Opinion Pieces and the Op-Ed Page

April 24, 2020

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

An Op-Ed page is essentially a short term that stands for “Opposite the Editorial Page”. This means that the Op-Ed page is strictly not to be affiliated with the expression of the editorial board. Opinion pieces express unfiltered and unbiased views of the writer/author. It is the type of journalism that many freelance writers place their bets on. Op-ed articles are not only a form of personal expression. They can give people more to think about, expand their horizons, increase their questioning capacity and perhaps even reshape public policy. It can be said that the Op-Ed pages almost work independently from the rest of the newspaper. It is not only an opinionated force, but also opposing. An op-ed page first came into being in 1921. It was introduced by Herbert Bayard Swope of The New York Evening World. He was mesmerised by the idea of how catchy and attention grabbing opinionated articles can be. He started off by publishing opinions of the employees of his newspaper. The “modern” op-ed page however, is a little different now. It was introduced in 1970 by John Oakes who was the editor of The New York Times back then.

Opinion pieces were not only important because they engaged the audience in a larger way. They were also meant to be used in a competitive manner. Since the 1930s, the radio was occupying a massive audience followed by television which did the same. To curb the threat of their growing popularity, major newspapers decided to start printing more Op-Eds and more subjective work to cater to their audience. James Bennet, the current editor of the Opinion Page of the New York Times asserts with regard to the opinion page that, “The goal is to supply readers with a steady stream of big ideas and provocative arguments, and to entertain them.” He further also said, “My own view is that, particularly now, we owe it to our readers to present a wide range of intellectually honest opinions.” Op-Eds are normally quite lengthy and attributed to a writer who is possibly an expert in the specific matter. Not only does it express a unique voice, but also exhibits clarity of thought.

To write an effective Op-Ed article, one must start very strongly. A punchline, a controversial claim, an uncommonly known fact or a counter-intuitive observation, can really attract readaers to that lengthy piece of writing. The ending can be of two primary types. An “open ending”, gives the reader much more room to think and opine for himself as it is open to interpretation and analysis. A “closed ending”, states a definite conclusion that gives the readers a final understanding and wraps up the piece. It is also important that the op-ed piece must be written a way that it makes people want to care. While the words should reflect personalisation, they must also be relatable to the readers.  One must try to express views that have not been discussed extensively or articulated elsewhere. Detailed explanations should reflect how the opinions expressed in the article are important to the perception of the readers. The topic must affect them in an obvious manner. Relevant examples and symbolic demonstration are effective tools for the same. Rather than facts, statistics and confusing numerical terms, people tend to better remember and associate colorful details and symbols. One must actively use the same while presenting their arguments. Moreover, to keep the interest of the reader going, technical jargon should be avoided as much as possible. Language must be lucid and neatly presented. One must be able to gauge which technical details are necessary and which are not. Graphics, charts and images are also acceptable as they make the article more conclusive. Interesting illustration or comics can make the op-ed seem lighter and more fun to read.

The most important thing that one should keep in mind while writing an Op-Ed is, acknowledging the arguments of the other side. One can cite sources, add quotes or simply paraphrase universally accepted arguments. It is imperative, to try to give the audience a balanced report but in a careful manner so as to not lose one’s personal conviction. All the facts and important points must be drawn out properly. It makes one’s work seem more credible and well-researched which in turn, makes your argument seem even more effective. One must also constantly write in first person and use the Active voice. It is not only easier to read, but displays much better conviction.

Op-eds are essentially of three main types.

1) Columns
A column is a specific area of expertise and newspaper space that is dedicated to a writer/journalist. The writer may freely use that space to address issues,express opinions and start conversations. They can even include personal stories, but ones that can be impactful. Columnists are generally some well known, famous names. However, they must act with immense care and caution since they represent themselves.

2) Editorial
 This type of article, is a statement that represents the position of the publication’s editorial board which is composed of opinion writers and top editors. They discuss, debate, opinionate and channel their views to the public after much research and analysis. The New York Times describes its editorial board in the following manner.  "Their primary responsibility is to write The Times’s editorials, which represent the voice of the board, its editor and the publisher. The board is part of the Opinion department, which is operated separately from The Times’s newsroom, and includes the Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed sections."

3) Letter to the Editor
 This type of writing is normally shorter and written by a reader. This is a space for the audience to share their experiences and opinions. They can freely express their views however their submissions cannot be too long. It could be a social issue, a political opinion or a relevant anecdote. However, no article is guaranteed publication and is left to the discretion of the editors.

Thus op-eds are democratic and act as a harbinger of freedom because they deliberately invite interesting ideas and narrate the same. Many authors even enjoy using humour in their articles to keep the tone light and conversational. Many sidelined views are brought to the forefront and discussed and debated upon. Op-ed pieces are game-changers from the point of view of freedom of expression.

References:
1)https://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/opinion/and-now-a-word-from-op-ed.html
2)http://web.archive.org/web/20160201094734/http://newsoffice.duke.edu/duke_resources/oped
3)https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/2018/09/13/oped-editorial-opinion-section-journalism-terms-defined-des-moines-register/1224898002/
4) https://commskit.duke.edu/writing-media/writing-effective-op-eds/
5)https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/hks-communications-program/files/new_seglin_how_to_write_an_oped_1_25_17_7.pdf
6)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op-ed

Gaurvi Narang
Roll Number 48
Department Of Journalism

PAID NEWS

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

What is paid news?

Those articles in newspapers, magazines and the electronic media, which indicate favourable conditions for the institution that has paid for it is considered as paid news. The news is much like an advertisement but without the ad tag. This kind of news has been considered a serious malpractice since it deceives the citizens, not letting them know that the news is, in fact, an advertisement. Secondly, the payment modes usually violate tax laws and election spending laws. More seriously, it has raised electoral concerns because the media has a direct influence on voters.  This practice started in the 1950s and has become a widespread organized activity in India through formal contracts and "private treaties". Times of India publication and widely adopted by groups such as The Hindustan Times, Outlook and others, the practice was brought to Western media attention in 2010. Paid news financially benefits the "individual journalists and specific media organizations" such as newspapers, magazines and television channels according to a 2010 investigative report of the Press Council of India. It is paid for by politicians, organizations (for profit and non-profit), brands, movies and celebrities who seek to improve their public image, increase favourable coverage and suppress unfavourable information.

