Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Miracle
A student
guide to
journalism
and the The Newspaper
A Daily
newspaper Miracle
business
A DAILY Miracle
Key Newspaper Terms
Flag
Glossary The newspaper’s name
(also called a
Box nameplate) on page
A sidebar or a design feature one.
DY7 – A
24
The editors who check for Cutline Photographs by Maya Alleruzzo/The Washington Times
Florida and New York avenues
in Northeast tomorrow.
During the 30-day warning
Byline
TV listings / D5
Movie listings / D6
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2005
Music of Wonder / D2
SECTION D
Louisiana attorney general’s bilities.
office investigates deaths related These include Iran’s covert
appears on an "editorial page" who wrote the article. The nomination of Harriet Miers to the
Supreme Court has splintered President Bush’s aving assaulted at age 35. She
DOZENS KILLED — Street
battles between Islamic militants
For the wine industry, location is the toast of the
town.
away.
Iran’s military power is under
scrutiny after new Iranian Pres-
base and triggered a growing demand from his
H and security forces kill dozens of The European Union and two wine trade ident Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
the public with was awaiting trial
“Man on Fire,” on a federal nar-
which unleashed cotics rap.
Denzel Washing- Portrayed by a willowy,
ton as a body- surly and pretty much en-
guard at war gulfed-and-devoured Keira
own supporters to withdraw her nomination. people in the southern Russian groups have created a new group to help educate recently placed the country’s
can underworld, daughter of actor Laurence Har-
director Tony
Scott now perpe-
trates, with
“Domino,” a distaff variation that
Movies
might as well be called “Baby Gary Arnold
Doll Ablaze.”
“What a stupid, stupid mistake,” said Mark W. city of Nalchik. A17 American consumers about where their bubbly nuclear arms program under
Confined mostly to a depraved
Los Angeles-Las Vegas corridor,
this hellbent criminal spectacle vey, who died in 1973 when he
purports to memorialize the mis- was 45 and Domino was 4 — or 8,
spent life of a prodigal, Domino according to one of the minor ex-
Harvey. The subject died of a
drug overdose a few months ago see DOMINO, page D3
Smith, a member of the conservative Federalist and other wines come from. the control of the Islamic Revo-
pages. Index
Society who has actively supported Mr. Bush but
wants to see the nomination withdrawn. “You
cannot fix this for 25 years.”
DOMINO’S LIFE — Model-
turned-bounty hunter Domino
Harvey, the subject of a film
AutoWeek / G1-8
Beltway / A5
Business / C9-14
Ring / A6
Metro / B1-6
Movies / D6-7
The Center for Wine Origins, which opened in
the District last month, has started a three-year
campaign targeting consumers, retailers and law-
lutionary Guards Corps, which
are charged with protecting the
regime.
Conservatives have stuck with Mr. Bush opening today, is fondly recalled Classified / E1-5 Nation / A3-10 makers stressing the importance terrain and cli- Iranian forces also have pur-
through the bloodiest and gloomiest days of the by her cousin, Washington writer mate have in giving wine grapes a specific taste. chased and built large coastal
Feature A list of sections and war in Iraq, held firm as administration officials
are investigated for revealing a CIA operative’s
identity and given him a pass on the galloping fed-
Joshua Sinai. D1
Comics / E6
Commentary / A20
Culture / A2
Politics / A7
Pruden / A4
Sports / C1-8
“We want to educate American consumers on
the broader issue of the importance of location,”
said Miranda Duncan, a spokeswoman for the
forces equipped with high-
speed, anti-ship cruise missiles
that could be used to disrupt
An article or item that is not features and their page eral spending. But blowing the historic opportu-
page, the letters provide readers contributors, one-time does the first reading of final publications; as a verb, to do so. (distributes) news and
with the means to respond to contributors, or newspaper staff copy photographs to newspapers for
what they read in the newspaper. members; also called the "op- a fee.
A DAILY Miracle
The value of newspapers
What if you had to deliver a major report every day
in your class. Your presentation has to be in
writing, accurate, well organized and visually
appealing, for your teacher and classmates.
What a huge job!
Great traditions are established with difficulty and only maintained with constant
vigilance. Journalism in America is no different. "Freedom of the Press" is a
First Amendment right of American citizens. The responsibility of the
press as an institution must not be taken for granted.
1750
1721: Ben 1729: Ben 1732 – 1758: 1733: John 1752: The first 1754: Ben 1768-69: 1776: Boston’s 1783: The 1788: The
Franklin takes Franklin’s Ben Franklin Peter Zenger, newspaper in Franklin prints Samuel Adams Massachusetts Pennsylvania London Times
over publishing Pennsylvania publishes Poor publisher of the Canada, The the first editorial and the Sons of Spy publishes Evening Post is launched
the New Gazette is the Richard’s New York Halifax Gazette, cartoon: “Join, Liberty publish an eyewitness becomes the
England most prominent Almanack Weekly Journal, is launched or die” their “Journal of account of the first daily
Courant when newspaper in is found not Occurrences” in Battle of newspaper in
his brother the colonies guilty of newspapers Lexington and America
James is “seditious libel” the “shot heard
arrested round the world”
PAGE 5
A DAILY Miracle
Who works at a newspaper?
