Copyeditors: The Wizards

Chapter 11 starts by stating that copyeditors are extremely important because a “data smog”(information around us), which sometimes can be equal to junk, has many inaccuracies to its content or other mistakes.

Copyeditors have to be able to recognise gramma or spelling mistakes, they should be able to find factual errors and all other stuff that might get paper into a legal trouble. Basically they have to double check all facts. Taking into account a significant diversified online audience, online Copyeditors are more important then those who work for TV or paper.

Rules to follow:

Read twice:
1st time for mistakes in spelling, gramma.
2nd time for incorrect and misleading information.

When checking spelling and gramma mistakes, do not completely rely on software as it will not change the spelling according to the logic of the content. Example: The store is open seven days a weak. The software won’t realize the mistake.

While checking content pay close attention to every word that might mislead the reader. For example: guilty or only suspected of being guilty? By convicting wrong person news organisation might get into lots of trouble! Check all numbers. For online news it’s important to double check all links and make sure they are working.

These days Copyeditors also responsible for headlines. Make sure to use active verbs. Also it’s important to consider that with progress of technology many readers check news on their portable devices often with tiny screens. This has made the pressure to keep headlines even shorter them before. Cutlines also have to be short, catching and descriptive.

Someone please edit my summary 🙂

Applying Reading on the Field

After reading the chapter 5 on how to set up and run interviews and how to find a source I decided to apply advices given to my work.

I need to find a source who can provided good information during my trip to Fukushima and Chernobyl in April. First I thought that it is easy just to google it and get all information I need. I was finding sources and would send them emails but to my surprise I never got any reply. I decided to follow up with the phone calls. And surprise again- everyone I contacted told me that their did get my emails but had no time to respond. During our phone conversation I restated everything what I wrote in the email, I answered their questions regarding my purpose of meeting them and I GOT THE INTERVIEWS!! I even was lucky to set up meeting with the ex major of city X in Fukushima. Now I truly believe that direct communication with your source are crucial and that emails should be a last result or only to follow up with the source after the personal connection is set.

Now I face another problem which is fear of being not prepared enough to conduct the interview. I believe the only way to reduce the fear is detailed preparation. Now I’m researching all possible information on the topic, as well as details about who is my source, what their like/ dislike etc.

The chapter is extremely useful and I strongly advice everyone read it in details.

Art of Creating Story

Somedays are more lucky for journalists then others. On a good day sensational stories are everywhere and all the journalist has to do is cover the story. But what about online journalists who writes for a much more diverse public?

Online journalists have to get to know their readers. Few options to do this.

Feedback page: suggest stories ideas
Message boards: opinions
Chat rooms: submit questions to reporters
Opinion polls: express their opinions on the subject
Email List:reader’s respond to the story

Online journalist also have to find a good and interesting stories. How?

Internet groups
Blogs
Google, yahoo etc
Special interest groups

These resources can help journalist develop ideas for a story, hovewer it is very important to remember not to plagiarise someone’s ideas in your story.

Some stories might appear overused but the best journalist can find new approaches to report on the story to make it interesting to the audience.

Find how the particular story might affect your audience
Follow-ups: look back on the topics reported before and see what has changed
Advanced stories: is something going to happen within local community and if yes how it will affect it?
Trends: who affected by trend?
What impact topic has on other areas
People who was on the news- who are they?

Best journalist can take most boring story and turn in into gold by finding the right angle to report on it.

What do you think what would be the right angle to report on Sakura blooming which is covered every year by Japanese media in a same most boring way?

Speaking about Journalists

Just now I came across this video “Hardworking Chinese Journalists” you must see it!

Journalistic Skills

From our reading we learned a lot about traditional and online journalism. Including what kind of skills journalists need. I am totally agree with the point that journalist must be able of multitasking, be flexible and know how to use not only pencil but also camera, recorder, be able to conduct research use different programs and so on.

I’m preparing for entering evacuation zone in Fukushima where I will have only 4 hours. My project Is journalistic/ documentary.

I found it interesting how many different skills( even if not perfectly) I was using or have to use for my project.

First I had to conduct research regarding permit to enter and find right people who will assist me. It’s might sounds easy but no it takes so much time especially when I don’t speak Japanese. Second I have to be perfect in taking notes, be able to organise my thoughts quickly. I will spent only for hours inside meaning everything has to be perfect, every picture, video, and sound I record. The amount of stress is unbelievable even tho I’m not a journalist of professional documentary maker. All my projects are on university level where I’m still learning. So what can we say about professionals whose do it all the time?

Beggining of N.R.M.

Hi Everyone,

It’s gonna be a great semester with best students and amazing professor leading us to the world of an information.

I would appreciate if you could take few minutes and read a bit of my background and experiences related to the class. THANK YOU!

For the past two years I was using web to get all major news. Today it’s even easier to access my favourite news agencies such as BBC, Bloomberg and Routers through iPhone apps or just “like” them on Facebook and updates will appear on my wall hourly. With all these technological developments, which make information so easily accessible, it is embarrassing to stay in a dark about what is happening around us.

Being in Japan during the 3/11 disaster and being actively involved in recovery process since, the topic of radiation would be the best choice for me for this class. Another reason why I choose the topic is because it will be start of my another project which is research documentary on Fukushima(been there more then 11times) and Chernobyl(will go there in August 2012).

In my past I took writing for journalism course at tuj. As an actual experience I produced video news for the scholarship provided by foreign correspondents club in Tokyo( i didn’t get it) and was co-author of an interviews based book about 3/11(available on amazon).

Making documentary films is my hobby. During Spring 2012 I took “making documentary” class at Tuj. During the class project, I was a cameramen for 7min documentary about Buddhist monks who serves alcohol. The film was sent to the doc challenge festival and got into finals. On May 1 it was shown in Canada at the one of the most prestigious documentary festivals Hot Doc.