Des Moines Register affected by Gannett cuts

We've talked many times in class this past term about the declining business of the printed newspaper. Between the troubling economy and the advances in technology (internet, MP3 players, BlackBerrys, etc.), it's no surprise that printed news is taking a hit. Gannett Co., the country's largest newspaper chain, announced Friday that 1000 jobs nationwide will be cut (approximately 3 percent of the workforce). The Des Moines Register is owned by Gannett and confirmed that 26 jobs will be cut from its staff.

One could only hope that this "recession" in the news industry will only be temporary, but unfortunately it is probably an on-going trend. Sinking advertising revenue and a dropping stock price were named as reasons for the cuts.

Don't be a "looser" - copy edit

Oh, the English language. You have to admit it's complicated. I whole-heartedly feel sorry for people learning English as a second language.

I found an article on CJR titled, When Loosing is Winning. I admit it, I read the article because the title made no sense to me. The article discusses how the word "loose" is becoming used more and more in place of "lose" (refer back to the title of the article), and other problem words like "it's" being used when "its" is meant. Isn't it funny how little things like this make my spine crawl? It's very similar to fingernails being scratched down a chalkboard. Where are all the copy editors when we need them?

We've learned in class that the AP Stylebook was created to ensure consistancy among the journalism and communication professions. Obviously, the severity of accuracy is not emphasized enough. I encourage everyone to use it, learn it and know it. I have two books, one on my desk and one at home.

Be sure to ask: is it worth it?

I read an article on Romensko about a mistrial that was declared in a Kansas courtroom because of a newspaper article unrelated to the trial. The Salina Journal reported that Jerry D Sellers Jr. had been sentenced in Harvey County to just under 11 years in prison for fondling a 13-year-old girl. The problem was that Sellers Jr. was currently on trial in Saline County for the rape of a 16-year-old girl. Saline County district Judge Jerome Hellmer declared a mistrial stating the defendent could not receive a fair trial [if jurors read the article].
As we've discussed in class previously, one issue to consider when printing an article is: is it worth it? Was the price of printing the article about proceedings in a different county worth a mistrial in Saline County? In my opinion, no. I can't help but wonder if the editor even considered this consequence. Was the homework done? Did the editor realize the rape trial in Saline County was taking place at the time of print? Saline County Attorney Ellen Mitchell said, "The responsible thing would be to report the information at the conclusion of the trial." I agree.

Journalism via video cam

American citizens are getting in the action! An article published in the Des Moines Sunday Register, Videos help fight police misdeeds, describes how New York police officers are being caught in the act. Civilians are arming themselves with video equipment to record police activities.
The article says in one week, three seperate videos show police officers using their batons in a violent manner, even knocking one protester off his bicycle in Times Square. Now remember everyone, we're innocent until proven guilty, so I hope this filming rage doesn't get too out of hand. I hope law enforcement officers don't get to the point where they are afraid to carry out their job, as necessary, for fear of someone seeing an act on film and portraying the officer in a negative way. On the other hand, if police officers were not doing anything wrong, they shouldn't have anything to worry about, right?
In our age of video altering programs such as photo shop, what's to stop someone from "doctoring" film and using it in a negative way against officers?
Norman Siegel, a former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, tells protest groups that go out in public places to have someone in their group come armed with a video camera. This would aid the group, or single individuals, if problems occur and arrests and/or legal actions should take place.
This seems like pretty easy journalism to me. Just shoot events with your video camera and publish your film, whether it be on local or national news shows or as simple as YouTube.

Perfect example of taste and sensitivity

A fatal shooting took place at a Wendy's restaurant in West Palm Beach, FL, on March 3, 2008. The indicident was captured on the restaurant's security surveillance video. A judge ruled on July 25 that the video can be viewed by the public if they choose to go to the sheriff's office, but the video can not be copied or distributed. View the full story here.

Fire Lt. Ray Vazquez was killed in the shooting, along with the gunman, Alburn "eddie" Blake. Four others were also wounded.

The Associated Press and The Palm Beach Post filed a lawsuit against the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office after it refused to release the evidence video. An attorney for the news-media outlets, said the video was a public record that could not be withheld. An attorney for the sheriff's office said he feared if the video was released, that it would appear in tabloids, on TV, the Internet and YouTube.

The judge asked for what purpose disseminating the video would serve. The news-media outlets' attorney answered that Florida law does not require people to state a purpose when asking for a public record.

As we discussed in class on Monday, this case is a perfect example of taste and sensitivity within journalism. In determining whether to publish an article (or in this case a video tape), we were told to ask three questions:

1. Is it accurate? Well, surely in this case the tape is accurate. It shows in detail the events of that day.
2. Who's your audience? I'm assuming the audience would be the readers of The Palm Beach Post, local residents who, more than likely, would have heard about the shooting in March.
3. Do a little bit of math - is it worth it? In my opinion, this is the deal breaker here. Hasn't the victim's family suffered enough? Yes, it's public record, but what good is going to come of allowing the public to view this video? Do viewers really want to see a local firefighter gunned down in a senseless act of violence? I would imagine not.

If I were the editor of The Palm Beach Post, I would not have requested a copy of the video tape. I just don't think the general public is interested in viewing it and I would have been more respectful to the victim's family.

Print or Online - thought two

Times are hard, we all know that. The economy is struggling, unemployment rates are up and prices for necessities such as gasoline and groceries are reaching all-time highs. The newspaper industry is taking it hard too. Major publishers, including New York Times Co., Gannet Co. (parent company of the Des Moines Register), McClatchy Co., Lee Enterprises Inc. and E.W. Scripps Co., are reporting profits cut in half as compared to the second quarter of last year.

So, as to continue on the thought of my previous blog, perhaps more readers are turning to the internet for their news. Maybe in these increasingly tough economic times, readers are choosing to forego the cost of printed news and opt to use computers more. After all, you can receive the same information, almost always for free, on the internet.

How are the newspaper companies going to survive this downward turn? Some of the recent ideas we have heard in class could surely help. By compressing story size, being more selective about the information being printed, reducing the actual size of the paper used and reducing or eliminating ads are all seem to be excellent ways of reducing costs. However, advertising is a large part of the newspaper industry's revenue; reducing or eliminating ads could also cut revenue, driving up the cost of the paper for consumers. So the newspaper industry has their work cut out for them if they are to survive this nation-wide budget crunch, just as we all do.

Print or Online - What's Your Choice?

According to a survey completed by the Readership Institute at NorthWestern University, newspaper Web sites continue to have limited penetration in most communities. Some might be surprised at this claim; I, however, am not. Personally, I would much rather pick up the Des Moines Register and read it cover to cover versus having to try to navigate my way through their Web site. I have to admit it's probably because I'm not as comfortable with the Web site as I am the good old fashion printed version; I'm simply unfamiliar with the Web site and familiarizing myself with it would take more time and energy than I am willing to give that task at this point in my life.

There are some mind-numbing facts in the survey yet one of the more interesting facts is: 62 percent of respondents have never visited their local daily newspaper’s Web site. The percentage is higher than I expected but again, I'm not surprised.

I am married to one of those individuals that prefers to read news online. I chalk that up to the fact that he has relocated so many times; he finds this as the best way to keep up on local news in the most recent cities he has lived in.

So, whatever medium you receive it in, print or online, I continue to urge everyone to read the news. Read it daily and stay in touch with what's going on around you.