How Important are Copy Editors?

Copy editors rarely get any public recognition for their work. Although they may not share a byline in the stories they proof read, fact check and protect from libel lawsuits, they serve a vital purpose. But as newsrooms across the country reduce staff to save money (and ultimately their publications), copy editors are often some of the first positions to go.

Washington Post Ombudsman Andrew Alexander recently wrote about the impact a reduction of copy editors will have on the journalism industry.

"Little mistakes take a huge toll on credibility. A groundbreaking newspaper industry study on credibility a decade ago warned that 'each misspelled word, bad apostrophe, garbled grammatical construction, weird cutline and mislabeled map erodes public confidence in a newspaper's ability to get anything right.'"

Click here to read the full column.

NPR's On the Media recently interviewed former copy editor John McIntyre who said significant cuts at copy desks will have a greater impact than more typos.

"There are cases of potential libel that were caught on the copy desk. There were cases of plagiarism and falsification that were caught on the copy desk at The Baltimore Sun. There are any number of stories that wound up more clearly focused and better explained because the copy desk raised substantive questions," McIntyre said.

Click here to listen to the interview or read the transcript.

And just for fun, click here to see to see a newspaper correction that will leave you asking how that could have happened.

What Will Conkite's Legacy be for Journalists?

With the recent death of Walter Cronkite, what impact will his legacy have on the future of journalism?

An editorial in the July 19, 2009 Arizona Republic opines that Cronkite's reporting should be a model for all journalists.

"Cronkite reported on the assassinations of President John Kennedy, the Rev. Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy. He covered the civil-rights movement, war and presidential scandal.

Many will look back and consider his enormous steadiness during crisis. That's an honor he deserves.

But the death of a man who was bigger than life also gives tomorrow's journalists a chance to look forward and consider the example of a journalist who put integrity and dependability above flash and one-liners."

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Walter Cronkite was aptly deemed "the most trusted man in America." Now who do Americans trust most?

According to a recent survey by Time, it's John Stewart. Click here to the survey results.

Is Journalism Dying? No, But it's Changing

10,000words.net recently published a commentary on the state of newspapers and journalism.

"This morning I tweeted that I rarely read newspapers and instead use the internet as my source for news. This spawned outcries from journalists who lamented that the newspaper is where quality journalism resides and to deny that is ignorance. What many of the commenters failed to realize is the internet is itself made up of online newspapers and broadcast organizations — many of whose award-winning work is available online — in addition to other news sources such as blogs and online-only sites like the Huffington Post."

Click here to read Journalists: Change Starts With You

'Those Persistent Anonymous Sources'

In March 2009 The New York Times Public Editor Clark Hoyt discussed how Times' reporters use, and sometimes abuse, anonymous sources.

"The Times has a tough policy on anonymous sources, but continues to fall down in living up to it. That’s my conclusion after scanning a sampling of articles published in all sections of the paper since the first of the year. This will not surprise the many readers who complain to me that the paper lets too many of its sources hide from public view."

Click here to read the full story

In August 2005 in the wake of "Deep Throat's" identity being revealed and a USA Today reporter making up sources, NPR's David Folkenflick reported on the paper changing its policy on anonymous sources.

"Morning Edition, August 29, 2005 · Anonymous sources can play an important role in breaking an explosive story, but that anonymity requires trust -- in sources, but also the reporters themselves."

Click here to listen to the full story

The Roundup Takes 19 Awards For Outstanding Journalism

Students earn state, national and international news honors
The Roundup recently brought home statewide, national and international journalism awards.

At a recent National Scholastic Press Association conference in Phoenix, the staff of The Roundup won a total of 16 statewide awards through the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association. Last year the staff won nine AIPA awards.

Individual winners were Alexander Barr ’09, Matt Stanley ’09, Kevin Donley ’11, Matt Hopkins ’09, Liam Martin ’10, Jake Kelly ’09, Santiago Azpurua-Borras ’09, Sahan Fernando ’09, David Sydiongco ’09 and Chris S. McKenna ’09.

The staff also earned a National Best in Show award through the NSPA. The Best in Show award was for The Roundup’s 2009 Special Edition on this year’s Summit.

In addition, Jake Kelly ’09 and Matt Hopkins ’09 recently won a total of three international awards in a contest sponsored by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and Quill and Scroll Honor Society.

Kelly was one of 15 international news photo winners for his picture of Fr. Murray from the first edition of the year.

Out of a total of 15 winning sports photos, Hopkins had two football photos earn honors.

Kelly and Hopkins are now eligible to apply for up to a $1,500 college scholarship for next year.