The widespread "paid news" practice in India has been criticized because it diverts the coverage to whoever is willing to pay and selectively presents information to favour the payee, instead of what is significant, complete and necessary to inform the public.

Paid news corrupts the information and deceives the newspaper-magazine reader or the television audience, particularly given the Indian practice of "not making it clear that the news item has been paid for", state James Painter and John Lloyd. The Press Council of India – the official Indian watchdog on media ethics – conducted a limited study of the widespread practice of "paid news" in India in 2010.

Criticism of paid news

Author Chandrahas Choudhury wrote in 2011 that paid news "is rotting India's democracy." The Analytic Monthly Review states that paid news is a fraud on its readers and the public, a tax fraud, as well as improperly manipulates the financial and real estate market.
In 2010, a two-person panel of the Press Council of India investigated the phenomenon of paid news in India. This resulted in a detailed 72 page report citing names and instances where information that had been paid for had been passed off as genuine news. However, the Press council voted to not release the full report, and published a shorter watered-down version of the report.

Need for empowered regulators and stricter punitive provisions

The Committee observed that statutory regulators like the PCI and Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC) lack adequate punitive powers while self-regulatory industry bodies like the News Broadcasting Standards Authority have even failed to take cognisance of the problem.  The PCI and self-regulatory bodies are also plagued by conflict of interest since a majority of their members are media-owners. The Committee recommended the establishment of either a single regulatory body for both print and electronic media or setting-up a statutory body for the electronic media on the lines of the PCI. Such regulator(s) should have the power to take strong action against offenders and should not include media owners as members. It highlighted the need for stricter punitive provisions to control paid news and sought further empowerment of the ECI to deal with cases of paid news during elections.

Paid news: Threat to media credibility

In post-independence era, Indian media helped democracy to take root, to grow and flourish on its soil.  But of late, democracy itself is in threat from the same media, especially during elections.
The phenomenon called ‘paid news’, like yellow journalism, is beginning to corrode the very system of participatory democracy besides corroding the credibility of media itself. Some of journalistic jargons to indicate paid news now a days are perks and package journalism, access journalism, suitcase journalism, exchange journalism, ad-based journalism, blackmail journalism, campaign journalism, junket journalism, subsidy journalism and relative journalism. Paid news, according to Press Council of India, is – “Any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration.”

It is a systematic engagement of media outlets to publish favourable news items, articles and biased stories in newspapers and TV channels for money. Biased coverages, advertisements camouflaged as news favouring select candidates while denying coverage to some others are rather common practices now a days.

The Press Council of India  made a series of  guidelines for the media ; inter-alia, (a)objective reporting about elections and  the candidates , (b) eschewing news reports which tend to promote enmity and hatred among the people on grounds of caste, creed, religion, community or language (c) refraining from publishing false or critical statements regarding personal character and conduct of any candidate, (d) refraining from accepting any kind of inducement  in cash or kind to project a candidate or party, (e) not indulging in canvassing for a particular candidate or party, (f) the press shall not accept or publish any advertisement  at the cost of public exchequer (g) The press shall observe  the directions/orders/instructions of ECI. A serious hurdle to healthy journalism in the country today is that the media houses are owned by big political leaders and business men who use them to gains political mileage and money. Some turn their apparatus into propaganda machines.  The electronic media can be more dangerous when it chooses to go biased. For example, in the run up to the coming April 11 Parliamentary Elections in Assam, some news channels have been adopting an angle of coverage which is diagonally opposite of some others owned by rival political party leaders to the utter confusion of viewers who are not adept in reading between the lines.

CASE STUDY 1

The cases of paid news have badly hit the world of Indian media in recent years, and in this context one of most notable revealing has had been the paid news issue linked to radio Tapes. This has been the most notably talked about issues in the Indian media as far as paid news is concerned, where the nexus is found between corporate houses, government authorities, corporate lobbyists and eminent journalists. The radio tapes  have more drawn the attention towards the fact as how eminent senior journalists make use of their influence to strive and weaken the functioning of the government of India, than how media houses are taking money to publish or broadcast news. However, taking money to publish or broadcast news is worse, for the reason that it is all invasive from the smallest newspaper to the major news channel. We can understand that there are few sections in the media who have the sort of influence that is required to influence government, in the mode in which it was exposed in the Radia Tapes. But definitely the case is an eye-opening.

CASE STUDY 2

As regards a notable and serious case of paid news, the case of Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2009 is worth mentioning. During the elections of Maharashtra Assembly in 2009, the them Chief Minister Mr. Ashok Chavan as candidate made beneficial use of the print media in the forms of regional and national papers through giving advertisements. However, expression paid news does not essentially signify the news is paid for in the form of money or cash and this was made apparent during the Commonwealth Games

FACTS

The paid news syndrome has become a debateable topic for various platforms. When the credibility of the media is lost, its freedom gets restricted. Hamid Ansari, the Vice President of India said that the explosive growth in the media had highlighted the fact that the Fourth Estate is only one among the pillars of democracy that has an identifiable commercial and profit facade.

Disapproving paid news in any form, Sitaram Yechury says that paid news is not merely a serious matter influencing the functioning of a free press, but it is an issue that also concerns the future of parliamentary democracy in India. Providing access to unbiased, unfiltered and objective news or information is the role that media are supposed to play in a parliamentary democracy. This comes under very severe strain with the emergence of the paid news syndrome.

Strongly arguing against paid news, Arun Jaitley claims that those who are in a position to pay more for information expressed as paid news shape the human minds in this country accordingly. This cannot be free speech. At best, it could be trade, it could be business, and, therefore, the government has to take this out of the arena of free speech and put it in the arena of business or trade, all in public interest. Favouring deterrent penalty against those who indulge in such practices he suggests that ‘in the case of (a) candidate, it has to be an offence under election law (The phrase) ‘corrupt practice’ must be amended in the Representation of the People Act and this should be a ground for setting aside the election and disqualifying the candidate, and if parties indulge in this there must be action against this.

