Online Journalism: Reporting, Writing, and Editing for New Media (with InfoTrac)

by Craig, Richard

• ISBN13: 9780534531461
• ISBN10: 0534531466
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-05-17
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

Learn to report, write, and edit for online media with ONLINE JOURNALISM with InfoTrac?! Created specifically with the Internet in mind, this communication text will help you explore the writing opportunities associated with online media. Interviews with online professionals are included throughout the text to give you an idea of exactly what the job of the online journalist entails. A comprehensive Web site helps keep the book up to date and provides additional material, including sound clips of some of the book's interviewees.

Table of Contents

PREFACE	xi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	xiii
I REPORTING FOR ONLINE JOURNALISTS	1	(82)
1 WHY IS ONLINE JOURNALISM DIFFERENT, AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?	3	(13)
The Technological Evolution of Journalism	3	(4)
The Development of Online Journalism	7	(2)
The Online News Audience	9	(4)
Giving Them What They Need	13	(1)
Summary	14	(1)
Related Web Sites	14	(1)
Exercises	14	(2)
2 THE JOB OF THE ONLINE JOURNALIST	16	(14)
Approaching the job	17	(2)
Producing and Structuring Content	19	(6)
Interactivity	25	(1)
Thinking Outside the Box	26	(1)
Summary	27	(1)
Related Web Sites	28	(1)
Exercises	28	(2)
3 GENERATING AND FOCUSING STORY IDEAS	30	(13)
Knowing Your Audience	32	(2)
Surfing for Ideas	34	(2)
Unique Approaches to Familiar Topics	36	(2)
Turning Trash Into Treasure	38	(3)
Summary	41	(1)
Related Web Sites	41	(1)
Exercises	42	(1)
4 WEB RESOURCES AND DATABASES	43	(20)
Hello, My Name Is URL	43	(2)
Using Online Information Resources	45	(4)
Databases and Other Resources	49	(6)
Keyword Searches	55	(3)
Other Types of Searches	58	(2)
Summary	60	(1)
Related Web Sites	61	(1)
Exercises	62	(1)
5 SOURCES AND INTERVIEWING	63	(20)
Sources Are People Too	65	(2)
Interview Preparation	67	(4)
Setting Up the Interview	71	(5)
The Conversation	76	(1)
Transcription, Accuracy and Completeness	77	(3)
Summary	80	(1)
Related Web Sites	81	(1)
Exercises	81	(2)
II WRITING FOR ONLINE JOURNALISTS	83	(58)
6 ONLINE WRITING STYLES	85	(15)
Why a Different Style Online?	87	(2)
Characteristics of Online News	89	(4)
"Way New Journalism"	93	(5)
Summary	98	(1)
Related Web Sites	98	(1)
Exercises	99	(1)
7 HOOKING AND KEEPING READERS	100	(16)
So What?	100	(6)
Headlines and Link Text	106	(2)
A Square Lead in a Round Web	108	(2)
Getting Your Facts Organized	110	(4)
Summary	114	(1)
Related Web Sites	114	(1)
Exercises	114	(2)
8 REVVING UP YOUR WRITING	116	(14)
Active versus Passive Voice	117	(4)
Story Flow Techniques	121	(5)
Story Structures	126	(2)
Summary	128	(1)
Related Web Sites	128	(1)
Exercises	129	(1)
9 THE LAST MINUTE(S)	130	(11)
Deadlines	132	(1)
Don't Believe Your Mother	133	(3)
Tweaking for the Web	136	(1)
Developing Stories, Updates and Follow-Ups	137	(2)
Summary	139	(1)
Related Web Sites	140	(1)
Exercises	140	(1)
III EDITING FOR ONLINE JOURNALISTS	141	(72)
10 AN UPHILL BATTLE: ONLINE COPYEDITING	143	(15)
Saving Their Butts	144	(2)
A Few General Pointers	146	(3)
Mechanics	147	(1)
Content	148	(1)
Web-Specific Items	149	(1)
The Spell-Check Problem	149	(3)
Headlines and Cutlines	152	(2)
Style	154	(1)
Summary	155	(1)
Related Web Sites	156	(1)
Exercises	156	(2)
11 THE ONLINE EDITOR/UTILITY INFIELDER	158	(16)
How Do I Edit When There's No News Hole?	159	(1)
Repurposing	160	(3)
Links	163	(5)
Managing Pages	168	(1)
Story Content	169	(1)
Interactive Features	170	(2)
Summary	172	(1)
Related Web Sites	172	(1)
Exercises	173	(1)
12 MULTIMEDIA FOR NEWS	174	(15)
Defining and Conceptualizing Multimedia	176	(1)
Audio Formats	177	(4)
Video Formats	181	(3)
Other Formats	184	(1)
Smart Multimedia for Journalists	185	(2)
Summary	187	(1)
Related Web Sites	188	(1)
Exercises	188	(1)
13 BASIC ONLINE LAYOUT	189	(24)
Online Layout: A Completely Different Animal	189	(2)
General Pointers	191	(3)
Design Elements	194	(7)
The Home Page	201	(3)
Links and Marginalia	204	(2)
Templates, Scripts and Style Sheets	206	(4)
Summary	210	(1)
Related Web Sites	210	(1)
Exercises	211	(2)
IV STANDARDS, LAWS AND ETHICAL ISSUES	213	(62)
14 ONLINE STANDARDS VERSUS JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS	215	(15)
Journalistic Standards	216	(6)
Online Standards	222	(4)
Common Ground	226	(2)
Summary	228	(1)
Related Web Sites	228	(1)
Exercises	229	(1)
15 LEGAL ISSUES ONLINE AND OFFLINE	230	(16)
Traditional Protections and Laws	231	(2)
Internet-Related Legal Issues	233	(5)
Legislation and Court Cases	238	(6)
Freedom of Speech and Libel	238	(1)
ISPs and Editorial Content	239	(1)
Privacy and the First Amendment	240	(1)
Freedom of Information and Copyrights	241	(1)
Media Protections	242	(2)
Summary	244	(1)
Related Web Sites	244	(1)
Exercises	244	(2)
16 ETHICS IN CYBERLAND	246	(16)
Traditional Ethical Approaches	247	(6)
Online Issues and Conflicts	253	(4)
Ethical Cases	257	(4)
Profiting from the News	257	(1)
Providing Links to Suspect Sites	258	(1)
Walking the Line between Content and Ads	258	(1)
Defining the Limits of "News"	259	(1)
Dealing with Sex Stories in Online News	259	(1)
Considering the Public's Right to Know	260	(1)
Posting Targeted Ads Online	260	(1)
Summary	261	(1)
Related Web Sites	261	(1)
Exercises	261	(1)
17 THE 21ST CENTURY JOURNALIST	262	(13)
The Cybeijournalist in 2015	263	(1)
Making Different Mistakes	264	(2)
The World Wide Workplace	266	(2)
Transporting the User	268	(3)
Summary	271	(1)
Related Web Sites	272	(1)
Exercises	272	(3)
GLOSSARY	275	(6)
INDEX	281