Copy editors: An endangered species

The troubling trend of decreased quality control at newspapers and Web sites continues. Copy editors remain in the cross hairs of newspaper management — and the layoffs are most likely to continue. Unfortunately, copy editors have long be seen as expendable and their work behind the scenes unappreciated.

As Craig Silverman notes in CJR, asking reporters to use spell check ain’t gonna cut it. (Be sure to click on his “beef panties” example.)

The issue is another great example of how newspapers need to be creative in solving their problems. And it’s another great example of how journalism schools need to nurture students to be innovative in their thinking.

Going with the flow . . .

Here are a few more  interesting perspectives on how to frame journalism for the future. I’m sure the cascade metaphor resonates with many a front-line editor.

Journalists as curators

I keep reading about the idea of journalists as curators in the news blogosphere — and I have to say I’m intrigued.

I think Jeff Jarvis started the discussion a while back, but I particularly like the interpretation of Mindy McAdams. As the glut of information becomes more overwhelming, the idea of having someone sort, choose and display — similar to what museum curators perform based on their extensive knowledge of the subject area of an exhibit — makes perfect sense.

Curation also could be a helpful metaphor for students as we try to help them envision new places for them to practice their craft.

Initial musings

To me, “new journalism” is what is happening now in this murky, churning evolutionary soup that is the news/information business. It’s a frustrating time for journalists. But it’s also an exhilarating time, full of opportunities and experimentation. I have to admit that at first I was among those who bemoaned the digital changes and waxed nostalgic for the “good old days” of print journalism.  But I’ve come around.

One of the many epiphanies I’ve had these past few years occurred in April 2009 at a workshop that I attended with UNL’s three News21 fellows. The presentations were amazing, so I’m sharing them here:   

• Top 10 Trends
• 10 Ways to Tell Stories Interactively

What I came away with from this workshop was this: The plethora of digital tools make storytelling much richer and engaging — so why not embrace them? 

The bigger questions still loom. The Internet continues to increase the number of new places where stories can be told while wreaking havoc with the old business models. How this all shakes out is a mystery; the history is being written as we speak.

My Grammar Girl impersonation

In working on an upcoming writing/grammar presentation for a group of university administrators, I started compiling a list of my favorite books and Web sites.

For me, grammar and writing books and Web sites are a lot like cookbooks — you should never have just one. When I’m in a grammar quandry, I like to consult several sources.  Let’s face it : Grammar can be downright confusing, and sometimes you need the benefit of multiple explanations before the concept sinks in. 

So here are my Top Five go-to resources:

Grammar Girl – I subscribe to her daily e-mails.

“Elements of Style” by Strunk and White — it’s a classic and helpful.

“When Works Collide: A Media Writer’s Guide to Grammar and Style” by Lauren Kessler and Duncan McDonald — one of the most clearly written guides.

“A Handbook for Office Professionals” by James and Lyn Clark — Easy to find grammar and usage answers here.

Purdue University’s OWL site – a comprehensive site with self-directed exercises.

Tips for student interns

I recently was asked to speak to a group of Dow Jones copy editing interns, so I put together this fun little PowerPoint to prep students for successful internships:

How to survive in a newsroom