Cheshta Bhatia
Department of journalism
LADY SHRI RAM COLLEGE

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal) 

REP: EDITORIAL PAGE: STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

I fully endorse the views expressed by Utkarsha and Samridhi and I feel these points should be added to the article.

One may also cite the changes that the editorial pages have gone through over the years.

VN

INTRODUCTION: 

A newspaper publishes its views on current events -both local and national -on its editorial page. This is where letters to the editor, political cartoons, and editorials -unsigned commentary that reflects the collective position of the newspaper's editorial board -appear. Letters are often among the best-read section of any newspaper, for this is where readers express their opinions. Some newspapers limit letters to a certain number of words maybe 150 or 300 -- while others publish letters of virtually any length.

Editorials are not news, but rather reasoned opinion based on facts. For example, editorials may criticize the performance of public officials such as the mayor, the police chief or the local school board; conversely, editorials may praise others for their civic contributions. Whatever the topic, newspapers hope their editorials will raise the level of community discourse. 

This is largely owing to the attempt made by ingenious make-up men to draw the reader’s attention to the editorial page through the arrangement of interesting features and typographical display. “In these days,” says John E. Allen in his “Newspaper Makeup”, “When the average newspaper reader has less time for reading, than formerly when he does more glimpsing than reading and confines most of that glimpsing to the headlines and leading news stories or entertaining features he seems to care little or nothing for newspaper editorials. If his attention is to be captured and held by the editorial page, that page must be unusually attractive physically. It must be even more inviting looking than the general-news pages, and even easier to read”.Editorial is the only section were newspaper can state its own opinions and comments on the current issues. This cannot be done in other news writing styles such as column and feature writing. But here the editor has the advantage as the article will be seen as the opinion of the entire newspaper. In column and feature writing the thing is that the editors are the one who will be held accountant but it is totally different in editorial writing. It is also said to be the unique style of communication between the editor and the readers.

EDITORIAL PAGE: STRUCTURE

Editorials are typically published on a dedicated page, called the editorial page, which often features letters to the editor from members of the public; the page opposite this page is called the op-ed page and frequently contains opinion pieces by writers not directly affiliated with the publication. However, a newspaper may choose to publish an editorial on the front page. 

Many newspapers publish their editorials without the name of the leader writer. Tom Clark, leader-writer for The Guardian, says that it ensures that readers discuss the issue at hand rather than the author.On the other hand, an editorial does reflect the position of a newspaper and the head of the newspaper, the editor, is known by name. Whilst the editor will often not write the editorial themselves, they maintain oversight and retain responsibility

Editorials are believed to be the heart and soul of the newspapers. Each and every newspaper is incomplete without the editorial section. Here the editor not only shares his or her view but also criticize and appreciate the ongoing topics. Editorial is light in nature they should be interesting, full of thought evoking and debatable at the same time. It is said to be the window or reflection of newspapers news policies meaning if an editor is writing an article it is generally assumed that it is the view of the news publishing house.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF EDITORIALS: 

Interpretation editorial:  It explains what is considered to be important in the news event or on current issues. It gives information such as main characters of the news, factors, actions taken place and all the other important details. Here the interpretation is made on the basis of facts and figures available. Here no personal opinions are stated.

Criticism Editorial: This style is used when one has to see both the good and bad features of the news event or any kind of news item through the eyes of an editor. The editor shares these editorials to influence people and at times add the solution at the end.

Editorial of Appreciation:  In this the praise or appreciation is given to those who have done well in their work and deserve an appreciation.

Entertainment Editorial: In this those topics is taken that would interest the youth. Topics that would be light in nature and serves as an entertainment.

EDITORIAL PAGE: PURPOSE

The very first criterion is that a good editorial is an opinion maker. If it is based on evidence, so much the better. But it analyses evidence rather than produces it. Of course what it analyses can be the basis of the production of new evidence. But it is more like the ‘Results and Discussion’ that follow ‘Materials and Method’ in a research paper in so far as it is an objective analysis. However, it goes beyond an analysis. It must necessarily also express an opinion. It must attempt to critically analyse and sift from the various opinions, analyses and evidences floating around. It must present a refreshing perspective on an issue so as to retain balance when writings get opinionated; and/or stir up the crotchety and crusty when scientific/creative stupor sets in. Moreover, a good editorial is contemporary without being populist. It tackles recent events and issues, and attempts to formulate viewpoints based on an objective analysis of happenings and conflicting/contrary opinions.

An editorial is predominantly about balance. But that does not prevent it from occasionally stirring things up, when such is the need. Hence a hard-hitting editorial is as legitimate as a balanced equipoise that reconciles apparently conflicting positions and controversial posturings, whether amongst politicians (in news papers), or amongst researchers (in academic journals).

The editorial pages are under the direction of an editor outside the news division. Newspaper people call this "separation of church and state," meaning there is a line between news and opinion that must not be crossed. To do so strips a newspaper of its most valuable asset -- credibility. For that reason, editorial-page editors at some large newspapers report to the publisher, who is the chief executive officer of the company, and not to the executive editor. Other newspapers may have their editorial-page editor reporting to the executive editor. Whatever the organizational model, though, neither department can tell the other what to publish in the newspaper.

CONCLUSION: 

A good editorial should express an opinion without being opinionated. It should teach without being pedagogic. It should transform without being evangelical. It should engulf without drowning. It should motivate to action without making you dictatorial. It should enlighten without getting you dogmatic, prejudiced and egotistical.

The last, and probably most important, a good editorial should be brief.

All said and done, the element of balance can never be lost. For that, it certainly helps if an editor is a balanced individual by temperament as well. However, let it not mean that balance in temperament excludes crusading zeal. Most editors of some merit have the latter in reasonable quantity, although they may play it down, or publicly make a mockery of it, since it is the in thing to do (the mockery, not the crusading). Moreover, denial can be a strong defense mechanism, as much in editors as in the rest of humanity.

REFERENCES: 

1) Staff (23 May 2012). "Opinion". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 May 2012.

2) Staff (23 May 2012). "Opinion". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 23 May 2012.

3) Staff (2012). "AAEC The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists". The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Retrieved 23 May 2012.

