Wow, I'm a real journalist (Last report)

Readers -

This is the last post of my blog before I give the presentation to the Independent Study Board.

The post before hand truly reflects all of my feelings towards this year and so far my skills have excelled. I made my first Indesign page in the September print edition of the Courant and it was very successful. The team has been working to motivate participating from the school which has been working out well.

My last column and article were in the September 3rd edition of the New Canaan News. Here are some edits that I noticed on the article:

Headline Title changed to "Dog Days: A fun-filled summer day for dogs in New Canaan"

A new paragraph was started after " ... competition with her 'baby,' Rosie." with "Although"

Spelling of dockson to dachshund

I had 5 photos in the paper as well.

1). A girl in the family resemblance competition

2). Man kissing dog

3). Husband and wife with the little puppy

4). Girl who had her face painted

5). Puppy in a pool

All of them were clear and colorful.

I don't believe that I mentioned this before at any point, but I received a complaint from a New Canaan Resident about my lifeguarding column. You see, my Dad has a slag term for a jerk which is 'Buttafuco' which some woman thought was a slag term for Italians. She expected me to write an apology to the whole Italian community of New Canaan. My EIC told her that it is my column and that I can write whatever I want and also that she was not offended by the comment for she is an Italian as well, and because I explained what the word meant that I really meant no harm. She also said that I am an intern and that I am 17 and didn't mean for it to be offensive. The woman insisted on me writing an apology - but it's freedom of speech.

Ashley forwarded me the email. She wrote:

It's official - you're a journalist! You received your first complaint!

I just thought it meant the person was arrogant. I described it in the column as someone "who is from the Jersey Shore"

Later when I actually talked to my Dad and Step Mom about it I found out this:

The word describes Joey Buttafuco - the guy who's mistress was Amy Fisher, yeah Amy shot Joey's wife. He would take her on his cigarette boat and speed around Long Island. That has nothing to do with Italian heritage.

At the moment, I am debating whether or not to write a letter to the editor telling her how silly she is for writing that note to my EIC when really it had nothing to do with her anyway.

Overall, I've talked to a lot of people about my column this summer - a ton of people liked it. When I was lifeguarding, one of our favorite attendee's father asked me if I was Sara and then proceeded to tell me that he liked my column about lifeguarding. I was so embarrassed, but it was really cool. He told me that a lot of people read it. Many of my friend's parents have also told me that they liked the column as well.

I was invited back next year to intern and if I can't do that full time I was invited to be a freelance writer. Also, I might do a column for them during the school year once I figure out my schedule. Honestly, I miss it a lot and loved working for them. As a whole, it was a great experience and made me realize how much I really do love writing and meeting new people. Also, I don't mind office life - in the long run I'll be okay!

It is the end of a summer -- Summer in the City, Summer in New Canaan.

Time to work on being a leader.

Thank you for following, this is my last report.

Out of the news room - this is Sara McCloskey officially signing off.

(Totally tally of hours including 6 hours for Dog Days, 3 hours for poster and working on presentation, 1 hours for writing this post: 72 hours interning for my independent study. )

My last official day...

Onlookers,

Today is my last day in the news room before school begins. Throughout the day, I edited pieces in the paper which will be published tonight. In between edits, I have looked at the articles and stories for this upcoming year for the Courant and feel completely confident looking at everything and making little nit picky edits from AP Style Guide. Not only that, but I have come up with many ideas for the next school year pertaining to editing and integrating the print medias.

Some ideas:

1). When the print comes out, have the first featured (first article seen - biggest one) article of nchscourant.com be the same article that is on the front page of the print.

2). Pay more attention to the type of article (conversational v. informative) to create an appropriate headline. 

3). Create comprehensive check lists for editors and reporters which integrates AP Style Guide and Strunk & White into the curriculum (reference them in the check list so people understand where the idea is coming from and then they are indirectly reading those publications in general) 

4). Photos in all media must be clear, active, and colorful - always use the same image for a story in all medias. (Also when publicizing it.) 

Most importantly: let all reporters and editorial staff flourish - lead them in the right direction and then let them create. 

On Aug. 29, I will be taking photos and writing an article as a follow up to Dog Days of Summer. 

