The human face of journalism at Newtown

By Jessica Driscoll

With troubling imagery of the Newtown shootings on a screen behind him, editor Matt DeRienzo challenged the desensitization of journalists and their stories in his keynote speech Saturday at Keystone Press Awards Banquet.

DeRienzo is the Connecticut-based group editor for Digital First Media and led the company’s coverage of the shooting, which included 100 journalists from DFM newspapers.

The banquet carried a tone just like any other such function, until DeReinzo reached the stage and pictures of distressed Sandy Hook Elementary School families filled the screen. Pictures of weeping mothers, distraught families pressed together and the warmth of hugs amongst communities stopped the cell phones and dinner conversation.

“This is a depressing time,” DeReinzo said in the somber tones of a father who thought of his own young children when reflecting on the shootings.

The emotional effects this event had on the families was evident in the display of pictures, but DeRienzo also pondered the effect on the volunteers, police officers, morticians and journalists.

Many of these responders had seen at least eight or nine caskets sized specifically for little children that morning, DeReinzo recalled. “I imagine the police as they walked into the building seeing pools of blood.”

He described a table of morticians at a hotel bar, unwinding after a terrible day, and a table of equally affected journalists nearby.

Objective journalism is defined as dealing with facts without interpretation or emotion. But how does a journalist remain unemotional covering something like Newtown? he asked.

“When I’m in bed terrible scenes and emotions flood my mind,” DeReinzo said, emotion filling his voice .

It has been five months since the Newtown shootings, and DeReinzo said that he is still angry. The effects of such tragic events are long, many times lifelong.

In addition to the effect on journalists, DeReinzo talked about the effect on journalism when some get it wrong in an effort to be first. The errors of some in Newtown still fuel conspiracy theories and ideological agendas, and some made similar mistakes in Boston.

“I don’t know how much we have learned as journalists,” DeReinzo said, suggesting–  to audience applause — that as a profession journalists should censure publications that get it wrong.

Finally, he asked his audience to consider the effects such terrible news as Newtown have on readers: “Is the desensitization we get as journalists transferring to our audiences?”

 

 

Silence that shows support

By Jessica Driscoll

This year, John Dubensky and I were selected as interns for the Pennsylvania Press Conference. The support for the PSNE internships comes directly from the silent auction.

For those who have participated in the silent auction in the past, I want to say thank you. Your support has enabled numerous interns like me to grow from their experiences at the annual conference.

I applied for this position while not entirely sure what all was required or offered. I must confess my work ethis typically consists of diving in head first and never looking back, and that’s exactly what I did.

A few weeks later I got an email stating that I had been accepted for the internship. It was as if this letter was a picture of my dreams coming to reality. This past year of college, my junior year, has been one of just putting myself out there to get experience. But had you told me I would be able to meet editors from newspapers within driving distance from my house – and work with editors one-on-one to enhance my writing – I wouldn’t have believed you.

By this second day of the conference, I already see that I have gained invaluable experience. It has enhanced my writing, networking skills and professional development. I want to say thank you for this opportunity while I have the chance, and ask you to consider supporting future college students like myself by participating this this year’s silent auction.

Realize that this auction not only allows you to reward yourself for all your hard work, but also helps support the dreams of aspiring writers.

There is less than an hour left to snag the best prize of this year’s silent auction. The Steeler’s basket of memorabilia has a current bid of $60 dollars. The Troegs case of beer a bid of $35, and the Randy Bish cartoon photo’s a bid of $50 dollars. To snag your favorite basket and support the PSNE interns, be sure to stop at the registration area before 6:30 to make those last-minute bids.

Marrying Data & Traditional Journalism

By Jessica Driscoll

Panelists of Pennsylvania’s Press Conference session “Deep Dive Reporting” agree that data journalism makes an article more credible.

The Deep Dive Reporting panel was held Saturday, May 18, and focused on a list of benefits to using data journalism.

“We have to marry data and traditional reporting, and our writing will be stronger,” said Matt Stiles, data editor of NPR.

Stiles explained that journalists must use data for four reasons: it’s empirical, it reveals patterns, it empowers our audience, and it gives our products / websites value.

“Your story will be 100 percent more credible with the data than without,” said Andrew McGill, data journalist with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The point of data journalism is not to fill a page with statistics; it’s about finding folks that support your data, stated McGill. HUH?

McGill pointed to his own coverage of student testing in Pennsylvania schools as an example. The interactive reporting online let parents check the data themselves to see if their districts were adequately preparing their children.

Molly Bloom, reporter for StateImpact Ohio, did a similar project on the number of schools in Ohio that have seclusion rooms and misuse them for cruel forms of discipline. Bloom tied these numbers to a first-hand account from a mother whose child developed a staph infection from having sat in their own urine while locked in a seclusion room.

“Sometimes you need to think a little bit about how you want to take data and make it useful,” said Neil Budde, CEO of AxisPhilly. “Don’t just use data to put stuff on the map, but ask what your reader or consumer of this information want to know.”

While many journalists can fear data, panelists explained that the first time is the hardest. Data is all over the web,and  the panelists agreed that starting there is fine.

After moving from scraping the web, McGill said, journalists should always ask for spreadsheets, and learn to use Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access.

“Even if the data only becomes one paragraph of the story, it has more impact,” Budde said.

A Mobile Future

By Jessica Driscoll

The future of journalism is bright, just not on the printed page, agreed the participants in the “Daily Miracle” panel on the the future of news Saturday at the Pennsylvania Press Conference.

“If anyone thinks paper on ink is going win in the end, I think we are kidding ourselves,” said John Luciew, reporter for PennLive.

