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Newspaper
Terms
Use the terms illustrated
and defined in the labeled front and editorial pages and the glossary
of terms to identify parts of the community and daily newspapers
in your area.
An
Illustration of Labeled Front and Editorial Pages (PDF)
Glossary of
Terms
A
- B - C - D -
E - F - G - H
- I - J - K -
L - M - N - O
- P - Q - R -
S - T - U - V
- W - Y
Links
A
ad - an
abbreviation for advertisement.
advertising - messages in newspaper space paid for by the
advertiser.
angle - an approach or point of view for a story.
AP - an abbreviation for Associated Press, the largest
wire service, operating worldwide, in large and small communities.
(see wire service)
assignment - a story or beat a reporter is given to cover.
art - a general term for all newspaper illustrations and
photographs.
attribution - identification by name and other information
of a source of information.
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B
balloon
- the words appearing in a circle above characters in a cartoon
or comic strip, which indicates their words or thoughts.
banner - a headline running across the entire width of
the page; also an ad running across the page of the newspaper; on
a Web site, usually an animated ad.
beat - a reporter's regular area of coverage, such as local
government, police news, science, religion.
bias - a viewpoint expressed in an editorial, column or
quote or a writer's personal opinion or attitudes.
breaking news - news that is developing at the moment;
news that occurs on or just before deadline.
broadsheet - a size and format for newspapers; applied
to newspapers that use that format rather than the smaller tabloid
format.
budget - the space available for news; editors hold budget
meetings to decide which stories to run on front pages, etc.
byline - the name of the writer printed at the top of the
story.
caption or photocaption - the larger type over a cutline or a title
or explanatory phrase accompanying a picture, similar to a headline.
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C
caricature
- the exaggeration of features for comic or critical effect in a
cartoon.
carrier - a person who delivers the newspaper to subscribers.
circulation - the number of newspaper copies sold.
classified advertising - ads set in small type that are
grouped together under headings to form a section of the newspaper.
column - the arrangement of horizontal lines of type in
the newspaper; also an article expressing the personal experience
or opinion of its author, the columnist.
column inch - space measurement, one column wide by one
inch deep.
compositor - the person who arranges all copy, ads, headlines,
etc. on a board into the form for printing.
confidential source - one who gives information to a reporter
with the understanding his identity will never be revealed, even
in a court of law.
copy - any material ready to be put into printed form.
copyright - an author's or publication's exclusive right
of property for the work the person or organization produces.
copy editor - a newspaper worker who corrects or edits
copy written by a reporter and writes headlines.
correspondent - a reporter stationed in another location.
crop - to eliminate portions of copy or photos by reducing
the size.
cut - a photograph
cutline - identifying information that appears under photographs
or illustrations.
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D
dateline
- the opening words of a story, usually in bold type, which give
the location from which the story was submitted and sometimes the
date; may also tell the location of the reporter when he/she gathered
the information for the story.
deadline - a time at which all copy for an edition must
be submitted.
desk - editing stations for various areas of coverage or
activity, such as the city desk, the state desk and the copy desk.
display advertising - ads of various sizes appearing throughout
the newspaper that make use of varied type styles and sizes, art
and photographs.
doubletruck - ads or other content that run across both
pages of an open newspaper; the advertiser pays for the extra space
that fills the "gutter" between the two facing pages.
dummy - a diagram of a newspaper page, showing the placement
of stories, headlines and photos.
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E
ears -
space at the top of the front page on each side of the newspaper's
name, used for weather, index, circulation figures or calling attention
to some special features in the newspaper.
editor - a person who corrects and revises copy; also,
a person in a supervisory position in the newsroom, such as the
city editor, the managing editor or the features editor.
editorial - a statement of opinion, reflecting the publisher's
position, which appears on the editorial page.
expose - a story that uncovers corruption or poor conditions
and includes information that is generally difficult to obtain;
also called an investigative report.
feature - a story in which the interest lies in something
other than the news value.
