Selected questions from 2018 2017

categories that I think we

need to think about or GREEN= POSITIVE
improve? BLACK=NEED
IMPROVEMENT
Overall coverage: ● Localizing ● Centers on school
improved news; but
“Comprehensible and ● Try and find people appeals/relates to
appealing” outside related to the story community
readers? (Ex: Spencer ● Don’t use the
Focus on school news but protestor) phrase “guest
still tying outside- I want ● Stories should writer” without
more unknown school almost always have name
stuff! photos- may be an ● Don’t use sources
Can we represent more indication there is hidden in articles-
minority groups? no story! what does this
Do we use three sources? mean?

News Coverage: ● “Coverage includes ● Wide coverage is a

various strength
Questions to improve: happenings!” ● “Things to look
Student organizations ● Issue based forward to”
Do we cover enough reporting ● Opinion included in
student “glamour” and important for news
controversy? news! ● Info about how
● Find experts, but many
still do own surveyed/where
reporting (Ex: DEQ
for water story)
Feature Coverage: ● Coverage includes ● Centerspreads
student lives both attempted!
Do we have a variety of in and out of school ● Entertainment not
features? ● Original presented in a fun
Do our personality profiles photography way (too many
offer “newsworthy ● Gather idea from words)
portrayals?” people in your ● Reach out to art
Polls and surveys community (Add to department for
important! surveys!) student stuff
Do we expand coverage of ● Find people that
single subjects that reflect relate to story-
actions and problems of Bobby
the community?
Sports Coverage: ● Strong action ● Coverage is feature
shots! type!
Questions we need cover:
Does our content reflect
individual and leisure
activities?
Do we cover opposing
teams?
Does the coverage show
professional material
geared towards informing
students?
Are stats provided?
Writing and Editing:
Is proper sourcing evident
Paragraphs short in length?
Does active voice dominate
Are transitions good?
Are trite comments
evident?
Are news stories timely?
Are future events alluded
to?
Feature:
Our leads varied and
strong enough?
Our leads focus on people?
Do leads have a focus even
if about a person?
Sports:
Seasonal coverage by order
of importance?
Do we have sports
columns?
Talk with local athletes
and teams (Ex: New
soccer team or REC Dep.)
● Quotes are
sprinkled
throughout
narrative
● IDs consistent?
● Only quote
someone from
another paper if
can't get analysis
from school
● Avoid first person
unless opinion or
entertainment
Feature:
Pro: Leads diverse
Con: AP style when using
attributes
Look for local topics
Try narrative leads
No direct talk to reader-
focus people
Sports:
Pro: No cliches
Cons:Never focus local teams
Didn’t try enough other
formats- this year better
Improve sports leads
● Have everyone be a
liason with a sports
team?
● Staff understands
sourcing
● Failing with
identification
(source worthy of
belief)
● Each issue has
editorial in tandem
with other articles
● Leads are opinions
or generalizations
● Opinions are in
news stories
● Time appropriate
● Events look
forward to
● Don't need state
mascot and Huron
stuff
● No summary leads
(Ex: Black History
is important
because...)
● Good book review
● Great job attacking
topics people are
afraid to report on
● Crop photos
● Sport stories are
presenter as
features
● More advance
stories (Ex: Field
 Pros: hockey player
Headlines: Solid, connecting captions excited for
Do headlines attract reader Upcoming districts
attention? Cons: ● Cut lines with
Avoid use of school name, Not complete phrases! photos and reflect
abbreviations, repetitions! content of articles
Cut lines have first ● We have some
sentence in present tense stacked cut lines
and second in past? (p.11 Jan)
Avoid cliches and credit ● Keep articles
photos? A,An,The out of the
heads
Do we do enough ● Events to look
alternative story forms​? forward to!
● Do stories always
have a purpose and
to not fill space
● Graphics to
entertainment
Category Break down: 2018 Final Notes: 2017 Final Notes:
Coverage: 170 to 180/200 - Broad coverage
(+10) that “captures all - 2 parts to a story:
Writing/Editing: 280 to aspects of school message and its
290/350 (+10) life and news” ​this presentation
Design: 145 to 170/200 true this year?? - Really need to find
(+25) - Proper tones stories students
Photography and graphics: - Visuals tell stories- don’t know about
118-130/150 (+12) add more photo - 6 categories to
Editorial Content: 90 to essays to tell judge a news
85/100 (-5) stories story: proximity,
prominence,
conflict,
consequence,
human interest
and timeliness
- Design with entire
page in mind-
photo dominant
with caption
offering new info
- Have vertical then
horizontal or vise
versa
- More continued...
REMAINING
INFORMATION ON
SEPARATE CHART BELOW

OVERALL DESIGN Pros: DO WE NEED TO WEIGH

Good balance with CORNERS?
Well balanced with dominant Lacks consistent margins
CLEAR DOMINANTS?? Specific headlines are
Do we use pull quotes? Cons: needed
Is white space used well? Font choice of 9 bad Lacks sentence headline
What’s hurting Don’t reverse text- WHAT
heads???? DOES THAT MEAN? Too
much of that
The folio/hot dog put date
on

FRONT PAGE Pros: Cons:

Do we always have a Like flag! Need more faces of
strong Center visual? Dominant photo students-to hook readers
Are our front pages Need emotion triggering
predictable? Cons: photos
Labeling and having briefs Many graphics are “too tiny
Some layouts confusing to and boring”
the reader

INSIDE Pros:
Folios on all pages with Good content balance
date? Organized well

Cons:
Consider photo size and
number- so essentially
more
Graphics should just be
part of the story

PHOTOGRAPHY Pro: capture people at Better photos:

Not carefully selected? HHS/student
Are they always newsworthy? They actually seemed
Have a variety- active, mug, planned y
group, objects Mug shots are good
Cons:
1. Check with Tom
about line print #-
wtf???
2. Only take active
photos

GRAPHICS
Planned?
Enough alternative formats? -
only last year
EDITORIAL CONTENT
Are our editorials always
relevant opinion?
Do we reach immediate and
long term of student lives?
Do we cover enough non
school BUT IN COMMUNITY
NEWS? - no and we could do
so much more
Is our policy clear editorials
and can be accessed (aka
guest writing-AND NO)
Editorials timely and wide
scope?
We are all good on ethics
Need more active shots 3. Have
Explain the content photographers
just take a lot
Cons: Utilize the art department
Only do charts if color-
or black/white if 2
Have type of chart in
mind before get graphics
Pros: Staff ed not be signed
Reporting and writing Make sure it pairs with a
relevant to audience story and label the event!!
More outside sources-
but still solid
Cons:
Columns and
entertainment too long
Quotes need do better
job of two sides
Quotes need to explain
the why!
Pros:
Tackle topics relevant to
student’s lives
Cons:
Need more LETTERS
AND GUEST WRITING
(we are starting to
improve)
HAVE THEME ISSUES!!
(Totally agree)