What I plan to take photos of:

- Owners and pets participating in events such as 'doggie duets' and 'family resemblance'

- Children playing at the Toddlertime nursery school and Let's Dress Up activities 

- Doggie massages 

- People taking packages from venders

- Dogs in general 

- People getting food from venders

- Speakers giving demonstrations during their talks

My column did not make it in the paper this week because of space. I also need to edit it a little more in general (rushed it a little bit and didn't completely feel confident when I sent it out.) 

So last day in the office.

Last time reporting from the New Canaan News, News Room.

Sara McCloskey has signed out. (after editing for a few more hours)

(7 hours in office, 2 hours writing column) 

Dog Days of Summer Article

This past week (Aug. printing 21st) I wrote an article called "Chamber lets the dogs out in New 'Canine'" about the dog days of summer. That article itself went on the bottom of the front page that day. Here is the over view for edits:

Questions:

Originally asked basic questions on how dog days of summer began and what's going on this year. Ashley added other questions that: focused on the 'family friendliness' of the event and the change of location. Also, I specifically asked about how and why specific speakers/ venders will participate in the event.

After the article was written - going by AP Style Guide:

PR should be spelt out: Public Relations

co-chair: co-chairwoman/man

Numerical numbers 1 to 10, above those numbers - spell out

Spell out 'percent' instead of using '%'

Ellipses: word (Space)...(Space). Word of new sentence

Style of New Canaan News:

No Mr. or Ms. - just last name.

Information not in the lead (ex. Aug. 29th from 1 to 4) - the lead needs to be 'cute' to grab people into the article. Also, it should be conversational because the event itself is meant to be fun.

Instead of using the word 'previously' to start a sentence use 'the first.' In general, use transitions often in new paragraphs.

Hit enter so a quote stands alone when framing them.

Later on, I will be taking photos of this event.

In the past year, I really have only written three articles this being my fourth. I felt very confident with my finished product. It was intimidating speaking to adults about their business and professions, but overall I was able to get good quotes for the article and successfully frame quotes with out bias. After writing this and reflecting on my question asking skills, I feel more confident looking for good quotes in articles and understanding how it would be difficult for a first year journalism student to come up with questions. Also, I can totally understand why a student would be intimidated by a teacher or any other adult while interviewing. I literally felt like I was back in J-liz 1 while interviewing, but when you interview more often you get more comfortable with it. Overall, because I had to take a step back and go on interviews instead of just edit articles - I can understand and remember how hard it is to put together an article. This will help me next year because I will be more understanding with first year students and can advise them with issues pertaining to interviewing and nerves.

Full Article

This week I came in on Monday and I started to work on a full article about an event happening soon. I have had to play phone tag to contact people for the past three days and will officially complete the article later today. Once it is published there will be a ton more to share.

While here Monday I also wrote another column. Ashley (EIC) looked it over and I will give critique once published. 

Live from the News Room,

this is Sara McCloskey signing out

(5 hours Monday, 3 hours at home, 7 hours in office today) 

Learning about integration

While reading the paper and looking online for New Canaan News, I noticed how the front page article and the headline stories are always the same (Scott Deicas story). Also, the primaries were on the front page of the August 6th edition and the updated version was on the front page online since the outcomes occurred (located in the news box). 

Also, for columns: in the paper they cover a whole few pages because there is a ton of room. The same articles are online and are updated in the opinion's box. This box method allows specific articles and stories to be highlighted for that given day. Also underneath the box other recent stories are listed. The listing method allows for the catchiness of the headline to grab readers. For the past few years, our staff has been trying to work on headlines and specifically how to make them stronger. Working with a listing formating system would help our staff to understand how important headlines are in both print and online media. This also allows for more content to be seen by viewers. 

Letters to the editor: 

From the school's hated database (wikipedia) I found a definition for what a letter to the editor is. It is "a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication." Sure, I understood that at first glance but the thing is - they are extremely powerful and readers take them very seriously. There were vicious arguments through letters to the editor attacking other writers in response to their views. Also, along with the 'critical' or 'praising' aspect of the letters - they can clarify when a person is misquoted which is similar to our commenting feature on the nchscourant.com. Power in the written word and freedom of speech. 

