2014-2015 Staff Handbook
Table of Contents 2 … Welcome to the Vidette, A Message From the Editor
16-17 … Writing the story 18 … Attribution, Libel, Conflict of Interest
3 … About the Daily Vidette, The Bottom Line
19-21 … Story requirements
5 … Getting started
21-24 … AP Style
6-8 … Management
18-19 … AP Style
9 … Reporter Job Description, Staff Titles
25-26 … Ethics, Code of Conduct and Office Rules
10 … Coverage 27 … Blacklist Form 11-12 … Breaking News Coverage and Investigation
28 … Termination Policy and Guidelines
13-14 … Interviewing
29 … Contract of Responsibility
14 … Story Ideas 16 … Beats
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The Best Job on Campus Welcome! This is a learning environment full of various opportunities and experiences. You will not only gain knowledge and understanding in the field of journalism, but you will also be a part of the large Vidette family. Everyone here takes pride in what they do and we hope you will follow in their footsteps. This handbook is a guide to help you learn the ropes of the Vidette. Read this manual carefully, as you are responsible for all information inside. A Vidette reporter’s job is to cover the news happening every day on the ISU campus as well as community news that affects students. Reporters listen around to find the stories and then use their writing skills to bring those stories to the rest of the campus. Good reporters cover the entire campus, leaving out no group of students or important happenings while copy editors work to ensure all information is accurate and easy to understand. The reporter's first responsibility is to the ISU campus – to bring them the news everyday. More than anything, a good Vidette reporter KNOWS the ISU campus. Being a reporter or photographer will give you the opportunity to meet many people from varying parts of ISU. You represent The Vidette wherever you go for a story and with every source you talk to. Remember that.
A Message From the Editor The Vidette is a place to hone your skills and become the best journalist you can possibly become. Be proud to serve the ISU community and provide accurate, up-to-date information. This office is home to passionate, hardworking students. What we like to call “The Vidette Family” has a strong presence here in the Vidette office and may easily be passed onto you. You really get out of The Vidette what you put into it. You may meet some of your closest friends here, and you may also make very valuable contacts for life after graduation. Always remember that subeditors will be willing to help you with difficult situations, and I am always available to you as a resource. The walls of this building and the pages of each newspaper has set the tone for the last three years of my college career – it has the ability to do the same for you. The Vidette is my passion, and I hope it also becomes yours. Kellie Flaherty The Vidette Editor in Chief
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About The Vidette The Vidette was founded in 1888. Throughout its 100-plus year history, The Vidette has always had the same goal – to provide a voice to the students of Illinois State University as well as a source of campus and local information for the entire community. The first Videttes were printed as pamphlets. In 1906, the newspaper switched to a weekly publication. In 1915, the newspaper began receiving student fees and discontinued charging subscriptions to students. Publication frequency changed from weekly to semiweekly in 1934 but returned to weekly in 1943. It was not until 1962 that the newspaper was restored to a biweekly publication. Frequency of publication increased to three days per week in 1969, four days per week in 1973 and finally five days per week in 1976. In 2013, publication frequency was once again reduced to four days a week, providing a weekend edition on Thursdays called “The ‘Bird.” In fall 2014, The Vidette reduced publication frequency to two days per week. However, The Vidette still publishes content on the web Monday through Thursday. The Vidette has celebrated many landmarks in its 100-plus year history. In 1989, The Vidette was inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press’s Hall of Fame. On September 15, 2005, The Vidette became the first school in Illinois in the 7th circuit to be a designated public forum. With the signature of former ISU President Al Bowman, The Vidette is not subject to prior review by administrators at ISU.
The Bottom Line The Vidette provides ISU students with professional work experience and serves as the university’s newspaper. The Vidette is not simply a student newspaper of campus news, but rather a complete morning newspaper covering international, national, state and local news, features and sports. The Vidette is a REAL newspaper, and all those who work to put it out each day, from the first reporter’s story to the last page sent by the night editors, should treat it as such. Work submitted by any staff member should be absolutely nothing less than the best possible product. The Vidette publishes 6,000 issues per day Monday through Thursday during fall and spring semesters. We print 5,000 issues each Wednesday during the summer term. Never forget that we are dedicated to the pursuit of truth, excellence and providing our readers with the timely and accurate knowledge they deserve and come to expect.
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Getting Started Setting up Payroll: • You will need your driver’s license or state ID, ISU student ID, and one of the following: your social security card, a copy of your birth certificate, or a copy of your passport. •
John Plevka, the General Manager, will be your go-to person. Come in and talk to your editor about setting up payroll, and make an appointment with John. The process only takes about 10 minutes. The longer you wait to do this, the longer it will take for you to get a paycheck.
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On the 15th and 30th of every month, you will need to sign your Timesheet with your subeditor. You must also fill out your hours on iPeople. If you do not sign your time sheet or you do not post your hours on iPeople, you will not get paid. Subeditors will not sign for you.
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If you want to set up direct deposit, first set up payroll with John, and then go to the ISU Payroll office on the first floor of Hovey Hall. Forms are available online to fill out and bring to them (they are located on the lowest floor of Hovey Hall): http://www.comptroller.ilstu.edu/forms/. They will walk you through the short process. There is also the possibility of doing this through iPeople to make life easier.
