Check out this website

Click on the link at right and you can read the front pages of nearly 800 newspapers from around the world. They are arranged alphabetically, but you can sort them by region. You can also print the front page and visit the newspaper's website for more information. How do news stories in Los Angeles compare to Tuscaloosa, Austin, or Anchorage? Which layouts do you find pleasing? Which do you find cluttered or busy?

The Newseum is a museum in Washington, D.C. devoted to the news media. There's also lots of interesting content on its main page.

Are you a guard dog?

Hope you are all enjoying your vacation. I'm at the University of Texas, Austin learning about high school journalism. This morning the editor of the Houston Chronicle told us high school journalists need to be watchdogs of the students interests. Student journalists shouldn't be lapdogs that want to sit in important people's laps and lick their faces, said editor Jeff Cohen. Nor should they be attack dogs, unnecessarily biting people. "You want them to be guard dogs growling, or guide dogs," Cohen said.

Final Issue June 9

We are slowing down a bit this week and next so you can study for your AP exams. The following week is the California Standards Test, so we will be on a special schedule. All stories will be due on or before May 22.
Think about what stories you want to write for this final issue. Check with your sources on your beat and make sure you are aware of all upcoming events. We will firm up our budget (story assignments) on Tuesday.

Photo, Sports Editor Positions Open

Please submit an application if you are interested in either the photo editor or sports editor position.
The photo editor's duties include: making photo assignments, choosing photos for publication, making sure everyone in a photo is identified, writing captions and proofreading captions/photo credits.
The sports editor's duties include: making sports story assignments, making sure writers turn in their copy on time, editing sports stories and laying out sports pages using InDesign (you will be trained in how to use the program).

April Issue Deadline

Everyone should have their stories in today for the next issue.

Now that we have three more people, we need to talk about the division of duties.
It seems Sagar has taken on the duties of the advertising or business manager. He should be added to the staffbox as such.
Sree is listed as the photo editor. As such, he should make sure the cameras are always charged and that the photos are uploaded to Lucy's computer each day.

Do we need a news editor? A features editor? A sports editor? As it is, it seems as if I am making a lot of the assignments, which I would rather not do. The editor would decide which stories get assigned for their respective page or pages and whether a photo is needed and who will take the photo. They would also be responsible for seeing that those stories get turned in on time.

Wednesday through Friday should be devoted to laying out the next issue. The club list and the sports calendar need to be updated.

We also need to discuss Friday's food sale. Lucy, Sagar, Elizabeth, Boston, Sree and I will be at USC for High School Journalism Day. We will be back by sixth period. Eduardo will place the order. Dora will pick up the Subway sandwiches. A couple people need to get out of fourth period early to help set up. Everyone else should be willing to man the table during lunch. Adriel and Eduardo can clean up, since they are in my fifth period and I can tell the substitute that they have permission.