all i need to know about journalism

By Bradley Wilson, Ph.D.

bradleywilson08@gmail.com bradleywilsononline.net

@bradleywilson09

#jdayinva2014

By Bradley Wilson, Ph.D. Midwestern State University bradleywilson08@gmail.com

All I really need

to know I learnedin journalism

Make every word count. Keep it simple.

Provide context. Lead with the good

stuff. Write killer headlines. People

make things interesting. Headlines

“sell.” Graphics expand the story.

Consider the reader. Teamwork

counts. � Presentation matters.

Readers notice in con sis tencies. A

pica is a perfectly legitimate unit

of measurement. If you bend a pica

pole back too far it will recoil and

hit you in the face. The soundbite

is powerful. When you’re getting

ready to give a long-winded

explanation or commentary, stop

and think that all of that can

be mentally edited down to 10

seconds or less. � Being clear and

concise helps others understand

me. Working as a team makes the job easier....AND more

fun. Knowing the audience helps to tell a story that will mean something to them.

Being transparent ensures people will believe me. Following the law keeps me out

of trouble. Applying ethics means I think about what I SHOULD do. Never use

the word really. Really. � Accuracy matters. Everyone works better with snacks

at hand. There is always another side to any story. Learn how to write a sentence.

Stand up in the face of “power.” Think critically. Always tell the truth. Check,

recheck (and check it again) to make sure it is correct. Place the most important

things at the front (of your life). Never ass-u-me. � If you’re being shot at, cars

really do go just as fast in reverse, despite everything your mother, father, brother

or mechanic told you. Truth is more important than anything. Consider the

source. Never ask a question that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Late is a nasty word. What happens in the newsroom stays in the newsroom.

� Never unplug the refrigerator overnight. Everyone makes mistakes. Our

mistakes affect other people. There is always room for improvement. Symmetry

is over-rated; give me the rule of thirds any day. A fussy picture doesn’t get clearer

simply by publishing it. Never let someone tell you what you can or cannot say.

Everything goes better with a little bit of pizza!

ContributorsJOHN McBRIDE, Ford Dodge (Iowa) Senior High, jmcbride@fort-dodge.k12.ia.us � SUSAN HOUSEMAN, Conestoga High School (Berwyn, Penn.), HousemanS@tesd.net � CANDACE

PERKINS BOWEN, Kent (Ohio) State University, cbowen@kent.edu � KATIE WRIGHT, Crete (Nebr.) High School, Katiew@creteschools.org � BETH SHULL, Arkansas Scholastic Press

Association, bshull29@gmail.com � MARY STAPP, Wilson High School (Washington, D.C.), marystapp@aol.com � SCOTT CLAY, Clay.Scott@volstate.edu � SUSANNAH NESMITH,

susannahnesmith@yahoo.com � CONI GREBEL, Lee County High School (Leesburg, Ga.), conigreb@bellsouth.net. ©2010 JOURNALISM EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. Design by Bradley

Wilson.

From Communication: Journalism Education Today

of the Journalism Education Association

All I really need

to know I learnedin journalism

Make every word count. Keep it simple.

Provide context. Lead with the good

stuff. Write killer headlines. People

make things interesting. Headlines

“sell.” Graphics expand the story.

Consider the reader. Teamwork

counts. � Presentation matters.

Readers notice in con sis tencies. A

pica is a perfectly legitimate unit

of measurement. If you bend a pica

pole back too far it will recoil and

hit you in the face. The soundbite

is powerful. When you’re getting

ready to give a long-winded

explanation or commentary, stop

and think that all of that can

be mentally edited down to 10

seconds or less. � Being clear and

concise helps others understand

me. Working as a team makes the job easier....AND more

fun. Knowing the audience helps to tell a story that will mean something to them.

Being transparent ensures people will believe me. Following the law keeps me out

of trouble. Applying ethics means I think about what I SHOULD do. Never use

the word really. Really. � Accuracy matters. Everyone works better with snacks

at hand. There is always another side to any story. Learn how to write a sentence.

Stand up in the face of “power.” Think critically. Always tell the truth. Check,

recheck (and check it again) to make sure it is correct. Place the most important

things at the front (of your life). Never ass-u-me. � If you’re being shot at, cars

really do go just as fast in reverse, despite everything your mother, father, brother

or mechanic told you. Truth is more important than anything. Consider the

source. Never ask a question that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.”

Late is a nasty word. What happens in the newsroom stays in the newsroom.