Setting up your email account: Everyone at The Vidette has an email account for this office. The email allows all of us to maintain contact with one another, as well as communicate when out of the office. The Vidette email is for professional purposes only. While the occasional Vidette gathering may be posted through email, you may not advertise a party at your house. If you’re a new employee, your email address will be as follows: vidette + _yourULID + @exchange.ilstu.edu For example, if Kellie Flaherty were a new employee her email would be: vidette_kaflahe@ilstu.edu Veteran Vidette employees may have a different email, such as dv_kaflahe@ilstu.edu so do not assume their email will be the same as yours.
To access your account, go to https://owa.ilstu.edu. By entering your username and password, you will be able to check your email. You are required to check your email at least
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once per day. Your subeditors will be in contact with you through email or phone almost exclusively. This assures that all staff will be able to keep in good contact with one another. Salary: Reporters, copy editors, and photographers are paid hourly minimum wage of $8.25. For a typical 54-line news story, reporters are paid two hours of work. A reporter may be paid more if deemed reasonable by the subeditor. Reporters who miss deadlines, and/or do not meet length requirements can be docked time for their story. Staff members on suspension will not receive any pay during time away from The Vidette.
Editorial Management Editor in Chief The Editor in Chief is ultimately responsible for the entire newspaper. He or she has the final say on all stories, editorials, and ad content that is published in the paper. He or she hires all sub-editors for summer, fall, and spring. The Editor is in charge of ensuring the paper’s quality as well as training and disciplining the staff. He or she is appointed to a one-year term by The Vidette Publication Board. Art Director The Art Director is responsible for maintaining the overall look of the newspaper. He or she monitors layout, spacing, and font control. The Art Director is also responsible for creating all graphics, including the daily teaser, and special text layouts used in conjunction with editorial content. He or she will need to be able to collaborate with subeditors to create these graphics. This sub editor also produces the cover of The ‘Bird each week as well as page 2 of each paper, which includes the weather and poll results, among other general Vidette information. News, Features, Sports Editors While varying slightly within each department, the News, Features, and Sports Editors have similar responsibilities. In addition to hiring and training reporters, these editors must also assign, read, and edit all stories. News, Features, and Sports Editors design and typeset their own pages. They are frequently in contact with their reporters and fellow subeditors. Content may be influenced or changed by the Editor in Chief. Web Designer The Web Designer’s responsibilities include designing and creating visual layouts for web content on videtteonline.com. He or she communicates with the Editor in Chief and various subeditors for online design strategies and implements content layout templates for web articles. He or she also updates and sends the email newsletter as well as maintaining image sliders on the website. Aside from these duties, the Web Designer creates infographics to include in online articles and develops designs for individual modules on the website.
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Social Media Manager This position focuses largely on promoting The Vidette’s presence online through social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook as well as working closely with the Marketing Team. They manage these accounts by representing the voice of The Vidette. Additionally, they oversee a staff of bloggers to keep the content regularly flowing online. They promote articles on social media and encourage staff members to retweet and share posts in order to increase awareness. The social media manager must be in contact with sub-editors to stay up-to-date with breaking news and online exclusives. Web Editor The Vidette Web Editor works closely with the other sub-editors. He or she encourages more web contact including videos and photo galleries. This person asks sub-editors weekly for any web opportunities and knows what content will be well suited for The Vidette website. He or she also works with the Web Designer to make sure the content is aesthetically pleasing. This person makes sure all content is correctly posted on WordPress and that major stories appear in the slider on the website. He or she also urges members of The Vidette editorial staff to have additional content exclusively online and continually brainstorms ways to improve web traffic. Night Editors The two Night Editors alternate the nights on which they work. They are responsible for hiring, training and managing their staff of copy editors. They carefully read every story and alter them to conform to AP Style and edit them for overall flow. At the end of the night, the night editor electronically sends the pages of the newspaper to P&P Press in Peoria. Supplement Editor This editor is in charge of all special sections (Survival Guide, Rental Guide, Homecoming Guide, Back to Spring, Insider’s Guide, Sex in the Birdhouse, Best of Guide, and Preview Guide) The Vidette produces out including distributing stories and typesetting pages. The supplement editor will come to each department’s weekly meetings when he or she needs to assign stories for the upcoming guide. Vidette Editorial Board The Editorial Board is comprised of a group of columnists and is led by the Editor in Chief. This group of individuals works together to create a collective opinion about a topic for editorials. They also write individually by-lined columns expressing their own opinions about certain topics in a respectful manner. Once a week, they attend a meeting overseen by the EIC to go over these ideas. They have the ability to hold another position at The Vidette but that is not obligatory.
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Advertising Staff Ad Sales Manager The ad sales manager’s responsibilities include coordination of sales campaigns and special promotions with local and campus advertisers, the recruitment and training of marketing consultants, maintaining advertising deadlines and being responsible for the production department. The Vidette Publication Board appoints him or her to a one-year term. Ad Production Manager The ad production manager is responsible for hiring, training and coordinating the advertising designers, aiding in communication between the marketing consultants and ad designers, and placing the ads on the pages. The ad production manager is also in charge of all national accounts. Marketing Team Leader He or she works with the Marketing Team as well as the editorial and advertising sections of The Vidette, especially with the Ad Production Manager and the Social Media Managers. This person plans and facilitates marketing events in coordination with the rest of the staff. This person oversees the team and develops marketing strategies to gain more readers, both in paper and online. When a marketing event occurs, he or she is in charge of getting the message out to the rest of The Vidette staff and recruiting their efforts when necessary.
