Writing for the Media
Paul McGrath
About Paul McGrath
 Native of Clute, Texas (Brazoswood High)
 Graduate of Texas A&M University
 Been at the Chronicle since 1982
 Worked previously in Conroe, Lubbock, Lockhart then
back in Conroe
 Have taught writing and editing at UH, A&M and now
UH-CL since 1990 (at UH-CL since 2005)
 Contact info, office hours
Now … a little about YOU
Write a paragraph or a page with some background information
about yourself. Include some or all of the following:
 Name
 Where you are from
 Where you went to
school (HS, colleges)
 Any media experience
 Any publications you
have worked for
 Where you see yourself
in 5 years
 Anything else interesting?
 E-mail address (this is a
must; many assignments
will be given to you via email and can be turned in
the same way)
Here’s a little story…
Moral of the story…
 “George” was an information gatherer,
and he used that information to benefit
others as well as himself.
 He kept his focus when confronted with
a stressful situation (cool under fire!)
 He didn’t miss his deadline.
 He took a situation that was potentially
harmful and made it useful. In other
words, he created his own happy
ending.
Getting started
 Class schedule: Note the writing project -- a profile -and the crime victims session. More on the profile in the
next class.
 TURN OFF PAGERS AND CELL PHONES PLEASE.
Stay off of MySpace, Facebook, etc. during class.
 Grading – There are a possible 2,000 points (divide
your cumulative scores by 20 for end result). The (7)
story assignments and (6) AP exercises are 100 points
each. The (10) news quizzes are 20 points each. The
profile “project” is 200 points. The final is 300 points.
 Absences and bonus points day
 Textbook and AP stylebook. Supplemental texts and
reading
Getting started
The course Web site can be found at:
www.mycoursesite.com/mcgrath
The syllabus, class schedule, AP exercises, contact info,
extra credit exercises, class assignments and
presentations can be found on this site.
Where are we going?
The changing face of the media
and the “C-words” that will affect
you
Media landscape: J-school enrollment
Meanwhile …
The communications field, particularly in newspapers, has
constricted. There is even a newspaper death watch Web
site now.
 Newspaper layoffs/buyouts for 2008 have topped 6,000.
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Papers affected include the Chicago Tribune,
Sacramento Bee, Fresno Bee, Fort Worth StarTelegram, San Antonio Express-News, Dallas Morning
News and those in St. Petersburg, San Jose, Cleveland
and Akron.
Newspaper ad revenue, circulation, stock prices and
page counts are declining.
Outsourcing has increased. Some California papers
have outsourced copy editing to India. A Pasadena,
Calif., Web site is using two Indian reporters to cover
local news.
Yet …
The paradox is that more people than ever read
newspapers, now that some major papers have several
times as many readers online as in print. And papers sell
more ads than ever, when online ads are included.
But for every dollar advertisers pay to reach a print reader,
they pay about 5 cents, on average, to reach an Internet
reader. Newspapers are trying to narrow that gap, but the
rise in Internet revenue slowed sharply in 2007.
Another economic force affecting the job market: corporate
takeovers of media companies have left fewer and fewer
independents. How so? Just look and see …
Who Owns What?
One type of convergence:
Corporate consolidation
Media landscape: Consolidation
TOUGH JOB MARKET HANDOUT
About 10 companies -- Disney, News Corp. (Fox),
TimeWarner, Clear Channel (which owns 1,500 radio
stations worldwide), Viacom, General Electric, Hearst,
etc. -- own more than 50 percent of the media outlets in
this country.
Take a look at what happened when AOL merged with
TimeWarner …
AOL
AOL-TimeWarner Corporation (AOL)
owns the following companies:
AOL Service
AOL Anywhere
AOL International
AOL@School
CompuServe
Digital City
DMS
ICQ
iPlanet
MapQuest
Moviefone
Netscape
AOL Music
Basic cable
TBS Superstation
Turner Network Television
Cartoon Network
Turner Classic Movies
Turner South
Boomerang
TCM Europe
Cartoon Network Europe
TNT Latin America
Cartoon Network Latin America
TCM & Cartoon Network
Atlanta Braves
MORE…
AOL
Cartoon Network Japan
Atlanta Hawks
Court TV (TWE-owned)
Atlanta Thrashers
News
CNN/U.S.