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F
5Ws -
who, what, when, where and why (sometimes H for how is added); the
main questions a reporter asks and answers when following up and
writing a news story.
flag - the newspaper's logo on the front page.
follow-up story - a story that adds more information to
one already printed.
font - a complete assortment of type of one size and face.
four-color (4-color) - when a color photo is needed, a
slide is separated into the basic colors of red, yellow, blue and
black.
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G
general assignment
reporter - a reporter who is not assigned a specific area of
coverage and often writes news features.
gutter - the margin between facing pages where the fold
lies.
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H
hard news
- stories that focus primarily on the available facts of a news
event or situation; a straight news story makes the key facts easy
to find.
headline - the large type above a story stating its main
idea.
hole - missing information or unanswered questions in a
story.
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I
inserts
- an advertisement that is printed apart from the regular press
run, usually an independent printer, then "inserted" among the regular
newspaper sections.
interview - a face-to-face or telephone conversation with
a person, in which the reporter asks questions to obtain information
for a story.
invasion of privacy - a charge that a news story reveals
personal information that should not be made public.
inverted pyramid - the basic organization of a news story,
in which the most important information comes first and the least
important details appear last.
investigative reporter - a reporter skilled in uncovering
information, particularly information an individual or organization
attempts to conceal.
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J
jump -
to continue a story from one page to another.
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K
kicker
- a short headline in smaller type, above the main headline of a
story.
kernel - a summary statement in a feature story.
kill - to take out copy or type that is not to be printed;
to decide not to run a story or a portion of a story.
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L
layout
- the arrangement of copy, art and headlines on a page.
lead - the first few sentences of a story in a straight
news story, usually answering who, what, when and where questions;
infrequently but historically spelled "lede."
leading - the amount of space between lines.
leak - to give information to the press on the sly, against
the wishes of organizations or individuals involved.
libel - the publication of a statement that hurts unjustly
the reputation of a person or organization; to be libelous, the
statement must be false and published, the person must be identifiable
and defamed. Public offices carry a greater burden of truth.
link - way to enter a Web site by simply clicking on the
site name.
logo - the name of a newspaper or section set in a distinctive
style of type so as to be easily recognized; a distinctive design
bearing the name or trademark of a company or business.
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M
managing editor
- the editor who directs the daily gathering and editing of the
news.
masthead - the formal statement of a paper's name, officers,
point of publication and other information, usually found on the
editorial page.
muckraking - to search out and publicly expose real or
apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business.
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N
national advertising
- ads placed by agencies for clients that feature national or regional
information.
negative - a photographic image in which the values of
the original copy are reversed, so that the dark areas appear light
and vice versa.
news analysis - a story which analyzes events in the news,
rather than simply reporting on them.
news hole - the amount of space in the newspaper available
for news and features; the amount of space left over for news after
the ads have been placed on the page.
newsprint - the uncoated, machine-finished paper on which
newspapers are printed.
newsstand - a single copy account that sells the papers
over the counter.
nut - a summary statement or paragraph in a feature story.
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O
op-ed page
- the page opposite the editorial page; in larger newspapers, devoted
to the opinions of syndicated columnists and others.
obituaries, (obit) - announcements of deaths, funerals
and details of the deceased person's life.
offset - a printing method in which the plate transfers
the image to be printed onto an intermediate surface called a "blanket",
which then comes in direct contact with the paper.
