Non-linear Story

For my final assignment, I will tie together all the projects I completed this semester into one. With my trunk I will detail the events covered by my beat this fall while trying to tell the story of my blog in approximately 200 words. In addition, I will create a Google map illustrating where all the different bars and hot spots are located along the York road corridor.

My next original reporting story will probably be in an audio format though I'm still trying to settle on a topic. My best idea right now is to interview people around Towson one night and ask them what makes going out in Towson so worthwhile.

Slideshow ideas

Yet again, my idea for this assignment is to chronicle the evening of Troy, the Towson hot dog vendor. I would take some shots of him working, the food he is preparing and other landscape shots that detail the bustling intersection and paint a picture of exactly what it looks like at midnight on a weekend evening.

Though, as I've come to realize, plans can fall through at the last minute just as they have already with Troy. Knowing this, one of my backup plans include doing a slideshow on the nightlife activity on the streets of Towson. This would show how busy the corridor of bars along York road can be on any given weekend night. I'm sure I'd find some interesting things and people as well.

Editing Techniques

Analyzing a feature on NHL player Alex Ovechkin on ESPN, there were plenty of noteworthy editing techniques to discuss. Interspersed between snippets of game footage are clips of Ovechkin and his teammates and coaches being interviewed by reporter Rachel Nichols. In some of these shots, the camera only captures the side of the subject's face while in others, the camera is shooting the front of the face. These clips are short so the differing styles of shooting the subjects does not come off as awkward or forced.

Natural sound is used in multiple instances. One example is the background noise and the echo of the ice rink as pucks ricochet off the boards/glass as Ovechkin stands on his skates alongside Nichols. Perhaps the best example of nat sound is the revving of Ovechkin's Mercedes engine as Nichols profiles his penchant for speeding over 100 MPH on the Washington D.C. beltway.

Another aspect of this feature that makes it a good example of solid editing are the many differing clips of game action juxtaposed with Ovechkin's personality off the ice. What makes it all come together is perfect sequencing. Never did I feel lost or confused while watching this. Instead, I was glued to the set as the shots kept coming.

Here's the second, more action-packed part of the interview via youtube

Audio story ideas

For my audio story, I'd like to do a bit more preparation in order to secure the story and the interviews in advance. I really, really want to interview the hot dog guy for this story. I think the audio aspect would work perfectly. I would interview the vendor about the who/where/when/why/etc. aspect of his business while also interviewing customers as to why they are here.

For natural sound I could record people ordering their food and also pick up the noise of cars passing on York road. Perhaps even pick up the drunken banter that is so common on that intersection. I feel this story has a lot of potential. It's just up to me to make it to the corner on an upcoming weekend night and talk to him about it. Right now, this is my first and only idea for this piece. His answer will dictate where I go from there.

Broadcast ledes

1. Print lede: No one has ever told 7-year-old Dominic Osorio that he has brain cancer. Instead, his mother devised a story and made him the lead character. When Dominic undergoes surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, he is not a patient; he is the Dominator, waging war with an evil enemy that he calls a megazoid.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/harford/bal-md.ha.dominic07oct07,0,4549865.story

Broadcast lede: A 7-year-old Bel Air boy is using superpowers to fight cancer.

2. Print lede: The student editor of Towson University's independent newspaper The Towerlight has stepped down after a standoff with President Robert L. Caret over the publication of an explicit sex column.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.towson07oct07,0,1014303.story

Broadcast lede: Uproar over a sex column in Towson University's student newspaper has led to the resignation of its editor.

3. Print lede: Baltimore County police announced an arrest in the fatal shooting Sept. 19 of a 31-year-old man in the Lansdowne area near the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-county/bal-shooting-arrest1007,0,1100733.story

Broadcast lede: Baltimore County police have arrested a Brooklyn man in a fatal shooting just blocks away from the UMBC campus in Landsdowne.

Wall Street Journal formula

The Wall Street Journal style of writing can be found in the New York Times article "Balancing Act May Help Division II Define Itself" by Katie Thomas.

