The North Carolina Newspapers in Education program encourages young people to become lifelong readers and learners, capable writers, informed, involved adults, thoughtful consumers of news and advocates for the First Amendment.

For more information,
contact Sandra Cook:
NC Press Foundation, Newspapers in Education, CB3365, 19 Carroll Hall, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365, (919) 843-5648, fax (919) 843-4734
sandynie@unc.edu

Business office:
5171 Glenwood Ave., Ste. 364
Raleigh, NC 27612
(919) 787-7443
fax (919) 787-5302
www.ncpress.com

Comparing Newspapers: Target Dating

To make comparisons, students must first become familiar with their local newspapers. For example, have students use the local newspaper to complete the activity sheet Looking at the Community and then have them use other newspapers.

Before making in-depth comparisons, students will benefit from learning more about the communities served by the different newspapers. The activity sheet Target Date Newspaper Profile asks them to record background information about the communities and their newspapers.

Also provide Venn diagrams for students to record likenesses and differences between hometown newspaper and another newspaper.

Consider providing a set of questions such as the following:

1. How is the newspaper organized? Is it similar or different from the local newspaper?

2. What issues and problems does the newspaper cover?

3. What are the three most common types of jobs advertised in the Classified section? Mentioned in the news stories?

4. What is the range or average costs for buying three or four bedroom homes? For renting two and three bedroom apartments? How do these compare to costs in your local community?

5. What businesses advertise in the newspaper? Are they similar to businesses that serve your own community?

6. What types of entertainment are available? At what costs?

7. Are there local sports teams? What college and professional teams receive the most prominent coverage?

8. Are there museums?

Similar activities can be applied to both print and online newspapers. Have students start by examining online versions of their local newspaper on a specific day. To gain access to online newspapers for Target Date activities, use the links provided below:

NC Press Association lists NC newspapers in alphabetical order by city.

Newspaper Association of America makes newspapers accessible through a clickable map. Click on Newsvoyager located under NAA Resources on the right side of the Web site or visit NewsVoyager directly.

Newslink links to newspapers in the United States and around the world and includes magazines, radio, TV and other news sources.

Newseum offers front pages from around the world each day.

Internet Public Library's reading room lists newspapers by continent. The US listing identifies newspapers by state.

A site for newspapers, magazines and TV from the U.S., Canada and the rest of the world. It also has stories from American Journalism Review.

News Central lists newspapers by continent.

Awesome Library lists various news sources under topics.

For related lessons, visit the following sites:

From Printed Page to Home Page: Comparing On-Line Newspapers to Their Print Counterparts - "In this lesson, students assess the roles of print and on-line versions of local newspapers in fostering ties among the people in a community and then draft a letter to the editor of the on-line version of the newspaper to offer specific suggestions on how it might be improved."

Black, White and Digitized All Over: Examining the Pros and Cons of Print Newspapers and Online News Sites - "In this lesson, students examine the pros and cons of getting news from print newspapers and from their online counterparts. Students compare and contrast a printed newspaper with its online version, and then compose letters to editors of print and online newspapers suggesting how they might improve their publications."

Student Worksheets or Organizers

Newspaper Profile

Looking at the Community