1. Week 3: Journalism 2001
February 11, 2008

2. What’s wrong? Phantom’s, not Phantoms Catalog, not catolog
too high, not to high
All of the above!

3. Announcements
American Indian Authors Speak: Heid Erdrich and Lise Erdrich
2/14, 7 p.m., Kirby Ballroom
UMD Admissions Office focus groups: 2/13-14
Currently redesigning recruiting publications
Focus groups of current freshmen and sophomores
Refreshments and giftcards to University Stores to compensate participants in this research
Sessions about an hour long
Interested? Contact:
Nikki Mumma
Admissions Counselor
Office 25 Solon Campus Center
Phone:

4. Review of last week’s news

5. Did you attend your precinct caucus?
Yes No

6. Competitive presidential races attracted many voters to their precinct caucuses around the state, prompting some citizens to call for __________________.
A different date
Primary elections
Combined precincts

7. Duluth city officials and SMDC Health Systems reached an agreement to begin offsetting the costs for a __________________.
New plow
Parking ramp
Reduced tax rate

8. The St. Louis County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved a contract that will pay Alan Mitchell $2, per week to serve as county administrator. In Friday’s paper, it was reported that he will also receive:
A housing allowance
Use of a car
Free health care

9. pollution ethanol corn sculptures
Minnesota’s paper mills and wood-burning plants could produce more ___________ than the state’s corn farmers, thanks to new technology.
pollution
ethanol
corn sculptures

10. This GOP presidential candidate dropped out of the race last week.
Mike Huckabee
John McCain
Mitt Romney

11. Superior Common Council Proctor City Council
Both City Administrator John Foschi and confidential secretary Jamie Claflin, who had clashed repeatedly, were dismissed at Monday’s meeting of the________________.
Duluth City Council
Superior Common Council
Proctor City Council

12. For many white-tailed deer, the BNSF railroad yard at the Duluth base of the Blatnik Bridge is an unlikely sanctuary. The DNR said up to 50 deer at a time are most likely drawn to the rail yard by ___________________________
Grass fields
Spilled grain
Salt licks

13. After years of controversy, conflict and construction, the Arrowhead-Weston _____________________ between Hermantown and the Wausau, Wis., area is ready to be turned on.
Oil pipeline
freeway
High-voltage transmission power line

14. Lake Superior Mille Lacs Lake Lake of the Woods
The level of _________ is inching closer to normal thanks to slower than usual monthly declines this winter.
Lake Superior
Mille Lacs Lake
Lake of the Woods

15. DNT Analysis Excellent job!
You’re now reading the newspaper with a more critical eye
Better understanding of what goes into the newspaper; why editors make story selections
What surprised you while doing assignment?

16. Grammar exercise
Dr. Grammar tips:

17. Review: Summary lead assignment
Overall great start!
Best to use one-sentence summary lead
Use dateline
Write in past tense, active voice
Watch state abbreviations: Fla FL FLA
Watch wordiness
has resulted in the man’s death
stunned a man to death
leads to the suspect being shot
M-26 Taser stun gun

18. Here’s the summary lead from the Associated Press:
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – A man behaving strangely in front of a hotel died after police shot him with a stun gun, then wrestled him to the ground and handcuffed him because he had not been subdued.
Many of your leads are just as strong!
A man died after police shot him in the chest with a stun gun on Sunday while he was being arrested for behaving strangely outside a hotel.
A man died on Sunday after the police shot him with a stun gun due to strange behavior, leaving the police to speculate if he was on drugs.
A man died after the police unintentionally shot hi with a stun gun because he was acting strange outside a hotel Sunday.

