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English 3 > Journalism glossary > Flashcards

Journalism glossary Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

advertorial

A

where distinction between editorial and advertising becomes blurred

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2
Q

agencies

A

main news agencies (supplying both stories and pictures) are PA, Reuters, Agence France Presse, Itar-­‐Tass, Associated Press. Also large number of smaller agencies serving specialist and general fields. Copy (known as wire copy) arrives in newspaper offices from them on computer screens or occasionally on teleprinters

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3
Q

agony aunt

A

women who offer advice to people who write in to newspapers with
personal/emotional problems

Agony uncle: male equivalent. Not many of these around but likely to grow in number

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4
Q

alternative press

A

loose term incorporating wide variety of non-­‐mainstream
newspapers. Can include left press (Tribune, Socialist Worker etc.), religious press (Catholic Herald, Church Times, Q News), ethnic press (Asian Times, Voice), municipal press, trade union publications

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5
Q

ambush interview

A

when an interviewee is surprised by suddenly different line of
questioning or by the sudden appearance of journalist (or group of journalists). Has theatrical flavour when done on television. Generally only done when reporters are convinced they are dealing with crook or hypocrite whose “crimes” it is important to expose

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6
Q

angle

A

main point stressed in story usually in intro. US: peg

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7
Q

artwork

A

all illustrations, maps, charts, cartoons that accompany copy

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8
Q

attachment/internship (US)

A

time spent by student journalists training (or occasionally just observing) at media organisation

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9
Q

attribution

A

linking information or quote to original source

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10
Q

backbench

A

group of top level journalists who meet to decide the overall shape
and emphases in that day’s newspaper. Positioning of important pictures, choice of page leads, subject and angle of editorial comments will be among their decisions

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11
Q

background

A

section of news or feature story carrying information which serves to
contextualise main elements. Varies in length and positioning though most news stories will contain only small amount of background detail while length of features often allows them to carry longer background sections. Also, in computer jargon, indicates hyphenation and justification system is operating while copy is being input

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12
Q

back issue

A

previous issue of paper

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13
Q

banner

A

front page headline extending across full page

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14
Q

baron

A

newspaper proprietor (e.g. Murdoch, Black, Maxwell, Rothermere). other words : mogul, magnate, boss

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15
Q

body

A

copy following intro.

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16
Q

boil down

A

shorten copy

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17
Q

box

A

copy with rules around all four sides

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18
Q

break

A

moment when news story emerges. But bad break refers to ugly-­‐ looking hyphenation at end of line of text

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19
Q

broadsheet

A

large-­‐size newspaper such as Daily Telegraph, The Times, Financial
Times, Guardian, as opposed to tabloid (see below)

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20
Q

bureau

A

newspaper office in foreign country

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21
Q

by-line

A

gives name of journalist/s who has/have written article.
Otherwise called credit line. (Subs often call this the blame-­‐line.) When it appears at end of story known as sign off

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22
Q

calls (sometimes known as check calls)

A

routine telephone calls (but sometimes by face-­‐to-­‐face visits) by reporters to such bodies as police, ambulance, hospitals, fire brigade to check if any news is breaking

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23
Q

campaigning journalism

A

overtly partisan journalism promoting particular cause: e.g. greener
Britain; save Bart’s hospital; restore David Gower to England cricket side. US: advocacy journalism

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24
Q

caption

A

words accompanying any picture or artwork. Basic details are supplied by photographer. Final content of the caption is compiled by sub-­‐editor (see below). A caption amounting to a small story is a caption story

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25
Q

casual

A

journalist employed by a newspaper only on temporary basis. Since it’s cheaper for employers, numbers growing

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26
Q

catchline

A

usually single word identifying story which is typed in right hand corner of every page. Sub-­‐editor will tend to use this word to identify story on layout. US: slug

