post-newspapers – James daSilva

The online news media on 9/11 and 10 years later

The now-defunct Rocky Mountain News (Denver), on Sept. 11, 2001 The Internet was already making its presence known to media in 2001, even if it was still not on the minds of most. Print and television were still raking in outrageous profits despite signs of trouble, and after all, AOL Instant Messenger was as advancedContinue reading “The online news media on 9/11 and 10 years later”

Why news personalization has flopped with users, media

Photo by samplediz Theories on the Internet’s effect on news consumption generally follow one of two themes. The first is that it frees users to find the news of interest and consequence for them — personalized news — without the constrictions of time, editor-gatekeepers and journalistic agendas. The second is that the Internet is aContinue reading “Why news personalization has flopped with users, media”

My so-called farewell to copy editing

Starting today, I’m no longer a copy editor — officially, that is. After six years professionally, two in college and four in high school (if you can count whatever I thought was good editing back then), I’m moving to the editor side.At my company, that still involves line-editing, but a lot of the job isContinue reading “My so-called farewell to copy editing”

Value-added editing

I try to describe myself as a “value-added” copy editor, and editor in general. “Value-added” is a buzz phrase, but it has meaning if only because the term “copy editor” has lost much of its meaning. Copy editors are often unemployed and copy editing no longer a full job description. Their value — always difficultContinue reading “Value-added editing”

The laziness of "localizing" news stories

As local and metro newspapers have lost relevance (and staff) outside of their immediate geographic areas, they’ve tried to substitute actually being there with “localizing.” Sometimes, it has relevance, such as when there’s an indigenous population in the area (although the paper should be covering them regularly if they want them as readers, right?), orContinue reading “The laziness of "localizing" news stories”

The death of print hits home

I worked in print newspapers for nearly four years — more than six if you count my internship and college newspaper — until moving to online-only journalism in 2009. I was there for the crest of newspaper advertising revenue in 2005 in Minneapolis, which was also, roughly, the height of circulation for one of theContinue reading “The death of print hits home”

Necrophilia-inducing typos and other editing links: A roundup

Yeah, that headline had better bring results, or I’m going to be upset. Anyways, what’s happening in the world of copy editing, editing and journalism at large: Word Grrls notes how one missing letter on a book-seller’s site goes from the sassy, if cliche, “Dead Sexy” to the disturbingly niche “Dead Sex.” Unless that meansContinue reading “Necrophilia-inducing typos and other editing links: A roundup”

3 snapshots of news without editing

A copy desk being reduced or eliminated brings many signs of lower quality, and reporters, too, suffer when their numbers are diminished and they’re forced to “do more with less.” There are two categories of fear for journalists: The big picture, the fear that news isn’t being covered, isn’t being covered well or in enoughContinue reading “3 snapshots of news without editing”

Editors: Not famous, but ready for new media

Copy editors, paginators and Web editors, aggregators and bloggers can all experience the rush of breaking news, of chaos and upheaval, but it’s (generally) at least one step removed. We may be hearing of the event, watching it unfold TV or online, or even tracking it through a reporter or friend at the scene, butContinue reading “Editors: Not famous, but ready for new media”