19. Review: Writing a summary lead
Usually a single sentence
No more than 35 words
Bottom line:
Use a single sentence of no more than 35 words to summarize an event

20. Use active voice! Avoid “to be” a man was killed….
a man was shot by police….
was behaving strangely

21. Check egradebook Assignments listed at egradebook:
If assignments missing that you turned in, let me know ASAP

22. Assignment due today Summary lead exercises Steps to help you:
Identify the five Ws and H
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
Determine what’s the most important to include
Reminder: Summary lead contains no more than 35 words
assignment, written in Microsoft Word, and send as an attachment to

23. Assignment for 2/18 More summary lead exercises!
Steps to help you:
Identify the five W’s and H
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?
Determine which is the most important to include.
A summary lead should contain no more than 35 words.
One sentence strongest summary lead.
assignment, written in Microsoft Word, and send as an attachment to

24. Hard News 1 Story Assignment
Work in teams to interview Duluth citizens
Each reporter writes own story
Interview 5-10 Duluthians
Might not use all sources in story
List all sources, with contact info, at end of story
Groups of 1 to 4:
Will finalize groups TONIGHT!
Stories will be posted on class website:
Last fall’s website: Fall Jour 2001 Website

25. Let’s form the groups: 1-4 students
Areas where Duluthians gather:
UMD Dining Center/Kirby Student Center: Amber (3)
UMD Library/Food Court: Mandee (3)
Northlan Gaming Center
Lincoln Park/West End
Encounter/Cozy Bar corner (2nd Ave. E. & First St.)
Spirit Mountain: Alex (1)
Miller Hill Mall: Cory B. (1), Josh (1)
Central Hillside/Chester Park: Jake (1)
DECC: Hockey game: Ross (3),
Downtown: Superior Street: Nichole (4), Casey (1)
Marshal Performing Arts Center: Play: Becca (1), Michelle (1)
Whole Food Coop: Dave (1)

26. What topics surfaced in the mayor’s race?
Retiree health care
Housing: College, affordable, homeless
Proposed DECC expansion
School district Red Plan: eminent domain
Proposed passenger train Duluth/St. Paul
Tourism
Environmental impact

27. Hard News 1 Story Pitch Due: February 13
Length of story pitch: three paragraphs, about 200 words
Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy
Each group member completes own story pitch
Let’s look at the calendar:

28. Hard News 2 Story Pitch Due: February 20
Select a meeting to cover from story list
Duluth City Council: Tuesday, 2/26, 7 p.m.
Duluth School Board: Tuesday, 2/26, 6:30 p.m.
Schools Budget Meeting: Tuesday, 3/4, 5 p.m.
Superior Common Council: Tuesday, 3/4, 6:30 p.m. Duluth
St. Louis County Board: Tuesday, 3/11, 9:30 a.m.
Other: Arranged
Length of story pitch: three paragraphs, about 200 words
Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy
Complete article due: March 14

29. Sports Story Story Pitch Due: February 20
Select a UMD or prep sporting event to cover
Length of story pitch: no more than three paragraphs, about 200 words
Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy
Complete article due: March 31

31. Chapter 6: Developing a news story
Which stories are worth developing?
Major local news: Weather, fire, derailment, court trial
Other factors influencing coverage
Prejudices of reporters, editors
Size of market
Searching for a scoop
What the competition is doing
What other stories are developing

32. Phase 1: The story breaks
What, when, where, to whom
Mainbars
Reporting the breaking news
Sidebars
Extra stories that explain news, human interest
Examples of stories with followups
Beekeeper story

33. Phase 2: Second-day stories
Why, how
Any late-breaking developments
Clean-up, additional fatalities
Put story into perspective

34. Phase 3: Advancing the story
Color: Observation, narrative, anecdotes that provide a clear picture of a person or event
Background
Need to keep the news high in the story
New information

35. Phase 4: Follow-up developments
Reporters make routine checks
New developments
Release of a report
Air crash, investigations

36. Checklist for developing stories
Report latest news first
Put original breaking news high in follow-ups
Go to the scene; talk to as many people as possible
Always strive to put a face on the tragedy
Advance each follow-up; new developments
Look for new sources; consider all angles
Get color
Cooperate with other reporters

37. David Schuster insults Chelsea Clinton

39. Chapter 7: Quotations, attributions
Why use quotes?
Bring a story to life
Generate emotion
Provide vivid description
Bring a dull story to life

40. What’s the difference between an indirect and a direct quote?

41. Types of quotations Complete direct quotations Paraphrased quotations
“John Doe said that he did it,” she said.
Paraphrased quotations
John Doe said that he did it, she said.
Partial quotations
John Doe “said that he did it,” she said