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27
Q

centre spread

A

copy and pictures running over two pages in centre of newspaper

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28
Q

chequebook journalism

A

activity in which newspapers compete to purchase rights to
someone’s story, e.g. mistress of minister. Figure can reach phenomenal levels when person’s story considered of high news value. Some newspapers routinely offer much smaller amounts of money to people in exchange for information

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29
Q

city desk

A

section of newspaper running the financial page/s

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30
Q

classified

A

small ads classified according to subject area and carrying no illustrations

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31
Q

clips/clippings/cuttings

A

stories cut from newspapers and usually filed. Most newspapers have cuttings libraries to assist journalists’ research activities. Individual journalists usually have their own cuttings files

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32
Q

columnist

A

journalist who provides comment in regular series of articles. Usually
adopts individual writing style

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33
Q

contact

A

journalist’s source

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34
Q

copy

A

editorial material. Hard copy refers to editorial material typed on paper

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35
Q

correspondent

A

usually refers to journalist working in specialist areas, e.g. transport,
education, defence. Particularly used with reference to foreign assignments, e.g. Moscow correspondent, Cairo correspondent

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36
Q

cross ref

A

indication that story continues or begins on another page

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37
Q

club reporter

A

trainee

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38
Q

cut

A

remove copy from script, screen or page proof

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39
Q

deadline

A

time by which copy is expected to be submitted

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40
Q

desks

A

departments of newspapers are often known in terms of desks; thus picture desk; news desk; features desk etc.

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41
Q

dig

A

to do deep research

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42
Q

display ads

A

large advertisements usually containing illustrations (cf. classified
ads) and appearing on editorial pages. Advertising department will organise the distribution of ads throughout the newspaper which is usually indicated on a dummy (see below) handed to the sub-­‐editors before layout of paper begins

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43
Q

dummy

A

small version of editorial pages used for planning overall contents of newspaper and usually containing details of display advertising.
Dummy will often be considered at early news conference where decisions on newspaper size and advertisement distribution are made

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44
Q

editor

A

person in overall charge of the editorial content of the newspaper

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45
Q

editorial

A

(1) all non-­‐advertising copy

(2) column in which newspaper expresses its own views on issues (sometimes known as leader)

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46
Q

embargo

A

time (often found on press releases) before which information should not be published. System based on trust between source and media outlet. Some newspapers, however, have habit of breaking embargoes -­‐ and attracting considerable publicity (good and bad) in process

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47
Q

exclusive

A

story supposedly uniquely carried by newspaper. Vast number of stories in every newspaper would qualify for this description so should really be limited to few major stories. Description becomes devalued when attached to stories too frequently or when the same story is carried in other newspapers on the same day (as often happens) (see below scoop)

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48
Q

eye-witness reporting

A

presence of reporter at news event can provide unique opportunities for writing descriptive, colourful copy

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49
Q

fact file

A

listing of facts (often boxed) relating to story. Useful way of creating visual and copy variety on page

50
Q

feauture

A

as distinct from news story tends to be longer, carry more background information, colour, wider range of sources and journalist’s opinion can be prominent

51
Q

Fleet street

A

though most newspapers have dispersed from this street in East
London between the Strand and St Paul’s Cathedral, national newspapers as a collective group are still known by this name, Often known as Street of Shame

52
Q

Fourth Estate

A

press supposedly occupying the position of fourth most powerful
institution after Lords Spiritual, Lords Temporal and Commons. (Lord Macaulay: “The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm.”)