4) Passante, Christopher K. (2007). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Journalism – Editorials. Penguin. p. 28. ISBN 1-59257-670-2. Retrieved 21 February 2010.

5) Christie Silk (15 June 2009). "Front Page Editorials: a Stylist Change for the Future?". Editors' Weblog. World Editors' Forum. Retrieved 1 July 2011.

6) Clark, Tom (10 January 2011). "Why do editorials remain anonymous?". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 May 2018.

7) Crean, Mike (2011). First with the news: an illustrated history. Auckland: Random House. p. 97. ISBN 978 1 86979 562 7.

8) Matthews, Philip (28 April 2018). "Broadsheets and blunders: In defence of getting it wrong". The Press. Retrieved 26 May 2018.

SUBMITTED BY

ARYA KRISHNAN

FIRST YEAR 

DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal) 

REP Notes: ROLE OF NEWS EDITOR AND EDITOR

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

INTRODUCTION

Just as the military has a chain of command, newspapers have a hierarchy of editors responsible for various aspects of the operation. A number of people are working on different news stories under the same roof. While the exact structure of a newspaper newsroom may vary from one paper to the next, a general structure applies to most of them. Among the various tasks performed in a newsroom, editing is of great importance. For that every newspaper has their own news editor and editors. Here we are going to discuss about the various roles and functions of news editor and editor.

NEWS EDITOR

News editor a person who is in charge of the news desk at a newspaper or broadcasting organization and whose job is to oversee the selection and preparation of news items for publication or broadcast. Newspaper editors have the daily responsibility of deciding which news stories are printed in the paper. Long before the paper is published, the editor assigns reporters to cover the news, checks for accuracy and fairness in the newspaper's articles and writes headlines. It is not unusual for a newspaper editor to have worked as a journalist or proofreader before becoming an editor.They will also check for legal and ethical issues in a journalist’s copy.

SKILLS

A newspaper editor should have excellent oral and written communications skills. It is expected that editors also have a strong interest in current events, the ability to work well under daily deadlines and experience with desktop publishing programs. The ability to stay calm under the pressure of deadlines or, of constant updates. Also, the ability to write a good headline, which is a lot harder than it looks.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

● Analyze and capitalize various attributes and requirements of print and digital media to strengthen editor’s position.
● Manage and produce news to present information with accuracy, flow, and within time frame.
● Design innovative and unique solutions to optimize routine news coverage.
● Monitor and use multimedia, nonlinear and alternative storytelling strategies to widen readership base.
● Manage and edit contents to cater to readers’ requirement and provide detailed information for same.
● Work within creative environment to respond to various competing priorities.
● Prepare work schedule and deadlines and encourage team members to meet targets to facilitate timely publication.
● Design and implement coverage strategies to facilitate wide coverage of all sorts of issues and news.
● Provide training to news reporters on how to select news for existing readership and gain new readers.
● Coordinate with colleagues in the newsroom and other departments to define priorities for same.
● Coordinate with internal and external customer service to obtain optimum workflow.
● Evaluate all new for authenticity and check with sources to ensure correctness of published article to avoid conflicts.
● Collaborate with reporters, editors and photojournalists and anchors to facilitate efficient news coverage to strengthen company’s position in media market.
● Administer technology backup such as computer graphics, stingers, maps, editor’s software to make news presentation attractive for readers.
● Manage and edit daily news, special news stories and periodical items with help of video editing tools to facilitate video telecast.
● Monitor all feeds from news bureaus and other agencies for editing and further publication.
● Provide assignments to freelance photographers and prepare reports for current news trends new readers and sustain existing readers.

EDITOR

An editor is a journalist who is responsible for a particular section of a newspaper or magazine.Editors plan, coordinate, and revise material for publication in books, newspapers, magazines, or websites. Editors review story ideas and decide what material will appeal most to readers. They also review and edit digital media and drafts of books and articles, offer comments to improve the product, and suggest titles and headlines. In smaller organizations, a single editor may perform all of the editorial duties or share them with only a few other people. While collecting news is the reporter’s duty, the editor adds value by structuring the piece or segment and presenting it in an easily digestible and informative manner to the readers and viewers. They work alongside the reporter to make the piece shine.

SKILLS

● Good command over the language
● Knowledge of media production and communication
● Reading Comprehension
● Excellent verbal communication skills
● To be thorough and pay attention to detail
● Excellent written communication skills
● Active Listening
● Critical Thinking
● Time Management

TYPES OF EDITORS

1. Beta Reader
2. Proofreader
3. Online Editor
4. Critique Partner
5. Commissioning Editor
6. Developmental Editor
7. Content Editor
8. Copy Editor
9. Associate Editor
10. Contributing Editor
11. Chief Editor
12. Editor-in-Chief

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES

Editors typically do the following:
● Read content and correct for errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar
● Rewrite copy to make it easier for readers to understand
● Verify facts using standard reference sources
● Evaluate submissions from writers to decide what to publish
● Work with writers to help their ideas and stories succeed
● Plan the content of digital media and publications according to the publication’s style and editorial policy
● Develop story and content ideas while being mindful of the audience
● Allocate space for the text, photos, and illustrations that make up a story
● Approve final versions submitted by staff
● Ensuring that content is journalistically objective
● Fact checking, writing style, page design and photos
● Rejecting writing that appears to be plagiarized, ghostwritten, published elsewhere, or of little interest to readers
● Evaluating and editing content
● Contributing editorial pieces
● Motivating and developing editorial staff
● Ensuring the final draft is complete
● Handling reader complaints and taking responsibility for issues after publication
● For books and journals, cross-checking citations and examining references

CONCLUSION

To find a space in a newspaper, a story has to appeal and go through the keen eyes of a news editor or an editor. The leaders of any newsroom, news editors and editors majorly do the work of editing which is an exercise of selection and judgement. Which pictures, campaigns, and above all stories to run? What's the best headline on that front page splash? Shall we give this or that person a kicking in the sports pages?  Everything is decided by these people. It goes without saying that their role is one of the most crucial ones. Their duties ranges from selecting a news story to ensuring that the final draft is ready and it abides by the ethics of journalism. It is important for a news editor and an editor to remain unbiased and uphold the principles and morals of journalism. It is expected from an editor to have great leadership skills apart have excellent oral and written communications skills. After all, a large chunk of society is going to read what is presented by them and hence shaping their minds and forming their opinions.