There are many important jobs in the business and editorial operations of a newspaper
company. A career in the newspaper business is very interesting, whether in editorial,
production, circulation, advertising sales, marketing, computer services, or accounting.
word usage, sentence structure and
In editorial operations, re- secretaries, and shuttle drivers eral interest newspapers, business side of the news section and as-
porters and editors become criti- for vans that transport employees. papers, and sports papers. There sistant managing editors for such
conformity to the paper's stated
cal thinkers and well-informed, There are pressmen (male and fe- are also papers for a particular functions as production, special style.
good listeners who can organize male); newspaper carriers and ethnic group, such as Hispanic, projects, features, and design. Some mistakes caught by the
their thoughts and communicate their supervisors; marketing, ad- Afro-American, Korean or Chi- Each section or desk also has an copy desk can be funny - but only
information quickly and clearly in vertising, circulation and facili- nese, and there are papers for an editor. For example, there is a met- if they're corrected before publi-
writing. Photographers, illustra- ties departments; accountants; urban audience and papers for a ropolitan editor, national editor, cation. A recent story called folk
tors and other graphic artists get truck drivers; salesmen; and ad- suburban audience. The publisher foreign editor, business editor, dancers "rhythmic, jubilant and
to use their imaginations and have vertising department artists. also decides whether a newspaper and sports editor. Many of them infectious." They weren't, in fact,
the satisfaction of seeing their Hundreds of people must work will be a daily, or a weekly, or pub- have deputy editors, as well. (The infectious, but their energy was.
work enjoyed by hundreds of thou- together to produce the paper lish, say, five or six days a week. copy desk is run by a copy “chief” A misplaced modifier turned a
sands of people each day. every day. Hundreds more pro- The publisher typically dele- because everyone on that desk is novel into a teacher: "A former
There are so many different vide the services necessary to run gates responsibility to a general a copy editor.) teacher, Mr. Fowles' first novel . . .
kinds of jobs on the business side the buildings and other facilities manager for the business opera- Opinion editors are separate became a best-seller." Weak writ-
of a newspaper. One thing is for on a newspaper campus. tions of the paper and to the edi- and distinct from the news editors. ing led to descriptions of a "new
sure. Life at a daily newspaper is tor in chief for management of the The editorial page editor has re- innovation" and "enormous giants,"
lively, and no two days are ever the editorial contents. sponsibility for the editorials and as if an innovation could be old or
same. EXECUTIVE Newspaper owners have tradi-
tionally given their opinions on
letters to the editor, while the com-
mentary page editor has respon-
a giant small.
Such errors can make a copy
MANAGEMENT the issues of the day in editorials. sibility for the opinion columns editor smile, but others, including
STAFF There’s a distinction among
In most large newspapers today,
this important function is dele-
whether they are syndicated, writ-
ten in-house, or arrive at the news-
factual errors, could embarrass
the paper and damage its credi-
Most people assume that if younewspaper executives between the gated by the owner to the editorial paper unsolicited "over-the-tran- bility. It's the copy desk's job to see
work for a newspaper you are an owners (shareholders), the page editor and editor in chief som." that they don't get into print.
editor, reporter or photographer.president, the publisher, the general based on trust and understanding. Photographs are important to a A copy editor must have a
Yet these aren’t the only jobs. manager and the top editor. The newspaper, and a photography ed- strong grasp of correct English
ownership of a newspaper is itor handles this part of the paper. and pay close attention to details
Reporters are the heart of a ultimately responsible for the EDITORIAL Photographs add information to but also must be knowledgeable
newspaper. Editors plan the cov- company’s well-being. the stories and improve the about such subjects as politics,
erage, provide assignments, su- MANAGEMENT paper’s look. A newspaper without economics, history and popular
pervise, and have ultimate re- When The Washington Star the work of outstanding photog- culture.
sponsibility for the work of the began losing money, the owners The editor in chief runs the raphers looks dreary. Graphic de- The copy editor's "tools" include
reporters. decided to close the doors. When editorial operation of the signers design a newspaper every a general usage stylebook, the
Some small weeklies might the Gannett Corporation launched newspaper. With senior editors, the day. This is a daunting task. newspaper's individualized style
have three people collectively fill- USA Today in 1982 as a national editor in chief decides what will be Graphics can take many forms: manual, a dictionary, the Internet
ing the roles of editor, reporter, newspaper, this was a decision of covered on the front page and photographs, drawings, charts, and the newspaper's reference li-
photographer, layout artist, the owners. Likewise, staff cuts an- establishes the general policies for graphs or any visual representa- brary. Most newspapers use the
printer, ad salesman, and ac- nounced by the New York Times newsroom operations, editorial tion that helps you to interpret in- Associated Press stylebook and
countant. On the other hand, some in 2005 were a decision ultimately content, opinion pieces, and news formation. At a newspaper or complement this with their own
large dailies have so many editors made at the ownership level. photography. magazine, photographs are usu- style rules. The Chicago Manual of
that even some newsroom re- Owners of medium-sized and ally considered as distinct from Style is used by some newspa-
porters aren’t sure what they all large newspapers typically dele- The managing editor coordi- graphics. If the pictures are ma- pers.
do. gate responsibility to the presi- nates news coverage day to day. nipulated in some way, we call The Internet has made it easier
There are other jobs at a news- dent or publisher. The person at You will often see the managing them photo illustrations. to double-check information, but
paper. For example, windows and the top of some newspapers has editor on the floor of the news- editors must be careful about the
doors need cleaning and polishing. both titles; at others, he or she has room, talking with reporters and source of online information to be
The parking lots require snow re-
moval in the winter and the build-
one title or the other.