Formating wise: New Canaan News has the online version in the logo itself and does not refer letters to it's online edition as ONLINE (in the logo, it does in the web address). Also, sometimes without referring to an article there will be a "NewCanaanNewsOnline.com" at the bottom of a page. Advertising without being extremely obvious.

Looking out for more integration tools.

Still Live from the New Canaan News - News Room,

Sara McCloskey

(8 hours for all of today)

Fourth of July Photos: Why they were specifically picked.

Seven photos were picked for the Fourth of July spread on Page A3 of the July 9th edition of New Canaan News. Belinda Stasiukiewicz, the calendar manager, explained to me why these specific photos were chosen. Here's a summary of what she said paraphrased:

" There needs to be a dominant photo and the photo of the flag was prominent so I made bigger. All of the photos are clear and fit together. The kids were picked because it showed what people were doing. fireworks were bright and colorful - we always like to have bright and colorful photos with a lot of action. Also the shape of the photos helped me choose which ones would work. What you're trying to find are a bunch of clear and colorful pictures which all fit together well with the space on the page. "

What I need to look for in good photos:

- A strong focal point on the page when there are a bunch of photos

- Clarity: fuzzy isn't great

- Action

- Color / Brightness

- Shape created when the photos are together (atheistically pleasing) 

- What fits on the page

Catching all of you up.

Hello readers,

For the past few weeks I have been away at a pre-college program, but I have still been working on a few things for New Canaan News.

One: Fourth of July photographs.

These photos needed to tell a story of what was going on with New Canaanites and the events going around. I walked around taking pictures and actually ended up getting a few shots of the fireworks themselves. 

First off: I went to the play area. There were a ton of kids and parents around and I tried to get shots with a ton of people in them so everyone could see how crowded it was.

Second: The band. The band plays every single year and I tried to incorporate visual interest by capturing not only the conductor, but the American flag. Around them were a ton of people sitting and eating their dinners with yet another American Flag. 

Lastly: I was able to snap photos of the actual fireworks which was amazing because I have never been able to do that before! 

The photos used on Page A3 of the July 9th edition of the New Canaan used consisted of all of these: mostly the fireworks. In total there are seven photos all taking up one page. 

*This might be interesting to do next year with the paper because online has so many slideshows. If we were able to put a huge event on one page (if space allowed) it would be very interesting and would break up the texts well. Later on I will be discussing why these photos were chosen with Ashley and see why they these seven were better than the rest (I took probably fifty to choose from so this will be interesting.) 

My Toy Story article did not come together very well. The quotes were not strong enough because my question asking was very basic and it was difficult to get a good story out of it. Because of this, I ended up reading a book over vacation called: The NPR (National Public Radio) Interviews 1994 edited by Robert Siegel. Even though this is radio reporting, it was interesting for me to see the kinds of answers specific questions would draw out of people. Also, it helped me to see how to incorporate research into question asking. (I have executed similar things in previous articles, but I needed a little check up after my Toy Story fail.) 

One good example:

Liana Hansen's interview with Joe Franklin on August 1,1993

Hansen had gone through some previous interviews that Franklin had done with other people [Montel Williams] on his own show and used that information to interview him.

'Hansen: You asked Montel Williams, who now does his own dailey show. You asked him what he thought the role of a talk show host was in these days and how much influence a talk show host could have. I want to ask you the same question. What do you think the role of a talk show host is? How, maybe, that role has changed over the years." 

With the Toy Story article: I should've gone through and found memorable quotes about 'growing up' or other main themes in the movie and used that to ask people questions. Then the question would be more specific.

In the end, I turned that article into an opinions' piece which did not run because of complications and much editing. (getting a critique later) 

On the note of opinions' and columns - I started a column about my summer in the city which on part ran on August 6th 'to my fellow commuters'. Things that were edited were mainly technical: No. 1 instead of Number one. (Once again I will be receiving a critique later.) 

Live from the News Room,

Sara 

(Toy Story: 7 hours including interviews, writing, and movie itself, Fourth of July: 4 hours, Column 1: 2 hours, Column 2: 2 hours, NPR: 10 hours) 

End of the first day

Onlooker(s),

By the end of my first official day I edited many pages for the publication which will come out on Friday. 