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P
pagination
- the computerized process by which a newspaper is laid out or paged.
peg - a timely link or reason for publishing a story.
photocomposition - a method of printing that relies on
photographic means of producing engravings and plates.
plagiarism - passing off as one's own the ideas and words
of another.
plate - an aluminum sheet that the negative is transferred
to so that it can be run on the press.
pop-up - ad or window that "pops up" or opens up automatically
on a computer screen.
press conference - a meeting called by a public figure
for the purpose of addressing the questions of the news media.
press release - a statement submitted to the news media
by an organization or individual to announce an event, promote an
organization or issue a state-ment.
press run - total number of copies printed.
process colors - process of red, yellow and blue inks used
separately or mixed.
profile - any story that provides an in-depth look at a
personality.
proof - a page on which newly-set copy is reproduced to
make possible the correction of errors.
proofreader - someone who reads proof pages and marks errors
for corrections.
public figure - a person who, by virtue of his position
or vocation or actions, is in the limelight, such as a politician,
a high-ranking public official, an entertainer or an activist; a
person with wide-spread fame or notoriety or special prominence.
public record - official government records required by
law to be open to public scrutiny, such as budgets, salaries, bids,
births, deaths, marriages and arrests.
publisher - the chief executive and sometimes owner of
the newspaper.
put the paper to bed - when the paper heads to press and
the newsroom has signed off all pages.
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Q
quarterfold
- taking the standard or broadsheet size of the newspaper and folding
it into quarters, usually stitched and trimmed.
R
rack -
a metal stand where newspapers are sold, placed in front of businesses
or street corners.
register marks - cross-hairs generally used to register
one negative to the other for color registering.
review - an account of an artistic event, which offers
a critical evaluation, the opinion of the writer.
roll-end - the part of the paper left when the press completes
its run; often made available free to the public.
R.O.P. (Run-of-Paper) - denotes advertising that appears
within the newspaper itself.
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S
scoop
- an exclusive story, obtained before a competitor prints it.
skybox - words and graphics that encourage readers to read
stories inside the newspaper; located above the name of the newspaper
on the front page.
soft lead - a feature-style lead intended to entice readers
into stories; colorful, dramatic opening paragraph in contrast to
straight news leads that answer who, what, when and where questions.
source - a supplier of information, such as a person or
publication.
staff writer - a writer employed by the newspaper that
prints his story.
straight news story - a story that deals only with the
objective details of an event or occasion; a hard news story.
subheads - appearing below the headline and above the story;
along with the headline, gives the main idea of the story.
syndicate - an association which buys and sells stories,
features, columns, editorials and other materials for publication
in newspapers.
syndicated features - material such as comics, advice and
opinion columns, etc. supplied nationally to newspapers by news
syndicates.
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T
tabloid
- the standard size of the newspaper folded into half; also, but
not necessarily, may refer to style and content of reporting in
newspaper (sensational stories).
tip - an idea for a story.
top story - the story that usually appears at the top of
the front page on the right hand side, considered by editors to
be the most important story of the day.
tube - a plastic receptacle with an open end for a carrier
to deliver the paper.
two-source rule - the standard set by investigative reporters;
a fact should be confirmed by at least two sources before reporting
it.
typo - slang for typographical error, a mistake made by
hitting the wrong key of the keyboard.
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U
unattributed
sources - sources who provide information with the understanding
that their names will not be used in the story.
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W
white space
- space in ads that is without copy; used to improve the visual
quality of ads.
wire service - a national or international news service
that distributes news and pictures by means of wire communication.
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Y
yellow journalism
- sensationalist journalism that exploits, distorts or exaggerates
the news to attract readers and beat the competition.
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Links
NC
Scholastic Media Association supports journalism, including
the production of school newspapers, in North Carolina secondary
schools.
UNC-Chapel
Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Poynter Institute's
resource
papers for high school journalists
National
Scholastic Press Association
Journalism
Education Association-lesson plans available
A site
for teachers created by Dianne Smith, a journalism adviser
Basic
references for journalism educators and students
A
Web site for beginning reporters, those studying the craft
and their teachers.
JournalistsToolbox.com
includes a section for high school and college students
A tutorial
for creating a classroom newspaper
Crayon.net
allows you to choose publications for your own personal newsstand.
History
Old
North Carolina Genealogy, News & History
Newspaper-Industry.org
MediaHistory
History
of Newspapers for Collier's Encyclopedia
Progressive
Era Reformers: The Muckrakers
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