� Never unplug the refrigerator overnight. Everyone makes mistakes. Our

mistakes affect other people. There is always room for improvement. Symmetry

is over-rated; give me the rule of thirds any day. A fussy picture doesn’t get clearer

simply by publishing it. Never let someone tell you what you can or cannot say.

Everything goes better with a little bit of pizza!

ContributorsJOHN McBRIDE, Ford Dodge (Iowa) Senior High, jmcbride@fort-dodge.k12.ia.us � SUSAN HOUSEMAN, Conestoga High School (Berwyn, Penn.), HousemanS@tesd.net � CANDACE

PERKINS BOWEN, Kent (Ohio) State University, cbowen@kent.edu � KATIE WRIGHT, Crete (Nebr.) High School, Katiew@creteschools.org � BETH SHULL, Arkansas Scholastic Press

Association, bshull29@gmail.com � MARY STAPP, Wilson High School (Washington, D.C.), marystapp@aol.com � SCOTT CLAY, Clay.Scott@volstate.edu � SUSANNAH NESMITH,

susannahnesmith@yahoo.com � CONI GREBEL, Lee County High School (Leesburg, Ga.), conigreb@bellsouth.net. ©2010 JOURNALISM EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. Design by Bradley

Wilson.

From Communication: Journalism Education Today

of the Journalism Education Association

Applying ethics means I think

about what I SHOULD do.

SCOTT STRAZZANTE Chicago Tribune http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/shooting-from-the-hip/

As I edited my take after the game,

I noticed, that during Brunson's

reaction, there were a handful of

frames where only his middle fingers

were extended.

SCOTT STRAZZANTE Chicago Tribune http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/shooting-from-the-hip/

A photographer from the Peoria newspaper

decided to send his version of the image

and it was published online with the

caption— “Jalen Brunson of Lincolnshire

Stevenson makes a gesture to the Chicago

Whitney Young crowd.”

Seeing the play happen through my

viewfinder, I was very confident that the

gesture was not intentional.

SCOTT STRAZZANTE Chicago Tribune http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/shooting-from-the-hip/

Ethics exists on so many

levels. And our credibility

is at stake at every level.

@darrenrovell cup of the day? At Temple vs ND pic.twitter.com/mHhd0VKcBs 2:12 PM - 31 Aug 2013

SPELL CHECK

PROOF FOR CONTENT

PROOF FOR CONTENT

POST ON WALL

DESIGN

DESIGN

STEP BACK AND LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE

IS IT RIGHT?

The Post: 12 people had died The truth: two or, at the most, three

The Post: Saudi national taken into custody by police The truth: no suspect and nobody in custody

IS IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO?

Is it better to be first

or accurate?

TIMELINE

Scene

ReactionLogo

AftermathVictims

Suspect

Reporters are no better than

their sources.

PAUL FARHI Washington Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/news-outlets-often-stumble-in-quest-for-speed-and-accuracy/2013/09/16/e5444820-1f19-11e3-8459-657e0c72fec8_story.html

People on Twitter take it for

granted that scanner chatter is

real and confirmed. It’s not.

Reporting on such

preliminary data, without

official confirmation, is asking

for trouble.

MARK E. BRADY Public Information Officer Prince George County Fire and EMS

March 7, 2014

March 24

April 2,2014

We’ve gotten into a situation

where the media’s standard

operating procedure has

become report first, confirm

second and correct third.

DAVE STATTER Former reporter, WUSA-TV Publisher, STATter911.com

In our haste to compete

with social media

to cover breaking news,

we’ve forgotten that

what makes us special

is our skill

in confirming information,

not just reporting it.

DAVE STATTER Former reporter, WUSA-TV Publisher, STATter911.com

You don’t know what you’re getting

with half the stuff on the internet. Too

many people have access to that

delivery system. They have no

training. They sit around in their

bathrobes and spit out information.

DAN THOMASSON Syndicated columnist Speaking at Midwestern State University April 2, 2014

Make sure your reporting

is as accurate as it can be.

If you get beaten then you get beaten.

DAN THOMASSON Syndicated columnist Speaking at Midwestern State University April 2, 2014

The majority of students tended to list

honesty as the best guidelines for

ethics…. While specific ethics changes

from professional profession, the

foundation does not.

BEN BRINK Photojournalist

BEN BRINK Photojournalist

The foundation is basic, simple

honesty, the kind you learn in

kindergarten.

Don’t tell us stories about things that

didn’t happen. Don’t show us things

that don’t exist.

#jdayinva2014

By Bradley Wilson, Ph.D.

bradleywilson08@gmail.com bradleywilsononline.net

@bradleywilson09

PHOTO BY KEVIN NIBUR