CNN Headline News
CNN International
CNNmoney
CNN/Sports Illustrated
CNN en Español
CNN Airport Network
CNNRadio Network
CNNRadio Noticias
CNN Newsource
CETV
The Goodwill Games
Network television
The WB Television Network
Kids' WB!
HBO
HBO Plus
HBO Signature
HBO Family
HBO Comedy
HBO Zone
HBO Latino
Cinemax
MoreMAX
ActionMAX
ThrillerMAX
HBO Independent Productions
HBO Downtown Productions
MORE…
AOL
 Time
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Popular Science
Sports Illustrated
Outdoor Life
People
Field & Stream
Entertainment Weekly
Golf
Fortune
Yachting
Money
Motor Boating & Sailing
In Style
Salt Water Sportsman
Real Simple
Ski
Time For Kids
Skiing
ON
Freeze
Sports Illustrated For Kids
Snowboard Life
Sports Illustrated For Women
This Old House
Teen People
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TransWorld Stance
People en Español
TransWorld Surf
FSB: Fortune Small Business
TransWorld Skateboarding
Business 2.0
TransWorld Snowboarding
Mutual Funds
TransWorld Motocross
Southern Living
Ride BMX
Progressive Farmer
Snap
Southern Accents
Skiing Trade News
Sunset
TransWorld Skateboarding Business
Cooking Light
TransWorld Snowboarding Business
Coastal Living
MORE…
AOL
 TransWorld Surf
Business
 Parenting
 BMX Business News
 Family Life
 Baby Talk
 Time Life Inc.
 Bébé
 Leisure Arts
 Healthy Pregnancy
 Media Networks, Inc.
 Health
 Oxmoor House
 AsiaWeek
 First Moments
 Wallpaper*
 Sunset Books
 Who Weekly
 Targeted Media Inc.
 Time Inc. Custom
Publishing
 Time Distribution
Services
Time Inc. Home
Entertainment
Warner Publisher Services
iPublish.com
 Little, Brown and Company
 Little, Brown and Company UK
 Warner Books
 Time Warner AudioBooks
 Warner Bros. Pictures
 Warner Bros. Consumer Products
 Warner Bros. Television
 Warner Bros. Studio Stores
 Warner Bros. Animation
 Warner Bros. International
Theatres
 Looney Tunes
 Warner Bros. New Media
 Hanna-Barbera
 Warner Bros. Online
 Castle Rock Entertainment
 DC Comics
 Telepictures Productions
 MAD Magazine
 Warner Home Video
 New Line Cinema
 New Line New Media
 Fine Line Features
 New Line Television
 New Line Home Video
 New Line International
 The Atlantic Group
 Elektra Entertainment Group Inc.
 London-Sire Records Inc.
 Rhino Entertainment
 Warner Bros. Records Inc.
 Warner Music International
 Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
 Warner Bros. Publications
 WEA Inc.
 Ivy Hill Corp.
 WEA Corp.
 WEA Manufacturing
 Alternative Distribution Alliance
 Warner Special Products
 Giant Merchandising
AOL
 Time Warner Cable-Clusters of more than 100,000 subscribers
 RoadRunner Cable-Clusters of more than 100,000 subscribers
 Local News Channels
— Bay News 9, Tampa, FL
— Central Florida News 13, Orlando, FL
— NY1 News, New York, NY
— News 8 Austin, TX
— R/News, Rochester, NY
Who Owns What?
Hearst Corporation
(Why I salute Patty Hearst)
Hearst Corporation
Magazines
Cosmopolitan
CosmoGIRL!