42. Direct quotations Exact quote: quotation marks around sentence
Most editors allow reporters to clean up grammar or to take out profanities
Make sure quotes are right!
Beware of leading questions; use paraphrase

43. Why use direct quotes? Specific, vivid statements
Descriptive statements
Inner feelings
Capture personality
Supplement statements of fact
Reduce attributions

44. Paraphrased quotations
Indirect quotes
Used when direct quote dull, uninformative
Must attribute paraphrases to news source
When in doubt, paraphrase

45. Partial Quotations Using part of a direct quote, often for emphasis
Can be confusing
Be careful: Could draw attention to a point, jeopardizing objectivity
She told police it was an “accident” when she hit the tree.

46. Most important rule Never make up quotations or paraphrases
Shattered Glass: Stephen Glass Story
CBS 60 Minutes story
Stephen Glass index

47. Which one is right? Text quotes AP Stylebook: 2006 AP Stylebook:
“Quotations normally should be corrected to avoid the errors in grammar and word usage that often occur unnoticed when someone is speaking but are embarrassing in print.”
2006 AP Stylebook:
“Never alter quotations even to correct minor grammatical errors or word usage. Casual minor tongue slips may be removed by using ellipses but even that should be done with extreme caution. If there is a question about a quote, either don’t use it or ask the speaker to clarify.”

48. Pitfalls to avoid in quoting
Inaccuracies from source
Rambling on and on
Hard-to-understand quotations
Reconstructed quotations
Fragmentary quotations
Ungrammatical: If it doesn’t make sense, don’t use it
Use good taste
Watch out for offensive language
Be certain when using dialect:
North Country, Fargo

49. Use objective verbs of attribution
Straight news stories
Use neutral verbs: said, added
“Said” isn’t boring – readers expect it
No need to be creative
Avoid asserted, bellowed, contended, cried, declared, demanded, emphasized, harangued, hinted, maintained, opined, stammered, stated, stressed

50. Identification in attributions
Usually identify source by title, name
Follow guidelines in AP Stylebook
Title often used to streamline lead
Be cautious with “hearsay attribution”
Using a quote from a police report

51. Placement of attributions
Usually follows the quotation
Normally follows first sentence in multiple sentence quote
When sources change, new attribution needed
Use attribution once in a quotation
Use attribution between complete, partial quotes

52. Anonymous sources On the record: Everything can be used
Off the record: Nothing can be used
On background: Material can be used, no attribution by name
On deep background: Can be used, with no attribution; can get confirmation
All the President’s Men: Woodward & Bernstein

53. Where the quote marks go
Useful checklist: Pages of text
Jones said, “We will be there tomorrow.”
Jones said that he would be there Wednesday.
He will be there Wednesday, Jones said.
“All our transcontinental flights are full,” she said.
Coach Jones said that it was his “dumbest mistake”: deciding to start an untested freshman at quarterback.
Coach Jones asked his team, “Can we win this game?”
“Johnson’s plea to ‘win this game for the community’ really fired us up,” Smith said.

54. “We’re so enthusiastic about this project that we can’t stop thinking about it,” Jones said.
“We’re so enthusiastic about this project that we can’t stop thinking about it,” Jones said. “We look forward to getting council approval.
“We hope that will come at the next meeting.”
Get in there now,” the coach said, “before I make you run extra laps.”
“I think it is wise to lengthen the school year,” Smith said.
It would be ludicrous to do so,” Johnson said.

56. Chapter 10: Interviewing
Three main stages:
Research
Setting up the interview
Questions and answers

57. Research Morgues : Newspaper libraries Internet
“Dead stories” kept until needed for background
Electronic archives
Internet
Bound volumes of the paper
Files, earlier stories
University, public libraries

58. Setting up the interview
Make an appointment
Call or your source, time permitting
Identify yourself as reporter, name publication
Set length of interview in advance
Half hour, hour, over lunch
Make interview convenient for source
Describe the story
Dress the part
Be on time!