Business Staff Business Manager The business manager is in charge of the billing of display ads, setting credit policy and restricting overdue accounts (triple and double prepay accounts), and overseeing and managing the business office. Billing Manager The billing manager is in charge of verifying the paper according to the ad orders received each day, entering ad codes, credits and adjustments into the computer, entering cash receipts into the computer, and filling out deposit slips on a daily basis and posting deposits into the computer.
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Professional Staff General Manager This is John Plevka’s third year at the Vidette. As the editorial adviser, he serves as the adviser to the editor. As General Manager he serves as the newspaper’s fiscal agent, executive secretary to the Publication Board, chairperson of the Vidette Management Council, and is responsible for payroll. Assistant General Manager Erika Wilkerson joined the Vidette in 2011. Erika is in charge of advising the advertising and business departments. She is a Vidette alum. Systems Manager Eli Wrightam joined the Vidette in 2008. He is in charge of all IT operations at the Vidette. It is the responsibility of the Systems Manager to help resolve issues with and maintain the current computer, printer and telephone systems, while at the same time leveraging technologies to increase productivity.
Official Reporter Job Description Reporting involves a slew of intangible elements that would take pages to describe. The basic job is fairly simple – report accurate accounts of campus activities before deadline. The nuances take years to learn, but the following are standards of reporting The Vidette uses to evaluate reporters and their performance. The subeditors will conduct evaluations with each reporter individually as the year goes on. All reporters must: •
Turn in the required amount of stories each week by their assigned deadline. Subeditors will set the number of required stories.
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Turn in five relevant story ideas each week.
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Cover their assigned beat, if applicable.
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Put forth their best effort. Not everyone will be at the same skill level, but everyone should always be striving to improve. In addition to trying your best, a certain level of improvement is expected. Learning as much as you can not only about journalism, but also about the ISU campus will make you a better reporter and make the Vidette a better and more credible publication.
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Staff Titles Staff Writer or Staff Photographer New employees are given the “staff” title for a period of two or more weeks. Subeditors will determine when the employee has earned the right to move to a permanent title. The job description for a staff writer or photographer is the same, but without the prestige of the reporter or photographer credit. You may be demoted from reporter or photographer to staff standing for a probationary period if you work begins to lack. If you spend more than three weeks on this probationary period, you may face more serious consequences. Reporter or Photographer Returning staff and those who have proved themselves to subeditors hold the title of reporter or photographer. This is not a guaranteed position. A certain quality of work is expected with this title. If an employee begins to slack, the title may be revoked. Vidette Senior Staff Every semester subeditors have the opportunity to promote Vidette reporters who have worked at the Vidette for at least one semester. This title is based off of a standard of work that far exceeds expectations and is determined by respective subeditors with the help and approval of the editor in chief. This designation can be revoked if necessary and is not recurring.
Coverage There are several types of stories a reporter will be assigned. The following descriptions are to be used as a guide when writing these stories, but as always, keep conversations flowing with your subeditors if you are having a tough time grasping the differences.
Previews Keeping in line with the Vidette’s goal to serve students, we often write stories about events before they happen. Previews are not meant to be advertisements for an event or organization, but rather should focus on facts in an interesting way. Finding multiple sources will always add depth and interest to an otherwise bland story. These will generally run to about 40-45 lines.
Features Feature stories focus on the human-interest angle of news, but still follow the same basic guidelines as news stories. The features story will not always follow the inverted pyramid style, but rather start with the source’s uniqueness in detailed description. Feature writing, while more descriptive than news, is still based on fact. A reporter should never insert their opinion unless in a review. For this reason, many reporters find it more difficult to write for features. Some examples of feature stories include: Personality profiles – This is a mainstay in the world of features. It captures the personality of the subject through description, quotes and basic fact reporting. The subject of the story should be interviewed on
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several occasions in order to be most accurate. In-person interviews serve reporters best because they should be looking for individual qualities of their source. Reviews – Reviews cover music, movies, concerts, books and more. Detail is most important when it comes to reviews. It is always important to be fluid and eloquent, but detail and support is more pressing. After experiencing what is being reviewed, learn as much about it as possible. This puts the entire review in context. Looking at the history of the genre of entertainment and what it compares to can prove a valuable tool to a features reporter.
Event Coverage Events range from protests on the Quad, to sporting events, to presentations in the Bone. The event itself is not the only information a reporter needs to focus on. Talk to audience members, coordinators, presenters, etc. There is never a situation where it is okay to simply record a speech and then write about it. The cardinal rule of coverage is to arrive early and stay late. You need not write the story in chronological order. Put the most important information first, even if it occurred at the end of the event. Rarely will two sources be sufficient, and there is never an excuse to have less than two sources.
The ISU Angle Finding the ISU angle is one of the most important things needed to write at the Vidette. We are a campus paper and our purpose is to serve and inform our public. This includes ISU students, faculty, staff and alumni. There are more than 20,000 people on campus – use them as tools and sources of information. Keep in mind that professors are experts in their fields and are usually more than willing to offer their thoughts on issues and how they relate to ISU students.