The president or publisher im-
other editors. Most days, the man-
aging editor leads the news meet-
COPY DESK AND sure it is accurate. In addition to
performing the final editing, copy
ings need trash removal every day. plements the guiding concept and ings. During these meetings, edi- COPY EDITING editors write the headlines for sto-
There are computers requiring direction for the newspaper en- tors talk about the stories their ries and the captions for photo-
maintenance and a Web site that terprise and is responsible for all sections are working on and the The copy desk is a story's last graphs, making them conform to
must be updated. The cafeteria aspects of the entire operation. As photography editor takes notes stop on the way to publication. the page designer's specifications
needs employees to prepare the the owner’s representative, the about which stories can be illus- Copy editors look at both the "big for length.
food, run the cash registers, and publisher decides what kinds of trated with good photographs. picture" - the information a story
replenish buffet tables. readers the newspaper will "tar- A deputy managing editor is re- conveys - and the "little picture" -
There are also security guards, get." For example, there are gen- sponsible for the administrative punctuation, spelling, grammar,
1800
1791: The U.S. 1800: Iron 1808: El 1813: The 1827: 1828: 1831: William 1835: The 1841: In 1847:
Congress presses enable Misisipi is Troy, New York Freedom’s Cherokee Lloyd Garrison New York London, the first Frederick
passes the First printing on published in Post introduces Journal, the first Phoenix is begins Herald type-composing Douglass and
Amendment, larger sheets of New Orleans, the term, “Uncle newspaper in published, as publishing introduces machine is Martin Delaney
guaranteeing paper as the first Sam” the U.S. for the first Liberator, an dedicated introduced begin publishing
freedom of the Spanish- African- newspaper for abolitionist sections in the The North Star
press language paper Americans, is Native newspaper newspaper
in the U.S. published by Americans (business,
John metropolitan,
Russwurm and national)
Samuel Cornish
PAGE 6
A DAILY Miracle
Who works at a newspaper?
Newspaper
Organizational Chart PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER
COMMUNITY PROMOTIONS
RELATIONS RESEARCH ARTISTS
1850 1900
1848: 1851: Paul 1856: The 1865: 1880: The 1892: The weekly 1896: 1905: Robert 1907: UPI was 1982: USA
Representatives Julius Reuter New Orleans Reporters first half-tone Afro-American The first Abbot begins founded in 1907 Today is
of six New York founds the Daily Creole, during the Civil photo newspaper is newspaper publishing The by E.W. Scripps launched
newspaper news agency the first War develop the (Shantytown) founded by former comic, “The Defender, in as the United and leads a
publishers form that becomes African- “inverted is published slave John H. Yellow Kid,” Chicago, which Press (UP), and in change in
a news pool Reuters wire American pyramid” style in the New Murphy, Sr., in the appears in gained circulation 1958 merged with the look of
which becomes service daily, is that puts the York Daily Baltimore- the New York over 100,000 and in the International newspapers
the Associated published in most important Graphic Washington area; the American 1956 became the News Service with their
Press English and facts at the top Afro-American now Chicago Daily (founded by extensive use
in French of the story they has an announced Defender, the William Randolph of color
were readership of largest black-owned Hearst) and
telegraphing 120,000 daily in the world became UPI
PAGE 7
A DAILY Miracle
Analyzing EDITORIAL
editorial CARTOONS
cartoons The word "cartoon" might make
us think of the antics of Daffy
Duck or the Road Runner, both of
Looking at a which contain elements of satire;
political cartoon, they use humor to make a serious
ask yourself:
1. Who is
point. The Simpsons is a cartoon
pictured? of social commentary, although it
2. What are they is veiled by absurd situations and
doing? caricatures.
3. What are they While it is generally true that
saying? reading requires more involve-
4. What do you ment from the reader than televi-
have to know about sion or movies require from view-
history and current ers, political cartoons (also called
events to editorial cartoons) require a
understand what reader’s added attention. To un-
the cartoon means? derstand an editorial cartoon, the
5. What does the reader must:
cartoon mean? 1. Understand what is happen-
6. What makes it ing in the news;
work? 2. Make the connection between
7. How does your the cartoon and one or more cur-
philosophical or rent events and situations, and;
political alignment 3. Appreciate the irony that the
influence whether cartoon suggests.
you consider it As an example, note the famous
funny? Or does it cartoon below from American his-
get you steamed? tory. Ben Franklin’s "Join or Die"
cartoon in his own Pennsylvania
Gazette was the first editorial car-
toon in an American newspaper.
To appreciate this cartoon, a
reader must know that Franklin
had developed a plan called the
"Albany Plan" to unite the colonies
for their mutual protection and
security. Franklin asserted that
one of the factors that had led to a
recent French attack on Virginia
had been the lack of unity among
the colonies. He therefore showed
a snake with severed sections.
11 a.m. news meeting chaired by the managing editor where news editors
brainstorm about coverage of the day's developments
4 p.m. news meeting chaired by the editor-in-chief and the managing editor
where the desk editors pitch their best stories for page one
5:30 p.m. page one meeting in the editor-in-chief's office where the seven
page-one stories and accompanying photos are selected, immediately
followed by the front-page design meeting
Not included in this list are the The dayside copy desk editors selected in the evening, each of In most jobs, the day gets eas- tuning any stories they feel need
series of deadlines for copy that work throughout the day on copy the desk editors completes the ier as it goes on; in the newsroom improvement.