“I think we are all going to end up here,” he said, his cell phone in the air .“It’s going to be mobile, not even PC.”

Only months ago, January 2013, PennLive’s print sister, The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News cut print editions to three days a week to focus more on online reporting.

“It was scary, but we haven’t looked back since,” said Mike Feeley, former managing editor of The Patriot-News, now director of content for PennLive.

“It doesn’t say live for fun, we want it to be live,” Luciew said. “We always want something new coming into the content ‘river.’”

And the direction of that river is still changing.

The Patriot-News is already finding that reader traffic  is moving ahead of websites onto mobile apps.

“We all have to be very aware that 40 percent of our web traffic is mobile,” Feeley said.

Many in journalism predict more newspapers will reduce the number of days in print to focus more on digital in the future.

Just this week, The (Hanover) Evening Sun, a Digital First Media publication in south-central Pennsylvania, announced it would move to fewer print days in 2014.

“By moving to three days a week in print, reporters are freed up to cover news as it happens,” editor Marc Charisse wrote in a column posted Wednesday. “Stories can be reported as they evolve, rather than on the artificial deadlines of a daily newspaper.”

Bidding with Pennsylvania Spirit

By Jessica Driscoll

Depending on who you ask, the best prize at this year’s silent auction is either the basket of Steelers memorabilia or the all-inclusive package to watch the Pirates versus the Mets.

Perhaps you’re not a Pennsylvania sports fan, but you’ve got a great idea for one of those baskets. Last year’s winner of the Steelers memorabilia basket, Jim Miller, bought it to use as a prank.

“I thought that I would give it to someone in the office who really hates the Steelers,” Miller said at last year’s Pennsylvania Press Conference silent auction, which raises money to sponsor journalism interns during the annual convention.

The silent auction also has some options for Pennsylvania food lovers. This section of the auction includes a $50 gift card to Stock’s Restaurant on Second Street in Harrisburg and cases of Troegs beer.

“I’m told that beer really came in handy after the bars closed last year,” said (Hanover) Evening Sun editor Marc Charisse.

The auction began Friday, May 17, at 1 p.m. and will close Saturday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m.

The auction currently has two tables of items ranging in minimum bid price from eight dollars to two-hundred dollars. Items at the auction also include Iron Pigs game tickets, two Randy Bish editorial cartoons, a basket full of Erie culture and  a book on business communication between cultures.

Attorney General Kathleen Kane’s love-hate relationship with newspapers

By Jessica Driscoll

Attorney General Kathleen Kane began her speech at the Pennsylvania Press Conference on May 17  with  a confession: “I have a love-hate relationship with newspapers.”

The hate part, explained Kane, has to do with her husband’s messy trail of daily newspapers. He leaves the pages all over the house. “It makes me crazy,” said Kane.

Having once worked as a district sales manager at a newspaper, Kane explained that she values the work of journalists.

“I am a big believer in newspapers and the free press; it’s what our country was founded on,” she said.

Kane described herself, professionally, as an open book, yet explained that a level of trust between journalists and law enforcement is necessary.  “When we aren’t telling you something, understand it’s for a darned good reason,” Kane said.

While many tend to focus on the differences, Kane said, she wanted to speak to the commonalities between her role as Attorney General and the role of journalists.

“We all strive for the truth,” Kane said.

She also explained that both strive to get necessary information to the public.

“It’s not reality TV you are putting on the stage, it’s the facts,” she said.

To those who fear that journalism is dying, Kane refered to Mark Twain’s comment  that rumors of his  death had been greatly exaggerated. Kane said she believed that journalists are still providing the same services, just possibly undergoing some cosmetic changes to the way they do it.

Kane also praised the work of traditional journalists as being more in-depth.

“Being in-depth is extremely important in today’s generation,” said Kane.

PSNE considers code of ethics

By John Dubensky and Jessica Driscoll

The Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper Editors held its a Board of Directors meeting Friday, May 17 in Harrisburg. Much of the meeting centered on discussion of the legislative report given by Paula Knudsen and Melissa Melewsky of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

The legislation under discussion were the “ag gag” bill limiting filming of agricultural activities, House bill 452 addressing drone usage, expungement of criminal offenses, child protection bills, and the Right to Know legislation addressing what should and should not be personal information versus public information.

The murkiness of these legislative topics caused the board to discuss the need for a code of ethics. Scott Blanchard of York Daily Record volunteered to draft this document for the PSNE’s July meeting. “It is a chance to say what we stand for and give other people a frame work for their newsrooms,” said Blanchard. In addition to helping other newsrooms, the board hopes this document will be of use to journalism schools as well.

Becky Bennett, President and Editor of PSNE, also brought next year’s Keystone Award changes to discussion. The 2014 awards will be modified to further integrate digital journalism. Bennett said PSNE will work to combine certain categories and also create entirely new ones.

“My photography staff is very excited that next year all entries do not have to be in the actual paper portion,” said Mike Feeley, board member and managing editor of The Patriot-News. “We want to highlight and award our great reporters, photographers, and headline writers.”

Along with discussion of the 2014 Keystone awards came ideas from Garry Lenton and Harry Deitz, both of Reading Eagle, to add additional award categories. Lenton proposed a category recognizing those making strides in the legislative realm and Deitz proposed a category for the public sector that would include honoring someone whose investigation or work is beneficial to journalists. Bennett also proposed a category for photography and expansion of the video categories. These additions will be further discussed in the board’s July meeting.

Board members were enthusiastic about changes for the upcoming 2014 Keystone Awards. “You get excited about journalism,” said Liz Allen of the Erie Times-News. “From the smallest publication to the largest.”