journalism terms n-z

Question 1

news hole

Answer 1

Space in a newspaper allotted to news, illustrations and other nonadvertising material.

Question 2

off-the-record

Answer 2

Describes material offered the reporter in confidence. If the reporter accepts the material with this understanding, it cannot be used except as general background in a later story.

Question 3

op-ed page

Answer 3

Abbreviation for the page opposite the editorial page. The page is frequently devoted to opinion columns and related illustrations.

Question 4

overnight

Answer 4

Story usually written late at night for the afternoon news- papers of the next day.

Question 5

pool

Answer 5

Arrangement whereby limited numbers of reporters and photographers are selected to represent all those assigned to the story.

Question 6

press release

Answer 6

Publicity handout, or a story given to the news media for publication.

Question 7

puff piece or puffery

Answer 7

publicity story or a story that contains unwarranted superlatives.

Question 8

roundup

Answer 8

A story that joins two or more events with a common theme, such as traffic accidents, weather, police reports.

Question 9

rowback

Answer 9

A story that attempts to correct a previous story without indicating that the prior story had been in error or with- out taking responsibility for the error.

Question 10

running story

Answer 10

Event that develops and is covered over a period of time.

Question 11

sell

Answer 11

Presentation a reporter makes to impress the editor with the importance of his or her story.

Question 12

shirttail

Answer 12

Short, related story added to the end of a longer one.

Question 13

sidebar

Answer 13

Story that emphasizes and elaborates on one part of another nearby story.

Question 14

situation

Answer 14

Story that pulls together a continuing event for the reader who may not have kept track as it unfolded.

Question 15

slant

Answer 15

To write a story so as to influence the reader’s thinking.

Question 16

source

Answer 16

Person, record, document or event that provides the information for the story.

Question 17

split page

Answer 17

Front page of an inside section.

Question 18

stringer

Answer 18

Correspondent, not a regular staff member, who is paid by the story or by the number of words written.

Question 19

tight

Answer 19

Refers to a paper so crowded with ads that the news space must be reduced.

Question 20

tip

Answer 20

Information passed to a reporter, often in confidence.

Question 21

verification

Answer 21

Determination of the truth of the material the reporter gathers or is given.

Question 22

wire services

Answer 22

Synonym for press associations, the Associated Press and United Press International.