is edited throughout the day for for advanced sections and for planning of their respective sec- the pace picks up as the day goes So, for those working out of the
the non-news sections of the the feature sections of the daily tions, adding or eliminating sto- on and we move closer and newsroom, "fluid" is the best term
paper, for setting the color for in- paper that are less likely to be ries depending on the amount of closer to deadline. Being a to describe any given day. For the
dividual pages and for ensuring impacted by breaking news space available to them. They newsman is also a 24-hour-a-day, entire newspaper company
that copy flows at a steady pace events (for example, arts pages, are also working with the news 7-day-a-week job because you when does the day begin? Well, it
from the news department to the letters to the editor). desk on the layout and design of just never know when big news can begin at any time because it’s
production department all day Reporters are in and out of the the pages. The night editors on is going to happen. continual. So, let’s be arbitrary in
and up until the final deadlines. newsroom all day long on as- each desk are then charged with Desk editors begin planning looking at the newspaper as a
Desk editors or their deputies signment, meeting sources and bringing the whole thing to- for the next day before they leave whole and start at 8:30 a.m. with
are at their desks in the news- covering news events. They rou- gether on deadline. The assistant in the evening, looking over the the understanding that we can
room by 9:30 a.m., fielding calls tinely update their desk editors managing editor for production schedule of events in the day- present only snapshot examples
from reporters and checking on big news developments. The and the news editor are the key book and talking to reporters of what a day might look like for
the news wire services that managing editor and other sen- players from here on out. They about their coverage plans. those employees who help make
come into the company com- ior editors, meanwhile, are in- routinely check in with the edi- The editor in chief and the possible the daily miracle that
PAGE 9
puter system. They also con- teracting with desk editors, re- tor in chief or the managing ed- managing editor routinely check best describes the process of
tinue to monitor television news porters, graphics artists, itor in the event of big breaking in from home via computer, sign- turning blank pages into a news-
reporting and Web sites photographers and copy editors. news, particularly if it requires ing off on the front page after paper each day of the week.
throughout the day. After the page one stories are changes in the front page. changing any headlines and fine-
The DAILY Miracle
Design of a newspaper
GRAPHIC DESIGN In feature sections, graphics clude the size and style of fonts Within a newspaper, the de-
might be used to clarify infor- that will be used throughout the sign of the news section is dif-
Newspapers use graphics mation, but they also might be newspaper, the length of stories, ferent from the design of the en-
carefully. When used with news used to entertain or to make a use of boxes and rules, and spac- tertainment section. The size
articles, they are included to point. Caricatures, collages, and ing between elements. It is the and weight of headlines will dif-
make information more the size and style of type fonts overall design that establishes fer; usually, photos and other
comprehensible. Charts and are designed to convey informa- the feeling of the newspaper and graphics will be more promi-
graphs provide a quick and clean tion to readers. allows us to distinguish between nent in the paper’s entertain-
way to visualize what a story is In a larger sense, the graphics The Washington Times, the Wall ment section. The design of each
PAGE 11
trying to convey and they can department is responsible for a Street Journal, USA Today, the section should be appropriate to
reader’s first impression of the Washington Post, and other its content.
add detail and context. newspaper. Design choices in- newspapers.
The DAILY Miracle
A day in the life of a newspaper
Let’s now take a look at what’s going on in the rest of
the newspaper, and how that connects with the
activities of the newsroom. We’ll present this as a
representative schedule.
8:30 9:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 1:30 2:30 3:30 4:30 5:30 6:30 7:30
9:30 a.m.: 10:45 a.m.: 11:20 a.m.: 1:30 p.m.: The 1:32 p.m.: The 2:00 p.m.: 2:30 p.m.: 4:00 p.m.: In 4:00 p.m.: 5:30 p.m.: The
A reporter The general The building desk editor for copy editor A photographer Human the regular Final page editor in chief
receives a press manager that houses the features reads retrieves and in Iraq sends Resources afternoon news counts for the chairs the page
release along reviews a printing presses her reporter’s edits the story great photos to processes meeting, a main edition are one meeting,
with a 25-page proposal on experiences a story on on Adoption the photo editor, health benefits dozen stories decided and where the page
study from the how to increase 10-second loss adoptions, Day and writes who brings for three new are selected for locked in. one stories and
National the page views of power. makes a couple a headline: them to the employees. the front page, accompanying
Adoption Day and unique Emergency of changes “More women foreign news Buildings and out of 20 or more photos are
Coalition. She visitors to the generators are which she want to adopt; editor and the grounds staff presented for selected,
and her editor newspaper’s activated discusses with few do.” managing prepare for a consideration. immediately
decide to cover web site. automatically. the reporter, editor. weekend followed by the
the story. then places the cleaning the front-page
story in a folder floor-to-ceiling design meeting.
on the computer newsroom
network. windows.
Photographers
and a reporter
cover the news.
PAGE 12
The DAILY Miracle
A day in the life of a newspaper
Newspapers are printed
(left) and stacked in
bundles for delivery
vehicles.
10:10 p.m. –
12:40 a.m.:
Negatives are
sent from Pre-
Press to the
Plate Room. 12:00 a.m.: One or more presses
Deadlines for are rolling, and an extra press is
negatives of kept in reserve in case one goes
Final Edition down. 40,000 newspapers an hour
copy to be sent fly off the presses – in color! The
to the Plate 11:00 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.: The continuous sheet of newsprint
Room: one-star editions are printed. At passes through the presses faster 1:30 - 3:30
12:00 a.m. first, the presses run slowly so than the eye can see, across a.m.: The 2-
Metro Section pressmen can pull papers from the rubber rollers onto which images star Final
12:15 a.m. production line and check them to have been transferred from Edition
News Section be certain the colors are clear and aluminum plates. Each roller is newspapers roll
12:30 a.m. that print material, photos and inked with one of 4 colors – cyan, off the presses In the early morning hours,
Sports Section graphics are in alignment. They magenta, yellow, and black. Each and are loaded newspapers are delivered to 8:30 a.m.:
1:00 a.m. tweak the computers that control color is transferred to the newsprint onto trucks for customers at their homes Another day,
Final negatives the density of each color as each from the rollers in correct delivery to local and through coin boxes. another Daily
shipped. is applied to the newsprint. proportions. communities. Miracle .