Thomas begins with an anecdotal lede:

• "University presidents in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association sometimes joke that they experience “ticker envy,” a yearning for the visibility that comes with a spot on the ESPN ticker."

Next, Thomas explains the general purpose of the story in the nut graf appearing in the fourth paragraph:

• "Now, members of Division II say they hope they have found their niche by offering a haven from the kind of big-time college athletics that are increasingly seen as overly commercial and exploitative."

It's at this point that Thomas uses quotes and facts to solidify the story. She first discusses specific actions taken by Division II schools such as these:

• "Under a proposal expected to be approved at the N.C.A.A. convention in January, Division II members plan to shorten the seasons in 10 sports, as well as cut back practice time in football."
• "[...]the proposal would also reduce the seasons in four sports by allowing students to report to school about a week later than they currently do. Football would not lose any games, but players would begin their preseason practice one week later. The proposal would also establish a weeklong “dead period” around Christmas in which athletes could not participate in practices or games."
• "Bob Fortosis, the athletics director at Eckerd College in Florida and a member of the Division II management council, acknowledged that the Division II proposal was rooted in a desire to cut costs, but that the motivation was also to give students more time on campus. Division II’s effort to redefine itself dates to the summer of 2005, when about 150 university presidents and chancellors met in Orlando, Fla., to discuss why several members were leaving for Division I."

From here, Thomas narrows in on how two Division II athletes were affected by the perceived stigma of playing at a Division II school; Ronnye Nelson and Maddie Dickinson:

• "Nelson’s path to Valdosta was not as simple as the division’s slogan implies. A star quarterback from Albany, Ga., Nelson said he spoke to several Division I universities but that interest waned after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his senior year. In the end, Nelson decided to attend Valdosta because it was close to home and 'they win a lot.'"
• "The decision was more straightforward for Maddie Dickinson, a junior goalkeeper at Seattle Pacific University, the 2008 Division II soccer champions. 'D-I has a great reputation and it would be great to play there, but it definitely wasn’t what I was about,' said Dickinson, who is from Vancouver, Wash., a three-hour drive from Seattle. 'It was about where I was comfortable, and where home was.'"

Finally, Thomas concludes with a quote that leaves the story with an open-ended feeling:

• "Norton said she saw Division II’s rebranding efforts as positive. But when asked whether perceptions had shifted, she said, 'Not yet.'"

Summary ledes vs. feature ledes

A summary lede is typically used for news stories with the goal of passing along the who, what, when and where to the reader in 25 words or less. On the other hand, a feature lede sets the scene while deferring the purpose of the story for the nut graph somewhere within the first three paragraphs. A feature lede can, at times, take on a more literary tone which gives the writer additional flexibility and room to be creative. While a good summary lede displays the most important facts first, a good feature lede builds the foundation for which the rest of the story is built upon.

Examples of recent feature ledes:

1. From The Washington Post: "Alzner shows another side for Caps" by Tarik El-Bashir

"Karl Alzner is reminded of the daunting challenge he faces each time he walks into the dressing room at the Washington Capitals' Arlington practice facility. It's right there along the wall to the right -- the locker stalls of the seven defensemen who helped the team advance to within a game of the Eastern Conference finals last season.

Alzner wants to have a fulltime spot along that wall come Oct. 1, when the Capitals open the season in Boston. But, barring a trade, injury or the unlikely decision by management to keep eight defensemen, he knows that will only happen if he outperforms one of the incumbents over the next two weeks."

El-Bashir sets the scene in the first paragraph, taking the reader where they can't go - inside the team's dressing room. It's the second paragraph that El-Bashir uses for his nut graph. In other words, it's the second paragraph that tells the reader El-Bashir's purpose for writing the story.

2. From the Calgary Herald: "Theo's making it difficult for Flames to say no" by George Johnson

"He's becoming a kind of rash, this audacious little beggar. And those inside the Calgary Flames' family who figured the Theo Fleury experiment was nothing more than an annoying lark, a stunt, a PR nuisance destined to quickly run its course, are starting to break out in hives."