REFERENCES

https://www.truity.com/career-profile/editor
https://www.bkacontent.com/12-types-of-editors-and-what-they-do/
https://www.greatsampleresume.com/job-responsibilities/news-editor-responsibilities
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/
https://www.elsevier.com/editors/role-of-an-editor
https://work.chron.com/duties-responsibilities-editors-13679.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editor-in-chief

- UTKARSHA AHIRWAR
DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM
LSR, BATCH OF 2022

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal)

REP: Readings: Speeches and Meetings and News Conferences

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

A. Difference between speeches, news conference, and meetings 

• A speech is public talk. Someone speaks to an audience or on radio or television. It’s a one-way communication. Speakers are usually invited and sometimes paid to address an audience. 

• People “call” or “hold” news conferences. They do not send invitations to the general public, but they do alert members of the news media. The media respond  of the importance of the person calling the news conference and  the person might have something newsworthy to say. Usually starts with an opening statement and usually accepts questions from reporters. A news conference is meant to be a two-way communication. Many politicians, who would rather not take questions, are using social media, particularly their website and Twitter, to make announcements.

 • Meetings are not held with an audience in mind, although an audience might be present and allowed to participate. A meeting is primarily for communication among the members group or organization. Reporters who are permitted to witness a meeting tell the public what is of interest and importance. This task of the news media is especially important. 

B. Getting ready to cover the story

 Events are usually announced in advance, often have time for thorough preparation. 

Preparing for the speech story :

• Not every speech will demand a great deal of research. Many  speeches will be dry and routine. The person giving the speech will be someone you know or someone you have covered before. 

• At other times, you might get an assignment on short notice and be forced to find background information after hearing the speech. 

• In either case, never take the speaker or the topic for granted. Failure to get enough background on the speaker and on the speech almost guarantees failure at writing a comprehensive speech story.

 • If you haven’t covered the speaker before, the first step in your research is to identify the person correctly. Get their middle name, their name initials, the correct spelling of their name to prevent a mix up with another person who may have the same name.

 • Then, before doing research on the speaker, contact the group sponsoring the speech and the topic. You may need to do some reading in order to understand the topic. 

• Next, check your organization’s (news station’s) library to see what other reporters have written previously about the speaker. If you have access to the national database of newspaper and magazine stories , use it.

 • If the speech is important enough, you might want to contact the speaker ahead of time for a brief interview. If he/she is out of town, you might want to plan a meeting at the airport. You might go ahead of time to interview the speaker after the speech. You might have questions or points to clarify. 

• Not every speech demands this much effort. But even the most routine speech assignments require preparation. Doing a good job demand that you read the news and know what is going on. You must keep up with current events. 

• If you don’t regularly listen or read the news, subscribe to a feed from one of the major news organizations or like any of the big news organizations to get news from them.

Preparing for the news conference story:

• You need up-to-date background on the person given the news conference, and you must learn why the news conference is being held. Often the person holding the news conference has an announcement or an opening statement. 

• Unless the statement is leaked to the press, you will not know its content ahead of time…checkout any rumors, call the person’s associates, friends, or secretary. • Consult your editor and other staff editors about specific information they want. Then make up a  list of questions to ask at the news conference. Once the news conference begins, you will not have time to think of questions; recording responses to other reporter’ questions will keep you too busy. The better prepared you are, the better chance you will have of coming away with a coherent, readable story.

 • It may be impossible to arrange an interview before/after news conference. If the person holding the news conference wanted to do interviews with individual reporters, then he/she would not have called the news conference. You might always ask—you might end up with exclusive information. 

Preparing do the Meeting Story:

• Often the meetings of important organizations are preceded by an agenda or an advance, a report outlining the subjects and issues to be covered during the upcoming meeting. 

• With nongovernmental and even some governmental, meetings, you often do not know that to expect, so you must do your best to prepare. 

• The news library should be your first stop, and online research will yield more information. Then contact some key figures. 

• If there is no agenda, find out what the meeting is about. If you know the main subject to be discussed, you will be able to study and investigate the issues before arriving. It will be easier to cover story if you know what the topic will be about. 

• A beat reporter will usually cover the meeting according to his/her beat. For example, education beat reporter will cover the school board meeting.

C. Covering speeches, news, conferences, and meetings

 Preparing to cover an event is only the beginning. Knowing what to do when you get there is equally important. You must cover the entire event—the content of the speech, news conference, or meeting; the time, place, circumstances, and number of people involved; and the possible consequences of what was said or of the actions taken. 

The Medium Matters 

• What you need to do at a speech, press conference, meeting depends on your final distribution medium.

 • Writing a story for print=take good notes, using an audio recorder and getting audience reaction might suffice.

• If you’re shooting video=consider good lighting and a find a good place from which to shoot.

 • If event is important enough, you’ll probably be tweeting or posting texts to your organizations’s mobile users. 

• You might be charged with writing a Web story, providing an audio clip and then writing yet another story for the newspaper. If you’re writing for a t.v. station, you might be shooting coverage of the event, interviewing people afterward, tweeting some important lines during the event, editing the video and writing a Web version.

 • More and more non-television news organizations are adding video to their websites, which means you might have to learn something about videography. This makes reporting more challenging today than ever.

 • print, web, and video coverage require different approaches, and doing all of them at the same time isn’t easy. With today’s many ways of distributing information, you need to learn to become a multimedia journalist. Doing so will make you more valuable to your employer. 

• A story about a speech, news conference or meeting often requires direct quotes. 

Getting the Content Correct

 • Though digital audio recorders/videos camera useful for covering events, be aware that audio recorders and video cameras often intimidate people who aren’t accustomed to being interviewed, so always ask permission to record any interviews you get. Practice using the recorder or video camera until you are familiar with its idiosyncrasies. Make sure you know how sensitive the microphone is. Get to know the camera’s operation as best as you can. 

• When someone says something newsworthy, note the counter on the recorder so you can find the quote quickly.