8:30 9:30 10:30 11:30 12:30 1:30 2:30 3:30 4:30 5:30 6:30 7:30 8:30
10:30 p.m.: 11:45 p.m.: 12:30 a.m.: 12:56 - 2:36 a.m.: Copies of the 4:00 a.m.: The circulation director meets with news
Deadline for Trucks are Deadline for one-star edition are being trucked carriers in the field to thank them for having delivered
stories for the loaded with stories in the to distributors for delivery to home newspapers to homes and stores in the midst of
first edition. one-star final edition. subscribers. inclement weather.
editions for
delivery to
carriers and
distributors in
outlying areas.
PAGE 13
The press room is where the final newspaper product comes to life.
A DAILY Miracle
Design of a newspaper
Inside news pages use photos and graphics to Sports pages make dramatic use of action photography Feature pages use photography and illustrations to pull
communicate information in the most accessible manner. and statistical graphics to tell stories in a style that the reader into softer, more entertaining content.
Timelines, maps and charts are some of the graphic reflects the content, which is a combination of news and
tools used to communicate effectively with the reader. entertainment.
Vice-president are the two top elected leaders in the United States.
There are also 100 members of the Senate, 435 Members of Congress,
and 9 justices of the US Supreme Court.
The DAILY Miracle
Start the presses
Presses in the 18th and 19th centuries
were hand powered. Type was set by
hand, a roller inked the type, and single
pages were fed into a press by hand. This
labor-intensive process was tedious and
slow.
By the 1850s, technology made possi-
ble the mass production of newspapers
using presses powered by steam engines.
Type was still set by hand until the latter
part of the century with the introduction
of "linotype" machines that had keys like
those on a typewriter.
Presses older than 20 years are often
approaching the end of their expected life
cycles. These presses typically print
about 45,000 papers per hour and can
print full color on a select number of
pages.
Today’s state-of-the-art presses are far
more efficient than the ones they are re-
placing. They utilize computer-controlled
motors, operate more quietly, and require
far less maintenance because they have
fewer components.
New tower presses are manufactured
in a vertical configuration to save much-
needed floor space. They print about
80,000 papers an hour. The same press
can print on different size and weight pa-
pers simultaneously and can print full
color on each page.
MAN Roland is the world’s largest
manufacturer of newspaper presses. One
of every 3 newspaper presses in the world
is manufactured by this company. One of
its new presses is six stories tall and more
than two football fields long.
Digital printing is another printing in-
novation. Just as digital cameras are Pressmen check newspapers for color and alignment.
changing how we take, process, and ma-
nipulate photos, digital printing enables
presses to be smaller and controlled by with colored tape of various widths. order, they are sent electronically to the carrying the plates from the newsroom to
software. When the completed pages were ap- imagers. The imaging machines convert an offsite printing plant got a flat tire.
If we look into the distance, some fu- proved by an editor, they were taken to the the digital computer language to film,
turists are predicting that newspapers camera room, where they were placed on which is then taken to the plate room as
will be "custom-made." That is, newspa-
per subscribers will tell the newspaper
a glass-covered tray that tilted vertically
in front of a six-foot camera that looked
it was in the past. Press Room
what types of news coverage they want. like one your great-grandparents might When the plates are ready, pressmen
The newspaper will place in each person’s have used. The camera operator snapped Plate Room attach them to cylinders in the web
home a special printer and every day, the a picture and the full-sized broadsheet or presses — so called because of the way
newspaper will transmit a copy of that tabloid-page negatives were developed Printing plates are flexible, light-weightthe newsprint weaves through them.
day’s custom-made newspaper via the In- inside the camera and dried as they were aluminum sheets that are treated to be Web presses simultaneously print both
ternet. It will be designed to meet the cus- delivered to the adjoining stripping room sensitive to light, much like photographic sides of the continuous newsprint roll.
tomer’s specifications for news. Do you a few moments later, where workers cre- film. Before the plates can be used, a The presses are designed so that a new
think this might really ever happen? Well, ated a separate film for each of the pro- machine punches holes along the side,
guess what. Several leading world news- duction colors needed to create full-color roll falls into place when the previous
like the holes in composition paper. The roll is used up.
papers are participating in a test being co- pictures – cyan, magenta, yellow and plates are stacked inside a plate- making
ordinated by Personal News, a company black – CMYK. (Every color picture in The ink spreads over the plates. An
in the Munich-Augsburg area of your newspaper is produced from these machine, ready to slip into place when the electrical charge causes the ink to adhere
Germany. four colors and each color requires a sep- film is ready. to the copy. Images that are exposed in the
arate negative.) The films — negatives that will be used developing stage are transferred — back-
to print pages — are stacked on the edge wards — to a rubber blanket that stamps
Composing Room of the machine into which they will be fed the impression on the newsprint as it
The newspaper pages with final copy,
Pagination one-by-one, either automatically or man-
ually, depending on the machine.