53
Q

freebie

A

range of services and entertainments (e.g. drinks, meals, trips abroad funded by governments/tourist organisations, transport companies, tickets to concerts, theatres) provided free to journalists. Some journalists believe acceptance of freebies compromises “objectivity” and refuse to accept them

54
Q

freelance

A

journalist contributing to several media outlets and not on permanent staff of any one organisation (increasingly a euphemism for unemployed). Freelancer in US

55
Q

gutter press

A

sometimes applied to the tabloid press

56
Q

hamper

A

a story displayed horizontally usually at the top of a page

57
Q

handouts

A

a story sent to media outlets by a press relations office of an organization or a PR company

58
Q

hard copy

A

copy typed on sheets of paper (usually A4 size). Each page is known as a folio

59
Q

hard news

A

news focusing on who, what, where, when, why based on factual detail and quotes and containing little description, journalist comment or analysis. Cf. soft news (see below)

60
Q

heavies

A

broadsheet “serious” papers such as the Guardian, The Times,
Financial Times

61
Q

human interest story

A

a story focusing on success, failures, tragedies, emotional/sexual histories of people. It eliminates or marginalises more abstract and deeper cultural, economic, political, class-­‐based factors

62
Q

indent

A

an abbreviation for indentation: providing white space at the start or end of a line

63
Q

index

A

the front page (or sometimes elsewhere) listing of stories in the rest of a paper. To ease reading and “sell”/”flag” the contents in a prominent place

64
Q

intro

A

the opening of a news/feature story usually containing the main angle (see above). Not necessarily just single a par(agraph). (see below). Also known as lead. US: nose

65
Q

inverted pyramid

A

the traditional representation of news stories (with main point at start and information declining in news value after that and ending with a short background). It tends to oversimplify the structure of a news story. It’s better to imagine a series of inverted pyramids within an overall, large pyramid

66
Q

investigative reporting

A

in one respect all journalism involves investigation. But investigative reporting tends to reveal something of social/political significance which someone powerful or famous wants hidden. US investigative reporters are known as muckrakers

67
Q

issue

A

all copies of a day’s paper and its editions

68
Q

kill

A

to decide not to use (or drop) story/feature. Newspapers are supposed to pay “kill fee” when they break an agreement to use freelance copy

69
Q

lead [Èliùd]

A

the main story on a page. On the front page it’s otherwise known as splash

70
Q

leader

A

see editorial

71
Q

lineage [ÈlIni,IdZ]

A

a payment to freelancers based on the number of lines of copy used

72
Q

lobby

A

specialist group of correspondents reporting about the House of Commons

73
Q

masthead

A

a newspaper’s title on page one

74
Q

middle-market

A

newspapers such as Mail and Express which lie (in terms of overall style and appearance) between heavies and pops

75
Q

mole

A

a secret source of an investigative journalist buried deep in the heart of an organisation whose activities they are prepared to reveal

76
Q

moonlighter

A

a journalist who works during the evening for a media organisation while holding another full-­‐time post during the day.

77
Q

mug shot

A

a photo showing just the face (and sometimes shoulders). Otherwise known as head and shoulders

78
Q

obit

A

the abbreviation for obituary, an account and appreciation of life. For famous people usually prepared in anticipation of their death

79
Q

off the record

A

when statements are made not for publication but for background only. Information derived from comments should in no way be traceable back to its source

80
Q

on the record

A

when there are no restrictions on reporting what is said

81
Q

opinion piece

A

an article in which the journalist expresses an overt opinion

82
Q

PA

A

the abbreviation for Press Association which supplies national news and a features service (as well as an international service from its link-­‐ up with Reuters) to most national and local papers

83
Q

pack

A

a collection of journalists (sometimes known as rat pack)

84
Q

paparazzi

A

a horde of photographers

85
Q

par.

A

the abbreviation for paragraph. Also para

86
Q

pay-off

A

the last paragraph with a twist or a flourish

87
Q

press release

A

an announcement made by an organisation especially for use by the media

88
Q

probe

A

an investigation

89
Q

proof

A

the print-­‐out of a part or the whole of page. This proof is read, corrected where necessary and the amended page (the revise) is then ready for final printing.

90
Q

quote

A

(1) the abbreviation for quotation;

(2) when a reporter files copy over the phone “quote” then means first inverted commas. End quote marks are often known as “unquote”.

