http://mason.gmu.edu/~sahlberg/outline.htm

Chapter 2: News Rooms and the Changing Media
Fall Semester. 1999

I. The Changing Media Landscape

A. Newspapers

1. According to the Newspaper Association of America: 1,538 dailies in 1994,

1,745 in 1980. 7,176 weeklies in 1994; 7,954 in 1980.

2. In 1970, 78% of adults read a newspaper daily. In 1994, 61.5%. Biggest

decline in readers 34 and younger.

3. Newspapers are still the most profitable industry due to having near

monopolies in most cities.

B. Hardships of Other Media Industries

1. Divided audiences mean less advertising dollars per industry.

2. Addition of FOX has fragmented networks. Networks target mass audiences.

3. Cable delivers to narrow audiences and specific advertisers.

C. Computer Based Media.

1. Further competition with traditional media.

2. Combines advantages of television and print media.

II. Growth of Multimedia Organizations

A. Traditional Media Companies Race to Implement New Media Technologies

1. Walt Disney Co owns Capital Cities Communications, ABC, Fort Worth Star-

Telegram, and the Kansas City Star. Newspapers offer computer-based news.

2. Knight-Ridder is developing a computerized newspaper tablet.

B. How New Media Forms Effect Aspects of the Media

1. Advertising drives the media. Where the advertising dollar goes, media will

follow. Advertising leaning toward non-traditional media.

2. Definition of news is changing. Electronic bulletin boards and e-mail allow

audiences to get information which interests them.

3. Agenda setting role of the media will diminish. People can search for the news

they are interested in, not what the media says they should be interested in.

4. Role of the media as gatekeepers is diminished. Computer-based media have

virtually unlimited space to carry information.

III. Newspaper Organization

A. Publisher and General Manager

1. Publisher presides over business operations.

2. General Manager presides over day to day operations and advertising,

circulation, and production.

B. Editor-in-Chief

1. Senior editor responsible for all editorial content.

C. Editorial Page Editor

D. Managing Editor

1. Responsible for news gathering operations.

E. City Editor

F. News Editor

1. Responsible for copy desk and regional, national and international news.

2. Large newspapers may have separate editors for each department.

G. Graphics Editor

1. Supervises the production of maps, charts and other graphic devices.

H. Photo Editor

1. Supervises the photo staff.

I. Individual Department Editors

J. Production Departments

1. Editorial

2. Advertising

3. Production- (composing, plate-making, data processing, press)

4. Circulation

5. Business- (accounting, billing, payroll, credit)

K. Reporting Staff

1. Organized into "beats".

2. Work as a team with photographers, graphics specialists, and illustrators.

3. Team leaders called maestros.

L. Reporters

1. Works as a team.

2. Must know fact-gathering and writing as well as roles of photography and

graphics.

3. Information graphics help reporters by telling part of the story through pictures.

People often comprehend data better in graphics than in text.

IV. Typical News Room Copy Flow Pattern

Individual Action

Reporter Gathers facts, writes story, verifies accuracy, forwards to city editor.

City Editor Edits story, returns to reporter for changes, forwards story to news editor.

News Editor Decides on placement of story, forwards story to copy desk chief.

Copy Desk Chief Prepares page dummy that determines the story’s length, setting, and

Copy Editor Polishes writing of story, checks for missing and inaccurate details, writes

Copy Desk Chief Verifies that story is trimmed and that correct headline is written, transmits story to typesetting machine.

A. Most magazines, unlike Time or Newsweek, target specific audiences with specific interests.

B. Magazine Organization

1. Organized similarly to newspapers.

2. Distribution is different; newspapers rely on delivery, magazines on newsstand sales.

3. Have senior editors and senior writers who deal with specific sections of the magazine.

4. Have contributing editors whose work is purchased for publication.

C. Magazine Production

1. Have more time to produce their work than newspapers.

2. Less mistakes than newspapers.

3. Magazines have a more polished look due to the lack of tight deadlines.

VI. Broadcasting

A. Broadcasting, cable, and radio are important ways with which the public receives its news.

B. Departments

1. Departments include: Newsroom, promotion, sales, programming, and engineering.

2. Newsroom is the most profitable at the local level.

C. Organization

1. News Director: Manages newsroom personnel and resources; sets policies.

2. Executive Producer: Ensures overall look of program; length and placement

of stories, how stories are teased into a commercial.

3. Show Producer: Responsible for individual newscasts.

4. Network Correspondents: Report the news; do little of actual reporting.

5. Field Producers: Gather the news off camera.

6. Anchors: Deliver the news; must have good persona, style, and personality.

7. Videographers: Film the news.

8. Desk Assistants: Monitor wire services, make beat calls, and monitor scanners.

VII. New Media

A. News on Demand 24-7.

B. Each news service maintains a newsroom

1. Newsrooms buy freelance material, and repackage existing news.

C. Many newspapers have put versions of their papers online.

D. Wire services can go straight to consumers.

VIII. Job Prospects of Journalism Graduates (1993), pg. 38

15.6% Unemployed

12.2% Public Relations and Advertising