Tips on creating a news team

I think Melissa Ludtke's idea of news being a "germ" is a helpful way to think about online media. The whole idea that a news story is a growing, living thing that goes through a cycle and is passed from reader to reader is crucial to understanding how to harness a readership. In some of my classes we've discussed the idea that a news story, due to online media, is a never ending process. It no longer is finished because online readers can constantly read it, comment on it and add to its content. Media outlets that understand this will be able to utilize the numerous "clickers" and "eye balls." In my news team I would use this information to create a user-friendly comment option that would allow a story to grow and spread like a "germ."
In Mark Brigg's article I at first had a hard time understanding what he meant by "Markets are conversations," but then he talked about news being a "conversation" and that seemed to connect more with me. Like the idea of a germ, creating a media site that allows readers to take part in that "conversation" is key in gaining back the trust journalism has lost according to Briggs. I completely agree with the idea that a relative, local blog is more affective than a giant corporate news site and have even toyed with the idea of starting one in my own small community. "Social capital" is a good way to look at it in terms of gaining back the trust of the readers by being more transparent and willing to listen to what they want to read about. Launching a niche site as suggested is also a successful way to maximize a target audience for advertisers. I also have to agree, though, with the student who felt this idea felt more like business school than journalism. I understand, that sadly, journalism must be thought of as a business in order for it to survive.
In Vivian Vahlberg's article I was happy to read that other young people felt the same as I do. I've always felt a little out of place when teachers and classmates talk about "new media." I use the Internet to get my news but still use only traditional site because that is who I trust, and I think watching video online most time is a waste of time. I think the idea of "too much" is interesting and it would be a good suggestion to any media organization I would be creating. Keeping a site mainstream, stories short and not too much text all over the place would increase young readership among those not as news savy.
In Edward Roussel's article I thought the idea of "plug into a network" could be a useful one. Many Gannet papers, including the Ithaca Journal are using this practice to beef up their Web sites by tapping into stories posted by larger Gannett papers. Most of the other ideas I covered in the content above, but it is also important to remember his advice about having people who run the ship so to speak, be on board (I love all those cliches in one sentence!) with online media.
Katie King brings up twittering and how useful it is. I have to agree, just recently I joined the constant updating network, and I think news organzations should use it more often. I like how she mentions the fight between bloggers and journalists. I think that in order for a online media outlet to be successful journalists must become bloggers -- all of them.
In the final article I think the most important thing I could apply to my Web site is personalization. As it points out, GoogleNews has already figured out how to allow readers to make their own news sites, this is something that could be succcessful.

New Blog -- News Editing!

So from here on out Lindsey's take will be about news editing and no longer issues in the news.

I really liked the Post's article "On Copy Editing." It reminded me of my summer internship at the Albany Times Union. I shared a desk with one of the copy editors because we worked opposite hours. On Mondays I was lucky enough to meet and talk with the copy editor that sat next to my desk when I stayed later. To be honest, before then I really didn't know what a copy editor did. But He would talk to me and point out things that he noticed in my writing. Like any "jargon" that he caught, as mentioned in the article, and explained how to stay away from that in my own writing. The ending made me smile because it reminded me of how he once described his job as a copy editor. He said, "Lindsey, you have to be a dark human being to do this job. We work at night and obsess over things that normal human beings never notice. And we never get credit but always get blamed." I think as a student journalist every intern should sit with the copy editors.
I had actually never heard of the term "slot man" and didn't realize that such a seating arrangement was used. It's a little confusing though, was the "slot man" the actual copy editor and sat in the middle so the "rim men" could hand him stories? I would assume so but still...
In "How Can I Become a Copy Editor" I thought the advice about pursuing other majors to have a leg up over other journalists without a specialty was good. I've been thinking about that more and more. I also completely agreed with what the author wrote about getting experience on a college paper and internship. I've learned more in those experiences than I have in any classroom.
In the last reading I noticed another point that was brought up earlier about how some copy editors write the headlines. At The Ithacan editors write headlines for their own section, but I noticed at my internship that the copy editors were doing the dirty, awful job of headline writing (how many hours can one stare at a screen willing that headline to just be one letter shorter to fit!) I also liked the explanation of what a proofreader does, we also have one at the school paper and once I made the mistake of assuming they did the same thing...not polite or professional!