Hat tip: Jim Romenesko

Former Washington Post Executive Editor Ben Bradlee offers his thoughts to an over-aggressive public relations person who complained to Bradlee when a section editor shot down a pitch. The classic Bradlee closing zinger:

“I would like to be sure that you understand that we trust our editors’ news judgment and that we distrust yours.”

Is there any question why his reporters would have killed for him?

The evolution of the front-page sticker ad – this one is actually printed on the paper.

I know that newspapers are, ahem, hard up for advertising dollars, but the South Florida Sun Sentinel has taken it to a whole new level today with the ad on its front page.

 

(via Romenesko)

The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune apparently has replaced all of its editors with 10-year-old boys:

An oldie but a goodie.

Rolling Stone reminded us this summer that there is nothing like a provocative cover to elevate the visibility of a flagging publication. The Columbia Journalism Review apparently noticed, and it is enjoying some buzz for putting the F word on its most-recent cover.

The last year has been a bloodbath for photojournalists as newspapers across the country continue their cost-cutting measures. But, really, who needs professional photographers when Renaissance men like Chuck Fieldman can snap a photo while also reporting a story?

And can someone please convince the National Press Photographers Association to create an anti-Pulitzer award that recognizes photos taken by reporters like this one?

 

Hat tip: Elizabeth Robinson

Courtesy of NBC News:

 

 

 

 

The Los Angeles Times has misspelled actor Elliott Gould’s name 47 times over the past 27 years.

Poynter posted this quote in an article headlined, “Newspaper association head doesn’t like talking to reporters:”

“I don’t give quotes for fear of being misquoted.”

– Ossie Sheddy, president of the board of the Alberta (Canada) Weekly Newspaper Association.

9News’ Drew Soicher interviews new Broncos QB Peyton Manning.

 

Hat tip: Eric Anderson

Hat tip: Cynthia Barnes

Today’s passive-aggressive weather report is sponsored by KTLA:

Hat tip: Julie Scott (@jascott)

The Greenville News:

(Hat tip: @PeterMacKellar)

Calling ESPN “journalism” may be a bit of a stretch, but it wins a “Great Moment” award for taking the time to create a Wisconsin graphic that actually features Minnesota. (Hat tip: Darren Rovelle)

The Times-News of Twin Falls (Idaho) gives a page-one fact-check to a press release from U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo. The paper’s verdict: “The release is accurate, although much of the data is represented to look scarier than it might actually be.”

(Hat tip: Andrew Hudson)

 

 

In the copy editor’s defense, “Loveland” is much easier to fit in a tight headline if you just drop the “e.”

 

(Hat tip: Elizabeth Robinson at Volume PR)

Copyranter tags the latest Reporters Without Borders PSA as “creepy,” but notes, “At least they didn’t actually use (Daniel Pearl’s) head.”

A Burson-Marsteller study has found that reporters are failing to simply transcribe press releases in their publications as much as 48 percent of the time. And ADHD-riddled bloggers are even worse.

Have you ever wanted to Tweet something bogus to see if you can spark a viral Internet rumor? Washington Post sportswriter Mike Wise did, and the newspaper just put him on a one-month time-out because of it. Although it will actually be for five weeks, I’m told.

Courtesy of CNN:

More are here.

(Hat tip: The Denver Egotist via Jen Lester).

A shout-out to Denver’s own Glendale Cherry Creek Chronicle reporter Glen Richardson, who defended his use of fabricated direct quotes in an article on crime in the Lowry area by arguing:

“I’m not sure that it was misleading. It was, in a sense, probably embellished.”

(Hat tip: 5280’s Daniel Brogan)

(Hat tip: Andrew Sullivan)

What’s the problem with journalism today? Brent Cunningham of the Columbia Journalism Review and Alan C. Miller of the News Literacy Project argue that the Internet has moved you from a news consumer to a news gatekeeper, and that you aren’t paying enough attention to do that job effectively.

… but let’s hope this isn’t a harbinger of things to come (of course, Rush Limbaugh probably considers moving from the New York Times to homelessness as a lateral career move).

The money quote from the summary of a new survey by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism in association with the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA):

“Fewer than half of all (journalism executives) surveyed are confident their operations will survive another 10 years – absent significant new sources of revenue. Nearly a third believe their operations are at risk in just five years or less. And many blame the problems not on the inevitable effect of technology but on their industry’s missed opportunities.”

I don’t know about you, but when market-moving news breaks, I only want one thing: Andrew “Dice” Clay’s perspective. I can’t imagine why CNNfn didn’t survive.