 • Even if you record an event, take notes. Malfunctions can occur, even with the best recorders, at the most inopportune times, 

• Sooner or later every reporter adopts or creates some note-taking shortcuts. • Learn to abbreviate: wh for “which”, th for “that”, bk for “book”, st for “street”, bldg for “building”, etc.• And use signs: w/ for “with", w/o for “without”, acc/ for “according to”

• Taking notes is crucial when you wish to record direct quotes. 

• Putting someone’s words in quotation marks means only one thing: you are quoting the exact words the person spoke.

• Speeches, conferences, and meetings all demand that you be able to rerecord direct quotes. Your stories will be lifeless and lack credibility without them, a speech story, for example, should contain many direct quotes.

 • Be careful to quote people in context. For example, if a speaker gives you supporting evidence for an argument, you would be unfair if you don’t quote them. Quotes can be misleading if you carelessly or deliberately juxtapose them. Combining quotes with no indication that something was said in between them can lead to inaccuracies and to charge of unfairness.

 Describing the Participants  

• An audio recording does not capture a speaker’s facial expressions and gestures. These are sometimes more important than the words themselves

. • Simply reporting the words of a speaker (or of the person holding a news conference or participating at a meeting) does not indicate the volume and tone of voice, inflections, pauses, emphases and reactions to and from those in attendance, you mightn’t that a speaker deliberately winked while reading a sentence. Or you might notice unmistakable sarcasm in the speaker’s voice.

 • Regardless of who the speaker is or where the speech is taking place, you should always note the speaker’s background. A person’s words must often be measured against that individual’s background. The speaker’s personal history.

 • Sometimes, purely physical facts about the speaker are essential to the story. These speakers must be described physically for the story to be complete, accurate and understandable. But be sure not to mention people as white or black in race for example. It’s problematic. 

• You also should note what the person who introduces a speaker says, this may help you understand the significance of the speaker and the importance of that he/she has to say. Being observant

• Keep an eye on the audience and on what’s happening around the edges. Measure the mood of the audience by noting the tone of questions.

 • Sometimes the real action take place outside in the form of picket line or protest. Sometimes police manage to keep protesters away from the site. Sometimes who is not there is news. 

• Don’t overlook the obvious. 

• Write down imagery, describe the scene. FEEL THE SCENE!!!Arriving, positioning yourself and staying on

 • Arrive early. It’s cool. At some events, special seating is set aside for reporters, but you should probably not count on that unless you know for sure. 

• At a speech, get a seat you can observe other people’s reactions. Sitting in the front isn’t always best, as the purpose of you being there is to get the story of the event, not just of the speaker. But be aware to be in a position you can also ask questions to the speaker.

 • At a news conference, your location might help you get the attn. of the person holding the conference. Have your questions prepared and be prepared to ask the question, to get the person’s attention to ask the question and to ask it right away when you are chosen to ask. Ask the right question, because you ain’t gonna be called to ask twice. Listen to others’ questions and be able to recognize the making of a good story. Too often a good question is dropped w/o follow-up because reporters are not listening carefully, or are too intent on pursuing their own questions. Listen for what is newsworthy and pursue it. When a news conference is finished, you’ll have a story to write. Piecing together notes of dozen unrelated topics can be difficult. 

• At a meeting, you should be able to see and hear the main participants. usually, a board/council will sit facing the audience. Before meeting starts, you should know which members are sitting where. You might want to assign each participant a # so you do not have to write down the person’s name each time he/she speaks. 

• You can also draw a sketch of where members are sitting. You’ll be able to quote someone by number and if necessary fins his/her name out later. Get secretary’s name, the officers name, any officials or authoritative figures. The secretary may help you fill in missing words or information. 

• When any of these events are over, do not rush off unless you’re on a deadline. Usually the best stories happen after the events.  You might need clarifications or ask some questions or arrange an interview with a key person. Listen for reactions from audience. 

D. Structuring and Writing your story 

• Writing leads for these events is no different than writing a story for any other story. Leads are important in to report these events. 

• You must be careful not to emphasize something about the event that is of great interest or curiosity but does not lead into the rest of the story. 

• Because of the nature of the inverted pyramid news story, rarely should you follow the chronology of the event you are covering. But the flow of your story might demand some attn. to chronology. If you pay no attn. to chronology, you might distort, or cause readers to misinterpret, the meaning of the event.

Writing the Speech Story 

 • Although you might not soon be called Upton to cover the speeches of well-known politicians, you can learn a lot from the way the pros handle important political addresses. 

• For t.v. or video on the web, you’ll introduce the subject and the speaker and then cut in video snippets of the speech itself. 

Writing the news conference story

• Writing the news conference story might be a bit more challenging than writing the speech story. Because you will go to the conference with different questions in mind from those your fellow reporters want to ask, you might come away w/ a different story. Your lead, at least, might be different from the leads of other reporters.

 • A news conference often covers a bunch of topics. Often it begins with a statement from the person who called the conference.

 • After you leave a conference, you have to organize the info you got at the event. In a logical, coherent order. You can choose to write a multiple- element lead. But usually you will treat the most newsworthy subjects first and deal w/ other subjects in the order of their importance. Rarely would you report on them in the chronological order in which they were discussed.

• Remember your job is to give readers news, as simply and clearly as possible. Remember, too, to cover the event itself as well as the content. 

• What happens there might well be the lead of your main story, or you may want to place it in a sidebar.

 Writing the meeting story

• Readers want you to take their place at the meeting you are covering. 

• The writer jumps right into the subject in the lead, giving the “what” in the 1st paragraph, and then in the second paragraph giving us the “who,” “when” and “where.” The reporter then dealt with specifics, naming names and citing figures, and quoted the key person at the meeting. 

• Even when covering routine, boring events, you are allowed to use your creativity. In add’n to getting all the facts, your jobs is also to be interesting, to get people to read the story.

 • Remember, 2 of the criteria for news are that it be relevant and useful, another is that it be interesting.

 • If you’re a video reporter, your approach to a meeting story will be quite different. There’s almost nothing as boring as video of a city council meeting, so telling the story creatively is important.

 • Write well for any media you choose to work on!!