speeds through the press. This process of
transferring ink from the plate to the
headlines and graphics are “composed” Copy and images are sent electronically When film enters the machine, a vac- blanket and from the blanket to newsprint
on a computer by page designers working to a paginator who lays out the pages on uum pulls it flat against the aluminum is called offset printing.
on the copy desk and in the editorial a computer and electronically sends them plate onto which a bright light burns the The entire process takes a fraction of a
graphics department. The process is to the composing room. There the pages image. The plate moves on a conveyor to second once the presses get rolling. Ad-
entirely electronic. are paired in the order in which they will a second machine that develops the image justing and testing make the process begin
be printed. This is different from putting and scrubs away the plate’s protective slowly, but the presses then begin running
In the old days — just a few years ago the pages in numerical order. film. When the image is fully developed, very fast. More impressive than mere
— once the copy was edited it went to the a conveyor feeds it into a final machine speed, each four-color picture is a com-
composing room. There men and women For example, take a look at the four that bends the edges where the holes posite of four pictures. The newsprint
used Exacto® knives to cut out articles pages of a single sheet of a newspaper. If have been punched. Then the plates are passes rapidly through cyan, magenta, yel-
they then "glued" in place on page boards, the page is pulled from a section that has ready to be "tied on" or "bent on" to the low and black presses to build a four color
which were full-sized sheets of graph 20 pages, you will see that pages 1 and 20 printing press. picture in the blink of an eye. The precision
paper. They used hot wax to place the ar- — the first and last pages — are paired or At some newspapers, pages are trans- required to print four perfectly registered
PAGE 16
ticles and images onto the correct pages. "married" to each other. They are printed mitted directly from the computers to the pictures — along with all the other pages
The wax held them in place and allowed as one sheet. In like manner, pages 2 and presses. That’s a far cry from the days that are cut and folded in less than a sec-
the compositors to reposition them as 19 are printed together as are pages 3 and when customers would receive their morn- ond — is an exceptional feat of technology.
necessary. Borders or rules were created 18, 4 and 17 etc. When the pages are in ing paper 45 minutes late because the van
The DAILY Miracle
Distributing to the customer
What happens to newspapers
after they are printed? They are without any newspaper in their porters are busy at their jobs,
homes have no idea what they and the advertising sales ac-
strapped in bundles and taken to are missing, not only locally but count executives, circulation and
loading bays where trucks wait nationally and around the world. financial managers, and press
to carry them to their If you have a friend who doesn’t operators are busy at theirs, the
destinations. have a newspaper delivered to company needs to make sure
Presses often start running the house every day, try to talk to that their computers and cell
between 11:00 and 11:30 p.m. By your friend’s parents about how phones are up-to-date and work-
about 11:40, the first bundles are important a daily newspaper is ing, that the building is main-
being loaded for outlying areas. to your friend’s overall educa- tained properly, that the cafete-
The destinations farthest away tion. Perhaps you can make a dif- ria provides healthy and tasty
are shipped first. All of the 1-star ference. food, and that all personnel is-
editions are on their way by Information on the Newspa- sues are handled well.
about 1:15 a.m. (One or two stars per in Education program is
in the folio of the cover identifies available by calling your local Newspapers and information
the edition. The word "FINAL" newspaper. companies can be very profitable.
appears above the last edition of In the entire U.S., the total
the morning.) amount of money spent each year
The pressmen make any
changes that have come from
FINANCIAL to advertise in newspapers is
the newsroom since the first run SERVICES around $45 billion.
started, and the 2-star edition The largest newspaper group
starts rolling off the presses at Newspapers are loaded onto waiting trucks and vans and for delivery. Managing money is a key part in the country in terms of circu-
about 1:45 a.m. By 3:30 a.m., all of any business. A newspaper’s lation is the Gannett Company.
the newspapers are on their way. chief financial officer is Their 99 daily newspapers have
Sunday newspapers are usu- responsible for handling the a combined daily paid circula-
ally much larger than weekday When the newspapers reach country recognize the educa- company’s finances, typically tion of 7.6 million, which resulted
editions, because of more ad- their intended regions, they are tional value of newspapers. They reporting directly to the in $7.4 billion in earnings in
vertising and additional features. delivered to distributors or car- participate in Newspaper in Ed- president or to the general 2004. Besides its daily newspa-
riers. Some newspapers are ucation (NIE) programs, where manager. pers, its businesses include
placed in stores, others in coin schools receive sponsored or re- many weekly publications, 21
CIRCULATION racks and still others are deliv- duced rate newspapers for use in
ered to homes, schools, hospitals, language arts, social studies, sci-
Companies follow standard
accounting procedures and fi-
television stations, more than
130 web sites, the Gannett News
The Circulation Division is hawkers (people who stand on ence, math, character education nancial practices, managing Service, and Gannett Offset, a
responsible for all sales of the street corners selling the news- and a wide variety of other sub- money and preparing reports commercial printing operation.