Country Living
Country Living Gardener
Esquire
Good Housekeeping
Harper's BAZAAR
House Beautiful
Lifetime
Marie Claire
O, The Oprah Magazine
Popular Mechanics
Redbook
Seventeen
SmartMoney
Town & Country
Veranda
Newspapers
Albany Times Union
Beaumont Enterprise
Edwardsville Intelligencer (IL)
Houston Chronicle
Huron Daily Tribune (MI)
Laredo Morning Times
Midland Daily News
Midland Reporter
Plainview Daily Herald
San Antonio Express-News
San Francisco Chronicle
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Hearst Corporation
Television
WCVB-TV (Boston)
WMOR-TV (Tampa)
WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh)
WESH-TV (Orlando)
WBAL-TV (Baltimore)
WISN-TV (Milwaukee)
WLWT-TV (Cincinnati)
WMUR-TV (Manchester, NH)
KMBC-TV (Kansas City, MO)
KCWE-TV (Kansas City, MO)
WYFF-TV (Greenville, SC)
WDSU-TV (New Orleans)
WPBF-TV (West Palm Beach)
KOCO-TV (Oklahoma City)
WGAL-TV (Lancaster, PA)
WXII-TV (Winston Salem)
WLKY-TV (Louisville)
KOAT-TV (Albuquerque)
KCRA-TV (Sacramento)
KQCA-TV (Sacramento)
KCCI-TV (Des Moines)
KITV-TV (Honolulu)
KETV-TV (Omaha)
WAPT-TV (Jackson, MS)
WPTZ-TV/WNNE-TV (Burlington, VT)
KHBS-TV/KHOG-TV (Fort Smith, AK)
KSBW-TV (Monterey)
Hearst Corporation
Business Media
Black Book
IC Master
Collision Database
Diversion
Electronic Engineers Master Catalog
Electronic Products Magazine
First DataBank
Floor Covering Weekly
IDG/Hearst
Motor/AllData
Motor Books
Motor Magazine
NOVA Electronik
Stocknet
StructuredContent
TL Publications
Used Car Guides
Hearst Corporation
Cable
A&E
AETN Enterprises
Cosmopolitan TV
ESPN
The History Channel
History International
Lifetime
Lifetime Movie
Locomotion
NECN
Tevecap Brazil
Radio
WBAL-AM (Baltimore)
WIYY-FM (Baltimore)
Interactive Media
Investments include:
XM Satellite Radio
MetaTV
Circles
Mobility Technologies
Cymfony
drugstore.com
Referral Networks
Hire.com
govWorks.com
Genealogy.com
Scene7
StarMedia
Tavolo
Medscape
iVillage, Inc.
Brandwise
LiveWorld
Broadcast.com
Exodus
E Ink
Zip2
I Pro
Netscape
Other
King Features
Reed Brennan
Media consolidation: How did we get here?
The communications industry is relatively devoid of
“regulation,” save for libel and slander laws, of course.
Folks in broadcast are still bound by portions of the 1934
Communications Act (overseen by the FCC) which:
 Says the airwaves belong to the people and that
broadcasters are mere custodians of the frequencies
licensed to them.
 Prohibits profanity and obscenity. (Hello Janet Jackson,
Don Imus and Howard Stern)
 Gave political candidates and competing views of issues
equal time under the Fairness Doctrine.
Media landscape: Consolidation
Recent decisions have engendered the era of media
consolidation, allowing media companies to reach wider
audiences for less cost (often meaning fewer staffers) and
maximized profits.
During the first Reagan administration, the Federal
Communications Commission (a five-member panel) put on
the cloak of capitalism and let the Fairness Doctrine fade,
saying that the marketplace rather than the government
should determine “fairness.” The FCC decision was upheld
by a federal appeals court on a 3-2 vote -- of which Robert
Bork and Antonin Scalia sided with the majority.
Media landscape: New rules
In 1996, the Telecommunications Act was passed, putting
cable TV under the same rules that govern broadcasters
and the telephone industry. It also allowed phone
companies, long-distance carriers and cable systems to
enter each other’s markets.
In 2004, the FCC weakened cross-ownership rules,
allowing media conglomerates to increase their penetration
-- or share -- of a particular market. What this means to you
as an information gatherer is that the pool of potential
employers has gotten smaller. What this means to you as
an information consumer is that there are fewer voices in
print and broadcast from which to choose.
From consolidation to convergence
Handout on Crossover Training
Here’s another C-word: convergence. Technology has done
much to shake up the newsroom / PR agency culture.
“Convergence” is broadly defined as the consolidation of print,
broadcast and online reporting in a news operation. Since many
media owners now operate multiple mediums in the same
market, they now want their employees to have multiple skills.
Reporters in Tampa for instance, may have to file a story for the
Tribune, another story for the TV station it owns and another
story for the paper’s online service.
More and more mediums are becoming information platforms,
getting information out in different ways. Blogs, podcasts and
vodcasts are becoming more and more common. Additionally,
the reporter might have to provide digital photography or video.
From consolidation to convergence
Cross-over reporting for multiple mediums has become
more common (Roy Bragg’s dilemma). At the Chronicle, we
often put breaking news on the Web site before it’s in the
paper.
Cross-over reporting lends itself to cross-promotion: the
breaking Iraq story on the Web site can stir interest in the
print or broadcast story to come. Certainly, convergence is
not without its obstacles -- it requires additional training,
and deadlines can become confusing and hectic. But
convergence simply makes common sense for news
mediums trying to accommodate an increasingly diverse
audience, one that not only has a variety of tastes by also
has a variety of informational entry points to choose from.
From consolidation to convergence
One of the demographic groups that is the hardest to
attract is the 13-21 crowd – a recent survey indicates
fewer than a quarter of U.S. youths read a newspaper or
news Web sites (meanwhile, book reading among teens
is up). Research also shows that teens who avoid news
consumption are likely to continue that behavior in their
adult years. So how do folks in the communications
business counter this trend? Here’s one attempt:
(How John McClain saved the newspaper business)
http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/sports/football/vi
deo/07/03/09/
But is it information or infotainment?
More “C-words”
As the communications landscape evolves, particularly for
newspapers, new strategies have emerged in an attempt to
maintain coverage levels while, at the same time, cutting
costs. Some newspapers – such as the Detroit News /
Detroit Free Press and Dallas Morning News and Fort
Worth Star-Telegram have merged or joined forces in
collaborative or cooperative efforts. The two Texas papers,
who once competed fiercely for the emerging Arlington
market, are now sharing coverage. Cost savings are fine,
but what does shared coverage portend? Would Texas
news consumers be well-served by having only the Austin
paper cover the Legislature?
Credibility factor
As we peruse the list of “C-words” that can have a major
impact on your career, here’s another: credibility. An
information provider can be successful only if the product
that is provided can be trusted. Credibility and consistency
build trust. You expect one Snickers or Twinkie to be
the same as the last don’t you? You trust the product. As
an information gatherer / provider, you want your audience
to have similar trust in your product.
Anyone know what newspaper has the biggest circulation
on the planet?
Credibility factor
Yep, the National Enquirer. Why?
Because there is little expectation,
if any, that what is in its pages is
credible. You face a different
expectation. You have to get
information in a timely fashion and
you have to get it right. Otherwise,
your reputation -- and the reputation
of the entity you work for -- can be
irreparably damaged. Do the names
Jayson Blair and Stephen Glass
mean anything to you?
Even the simplest errors can affect
credibility – a Swiss newspaper now
actually fines reporters and editors for
spelling errors that are published.
Credibility factor
HANDOUT: Checklist on how and what to fact-check
It matters not whether you are going into news or PR, print
or broadcast, the mainstream media or the Web – the
fundamentals of gathering and providing information are
the same. You simply have to get it right. This is why I
deduct 40 points for name errors. Your people skills and
computer skills take a back seat to plain ol’ accuracy.
Consumers, customers and clients
It is helpful to know the demographics of your target
audience. If you have a blossoming 21-35 population,
perhaps you will tailor some products for that age group.
Knowing how people process information can also be
helpful, as you recall from all your media theories class.
People often develop informational filters -- because there
is so much information to choose from, they make a choice
as to what they will be exposed to according to our
backgrounds, our interests or our biases. Pearl Harbor, for
instance, likely carries more significance to your
grandparents than for you.
Consumers, customers and clients
People hear want they want to hear, and they also
remember what they want to remember. Some information
passes the gate unquestioned, while other information is
kept out entirely. People often don’t let in what they
disagree with.