References: 

https://yourstory.com/2016/09/preparing-for-meeting-speech

https://www.slideshare.net/mobile/Brett509/journ-305-speeches-news-conferences-meetings

https://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%201/volume1_20.htm

Deepika Saini

Department of Journalism

Lady Shri Ram College

                                                    

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal) 

REP: Reporting Crime

(These articles are written by students as a part of their assignment exercise during the period of COVID-19. Views expressed are their personal. Blog owner does not take any responsibility for their authenticity, correctness or appropriateness and shall not be responsible for any matter arising out of their interpretation.)  

Beat reporting refers to thematic specialization and routines in journalism. The term reflects the distinction between general assignment reporters and specialized (beat) reporters. Beat reporters build up a base of knowledge on and gain familiarity with the topic, allowing them to provide insight and commentary in addition to reporting straight facts. Crime Beat has long been a central part of news coverage in free press societies, because crime stories are usually newsworthy.  Crime reporting is part of the objective, interpretative and investigative reporting. Public have tremendous interest in crime stories and newspapers cannot afford to ignore them without damage to its circulation and credibility. It is about unearthing facts and studying cases that may require dedication of months or even years, depending upon the news story; as persistent follow up of the same prove beneficial to uncover some hitherto unsolved cases. Crime reporting teaches some of the essential techniques of journalism. You learn how to dig for a story, how to follow leads, how to interview people to extract information and how to write crisp, clear, interesting stories under pressure of a deadline. As with all news, crime stories should be as up-to-date as possible (NEW), out of the ordinary (UNUSUAL), have a significant value attached (INTERESTING), and involve familiarity among the masses (ABOUT PEOPLE). Crime news forms an important part of daily news coverage by media. Every day, a number of incidents are reported in a city. While some crimes are about greed, violence, sex, revenge etc, some reflect important social tensions.

             

In small newspapers, radio and television stations, general reporters cover crime stories, while in bigger organisations there may be a specialist crime reporter or team of reporters who cover nothing else but crime. Crime reports should not glorify the activities of criminals. The crime reporter should follow standards of decency and good taste.

Types of Crimes:

• Personal Crimes – Offenses against the Person- These are crimes that result in physical or mental harm to another person; Assault, Battery, False Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Homicide, Rape.
• Property Crimes – Offenses against Property- These are crimes that do not necessarily involve harm to another person. Instead, they involve an interference with another person’s right to use or enjoy their property; Larceny, Robbery, Burglary, Arson, Embezzlement, False Pretences
• Inchoate Crimes – Incomplete crimes that were begun, but not completed; This requires that a person take a substantial step to complete a crime, as opposed to just “intend” to commit a crime. Inchoate crimes include- Solicitation, Conspiracy.
• Statutory Crimes – A violation of a specific state or federal statute; can involve either property offenses or personal offense. Alcohol-related crimes.

Crime Reporter:
A Crime Reporter will need to analyse crime trends and statistics in order to comment on and analyse relevant issues and write about breaking crime stories.  The reporter should have good contacts in the police and other departments of the administration. He must have a working knowledge of the penal codes and law on libel and other relevant matters. They will need to be self-motivated and generate stories through a wide range of contacts:  for example through the police, social workers, crime and forensic investigators, informants.
     

What does a Crime Reporter do?
• Always alert to breaking crime through informants and other networking systems.
• Constantly keeping up to date with crime statistics and crime information.
• Up to date with new technology relating to forensics and police procedures attends police press releases.
• Visiting crime scenes to take photographs and get their own point of view.
• Interviewing relevant parties: friends, neighbours, work colleagues, etc of suspect and victim.
• Researching background of crime and similar crimes for comparison.
• Must understand the chart, graphs, accounting and legal jargon in order to present the story to the readers so that they could get whole information including numerical data
• Writes factual and interesting articles or posts for newspapers, magazines or blogs and reports objectively and ensuring accountability.

Importance of Crime Reporting:
• Readers or listeners often want an explanation of why crimes happen. They ask: "Could it happen to me?" They may want to know so that they can prevent a similar thing happening to themselves, especially people living in a small-knit community.
• Your readers and listeners need to know how laws are broken, and how people who break laws are caught and punished. This helps them understand what laws are and what the penalties for breaking them are.
• Most people obey the law, so crime stories are about unusual events - one of the criteria for news. The more unusual crimes are generally more newsworthy.
• Some people are interested in the way and methodology of a crime conducted. This increases the audience for crime beat. Moreover, it is generally true that a crime becomes more newsworthy if there is a strong chance of it happening again - usually because the criminal is known and likely to strike again.


Crime Beat Reporting:

Phase I: Obtaining data
• Do not rely exclusively on police or district attorneys’ explanations.
• Try to understand the exact nature of crime.
• Get as many details as possible about any victims. This should include their names, ages and addresses (although not always for publication), possibly their occupation and certainly details of any injuries they suffered. Get details of any witnesses, so that you can talk to them.
• Try accessing Social Media: Facebook pages can be particularly helpful as people often share a great deal of information about themselves there, including birth dates, schools they have attended and current and former employers. Social media platforms also will make it easy to identify some of the friends, family members and acquaintances of the individual you are researching.
• Check the international press archive, national or local public records for past coverage, and note the names of persons and organisations mentioned.
• Search your newsroom’s archive. If there is any existing coverage on the victim or criminal, it might provide a basis for your coverage and generate leads.
• Include sources such as judges, drug treatment staff and probation officers as they could change the content of some stories.
• Build your own database.


Phase II: Analysis
• Paul Bradshaw highlighted the importance of understanding the difference between the two key pieces of crime data:
                            1) Data on recorded crime,
                            2) Data on experiences of crime.
The second type of data is important because many crimes don't get reported, and particular types of crime are more under-reported than others. Moreover, Pamela Colloff, who built her career reporting on character-driven narratives about the criminal justice system, says that some crime and courts topics demand a deeper sort of training.
• Reach out to the experts — for example, a leading criminal-justice scholar or a researcher at a major university. Experts may not be able to speak about the specific person or crime you’re covering. But they can talk about similar situations as well as related trends and research. All of this can add valuable context to your piece.
• Try to determine whether there have been local efforts to stop this type of crime in this area. If so, find the people involved and interview them. Check with the local police chief or the head of the local neighbourhood.