newspaper. Circulation is critical papers) and hotels. jects and programs. that show where the newspaper The Tribune Company owns
to a newspaper’s success In addition to delivering the NIE improves student liter- is making money and where it is 14 daily newspapers including
because advertising rates are newspaper, circulation also acy. In Measuring Success, a re- spending it, how much money it the Chicago Tribune, Newsday,
linked to a newspaper’s seeks to increase readership by port commissioned by the News- has to pay bills, and how much the (Baltimore) Sun, and the Los
readership. The more readers a undertaking campaigns that use paper Association of America and when money is coming into Angeles Times. Tribune also has
telemarketing, direct mail ad- (NAA) Foundation, Prof. Daniel the company through advertis- broadcast holdings that include
newspaper has, the more it can vertising, special promotions, Sullivan of the University of Min- ing, newspaper sales, and other 25 TV stations, cable network
charge to advertise in its pages. rack cards, and kiosk sales. This nesota found: "When controlling means. WGN, stakes in the WB Televi-
Paperboys used to be the most requires familiarity with the de- for other factors, data suggest A company also must operate sion Network and the TV Food
visible circulation department mographic make-up of the mar- that having an NIE program for according to a budget or spend- Network. It also owns the
employees, throwing newspa- ket and how the many sections of at least some classrooms at a ing plan, and make wise pur- Chicago Cubs baseball team and
pers from their bicycles to sub- the newspaper meet each per- school will increase the overall chasing decisions in order to get has numerous Internet invest-
scribers’ front doors. Then girls son’s individual needs. performance of the school, on av- the best price and quality for its ments. Revenue in 2004 was $5.7
started taking newspaper routes. Circulation is also responsible erage, by about 10 percent." The money when buying everything billion. Except for the Los Angles
Now, at most big newspapers, for handling all of the needs of complete report is available on- from newsprint to food for the Times, profit margins at news-
adult route carriers throw news- our customers through the Sub- line at http://www.naafounda- employee cafeteria. papers owned by the Tribune
papers from their cars or vans scriber Services Department. If tion.org/pdf/measure suc- Company average close to 30%.
before most of us are out of bed subscribers want to start, stop, or cess10.pdf The Los Angeles Times margins
in the morning. report a service issue, they con- Janet Eichenberg, a teacher at
The director of a circulation tact this department. Customers John Wright Middle School, par-
SERVICE are lower.
Knight Ridder is the 3rd
department plans how to main- can speak directly with a live ticipates in the NIE program. DEPARTMENTS largest owner of newspapers in
tain and increase the newspa- representative, use an automated She says: “The newspaper is a the U.S. The company’s newspa-
per’s circulation. He is respon- voice response system, or send great learning tool that is used Some jobs at a newspaper are per division has 32 dailies and
sible for providing newspapers information via the Internet. daily in my homeroom, language needed to support the work of more than 24 non-daily newspa-
for special events and promo- arts and reading classes.” everybody involved directly in pers. Knight Ridder describes it-
tions; coin rack placement, re- “Several of my students take creating and sustaining the self as "a communications com-
pair, and maintenance; street
hawkers; route carriers; their
NEWSPAPERS the paper home with them on a
daily basis. They understand that
newspaper. pany engaged primarily in
newspaper and Internet pub-
managers and supervisors; back IN EDUCATION reading a newspaper daily will Two examples of this support lishing." Revenue in 2004 was $3
issues; data entry; and customer make them a life-long learner.” role are computer services and billion.
service. Many schools around the Young people who grow up facilities management. While re-
More than 55 million Newsprint, the Two hundred Nearly eight in 10 57% of men and 52%
Did you know? people purchase a uncoated low-cost paper newsprint mills worldwide adults (78.6%) in the top of women in the U.S. read
There are 1,456 daily newspaper each day in on which a newspaper is produce nearly 40 million 50 U.S. markets read a a daily newspaper
newspapers in the U.S. the U.S. printed, is made from tons of newsprint a year. newspaper during the
wood pulp and recovered The largest mill in the course of a week
There are 6,580 daily 395 million people fiber from recycled paper world is in Japan.
newspapers worldwide purchase a newspaper More than half of all
worldwide on any given adults (53.4%) in the top
day 50 markets read a daily
newspaper every
weekday
PAGE 17
The DAILY Miracle
Newspapers are a business
who advocate a position or are
ADVERTISING trying to persuade a course of Newspaper marketing de-
partments want to increase the
action by government or the
The advertising sales staff public. number of readers, and provide
seeks to develop lasting services that support the news-
relationships with those who Businesses, lobbying groups, paper’s advertising sales efforts.
advertise in the newspaper. nonprofit organizations, watch- Marketing department em-
Working hard and emphasizing dog groups and many others ployees research current reader
mutually beneficial relationships regularly place advocacy ad- trends and preferences. Busi-
vertising in the paper to per- ness and editorial management
is part of the company’s culture. suade Congress, the president, then analyze research informa-
It’s also a good business state legislators, the public and tion. Market-driven newspapers
practice, because advertising even foreign nations of their po- respond to reader preferences
plays such a key role in a sitions. within the context of the paper’s
newspaper’s ability to succeed. overall direction and identity.
Let’s work some numbers: It The marketing department
costs about 40¢ to 50¢ just for
the newsprint and delivery of
INTERNET then designs ad campaigns,
using such methods as radio and
each newspaper. This does not ADVERTISING television ads, bus and billboard
include the cost of salaries, Subscriber and advertiser information is kept in computer posters, and rack cards to at-
computers, printing presses, or databases to provide efficient and timely service. The Internet provides another tract people to the newspaper
any of the other steps in the source of revenue for and, hopefully, to gain more reg-
publishing process. newspapers as they build Web ular readers.
No matter how many news- billion. The $44.9 billion spent advertising by local merchants sites to complement their print A strong brand identity helps
papers a publisher sells, he is on advertising in newspapers that runs throughout a attract peoples’ attention.
newspaper.
publications.
not going to get rich when each that year was roughly 18.3% of
newspaper sells for 25¢ to 50¢ all ad expenditures. Retail advertising rates vary Sometimes newspapers offer
and it costs 40¢ to 50¢ to print!