Breaking News Coverage and Investigation Breaking News Procedure When someone on The Vidette staff hears breaking news, it is his or her responsibility to alert the Editor in Chief and/or their respective subeditor immediately. Never assume the EIC or your subeditor is already aware of the breaking news situation, even if you were sent an ISU text or email alert. The EIC will then contact the appropriate subeditors (news editors, social media managers, and the web editor). The news editors will assign a reporter to cover the story and that reporter will submit his or her completed story to be posted online ASAP. Whenever new information is learned, the social media manager will update the Facebook and Twitter accounts. Official Comments In any bigger story or situation, call Jay Groves, ISU director of media relations at 309-438-5727. Always speak with him before asking to talk to President Dietz; this is a formality. If he is not in, listen to his voicemail, which contains his cell phone number and call him directly. He is really thorough in getting back to you in a timely manner, so you shouldn’t have any problems reaching him as a source.
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Building or Grounds damage or closings If there is a big snowstorm, flood or other major disaster on ISU property, you will need to call Building and Grounds or Facilities Management. B&G is more concerned with exteriors of buildings and the grounds while Facilities handles the interior structures such as pipes and electricity. Facilities Management can be reached at 8-5611 and B&G can be reached at 8-2035. Arrests and Court Cases In a story that involves an arrest, you can visit the ISU Police Department with a press pass and look at the narrative of the crime as told by the officers involved. Always remember to use the words “alleged” and “accused.” Remember, innocent until proven guilty. If the arrest is prominent, such as an administrator or professor, you will want to follow up. The first thing that will happen is the arrestee will be called for bond. This happens at the McLean County Law and Justice Center in Bloomington. Call the McLean County Clerk to find out what courtroom and what time this will occur. At this point, the charges will be read to the arrestee and the prosecutors will read the facts of the case. This is important to attend in a big case. If you cannot be there in person, go to the Justice Center to the McLean County Clerks office. Ask for the charging documents for the arrestee. It is best if you have the case number, which can be found in the public access section of mcleancountyil.gov. Type in the name and you will get a case number. The prefix of this number is important. For example, CM is criminal misdemeanor, CF is criminal felony, TR is traffic and JW is juvenile. The charging documents will contain information on why the arrestee was charge with each count. They cost about $3 or $4 for copies, which you will be reimbursed for. The next step is the arraignment, which is good to cover for bigger crimes involving members of the ISU community. At this point, the arrestee becomes a defendant and will plead guilty or not guilty. This is also a good time to make contact with the defendant’s lawyer as well as the prosecutor. From here on out, there will be a series of hearings called status hearings. These will mostly be filled with technical, legal actions such as motions and sharing of documents between prosecutors and defense. Subeditors will let you know if it is necessary to cover this in a case.
Health related issues Jean Swearingen from Student Health Services is a good source for health related stories. Reporters have a tendency to overuse her as a source, though so stray away from doing so. Jim Almeda from Health Promotion & Wellness. Dianne Feasley is the registered dietician on campus and is an excellent source. However, she is hard to get in contact with, so call well in advance. Visit Student Health Services’ website for a complete list of local health experts to use as sources.
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On-campus and Town Safety Any questions regarding safety on campus may be directed towards ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff at 8-8631. For instances in the Town of Normal or City of Bloomington, call the appropriate department. If you see something that looks like a story or just something strange, call and ask to speak with either the Media Director or Shirt Supervisor. Take it upon yourself to follow up on leads you see in every day life. Your editors will be happy you took the initiative and did what a reporter should do. In a situation that involves death, call the coroner in the county the death occurred in. If a death occurs on or near campus, call the McLean County Coroner. Media Relations Eric Jome or Jay Groves are the best people to call if you need an expert on a topic. He will help point you in the right direction of who to talk to at ISU. The number for media relations is 85631, just ask for who you want to speak with. Campus Dining/Housing Arlene Hosea is the director of campus dining, but is usually hard to get a hold of. Be sure to call and e-mail well in advance. Mary Atkinson is the assistant director of campus housing. Normal normal.org/Comm/DirectoryTopic.asp This is your bible when it comes to contacts in the Town of Normal. Use it!
Interviewing Goal The purpose of interviewing is to obtain information from several expert sources for the story. Interviewing someone can give background on subjects, quotes and attribution. The objective of interviewing is to interview enough experts on your topic to represent each angle of the story. The minimum two sources are rarely enough. Getting the Interview You lead a busy life. You have job, classes and a social life. Keep this in mind when trying to find people to interview. Everyone else is busy too, so give yourself ample time to reach sources. Be persistent, but always be polite and use common sense. **Best tip I can give you for meeting your deadline: Call your sources Sunday night after you receive your assignments. Your voicemail will be the first thing they hear Monday morning and you’ll be off to a great start. Phone Strategy Always follow these rules when conducting a phone interview: • Introduce yourself as a reporter from The Vidette 13
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Greet your source properly. If you call President Dietz’s office, ask to speak with President Dietz, not Mr. Dietz. Nothing is worse than starting off an interview with a source who takes offense at how you greet him or her. If you are planning to record the conversation, get permission first. Illinois law requires reporters to ask a source’s permission before recording an interview. Be clear and speak slowly. When leaving a voicemail, speak slowly and clearly and leave your contact information. Too often sources call The Vidette office and aren’t sure who called them. If you really want to talk to them, take your time with the message.