59. Structuring the interview
Funnel interview: Most common
Begin with general background questions
Open-ended questions
End with closed-ended or adversarial questions
Inverted-funnel interview
Key questions asked immediately
Breaking news, sources used to interviews

60. Asking questions Do your homework! Write out your questions
Use reporter’s notebook, refer back to them
Let the conversation flow – other questions often answered
Make eye contact
Example: Senator interview

61. Closed-ended questions
Asked to get precise answer
Useful when already know the answer, need confirmation
Used when source is comfortable
Don’t be hostile!
Open-ended questions
Useful when have more time
Often learn unexpected information
Gets source’s opinions, feelings
Anything else to add? Anything I’m forgetting?

62. Personal questions Tough to ask personal questions after a tragedy
Be compassionate, sympathetic
Do homework, try to interview in person
Break ice with general questions
Soften the question:
I know you’re busy; sorry to bother you
Examples:
Sunshine hits the accelerator
Flash flood in Buffalo

63. Frame questions to fit the story’s purpose
Every story needs theme, purpose
Focus on the purpose when asking questions
Refer back to questions
Establish rapport
Tell sources who you are, what you are doing
Listen, don’t argue
Thank sources for their time
Set timeframe for the interview

64. What to do with hostile sources
You’re not a lawyer: avoid hostile questions
Save tough questions for end of interview
Be sympathetic, understanding
Reason with the source
Try to understand source’s position
Repeat damaging things that have been said about a source
Keep asking questions

65. Making, using observations
What’s unusual – or common?
Observe surroundings
Demeanor of source
Personal features
Examples:
Successful business leader interview
Train, doll collectors

66. Write fast! Take a lot of notes
Listen, don’t try to get down all the quotes
Never can have too many notes!
Take notes even if using tape recorder
Battery or tape failure, operator error
Using a tape recorder
Ask permission
Can be time consuming

67. Telephone interview Email interview Type your notes Identify yourself
Ask permission to tape record
interview
Tough to ask follow-up questions
Spell out deadline
Ask for follow-up call
Impersonal; not always the easiest

68. After the interview Thank source
Ask for best way to reach the source – phone or – it have additional questions
Never agree to show the source a story once it’s written

69. In-class assignment for tonight
To help you develop interviewing skills, during tonight’s class you will be interviewing Lucy Kragness. She will review her background, and you will ask her questions.
Assume story assignment for the Statesman
To prepare, review website, write out questions in advance.
Start story in class, final five paragraph story, written in Microsoft Word, as an attachment by Tuesday (February 12) to:
Story will not be graded; all receive 10 points
BUT! 1 point deducted for each style error!

70. Introductions Instructor: Lucy Kragness
University of Minnesota Duluth Experience
3/96 to present: Executive Assistant to the Chancellor
1/05 to present: Jour 2001 instructor
10/90 to 3/96: Alumni Director, University Relations
8/90 to 10/90: Acting Director, Alumni and Media Relations
11/84 to 10/90: Publications Director, Alumni and Media Relations
3/89 to 5/94: Taught Publications Editing, a three-credit spring quarter journalism course
6/85 to 6/90: Volunteer editorial adviser, Statesman student newspaper
Freelance Experience:
7/86 to present: Freelance writer, photographer for several regional and national publications

71. Newspaper Experience:
9/83 to 9/84: One-person bureau in Sheridan, Wyo., for the Billings Gazette in Billings, Mont.
3/81 to 9/83: Assistant state editor at the Billings Gazette in Billings, Mont.
3/80 to 3/81: Managing editor of the Williston Daily Herald, Plains Reporter (weekly) and the Williston Basin Reporter (bi-weekly), all in Williston, N.D.
11/79 to 3/80: Assistant managing editor/Sunday editor at the Williston Daily Herald
6/79 to 11/79: Reporter, business editor at the Williston Daily Herald
11/78 to 6/79: Assistant editor at the Northeaster newspaper in Minneapolis.
Education:
Master of Education in Educational Computing and Technology, University of Minnesota Duluth, 2001.
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota Minneapolis, 1979.

72. Portfolio
Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage.
Access Electronic Portfolio at: