1. MA/MSc Digital Journalism
Multimedia Journalism Session 4
News Sources
Coral James O’Connor

2. Aims To understand how to sub your own work and that of others
To understand how style guides work and to understand the basic ELL style guide.

3. Learning Outcomes:
An ability to identify news for stories and features from a range of sources
An ability to independently gather, evaluate, verify and present materials for journalistic outputs
Effective use of storytelling techniques across platforms, including an understanding of how to visualise a story in both video and online reporting

4. Learning Outcomes:
An ability to produce balanced news stories and features using appropriate journalistic styles and technique
An understanding of online news and video production skills, including video editing and the application of other digital tools such as pictures, audio, data and maps.
An understanding of relevant ethical and legal issues

5. TASK - during reading week
Research and write 2 news pieces for ELL by attending a court and a council meeting.
(Call up the council and ask when their meetings are held if you are not sure and then go along.
Find a magistrate or crown court to attend in the public gallery)
Produce two reports of 400 words –
Due Monday week (in a fortnight) 11:30am.

6. Subbing and style guides

7. Today We will look at the: (News Editor) and Sub Editor roles
Subbing what it is and how to do it
ELL News Style Guide
Style guides
How to use East London Lines – CMS: with Alex
TASK – Understanding what style guides are and analysing a range of style guides and how they are used

8. Subbing: Once upon a time…
Sub Editors (Subs) had a bundle of reference books, their own knowledge, directory enquiries…
Now we have instant communication and greatest reference library ever known.

9. Sub Editors
Sub editors are the last line of defence before it gets to the reader.
Everyone – that really does mean everyone – needs to have their copy read by someone else.
Sub-editors need to read copy like a consumer, not a journalist.
Sub-editors must be pedantic and forensic.
Assume nothing, take nothing for granted – ask questions of your reporters if it doesn’t ring true to you.

10. Building trust through accuracy
Why sub?
Errors make publications look sloppy.
Readers think: If they can’t even spell the Prime Minister’s name properly, how can I trust them to report on events correctly?

11. Building recognition through consistency
Every publication has a ‘style’
Even East London Lines (ELL):
Governs whether we use Mr or Ms – we don’t do either
Sets out how we use dates – November 1, No ‘st’, no ‘th’ no ‘Nov’ , no ‘the…

12. Style Guides
A set of standards for design and writing of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication or organisation, including standards on typography, grammar, or punctuation.

13. Why do we need style?
Ensures a clear and consistent brand and identity
Eliminates random style not in keeping with the brand identity
Readers only notice when it goes wrong

14. Ask a series of questions…:
Sub editors need to…
Ask a series of questions…:

15. The Macro….
Is it the right length?
Is it the right order?
Does it make sense?
Does it assume too much knowledge?
Does it have too much background?

16. The Macro continued…
Does the intro work?
Does the hook, hook the reader in?
Are they the right quotes from the right people?
Do they make sense?
Are there any issues of taste, decency, ethics or law?

17. The Micro…
Is everything spelled correctly?
Does everything conform to the house style?
Are the names, titles, ages (where relevant) all there and with the right spelling ?
Do we know who is saying what?
Is the grammar and punctuation correct?

18. The Micro continued…
Is this the right name for this organisation, the right title for this minister?
Is it displaying properly on ELL News

19. So when subbing Proofread Check the facts
Check the tone, style and writing flow
Check the structure works to the W.H.A.T formula
Check the word count
Check the spelling, grammar, punctuation
Check accuracy
Check the story ‘hits the mark’

20. If in doubt…
Check!
And check again!

21. Task 1
Go to learn.gold and have a go at subbing the attached story.

22. On Mailonline – never enough decks…
Headlines…
On Mailonline – never enough decks…
In print newspapers and magazines – infinitely variable
On ELL, no more than two decks, always.

23. Headlines…
Is it strong enough, clickable? You have to keep trying until you get the headline that works!

24. Summary (Lead)… Is it strong enough, clickable?
Leads may take a dozen words
You have to keep trying until it works!

25. Do not forget the furniture….
Picture captions – Two/three words Pic: Name
Cross heads – to break up long text
By lines – Name from drop down or at bottom of text, for joint bylines and students not on system

26. Style Guides
newsroom/ stm
esed/

27. Style Guides
style-book-introduction.html (

28. Task 2
Go onto Learn.gold
Click or download the style guides (on the Coral slide for this session) via the links
Link into the various style guides as requested
Look at what journalist have to follow when writing for the different news outlets
You will be given a handout to put in your observations
You will select 3 words/terms to look at from each style guide to acknowledge the guidance.

29. TASK - during reading week
Research and write 2 news pieces for ELL by attending a court and a council meeting.
(Call up the council and ask when their meetings are held if you are not sure and then go along.
Find a magistrate or crown court to attend in the public gallery)
Produce two reports of 400 words –
Due Monday week (in a fortnight) 11:30am.

30. TASK - during reading week
Read the ELL Style Guide and Manual

31. Aims To understand how to sub your own work and that of others
To understand how style guides work and to understand the Sussed News style guide.