In-person This is the most accurate and professional way to interview a source. Dress appropriately and act professionally. You are representing The Vidette, so if the source has a problem with you, they will have a problem with The Vidette. Make sure you turn off all distractions, such as cell phones. Recording and note-taking Even if you record an entire interview, you should still take notes! The “voice memos” app works perfectly fine on the iPhone, but I’d recommend purchasing a recorder as back up. You can get them for $20 from Walmart or Target and they’re well worth the investment. This insures that all quotes are verbatim and prevents inaccuracy. If sources say something they did not wish to say that represents them in a negative light and you, as a reporter, include it in the story, they may call The Vidette to voice frustrations or being misquoted. If you have notes and the recording available, this will make you and the Vidette more credible. Recording It is recommended that you buy a recorder when taking a job at The Vidette. You will use it almost every story you do so it will be well worth the money. If you do not want to spend the $20 or $30, check and see if your phone has one. However, make sure that you are not going to get a phone call in the middle of an interview. And remember, technology can fail. Don’t forget to get permission before you start recording.
Story Ideas Story ideas are crucial to the reporting process. Each reporter is responsible for turning in story ideas at the for each department, ask your subeditors for the best places to look for ideas. Reporters in the news department will look to very different sources and locations for story ideas in comparison to a features or sports reporter.
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Guidelines • All reporters must turn in story ideas to their subeditors at their weekly department meeting. Failing to do so will result in an automatic write-up. • Story ideas may not come from the University Calendar or Media Relations. Subeditors already get press releases for these events. It is your job to find story ideas that are not directly given to you. • Don’t come to the meeting with an excuse for late or missing story ideas. • Make story ideas relevant. Vague story ideas suggesting we do a story on allergies or drinking on campus don’t lead anywhere. Make ideas as specific as you can. If you cannot imagine a whole story written on the idea, it’s not worth sending to your subeditors. Most importantly, think of potential sources on or around campus for each of your ideas. It is difficult to do a story on something about space or national government dealings, as it is impossible to get in touch with people from NASA or the President’s administration. Where to look for story ideas • Ideas primarily come from news beats and department contacts. These are often the most valuable and newsworthy ideas. • Campus bulletin boards and flyers • Social media – Facebook, Twitter, etc. have become a huge source of news – use these sites to your advantage when seeking out ideas. Also, follow all the major ISU Twitter accounts and like their pages on Facebook • bBooomingtonnormal.com or normal.org • Newspapers from other campuses • Professional newspapers. Think seriously about reading professional newspapers every day. You are a Vidette reporter who must always think of improvement. • Word of mouth – talking with students and professors often turns up good ideas • Curiosity – if you’re interested in something, chances are other people are too In the end, the story ideas suggested by reporters often make the most interesting stories. When you are writing up your story ideas think to yourself, “Would I read this story?” Don’t be lazy with your story ideas. The better they are, the better the Vidette will be.
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Beats Each news, features and sports reporter will be covering a beat – an organization on or off campus that consistently makes news. A reporter produces stories from that beat once or twice a week, depending on how rigorous of a beat it is. Reporters should make consistent calls to the main contact for the beat. The idea is to build a relationship with the contact so that while you will be calling him or her for leads, they will feel comfortable calling you with information. Examples of beats – Normal Town Council, Student Government Association, Academic Senate, Board of Trustees, University Program Board, etc. In addition to beats, reporters will be given a department or school within the University to cover. This requires reporters to email the school weekly as well as maintain a good relationship with all contacts. Sports reporters will follow different in-season sports as well as successful athletes. It is important for all sports reporters to not only know, but also keep a good relationship with media relations and all necessary coaches. While the features department doesn’t follow as many beats as news and sports, there are a few important organizations that need to be kept up with. Select reporters will follow features beats to keep up with local events. Important: If you have a beat that holds regular meetings (many do), you are expected to attend all meetings and stay the entire time. There is no way to tell if the last item on the agenda will be the most or least important. This will make for a better story and may increase the quality of story ideas.
Writing the Story Style The Vidette abides by the grammar and style rules of the Associated Press. There are a few AP Stylebooks around the office, and each section will also have access to mini-manuals put together by the copy editors to eliminate common mistakes. You will probably need one for class eventually, so purchasing an updated version of the AP Style book is recommended. Reporters are encouraged to skim these if there is any doubt about grammar, style, or
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punctuation. Sometimes, The Vidette uses a slightly different rule than what is used in AP style. These instances can be found at the back of this manual. As you become more experienced, you will find some rules are used more commonly than others. Try to memorize everyday rules regarding numbers, addresses, dates and abbreviations. This will make writing stories much easier. If there is any doubt about style after consulting the AP Stylebook, subeditors will be more than happy to assist you. Leads The lead is widely considered to be the most important part of the story. A reader will see the headline or photo first, but when it comes to the story, the lead will either draw them in or turn them away. Leads should provide detail regarding the rest of the story while staying concise and less than 30 words. In reference to the inverted pyramid, the lead should always contain the most important information. Remember: Get to the point! The five W’s and H are important, but the “what happened” is usually much more important than where or when. There is room elsewhere in the story to address the other W’s. Feature leads follow the same basic structure with some minor differences. They should be creative without summarizing the entire story. Do not editorialize. Never state your opinion and never tell students they should or need to do something. Tips for leads • Be specific, never vague or abstract • Avoid stating the obvious • Emphasize news values: impact, conflict, oddity, and so on • Stay under 30 words • Use strong active verbs, not passive verbs such as “is,” “was,” or “are” • Keep names minimal unless it is highly recognizable The Inverted Pyramid (Your new best friend) While there are several ways to organize a story, the most common is the inverted pyramid. It begins with the lead and is followed by the most important information in descending order. It is a rare instance that a story will follow a chronological format. It is especially tempting to write in chronological order when covering a meeting or other event that holds a specific agenda, but don’t do it!
