The Editors’ Exchange

The Web edition of The Editors' Exchange offers a compendium of interesting and imitatable innovations from the world of daily newspapers. In posting it here, ASNE makes the ideas available to the general public for use in all sorts of publications, including newspapers. The printed version of The Editors’ Exchange includes the names of editors who are willing to share information with other editors. However, because the Web version is archival — and not current — Internet readers should not contact the contributing newspapers or ASNE for examples or illustrative material. Thanks... and enjoy!

What is The Editors’ Exchange?

The Editors’ Exchange is a newsletter sent to newspapaper editors throughout the United States made up of items sent in by editors who agree to share their best ideas with their colleagues.

Please send in:

• Editorial and organizational innovations that help improve readership.
• Clips and tearsheets demonstrating these good ideas.
• In-house newsletters for newsroom employees that focus on good work.

Combatting violence, paper targets men

Men are responsible for most violence. Rapes, beatings — and murders. But an organization in Minnesota aimed at curbing violence noticed that few men were helping in the effort.

That's when the Duluth (Minn.) News-Tribune (circulation 54,000) stepped in.

The result has been the yearlong Men As Peacemakers series.

It started with a retreat for men to talk about how they grew up male and what causes them to be more violent.

mThe series, which is running for 12 consecutive months, starts each month with profiles for three days leading up to a main Sunday package. Each piece looks at key players and often suggests better ways to address the problem. The Sunday piece is a solution-based article with sidebars and statistics.

Recent focuses have been on racism and alcohol and how both lead to violence.

The series has been a big topic of conversation in Duluth, where few people — especially men — usually discuss the matter.

E-mail home from Bosnia

Local soldiers have written home to the Reading (Pa.) Eagle/Times (circulation 68,000) with a twist — electronically. Throughout the mission in Bosnia, two soldiers (later one) have e-mailed home on what they miss, what they're doing and even on meeting President Clinton. Don Davis, administrative editor, who says the paper gets a note every couple of weeks, says it adds a hometown touch to international news.

Stories behind the landmarks

Every town has statues, parks or other monuments, all with individual stories. But most people who pass by every day don't know the story. That's why the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser (circulation 61,000) started a Monday feature called "Have You Wondered?" on its local front. A freelancer interested in local history does the articles, which are accompanied by photos. The package brightens and anchors the page.

Where does your town pray?

Religion is a vital part of many people's lives. The Lakeland (Fla.) Ledger (circulation 80,000) wrote a story on the ten most popular faiths in its home county. Included in the "Where Polk Prays" series were profiles of figures in local churches, a look at each religion's tenets, and a photo package. Each ran on the Saturday lifestyle front — the same day as religion listings — over several months.

Best in Newspaper Writing

The 1996 winners of the ASNE Writing Awards are featured in a book recently published by the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. The winning stories, along with the writers' comments on how they did it are featured, along with a piece by Christopher Scanlan of Poynter. To order, write Poynter at 801 Third St. S., St. Petersburg FL 33701 or visit their Web site.

Difficulty defined: Choosing a new newsroom dictionary

As a Philadelphia Inquirer newsroom committee worked on revising the newspaper's stylebook, it concluded that updating the dictionary would be a better place to start.

The Inquirer (circulation 470,000) used Webster's New World College Dictionary, a choice the newspaper went with in the 1970s when the Associated Press made the red book its dictionary of record. Over time, the paper's needs made that dictionary less desirable.

As a result, Michael Martin Mills of the newspaper's Sunday magazine staff volunteered to spearhead a review of dictionaries on the market and help choose a new one.

First, he looked at what the Inquirer wanted from a dictionary: spelling and proper past tenses (of the verb sink, for example). He also looked at what it didn't want: definitions and new words (staffers already knew them).

Second, he looked at what dictionaries were available (and what reviewers had said). Books from Simon & Schuster, American Heritage, Merriam-Webster and Random House were all considered. Then the dictionaries' publishers were contacted and invited to explain why their book was best.

Next, Mills' committee decided to use four dictionaries at the same time whenever members looked up a word. "That was daunting, but essential," Mills said.

Finally, the findings were compiled and a decision was made: Merriam-Webster's Collegiate. Why? Reasons included separate biographical and geographical entries and an anticipated unabridged dictionary to use as a backup.

This summary is adapted from the February/ March 1995 issue of Copy Editor. Visit Copy Editor's Web site to learn more about the publication.

Small papers investigate? You bet

How can a small newspaper tackle investigations? Jim Smith, editor of the Woodland (Calif.) Daily Democrat (circulation 10,500) has some thoughts. First, decide what kind of investigation you're doing. An in-depth story examining a newly chosen city manager, for example, could include her work history, old clips about her, and quotes from those involved; it could run as a profile. A series could be serious or light; if you're tackling a complex subject, perhaps you need to go outside the paper for resources or expertise (try schools or businesses for help, for example). Team reporting: Agree what you're working on, then assign a task to each team member; set deadlines; involve photographers; have members critique each other's work. Remember to give writers the time they need and protect them from distractions. Set priorities — including not doing other stories until the job is done.

An editorial board's new voice

Youth points of view are hard to come by in newspapers. "We strive to make certain the diversity of our community is reflected," wrote Visalia (Calif.) Times-Delta Managing Editor Tom Bray. "But that diverse mix frequently has neglected young people." The paper (circulation 22,000) decided to rectify that by adding a student position to its editorial board. The board, which determines the content of editorials, now includes four community members including the student. The publisher, editorial page editor, managing editor and city editor also sit on the board. Students have shaped editorial positions, Bray wrote, despite initial worries.

Contest gets people talking

Contests generate attention, especially contests naming sports teams. An independent pro baseball team was moving to Altoona, Pa. Soon after the deal was sealed, the Altoona Mirror (circulation 34,000) pitched a name-the-team contest — which the team's owner loved. More than 300 suggestions poured in and the owner narrowed it to three. Then readers got a chance to vote for one of the three. It was the talk of the town — including other local media; a thousand votes were eventually cast. The winner? The Rail Kings, a name suggesting Altoona's rail heritage. The Mirror had an exclusive and had established itself as the source for team news.

A local industry, step by step

Do you know the details of how a local industry works? Chances are your readers don't. Explain it to them, as the Burlington (N.J.) County Times (circulation 39,500) did in August. The Path of the Peach, which traced the fruit from orchard to market, ran on a Sunday in August. A centerpiece on the front page led to a full, color page inside. It explained twists and turns to readers who might not know about an industry once important to central New Jersey, but less so now as the area becomes more suburbanized.

Databases can do 'impossible'

Computer-aided reporting in everyday life: A reporter with the Asbury Park (N.J.) Press (circulation 161,000) had a dead man's initials, the ZIP code of his last residence and the month of death. With that and the Social Security Master Death File, he was able to get the name. It cost $35. Another favorite: comparing voter rolls with death rolls to see who's still voting.