My beat blog: Towson Nightlife

I've decided that the beat I'll be covering this semester will be the nightlife in and around Towson. Here, we'll tackle issues such as drink specials, underage drinking, new bars, old bars and who, exactly, is the guy on the corner of York road and Pennsylvania avenue that sells hot dogs to passersby into the wee hours of the morning.

I'm sure this blog will evolve over time with some more varied topics but I think that this is a good place to start. As a veteran of Towson nightlife, I believe my experience, sources and passion for fun will lend for some interesting stories.

Hi, my name is Mike

Hi everybody, my name is Mike Miller and I'm currently a junior majoring in Journalism and New Media at Towson. For the past three summers I've been the Bowie Baysox beat reporter for Orioles Hangout.com. The Baysox are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles and the Orioles, well, they're my favorite team in any sport. Having the opportunity for daily interactions with Orioles players and coaches has been something that I will never forget.

When I'm not at the ballpark you can find me either at home in Cockeysville or out and about in Towson with my friends. I enjoyed taking MCOM 257 in the spring with Dr. Spaulding and I'm really excited to learn more about new media again this fall.

The Greatest Pictures Ever Taken

Advice From The Editor

Prior to the event:
- review press release if available
- conduct background research of the topic and the parties involved (talk to experts and citizens who have taken an position on the proposal or will be affected by it, think about multimedia such as which maps or graphics can complement the story)
- prepare as many questions as possible (questions should be short and to the point)

At the event:
- listen and take notes (write down anything that seems important, including relevant quotes)
- record descriptive details (describe the scene including actions by participants and their physical descriptions)
- ask questions (the best way to get information from an interview subject is from a one-on-one encounter but if that is not possible, ask as many questions as possible during the Q&A setting)

After the event:
- fact check all relevant information
- conduct follow up interviews if necessary
- use only relevant quotes in your story and don't make the quotes too long winded

100 Word Story

A 3-year-old girl was accidentally trapped inside a washing machine yesterday before being rescued by a passing shopper, the Rockland police chief said.

Paul Hecker of 601 Arbor Drive saved the girl from the washer at Glen Rock Laundry and Dry Cleaner by smashing the machine's glass door and pulling the girl out. The girl became trapped when her 7-year-old sister accidentally closed the door over top of her and the machine automatically turned on.

The girl was trapped in the washer for more than five minutes before she was rescued by Hecker.

A Rockland Hospital spokesperson said the girl was admitted yesterday afternoon and was listed in good condition.

Chapter 5 Questions

1. The inverted pyramid is a basic journalism story structure that begins with the most important information and flows into less important information as the story continues.
2. A delayed lede is one that does not include major facts. Rather it attempts to grab the reader’s attention is a more creative manner. It is also called a feature or soft lede.
3. A nut graf tells the reader what the story is about. It needs to appear within the first two or three paragraphs.
4. The when element should appear directly after the verb to avoid confusing readers. Though it is not very conversational, it is the only way to do it without confusing readers.
5. A summary/ chronology story relay information in the order in which the events happened. They often follow a summary lede and a nut graf.
6. When writing about crime, it is important not to name a person until he/she has been formally charged. It is important to distinguish between the actions of the person committing the crime and the person charged with the crime.
7. A multiple element story is when two or three distinctly different ideas compete for the spotlight.
8. A second day story is usually a complete rewrite of the original copy. What makes a second day story unique are ledes that reflect what has happened since the original report and it also must include new details and summarize what has happened for those that may have missed the original report.
9. Correlation involves events happening at the same time. Causation refers to one event causing another. In story writing, the author must not assume. Instead, the author needs to get important information so that he can make a correlation or identify causation appropriately.
10. Names, dates, places, corporate names, titles, numbers and graphics should all be double-checked.
11. The rules for working with quotes are:

-Make sure the quote adds to the story.

-Make sure the quoted words are the person’s exact words.

-Paraphrase when necessary.