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Attribution – A reporter’s bread and butter Reporters do not need to attribute statements that report undisputed facts, such as the fact that World War II ended in 1945, that Boston is in Massachusetts or that three people died in an accident. Attribution is also unnecessary in stories that reporters witness. Reporters must attribute information given to them by other people. This includes statements about controversial issues, statements of opinion, and all direct or indirect quotations. News stories that fail to attribute such statements appear to present the reporter’s personal opinions, rather than the opinions of sources. Sources: • Anonymous sources cannot be used without the approval of the Editor in Chief. • Friends may not be used as sources. • Press releases, websites, and other articles are not sources. • Sources must be live. You cannot quote someone you do not speak with.
Libel – A reporter’s worst nightmare. If a newspaper is sued for libel, the plaintiff must prove the following things: Publication – that one is as simple as it sounds Identification – a person was identified by name, obvious description, or picture Defamation – Was his or her name defamed? Can they prove their employment will be affected because of said defamation? Falsity – the statement is untrue Malice of forethought – the paper knew the statement was untrue and published anyway Negligence – the paper did not exercise caution before publishing (not editing or fact checking)
Conflict of Interest 18
Conflict of interest arises when something personal gets in the way of writing an unbiased story. If you hold an office in a group or club, or are already a member, you should not write the story. Reporters should maintain a strictly professional relationship with sources. A member of an organization might be more inclined to leave out information a non-member would include.
Story Requirements •
News stories are generally 54 lines. Check for length once you save your story at the Vidette. Just because it’s 54 lines at home doesn’t mean it will be 54 lines at the Vidette.
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Feature stories vary in length but can range from 50-100 lines.
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Word doc formatting requirements: Margins should be the following: 1” all sides except right at 3.65” Your subeditor will send you an example.
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Sports stories are generally 50-70 lines but can vary as well. Your Sports Editors will determine and appropriate line length before you begin writing, often during the department meeting.
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Each story is due the day before it runs in the paper. The deadline is 10 a.m. Monday through Wednesday and noon on Sundays. If there is an issue with a story let your subeditors know well in advance by EMAIL OR PHONE.
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All stories (with the exception of CD and movie reviews) must have at least two live sources. o This means no websites, press releases, or other newspapers. Remember, two is just the minimum, always strive for more.
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Along with the story, reporters must submit a good suggested headline.
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Attribute everything. Remember, this is news. Your opinion means nothing.
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Use just one space after each sentence.
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When attributing a source use only “said” and “added.” Occasionally “explained” is used.
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When attributing, put the title after the name unless it is short.
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Only use attribution “according to” when referring to information from a document or report or study. Do NOT use “according to” when referring to a human source’s statement.
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If the title comes before the name, capitalize it. If not, don’t capitalize it. o Ex: John Johnson, service manager of Good Year Tire Center, said o President Larry Dietz
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If you are using a document as a source, it is “stated” not “said.”
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Avoid using excessively long direct quotes. Direct quotes should contain punchy, interesting language worth repeating. Look to paraphrase other informational, but not particularly colorful, direct quotes.
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When introducing a new speaker in a story after someone else has already been quoted, try to introduce the new speaker to the reader ahead of the actual quote. Successive direct quotes from different speakers can be confusing to the reader.
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Remember to ALWAYS edit, edit, edit, and edit again. Turning an unedited piece of work to your subeditor is unacceptable. Their job is to edit your work for facts, spellings, overall readability, and style/flow. It begins with you: reporters should always turn in the highest quality of work they could possibly produce. If you turn in an unedited story with names spelled wrong and sentences written incorrectly, your editor will assume you would be OK with that draft running in the newspaper, under your byline. The bottom line is to be proud of the work you create.
Sources All of the information in a story comes from sources, and a story’s credibility and overall quality depends on what kind of and how many sources a reporter includes. The more sources, the better, as long as they remain pertinent to the story’s idea. Different types of sources provide depth to an issue. • Sources may not remain anonymous unless previously approved by the Editor in Chief, and this will rarely happen. If one source won’t talk, find another. There is always another. • Get sources from all sides of an issue. • Your sources may not see your story before publication. You may email quotes contributed by them to check for accuracy, but you are not allowed to show them the entire story. • Spell names correctly. This is extremely important. Always ask your source to spell their name for you, even if you think you know how it’s spelled. Incorrect spelling only makes the Vidette look amateur. Quotes and Paraphrasing 20
Quotes should be unique and add credibility, human interest, or emotion to a story. Good quotes show a person’s personality and add flavor to the story. Too many quotes can create clutter and too little can bore a reader. Do not quote common information. A tip to live by is to quote a source when they can say or explain something that you cannot.