91
Q

readership

A

the number of people who read a paper as opposed to the number of copies sold

92
Q

retrospective

A

a feature looking back on an event

93
Q

re-vamp, revamp

A

to change a story or a page in the light of new material

94
Q

re-write, rewrite

A

to use information provided in a story but compose it in completely new language. Known as a re-­‐write (rewrite) job

95
Q

ring-round

A

a story based on a series of telephone calls

96
Q

roving reporter

A

a reporter who travels around a lot

97
Q

RSI

A

the abbreviation for ‘repetitive strain injury’.

It’s a painful medical condition which can cause damage to the hands, wrists, upper arms and backs especially of people who use computers and other forms of keyboard

98
Q

running story

A

a story which runs/develops over a number of editions or days

99
Q

scoop

A

an exlusive story

100
Q

streamer

A

an exclamation mark (usually in a headline)

101
Q

section

A

a separately-­‐folded part of the paper

102
Q

sexy story

A

a story with popular appeal.

103
Q

sign-off

A

the by-line at the foot of a story

104
Q

silly season

A

supposedly a time (usually in the summer holiday period) when little hard news is around and the press is reduced to covering trivia. For some newspapers the silly season can last a long time. Wars and invasions often happen in the silly season too

105
Q

sister paper

A

when a company owns more than one newspaper, each is described as sister. Thus The Times is the Sun’s sister paper since both are owned by Rupert Murdoch

106
Q

soft news

A

a light news story that can be more colourful, witty, commenty than the hard news story (see above)

107
Q

spike

A

to reject copy or other information (e.g. press release) Derived from an old metal spike which stood on a wooden base on which subs would stick unwanted material. It had the advantage over “binning” since the material was accessible so long as it remained on the spike

108
Q

splash

A

the lead news story on the front page

109
Q

standfirst

A

the text intended to be read between the headline and the story, which can elaborate on the point made in the main headline, add a new one, raise a question which will be answered in the story (a teaser). Sometimes contains the by-­‐line. It helps provide the reader with a “guiding hand” into reading a large slice of copy – thus mainly used for features and occasionally for long news stories

110
Q

stop press

A

a column on the back page of a newspaper left blank and allowing for slotting in news which had broken just before publication

111
Q

stringer

A

a freelance (or : freelancer), either in provinces, in London or overseas, who has come to an arrangement with a news organisation to supply copy on an agreed basis. A super-­‐stringer will contract to devote most of his time working for one organisation but still be free to freelance for other media outlets for the rest of the time

112
Q

style

A

special rules adopted by newspaper relating to spelling, punctuation, abbreviations. It’s often contained within a stylebook though increasingly carried on screens. Some newspapers somehow survive without them

113
Q

sub-editor/sub

A

the person responsible for editing reporters’ copy, writing headlines, captions, laying out pages etc. The stone sub makes final corrections and cuts on page proofs

114
Q

tabloid

A

a newspaper whose pages are roughly half the size of a broadsheet. All popular papers are tabloids, as are sections of some of heavies (e.g. Guardian2; Independent on Sunday’s finance section). Despite their popularity, the term ‘tabloid’ is often used as a term of abuse when the press collectively are criticised. Serious tabloids exist on the Continent (Libération and Le Monde, in France, and De Standaard in Belgium for instance)

115
Q

tabloidese

A

shoddy, over-­‐sensational, cliché-­‐ridden copy most commonly associated with the tabloids

116
Q

think piece

A

an analytical article

117
Q

tip-off

A

information supplied to a newspaper by a member of the public

118
Q

wall newspaper

A

journalism training schools often produce wall newspapers when final pages are produced but not sent away to be published. Simply stuck on walls. In some countries (e.g. China) newspapers gained most of their readership through being pinned to walls in public places

119
Q

whistle-blower

A

a person revealing newsworthy and previously secret information to the press

120
Q

widow

A

a short line left at the top of a page or a column (to be avoided)

English 3 (13 decks)

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