Ledes 4 and 5

The rate of identity theft in Towson is more than double the national average but new state legislation would allow credit card holders to check if their numbers have been stolen.

The state Commission on Crime and Delinquency will award $1.2 million to the Towson school district’s Community Helping Hands program for at-risk youth.

Ledes 1, 2 and 3

1. Roger Datolli, husband of Mayor Sabrina Datolli, was injured in a three-vehicle accident Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Warren and Davidson avenues.

2. The city council proposed creating a local board to oversee changes within the downtown historic district at their monthly meeting yesterday.

3. A Senate plan to store nuclear waste material in the Nevada desert will provide a safe haven for more than 77,000 tons of radioactive waste, the Department of Energy said Monday.

Extra Credit

Rule 1

Use commas in compound sentences when clauses are separated by a conjunction such as “and,” “but,” “for,” “nor,” or “yet.”

• She managed the restaurant, but he did the cooking.
• He didn’t drive his car, nor did he ride his bike.

Rule 2

Use commas to separate elements in a series. Such elements usually are adjectives, verbs, or nouns.

• My socks were wet, smelly and covered in dirt.
• The tall, dark, handsome man hailed, lauded and applauded Ben, George, Maude and Rebecca.

Rule 3

Use commas when attributing from quoted material. Commas set off words of attribution form the words of a one-sentence quotation unless a question mark or exclamation mark is preferred.

• He said, “Hello.” “Good-bye,” she replied. “The fair has been canceled,” she said.
• "I did it for the guy who lost his mom," McNeal said, "It was the right thing to do."

Rule 4

Commas follow introductory matter, such as after an introductory adverbial clause.

• When the team was forced to kick, the coach sent in his best players.
• Of all the players, he has the most points.

Rule 5

Commas follow the salutation of a friendly letter and the complimentary close of any letter. Commas also follow capitalized elements, such as the complimentary close, and a colon follows the salutation of a business letter.

• Dear James,
• Sincerely, Mike Miller

Rule 6

Commas follow all items in a date or full address:

• I have lived in Cockeysville, Md., all my life.
• January 28, 1987, is my date of birth.

Rule 7

Commas surround nonessential words or phrases.

• Unfortunately, his name was not in the scorebook so that meant a technical foul and two free throws for the other team.
• Bob Brown, a team spokesman, said the season will begin on April 6.

Rule 8

Commas surround words of direct address.

• Mike, I need the remote.
• Obviously, Travis, you fail to see my point.

Rule 9

Commas indicate omitted verbs, usually expressed in another part of the sentence:

• Talent is often inherited; genius, never.
• Coach Smith has much to gain this season; his team, even more.

Rule 10

Semicolons connect two complete sentences if sentences have a related thought. Use of a semicolon usually creates a sense of drama.

• The brown-eyed, dark, and vivacious model, at age 25, seemed destined for quick success; on Dec. 11, 2001, her apparent destiny was altered.
• It’s a big event having Koji here; he’s one of many players to watch this season.

Rule 11

Semicolons are used in a list separating items that require significant internal punctuation.

• He lived six years in Richmond, Va.; four years in Raleigh, N.C.; one year in Greenville, S.C.; and six months in Baton Rouge, La.
• Present at the gala was Bob Smith, president; Mike Miller, vice president; and Teri Sampson, treasurer.

Rule 12

Colons precede formal lists, illustrations, multi-sentence quotes, and enumerations:

• The following students received scholarships: Jim Johnson, Juanita Jones, Martha Taylor, Tiffany Eldridge, and Teri Sampson.
• He answered her with a parable: “A man once had six sons. Five of them…”

The Five Most Common Grammar Problems

Problem 1: Punctuation

Do not punctuate unless you know a rule. Don’t punctuate excessively as less punctuation leads to clearer, more readable copy.

Example - Instead of “She managed the restaurant. He did the cooking,” use a semicolon: “She managed the restaurant; he did the cooking.”

Problem 2: Subject and Verb Agreement

Most problems occur with collective subjects, fractions or percentages and compound subjects in which two or more nouns function as the subject of a sentence.