Direct Quotes – Word for word Paraphrasing – Anything that is not a direct quote and is not common information is a paraphrased. Do this with basic information that needs better wording. Although some words may change, the meaning should not. While having enough sources is important, finding the right sources is just as necessary. Bloomington–Normal contacts can be found in phone books around the office. ISU numbers are listed at ilstu.edu under “People Finder” or at mediarelations.ilstu.edu. Make sure to never over use a source. Though President Al Bowman will know a lot of information, you don’t want him to be the only voice heard in the Vidette. Checklist for writing stories • Place the most important details in the lead • Emphasize details most likely to affect readers • Include details but never opinion • Don’t leap from point to point, rather keep the story flowing • Vary sentence structure
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Avoid run on sentences Don’t generalize Keep order and fluidity with transitions Never include a summary or conclusion at the end of a story
AP Style The Vidette follows the style guidelines of the Associated Press. Some questions you may have are more common than others. Listed below are some of the more common style questions encountered every day. Please take the time to learn these, as it will only improve your writing.
Keep sentences active and simple – noun, verb, direct object Adviser, not advisor It’s a beautiful day. The dog chased its tail. 21
The team lost its game. The Redbirds won their division. ISU, not Illinois State University (all other schools are spelled out on first reference) Student Government Association (first reference), SGA (second reference) Student Body President, not SGA President All acronyms are spelled out on first reference. Exceptions are in the AP Stylebook. Do not follow the name of an association with an acronym. Ellipses have a space before and after. “I want the students an faculty … to work together.” Flier, not flyer Percent, not % – always use the numeral with percents: 4 percent Spell out numbers under 10, use numerals for numbers 10 and over: seven, three, 10, 22 Use numerals for all ages, even those under 10, unless the number appears at the beginning of a sentence. $, not dollars – always use numerals: $4, $1 million Spell out cents if referring to a dollar amount of less than a dollar. The soda costs 99 cents. Every fact should be attributed. Smith said, not said Smith No contractions unless they are in quotes Quad, not quad Town of Normal, City of Bloomington ’Birds, not ‘Birds (in reference to the shortened version of Redbirds used in Sports) OK, not okay Gov. Pat Quinn, not Governor Pat Quinn (Quinn on second reference)
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Jan. 26, but January when the word stands alone Monday, not next Monday, last Monday, or on Monday Noon, not 12 p.m., midnight, not 12 a.m. United States is a noun, U.S. is an adjective The United States is a country. The country is home to U.S. citizens. 1990s, not 1990’s, She is in her 20s, not 20’s (age), ’90s not 90’s (decade) Effect is a noun, affect is a verb She felt the effects. It would affect her. Never use “you” unless in a quote. Fundraise No Oxford comma before a conjunction when making a simple list. Use only in a complex series. Simple: I bought eggs, cheese, bread and milk. Complex: The main points to consider are whether the athletes are skillful enough to compete, whether they have the stamina to endure the training, and whether they have the proper mental attitude. Use the order “time, date, place” to identify an event or topic in a story. Omit “Illinois” in a story, unless it would cause confusion. Grace Johnson, a Rockford native, spoke at the meeting. The fatal car accident occurred in Paris, Ill. Most big cities do not need a dateline at all (see AP Stylebook for full list) Do not use a hyphen between adverbs ending in “-ly.” An easily remembered rule Omit “that” whenever possible. Omit “in order to” whenever possible. Just say “to.” Use Dr. only when referencing a medical doctor.
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Avoid the word “things.” It’s a lazy word. Strive to be specific with more descriptive words like factors or items, etc. When a state abbreviation appears within a sentence, it requires a second comma. Example: The Topeka, Kans., native likes wheat. Event titles do NOT need quotation marks, but do capitalize.
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Student Government Association (first reference; all other SGA) MVC (all references) CVA/CPA (all references) ISU (all references) Spell out other schools on first reference, then use abbreviations Gov. Pat Quinn
Numbers • • • • • • •
Spell out “percent” Use the numeral with “percent” (4 percent) Spell out one through nine Use numerals for 10 and above Use $ (don’t spell out “dollars”) Use numerals for ages Use “more than” instead of “over” when referencing numbers
Capitalization • • •
Uptown Normal and Downtown Bloomington Town of Normal versus City of Bloomington Quad
Spelling and Punctuation • • • • • • •
Adviser (not advisor) Flier (not flyer) No Oxford comma (I bought milk, eggs and ham.) 1990s (not 1990’s) Fund raiser OK (not okay) Ellipses have one space before and after
Other Grammatical Rules • • • • • • • • • • • •
Use active verbs as much as possible Use “its” as a possessive, and “it’s” as a contraction Avoid contractions except in quotes Use one quotation mark in headlines (not two) Use “Smith said,” not “said Smith” 12 a.m. is midnight, 12 p.m. is noon Abbreviate months with specific dates (Jan. 26) Spell out months if only referencing (January) United States is a noun, U.S. is an adjective “Effect” is a noun, “affect” is a verb “Redbirds” is plural, “team” is singular Only use “Dr.” when referring to a medical 24
doctor
Ethics Code Being a Vidette reporter means more than getting information and releasing it to the public. It means telling the truth, being objective, and being fair. The Vidette prides itself on strong ethics, so the newsroom ethics you learn are not taken lightly. While there are several ethical guidelines and rules to follow, sometimes you must simply use common sense. Each new staff member must read the Vidette ethics packet and sign it before returning it to their subeditors. The Vidette is a professional atmosphere. Reporters must never use the Vidette for their own or others’ personal agendas. This means no helping friends promote an event that would otherwise not be newsworthy. If anything seems newsworthy and someone sponsors the event you know, you can bring it up as an idea to your sub editors, but you cannot cover the actual event. All editorial and opinion content must remain on the Viewpoint page, and it must be contributed by the chosen editorial staff, columnists or other sources approved by the Editor in Chief.