Quick test: How many Iraqis were among the 19 hijackers
on 9/11?
You also have to deal with how people perceive folks in the
media -- and generally that’s not very highly. Just above
lawyers in fact. We’ll talk more about why that in our
classes on ethics and libel.
Facts about Newspapers
Demographics: The changing face of
newspaper readership in the U.S.
U.S. Daily and Sunday Newspaper
Readership Demographics
U.S. Daily and Sunday Newspaper
Readership Audience
The percentage of adults
reading newspapers has
steadily declined since 1970,
although 1995 was an
exception. Can you say Monica
Lewinsky?
U.S. Daily and Sunday Newspaper
Circulation Expenditures
While the adult readership is going
down, what it costs you to buy a
daily or Sunday paper has steadily
gone up. Folks in 2002 were
spending nearly 10 times what the
folks in 1960 were spending on a
Sunday paper.
U.S. Daily Newspaper Circulation
Note how the
decline of
afternoon
readership mirrors
the drop in
afternoon papers.
Also note how
overall newspaper
subscriptions has
dropped
consistently since
1985. Can you say
“Internet”?
U.S. Daily Newspaper Pages or
Sections Usually Read
The main news
and local news
sections are still
big draws. After
that, men like
sports and
business; women
like entertainment
and the food
section. Note the
disparity on
business section
readership
according to race.
What is News?
It’s not the same to everyone
What is news?
For those of us in the communications business,
information is what we sell – that is why the days of getting
information for free from the Web are coming to an end.
News and information are the products that roll off our
conveyor belt. “Old news” doesn’t sell, at least not as well
as “new” news. This applies to those in the PR / advertising
/ marketing fields as well. News releases have to have
some news in them or they will be ignored; ads have to
have some new products / ideas / prices or they won’t be
noticed. Today’s news mediums often place a higher value
on local news – the news you have a franchise on – over
“commodity” news – the news everyone has already.
What is news?
 Timeliness – immediacy is perhaps the most
important criterion for news, other than accuracy.
 Proximity – if it’s Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) then
who cares. Well, the globe is so intertwined now, you
can argue that all news is local or you can find a local
news peg in most “foreign” stories.
 Prominence – Who’s involved makes a difference.
What is news?
 Consequence – How many folks are affected? The
bigger the number, the bigger the news. You need to
know your local demographics as well; for instance,
stories on immigration have greater import in areas with a
high Hispanic population.
 Conflict – Us against them has great news value,
whether it is sports, politics or wars.
 Suspense – It’s somewhat related to conflict, but
focuses on the unknown element. Who gets to play in the
national championship game? Who will win the next
election? Will we ever find Osama?
What is news?
 Human Interest – We like to read about other
people and the crazy things other people do. We like stuff
about human nature.
 Novelty – Has it happened before?
Will it happen
again?
 Progress – The accomplishment of goals or
marketing achievements have great value for news
gatherers and PR types alike, especially in small to
medium markets.
What is news?
You might add these to your list: There are also diversity
and competitive issues that can add weight to a news
item. A breast cancer treatment story appeals to women.
Houston winning a Mexican pro soccer team appeals to
Hispanics, which are almost 50 percent of the population.
In the competition wars, you might emphasize news
from Katy because a new daily newspaper has
started up there (and since disappeared). Anything
considered a “scoop” may get better play than stories the
competition will have as well.
What is news: Telling it in a new way
With all of this convergence and consolidation going on,
you might find yourself telling stories in different ways – or
having to decide what format is the best way to tell a story
(provide the information). Some choices combine some or all of
the following:
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Traditional story or news release, perhaps with photo(s).
Might require a different approach (breaking news vs. news
feature, etc.
Blog
Video / audio story
“Charticle” – a text graphic; or chronologies, bio boxes etc.
Photo gallery
What is news?
No matter what field you choose in the communications
industry, you will have to do some degree of writing. One of
the primary purposes of this class is to provide you with
some the writing skills necessary to be able to work on a
small paper -- in fact, that is what you will actually be doing
in your later course work at UH-CL, working on the school
paper.
Exercise
What is News?
For extra credit
First Current Events Quiz
Read chapter on libel
For next class