I don’t even know what to say about his one. Seriously, I’m speechless (mostly because I can’t stop laughing).

(Hat tip: Jim Dissett)

(Hat tip to LocalTVNews)

If you were concerned about the future of journalism, you can relax. Congress is on it.

Michael Sheehan, a reporter with the FOX affiliate in New York City, was arrested on suspicion of DWI after being involved in a car-horse accident. Not surprisingly, it is the local CBS affiliate that has the details. While there are no photos from the scene yet, it may have looked something like this:

The anchors’ stupified reaction at the end is worth the watch.

Meanwhile, Bob Kendrick, Steve Kelley, Ernie Bjorkman and Molly Hughes can’t find work as anchors.

1) Locate a PR contact (name and telephone number) 
2) Find basic facts about the company (spelling of an executive’s name, his/her age, headquarters location, and so on) 
3) Discern the company’s spin on events 
4) Check financial information 
5) Download images to use as illustrations in stories

(From PRNewser)

MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough drops the F-bomb (0:25 mark) in a discussion about presidential politics and takes 55 seconds to realize he’s done it (1:20 mark).

As requested, here is the complete list of “Great Moments in Journalism:”

Great Moments in Journalism I

Great Moments in Journalism II

Great Moments in Journalism III

Great Moments in Journalism IV

Great Moments in Journalism V

Great Moments in Journalism VI

Great Moments in Journalism VII

Great Moments in Journalism VIII

Gran Momentos en el Periodismo IX

What is the future of (successful) newspapers? Stay local, provide analysis and focus on investigative reporting.

September was a very good month for newspaper Websites, thanks in part to the 2008 election and the financial meltdown. Here’s a list of the 30 most-trafficked sites during September, according to Editor & Publisher:

Website — Visits — Increase 

NYTimes.com — 20,068,000 — 37%
washingtonpost.com — 12,956,000 — 43%
USATODAY.com — 11,439,000 — 33%
LA Times — 10,022,000 — 102%
Wall Street Journal Online — 9,047,000 — 94%

Boston.com — 8,610,000 — 122%
SFGate.com/San Francisco Chronicle — 5,129,000 — 18%
New York Post — 4,815,000 — 98%
Politico — 4,605,000 — 219%
Chicago Tribune — 4,558,000 — 46%

Daily News Online Edition — 4,439,000 — 56%
DallasNews.com – The Dallas Morning News — 3,777,000 — 115%
Chicago Sun-Times — 3,676,000 — 64%
The Houston Chronicle — 3,396,000 — 51%
Newsday — 3,051,000 — 13%

International Herald Tribune — 2,940,000 — 121%
The Washington Times — 2,410,000 — 78%
Philly.com — 2,332,000 — 73%
The Seattle Times — 2,256,000 — 22%
Anchorage Daily News — 2,190,000 — 928%

Atlanta Journal-Constitution — 2,180,000 — 14%
Boston Herald — 2,153,000 — 118%
Baltimore Sun — 2,136,000 — 30%
Star Tribune — 2,134,000 — 50%
NJ.com — 2,086,000 — 70%

Seattle Post-Intelligencer — 2,070,000 — 17%
Detroit Free Press — 1,994,000 — 62%
MercuryNews.com — 1,964,000 — 64%
MiamiHerald.com — 1,895,000 — 64%
Village Voice Media — 1,745,000 — (-13%)

The truly great moments in journalism are the ones that come packaged with an apology from the reporter.

Retired ABC correspondent Linda Douglass has joined the Obama campaign as a senior strategist and spokeswoman, but, worry not, she’ll be keeping her journalistic integrity intact. Says Douglass, “My intention is that I won’t spin…I absolutely vow that I will tell the truth.” Of course, those of us already on the dark side know that the best spin comes from those who tell the truth … selectively.

And, really, is there anyone who can afford to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth less than a politician? Journalists can complain about big business all they want, but ExxonMobil tells fewer lies in a year than presidential candidates utter in a day. A politician who only spoke the truth couldn’t get elected to his or her HOA, much less an office of consequence. It’s the nature of politics. 

Not everyone believes that journalism is dead. Forbes details how eliminating the printing part of print journalism ultimately will save reporters’ jobs.

Illiteracy can be a tough hurdle to overcome when you are a teleprompter-dependent television sports anchor. If you can actually watch all four minutes of this clip without shuddering, you have the empathy level of a serial killer.