Code of Conduct The Vidette is a professional business and therefore the employees of the Vidette are expected to present themselves in a professional manner inside and outside the building. When you are at an event, or interviewing a source, remember the public’s opinion of you will shape their opinion of the Vidette as a whole. All employees are expected to dress in an appropriate way when in the Vidette building. This means no bandanas, hats, sweat pants, revealing clothes, workout clothes, or pajamas. Very short and baggy shorts are not permitted. Capris and Bermuda shorts are permitted so long as they do not go two inches above the knee. Skirts are not to go more than one inch 25
above the knee. Leggings are only to be worn underneath dresses, skirts, and long sweaters. These guidelines regard any interviews or events you attend as a Vidette employee, not just in the office. This is a professional environment. Men are permitted to wear non-distressed, appropriately fitting cargo shorts. Undergarments should never be seen. Under no circumstance are you allowed in the building while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, nor are you allowed to bring those substances into the building.
Office Rules • • • • • • • •
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Be courteous of your fellow Videtters. Do not talk loudly when they are recording a conversation. Similarly, do not play recordings while other are working. Instead, use headphones. Keep your workspace professional. Don’t leave food, wrappers or other garbage lying around. You may stay and work late, but when the Night Editor leaves, you leave. Also, no group meetings involving non-Vidette students are to be held in the building. Any meals or breaks should be taken in the back break room where the microwave and refrigerator are located. Treat all Vidette equipment with care. If a phone has rung more than three times, answer it. Take a message if the person is not in the building. If you are going to listen to music, use headphones. Clothing may be more casual in the office, but obviously shorts, yoga pants, leggings (unless under a dress or long shirt), and tank tops are considered inappropriate wear. When going to represent the Vidette at an event or interview, professional clothing is required. If there are any questions as to what this entails, please talk to the Editor in Chief. Remember that whenever a person of authority emails, calls or texts you, YOU MUST RESPOND. Even if you don’t have an answer to a question right then, you must acknowledge that you have received the message and will get back to whomever. However, this must be used in moderation so you can simply push it all back. Too many missed phone calls or other methods of communication will result in disciplinary action. Use appropriate communication with the Editor in Chief and your subeditors. If you have something urgent to tell them, CALL them rather than sending a text. If you cannot make a weekly meeting, email or texting will suffice. Facebook messages are not appropriate methods of communicating with your boss. Attend everything that your subeditors or Editor in Chief tells you to attend. If you are late or cannot attend a training session or other meeting, you have to contact your subeditors in advance to let them know and offer a legitimate excuse. Too many missed meetings (especially without former notification) will call for disciplinary action.
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The Vidette Blacklist Form Reporter name _______________________________________________ Organization(s)
__________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ As a reporter/photographer I understand the importance of avoiding conflict of interest in my work at the Vidette. By filling out this form, I am acknowledging my involvement in other areas on-campus and understand any stories or events involving or held by these organizations should not be covered by me. If an issue with conflict of interest occurs, I will alert my subeditor immediately. _____________________________________ Name
____________________ Date
_____________________________________ Signature
____________________ Date
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Vidette Termination Policy and Guidelines Grounds for immediate dismissal Assault, sexual harassment, theft, plagiarism, insubordination, knowingly taking information out of context, or breaching ethical procedures practices by the Daily Vidette are all grounds for dismissal. All actions of discipline should be written out, signed and copied. Discipline process guidelines: First offense Grounds for verbal warnings: missing deadlines, meetings, having multiple errors in a story, using friends as sources, etc. Second offense Grounds for written warnings: any second offense of the above terms, grievously misquoting someone, violating copyright laws or other misconduct. Third offense Grounds for suspension: any repetition of first or second offenses or other misconduct deemed inappropriate/unprofessional by subeditors and the Editor in Chief. Final offense Ground for termination. This can be used after all three offenses have been issued. If an act is severe enough, the Editor in Chief or subeditor may issue a final offense in place of a first, second or third offense. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------By signing this statement, I, ______________________________, have accepted the terms of disciplinary action as established by the Editor in Chief and understand what constitutes disciplinary action at the Vidette.
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_______________________________________ Staff Signature
__________________ Date
_______________________________________ Subeditor Signature
__________________ Date
Contract of Responsibility I, __________________________________, have read and fully understand the contents of this handbook. I understand that I am responsible for meeting deadlines, editing my own work before it goes to my subeditor, attending each weekly meeting, submitting story ideas, covering my beat and being 100 percent accurate in my work. If I fail to meet these expectation in addition to those my subeditors enforce, I will be subject to disciplinary action. Action may vary from verbal and written warnings to suspension and even termination.
_____________________________________ Reporter’s Signature
_____________________________________ Subeditor’s Signature
______________________ Date
______________________ Date
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