempt at Media Control
Would you rather have something scripted or nothing at all? It's not a new question in the media industry. Sources regularly ask to preapprove questions, conduct interviews via email, review quotes, or read stories before they are published. All of these requests are forms of prior review, meaning the individual wants to read or filter the … [Read more...]
Streak of Adviser Terminations Continues
It's happened again. You may remember that I wrote back in August about a series of collegiate media adviser terminations. The unfortunate trend continues. Another adviser became victim last week of what appears to be censorship by termination. East Carolina University officials fired Paul Isom on Jan. 4. Isom's termination comes two … [Read more...]
Four tips for newspaper managers who want readers to share content
I adore Sunday morning. My husband lets me sleep in while he cooks breakfast, one of his favorite weekend routines. Not much of a breakfast eater, I awake in time to read the Sunday paper with a cup of coffee in hand. It's a slow, relaxing and meaningful introduction to a new week for a journalist and journalism educator–my family together over a … [Read more...]