Example – The following sentences use fractions and percentages correctly as a singular subject:

Three-quarters of the pie is gone.

Sixty-seven percent of the voters is needed to withhold a veto.

Problem 3: Correct Use of Pronouns

Pronouns are little words that stand for proper nouns. They help avoid needless repetition in language by doing the work of the larger nouns, called antecedents.

Example – Marianne said she (Marianne) would never color her (Marianne’s) hair.

Problem 4: Sentence Structure

Aside from fragments and run-on sentences, the two other categories that cause most adults problems with sentence structure are faulty parallelism and modifier placement.

Example – In regard to parallel structure, instead of “He enjoys reading and to go skiing,” use the parallel form, saying, “He enjoys reading and fishing.”

Problem 5: Word Usage

Be careful when using words like “affect” and “effect.” Though they sound quite similar, both are used in drastically different situations.

Other examples of confused words include: less vs. fewer; lie vs. lay; sit vs. set

Chapter 14 Question

• Objectivity is the idea that journalists should avoid injecting their opinions into news reports. (Don’t take sides, use multiple sources, avoid conflicts of interest)

• Thoroughness involves looking into every aspect of a story (Interview multiple people, understand the topic that is being covered, proof-read more than once)

• Accuracy is making sure a story offers correct information. (Fact-check and fact-check again, keep direct quotes in context, don’t hesitate to ask for a follow-up interview)

• Fairness involves listening to different viewpoints. (Don’t frame stories in a way that makes them convenient for you – the reporter, keep your opinion out, give all parties opportunities for input)

• Transparency relates to disclosure from the journalist what biases they have (Blogging allows journalists to be colorful and engaging in a way that traditional print does not, name sources, encourage readers to comment on web-posted material)

Me, Me, Me

Hi, my name is Mike. But you already know that if you’re reading this blog. I’m a 22-year-old Journalism major in my second semester here at Towson. I was born and raised in nearby Cockeysville, MD and much to the dismay of some of my friends, I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my life in the Baltimore area either.

Outside of school, I work full-time during baseball season as a beat writer covering the Bowie Baysox – class “AA” affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles – for the website Orioles Hangout.com. Needless to say I’m a huge baseball fan but I also can’t get enough NHL hockey and, more specifically, the Washington Capitals.

Aside from sports, however, I like to brew my own beer, play guitar and I dabble in stand-up comedy. And no, that’s not a real mustache. Nor is that my cat.

Summary Lede

A summary lede is the opening sentence or two of most news stories that is designed to summarize the story quickly. Its main characteristics include a time element, that it is written in past tense and that it includes specific information that serve to set up the rest of the story.

Examples:

• From the Baltimore Sun: Michael Phelps, the Rodgers Forge native who has won more gold medals than anyone in Olympic history, acknowledged yesterday that he had engaged in "regrettable" behavior and shown "bad judgment" after a photo of him smoking what appears to be marijuana from a glass bong was published in a British tabloid over the weekend.

I like this lede because it is robust, full of information and gives me a good sense of what is to follow in the story. I felt this was a good example because it was full of info.

• From the Baltimore Sun: An off-duty Prince George's County firefighter rescued a disabled man who fell off a pier into the South River in Edgewater early yesterday, Anne Arundel County fire officials said.

What I like about this lede is the way that the author was able to compile the detail that the man who fell off the pier was disabled. Had that piece of information been neglected, this lede would be much weaker. I felt this was a good example because it was quick and to-the-point.

• From the Baltimore Sun: Infielder Oscar Salazar has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles announced in a news release.

I like this lede because it is short and sweet. Short in that it is one, quick sentence. Sweet because I covered Oscar Salazar for a full-season in 2007 while working the Bowie Baysox beat and it's nice to see that he will be staying with the Orioles' organization. Salazar, though limited in his English, is a fun-loving guy who treated me well in my first season covering the team. I felt this was a good example because at the end of the sentence, the reporter cites where the information came from.