Fortunately, newspapers are an
Ads are so important to a
newspaper’s revenue that when
according to the paper’s circu-
lation, the size of the ad, its po-
banners or links to advertisers
instead of using actual ads on
Researching The
efficient and cost-effective way
for retailers to reach a great
the newspaper is laid out each
day, the advertising is placed
sition in the newspaper, the
number of times it is scheduled
their Web sites. Although Inter-
net advertising may be less than
Market
number of people. first, while allowing a certain to run and whether or not the ad 5% of a newspaper’s gross rev- It’s important to know your
Revenue from advertising is amount of space for news con- is black and white or color. Ads enues, it can represent nearly customer. Marketing
what makes newspapers afford- tent. The space that remains for typically make up 50-75% of a half of a newspaper’s advertis- departments at newspapers are
able to a mass audience of read- news, information and opinion newspaper’s content. The ing growth, according to an responsible for identifying
ers. Advertising costs in elec- is called the news hole. amount of advertising deter- April 2005 annual survey by general information about adults
tronic media that reach millions mines how many pages will be Borrell Associates. in the region they serve and
of people are too expensive for in the newspaper on any given Borrell projects local online about the people who read the
most regional and local retailers.
But retailers know through long
CLASSIFIED day. advertising to increase by 51%
over the previous year, when newspaper. The information is
experience that advertising in ADVERTISING NATIONAL newspapers generated about used to inform editors about
reader preferences and to design
newspapers brings them results. $1.7 billion from their Internet
Most people think of
Account executives (AEs) sell
advertising space. They consult classified ads as a place to look ADVERTISING operations. ads and focus circulation on
people most likely to subscribe.
with and develop relationships when they need a job or want to
National advertising consists
with advertisers and, as an in- sell something. Yet classified ads of ads run by organizations with Newspapers contract with in-
centive, usually receive sales
commissions in addition to their
have many purposes. a national or regional presence MARKETING dependent research companies
for such studies. Scarborough
salaries. On smaller papers, Classified ads appear in a spe- that generally advertise in many What do you suppose is the Research specializes in media
AEs sometimes work only on cially designated section and newspapers and markets. The average age of newspaper and lifestyle research.
commissions, which might be are arranged by category, or advertising may originate at readers?
classification, for automobiles, company headquarters located
up to 20% of the cost of the ad to
the advertiser. real estate, job recruitment and hundreds of miles away, and the If you are 17, triple your age Marketing
Sometimes the advertiser or
their advertising agency de-
so on. Classified ads run either same ad run in many
as display ads (airy ads with publications.
and you’ll be close to the right
answer – which is 53. Those who
Art/Graphics
signs the ads; sometimes graphics and headlines) or obtain their news off of the In- Many newspapers have two
graphic artists in the newspa- "liner" ads (just a few lines of ternet are much younger. separate graphics departments
per’s marketing department do type). Both versions are classi- And many people use both
this. Whoever designs them, it is fied ads, along with legal no- ADVOCACY newspapers and the Internet for
— one that works with the news-
room and another that is part of
important for the advertiser to
be happy with the results.
tices and personal ads.
ADVERTISING the news.
Such information is very im- advertising and marketing.
There are three categories of A sub-category of national portant for a newspaper. It tells Marketing graphics designs
advertising: retail, classified,
and national. In 2003, spending
RETAIL advertising is advocacy the business and editorial man-
agement that younger readers
display ads and any art or de-
sign projects that do not fall to
advertising which, as the name
on retail ads was $21.3 billion,
on classified ads $15.8 billion,
ADVERTISING implies, is advertising by
need to be attracted at the same
time that older readers need to
the news department.
and on national advertising $7.8 Retail advertising is display organizations or even individuals continue to be satisfied.
A roll of newsprint May 3 is World Press The original Hardy The oldest American
Newspaper weighs nearly a ton. A
are used every year. We
don’t have enough cows Freedom Day. Boys novels were ghost newspaper still in
Facts mid-size newspaper may
use 40-50 rolls a day.
for that many Quarter-
Pounders. In 2004, 71 journalists
written by Leslie McFarlane
(as Franklin W. Dixon), who
circulation is the Hartford
Courant (then The
The cost of printing That’s as heavy as an M-1 were killed.2 worked at the Springfield Connecticut Current)
and delivering a Abrams Main Battle Tank The United States (Mass.) Republican. founded in 1764.
newspaper is usually (or 320,000-400,000 has about 1,450 daily 99.4% of all retailers __________
more than the purchase Quarter-Pounders – newspapers and 6,700 consider the newspaper Newspapermen who 1 Newspaper Association of America
2 World Association of Newspapers
3 Mike McDaniels,
price. before cooking). weeklies. their primary advertising became noteworthy BusinessKnowledSource.com
medium.3 novelists include Sinclair
55% of homebuyers American More than 55% of Lewis; Ernest Hemingway;
PAGE 18
use the newspaper to find newspapers use more newspaper readers have Theodore Dreiser; F. Scott
a new home.1 than ten million metric some post-secondary Fitzgerald; and Samuel
tons (eleven million short school education. Clemons, writing as Mark
or U.S. tons) of newsprint Twain.
How to Read A Newspaper, By Walter Cronkite
I’ll never forget the newspaper story. It just reports includes opinion. So it should
quotation hanging in Edward the news. It doesn’t try to slant be – and usually is – carefully
R. Murrow’s CBS office. It was it. And it gives you both sides of labeled as such. It’s generally