One of the first things that a budding young journalist learns is how to write in "journalistic style." This perversion of the English language is also commonly known as newswriting.
In eighth grade, I first learned newswriting when I took a journalism class at Hawthorn Jr. High in Vernon Hills, Illinois. We put out a dinky little "newspaper" of several typed pieces of paper with some cutesy clip art cut and pasted (with scissors and glue as opposed to command-x and command-v) together before it would be xeroxed by Mrs. Worman because only teachers had access to a photocopier. Then we would pass out the paper, known as the "Eagle Eye News," to all our classrooms.
I still have one of those papers somewhere in one of my boxes.
You see, Mrs. Worman also taught us budding young newsies the key tenents on writing in journalistic style. Every news story must contain a lead paragraph, she taught, that contains the five W's: who, what, when, where, why. Later "how" would be added to that list, but that's the basic start that any journalist, whether he/she is in eighth grade or is a senior reporter for the Washington Post, must follow.
Learning how to be an effective newswriter is just one area under the massive umbrella of Journalism. I want to reprint here the editorial I wrote for the issue of the College of Lake County Chronicle that comes out tomorrow (issue 9, 3/7/96), in which I have attempted to make the case that being an effective journalist involves more than making sure you have the five W's spelled out in a concisely written lead.
I have sent this e-mail on to certain people as well who figure very prominently in the battle for the freedom of expression. I do not know most of them personally, as I am not a software developer of any sort. Most of them are people whom I admire and respect. I do not want to name them, suffice to say that one of them includes President Clinton. This might be one of the most important e-mails I have ever composed.
Before I repost, let me give some background information:
First of all, the College of Lake County is located in a suburb of Chicago called Grayslake. I work for its college newspaper, a bi-weekly publication called the Chronicle, as the In-Depth Editor. For 1995-96, the CLC Chronicle operated under a standing budget of $46,000. $25,000 of that is set as a base, provided by the CLC Student Senate via the student activity fee every CLC student pays when taking classes at the college. The rest is supposed to come from revenues generated by the newspaper's advertising. In several weeks, we will be coming up short on making our advertising goals. Thus, we will have to go into budget negotiations with the full knowledge that the Senate will very likely challenge us on our shortfall of funds.
Now, the Senate has been very weak this year and is very much an irrelevant, forgotten presence in this college's life. Thus, we have taken this opportunity to write an editorial that constructively criticizes the Senate for its shortcomings and makes suggestions for improvement. Our timing is admittedly a little off, considering that we are about to lambast the very same organization we will be shortly requesting money from.
In the past several days, Senators have come forward to privately urge us not to run the editorial. They fear a bloodbath of sorts will ensue. In addition, our advisor fears that in an unprofessional fit of pique, the Senate will feel indignant and deny us our funding as a way of proving their authority. Our own staff has had many debates about what it is right and what is wrong, and whether or not budgetary concerns should even be a consideration.
In the end, we have decided to run our critical editorial and the one reposted below. We believe we are acting properly by standing up for our beliefs in the face of the threat we face from budget cuts.
And now....
Following a respected journalistic tradition, the Chronicle has a mission statement that serves to define the ethical standards it stands by. Entitled the Mission and Purpose of the Chronicle, its initial words clearly spell out the central reason why the Chronicle is published: "The mission of the student newspaper is to 'probe the issues of the college community and provide a vehicle for the expression of opinion by the audience the publication serves.'"
Very much like how we interact with our nation's government, this symbiotic relationship is based on the idea that a newspaper does not serve its own needs, but rather those of its readership. It is this readership that demands the existence of a student newspaper in the first place. The newspaper insures the students with a voice to shout out against opposing forces.
Like any relationship, this one between the Chronicle and its readership has its high points and its low points. When the editorial pages are bursting at the seams with passionate letters to the editor that speak out against grave injustice, opinions are made and different ideas are brought to light. When highly innovative design make the papers practically leap out from the display bins, they reflect the brilliant artistic creatitvity present at CLC. As an entity, the Chronicle practically sings amidst all this positive energy.
And yes, there are certainly low points as well. In recent months, the Chronicle has come under criticism for some of its published opinions. Individuals and groups have charged it guilty of sensationalism and insensitivity. Indeed, maintaining its strong, independent identity while serving student interests is a jugglig act delicately dealt with as each issue goes into production. Quoting again from the Mission and Purpose, "The student news publication will cover news and stories, local and non- local, that its editors deem to be of interest to students." Thus, it is the editors and staff that estimate what its readership looks for in a student newspaper. Rest assured, we do our very best to get it right.
Putting a complex publication like the Chronicle together does not happen overnight. It is a slow, deliberate process involving a great number of people. Contrary to popular belief, it is not solely the work of one person, but rather the entire staff. Everyone has an input, from the new reporter to the experienced editor. As of this writing, 35 CLC students have their name proudly displayed in the staff box on page 3.
The key is pride. We do our very best to put out a quality product not only that we can be proud of, but also one that our readership can be proud of as well. In a manner of speaking, we are not just journalists, but also craftspeople. That is, we take the very best of CLC and finely craft it into 20 pages every two weeks. Every so often, you can hear someone mumble, "I have no life. This is my life." But most of us could not imagine doing anything else.
In addition to pride, we possess power in the sense that we have siezed the opportunity to utilize the rights that formed the foundation of this country. The First Amendment is never leveraged and not up for budgetary consideration. We wield the power to be our best. To do otherwise would be a waste of material.
The Chronicle will continue to move forward. For twenty-six years, a steady stream of editors and staff have nurtured a veritable fountain of creativity that will continue to flow for years to come. Letters to the editor help keep us on track, and if you feel the burning desire to express your rage against injustice, join us. There is always room for new ideas.
"The primary purpose of the paper is to serve as a medium of communication for students. Its secondary purpose is to offer an educational learning experience for students." -Mission and Purpose of the Chronicle
If you'd like a copy of the issue when it comes out, I would be more than happy to snail-mail one to you. Please provide your address in your reply and one will be sent promptly.
Thank you,
Michael
Michael E. Rubin zooropa@wwa.com