From Ashley's suggestion, I am going to look up the AP Associated Press Stylebook. This is pretty much the NCNews' Bible, I think that everyone has a copy. 

What I edited today:

columns (paid a lot of attention to Mr. Turpin's because.. well I can't tell you because that would be breaching the press..)

letters to the editor (feisty letters)

obituaries (formating them.)

press releases (a ton)

articles (news)

I also looked at the formating of the layout and had to make sure lines matched up. 

I referenced Strunk and White a lot. Mainly the same pages as before. 

Still working on interviews for Toy Story and the opinions piece. Looking for good references on that and will report back with links on a further date. 

Reporting live from the New Canaan News - news room,

Sara McCloskey

(5 Hours)

Image Citation

http://publicrelationsmatters.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/ap_stylebook_cover.jpg

Toy Story 3: article or opinions?

At the moment, I am working on a story or opinions piece on Toy Story 3. Next year, I need to write Editorials which must have tone and express the views of the editorial staff. In the past year, I didn't do to much writing with tone - I didn't do to much writing in general, I just edited piece after piece.

I realized that my basic questions were totally going to cut it to get some meat for this article.

Here are my first ones that I brainstormed before going to the movie:

1). Did you see the original?
2). Which do you like more? Why?
3). Do you see children's movies often? If not, why did you see this one?
4). Did you like the ending?

During the movie, I came up with these ones.

5). Do you feel that the movie is directed more to teens and young adults? If so, explain.
6). (As a babysitter..because I set up an interview with a college student who was baby sitting) Do yo prefer to take the kids to a movie that you have some kind of connection to, since it was popular during your childhood?
7). Did the movie appeal to you more since Andy(the kid in the movie) was getting older and moving away from home?
8). (If in college or in the process of going to college) Did you have to go through a similar process when you went off to college?

Personally, I am quick question asker - when I am in the zone and talking to someone I can come up with questions on the fly which tend to be more personal. This is because I take what their previous response was and tend to ask more questions about what they said.

At the moment, I am still in the interview process. After seeing the movie, I ended up writing a little opinions piece about the story and my perspective on it. I was able to incorporate my voice into it and that may end up being better since I'm not completely sure where these interviews will take me. I went through and dogeared a few pages in Strunk and White that helped me through it. Pages: 23 Omit needless words, 3-6 Commas. Possibly, if lay out permits and the opinions piece works - I can insert some of the quotes of teenagers and young adults at the bottom of the column.

In the office today I went through and edited / typed up a letter to the editor where I fixed some grammar [commas for long sentences]. Mostly with letters to the editor, (Ashley said) only fix glaring grammar issues. Also, I worked on formating and editing Obituaries - died, p.m., facts on services, grammar, etc.

More copy editing to come today.

Write back soon,

Sara

When I start

Hello everyone,

My name is Sara McCloskey and I am interning at New Canaan News during this summer. During the course of the summer I will be interning with New Canaan News which will officially begin August 1st, but I will be doing freelance work throughout July. At this internship, I will be writing articles, taking photographs, and working in two different forms of media: print and online. I have taken Journalism I, II, and III as my electives in high school. My first year, I worked as a reporter on the Rampage, which was the original online newspaper. This year, [Journalism II] I became the Managing Editor for the Courant Online, which launched this year and won the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s 2010 Scholastic Silver Crown for High School Online News Paper. This coming year, I will be one of three Editor-in-Chiefs for the Courant. My reasoning for participating in this internship and Independent Study is to broaden my media capabilities so I can be a strong leader next year for the Courant as our staff tries to integrate print and online reporting.

One of the main events that I will be covering is the 4th of July celebration. For this, I am planning on taking photos and working on putting together a comprehensive slideshow / spectacular photos for the paper.

Also, I have bought the book "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White which will help me with grammar while I write / copyedit for articles. This book was suggested by my Editors - in - Chief this year and I will be referencing it through out the summer




.

Reporting back soon,

Sara McCloskey

(2 Hours: setting up blog, mission statement, reading S&W)

Image Citation

http://wicknews.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/514b109m2pl.jpg