Phase III: Content Writing
• Heading: Every crime report must have a good heading. It must be as precise as possible giving the reader a clear idea of what the writer wants to report on. The heading may take the form of a short phrase or a simple sentence or even a word whose meaning can be easily understood.
• Introduction: This must give the reader a brief idea about what is going to be said in the body of the report. It must be only one paragraph.
• Body: The body of a crime report is nothing but detailed development of the incident being reported .It is made up of as many paragraph as possible depending on the various points being discussed. Each paragraph must be based on ONE main point. We only move on to the next paragraph as we completely exhaust that point.
o Always try to think of ways of illustrating your crime stories. A good picture is worth a thousand words and a simple diagram can save readers struggling through lines of text of description.
o The sudden and brief nature of many crimes means that you cannot always rely on descriptions of what happened, from victims, witnesses or even the police. Only report as a fact what you know to be true. All the rest must be attributed.
o Accuracy must extend all the way through your work, especially doing crime reporting. One must always use the correct terms to avoid legal complications.
• Conclusion: This ought to be a brief summary of all the points raised in the body of the report. This must take just one paragraph.
• Recommendation: In many reports the writer usually makes his or her own recommendation as to what he or she feels about the whole case. The police will often ask for help from your readers or listeners, particularly in finding wanted men, stolen property or get-away cars. Recommendation should be based on the available evidence before the writer and nothing else.

Checking if an article is suited for Crime Beat-
Carole Kneeland; a News Director instituted a five-point checklist for deciding whether a crime merited coverage:
1. Is the crime a threat to public safety?
2. Is the crime a threat to children?
3. Does the viewer need to take action?
4. Will it have significant community impact?
5. Does the story lend itself to a crime-fighting or prevention effort?

Sources for Crime Reporting:
• Police and Police Station
• Crime Scene
• Police Blotter
• Incident reports
• Arrest Warrants, Search Warrants, Jail booking records.
• Autopsy Reports
• Medical examiner Reports
• Defence Attorneys
• Local/Municipal/Government/International Records
• Experts on Crime Reporting
• Social Media
• Newsroom Archive
• Witnesses of the crime
• Friends/ Relatives of Criminal/Victim
• Criminal History Reports
• Police Misconduct Investigation Records

Ethics involved in Crime Beat:
Crime reporters face a number of ethical problems when doing their job. Perhaps the biggest problem is remembering where they belong in relation to the police, criminals and the public.
• Undivided loyalty: As a journalist, your first and over-riding loyalty must be to tell your readers or listeners the truth. Sometimes the police may want you to hide the truth or alter it, to help them catch a criminal. Always ask your news editor before making any agreement. You should always retain control over what you publish or broadcast. As a crime reporter, there is a danger that you may find yourself thinking more and more like a policeman, and less like a fair and balanced journalist. For the police to catch and prosecute a criminal, they have to believe that he or she is guilty. You do not have to make such a judgment, but state the facts.
• Copycat crimes: There are some crimes which are obviously modelled on what the criminal has seen, heard or read. We call these copycat crimes. Although the media might not encourage people to commit crimes, they often show how it can be done. As a journalist, you will occasionally have to make a difficult decision about how much you tell your readers or listeners. You must tell them enough to keep them informed and help them understand why something happened, but you must not encourage copycat crimes.
• Fear and alarm: Reporting crime needs special sensitivity because it is very easy to spread fear and alarm by what you write or broadcast. You must always balance the need of your audience to be informed with your duty not to alarm them unnecessarily. You also need to show restraint when reporting civil disturbances. Some journalists will use dramatic language to enliven the story and add interest, but the risks are too high that they will simply encourage more of the same behaviour.
• Releasing names: You should always check with the police before releasing the names of victims of crimes, especially when people have been killed. It is usually the job of the police to make sure that the victim's nearest relatives are told first, so that they can soften the shock.
• False conclusions: You must avoid drawing false conclusions. If you only report what you know to be true and attribute all the rest, you will be safe. If you start drawing your own conclusions, you will get into trouble.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, working in Crime Beat means spending time at police stations or firehouses; getting to know their problems and procedures. Misusing terms is a quick way to lose any credibility you’ve built up with law enforcement sources. For example, a burglary and a robbery are not the same thing. Crime reporters can also dig for data they can use to develop stories and supplement their coverage online. To cover courts, reporters must understand the judicial process from beginning to end. Good reporting on the criminal justice system should explore the experience of all people involved in the system — including victims, defendants, prisoners, guards and police officers. Reporters who cover crime also need to pay attention to the potential impact of the coverage itself.

By helping the audience understand how the system works, reporters can harness the interest-factor of a single case to educate the public about issues that extend far beyond.

Journalists should be wary of sensationalising findings. A periodic review of what you’re putting on the air is one way to make sure the images you use aren’t misleading or feeding stereotypes.  The real stories are more nuanced and harder to frame as good or bad, transformative or dystopian.

References:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332078682_Beat_Journalism_and_Reporting
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beat_reporting
https://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%202/volume2_35.htm
http://siped.org/docs/what-are-the-different-beats-in-journalism-explain-any-3-with-examples/
http://osou.ac.in/eresources/DJMC-02-Block-03.pdf
https://newslab.org/beat-reporting-crime-and-justice/
https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/what-are-the-different-types-of-crimes.html
https://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%202/volume2_37.htm
https://www.thenewsmanual.net/Manuals%20Volume%202/volume2_38.htm
https://wikieducator.org/Lesson_2:_Police_Crime_Report
https://www.vskills.in/certification/blog/crime-reporting/
https://journalistsresource.org/tip-sheets/reporting/find-information-people-crime-journalism/
https://careerplanet.co.za/careers-listing/crime-reporter/
https://datajournalism.com/read/newsletters/data-on-the-crime-beat
https://ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/2020/01/27/a-high-stakes-beat-tips-for-balanced-and-informed-crime-coverage/
https://newslab.org/guidelines-for-covering-crime/

-Agrima Gulati
Department of Journalism
LSR 2022

(Disclaimer: The views expressed are personal)