Preparing A New Generation Of Journalists

Joe Humphrey, an education reporter at The Florida Times-Union, compiled the following tips for teachers. He presented them to participants in an American Society of Newspaper Editors-sponsored High School Journalism Institute conference held at the University of South Florida this summer.

Newsroom Management

• Run the classroom like a newsroom.
• Respect deadlines.
• Let the students run the paper as much as possible. Teach student leaders to be effective managers.
• Build a diverse staff. Seek students from all walks of life and your news coverage will be better and more balanced.
• Try to create a wall between advertising and editorial departments. Seek out students interested in business to handle advertising-related duties.
• Focus less on winning awards and eliminate the pressure to win. The focus should be having fun.

Toward a Better Understanding

• Teach interviewing skills.
• Use a stylebook. It's the only Bible allowed in public schools.
• Focus on the principles and purpose of journalism. What makes it different from public relations? How are the ethics different?
• Continue to teach the basics of journalism. Use the power of the press but don't abuse it. Keep the line between news and tabloid news clear.
• Give current events quizzes. Make sure students are good consumers of the news.
• Stress the importance of deadline writing. In college and the pros, writing under pressure is essential. Practice it.

Coverage Tips

• Give students a beat or issue to follow throughout the year. This will help them do deeper, more meaningful reporting. It will also help them see how they can write about larger issues.
• Take chances. Let high schoolers have the freedom to discuss controversial issues such as teen pregnancy and drug/alcohol abuse. Devote space to important issues such as the role of the SAT.

Beyond the Classroom

• Take advantage of your town and its newspaper. Bring professional journalists into the classroom. Visit your local newspaper. And visit the courthouse or a baseball game, so students can whet their curiosity and develop an eye for detail.
• Urge students to participate in the local press.
• Get students out of their comfort zone, the school. Have them cover community beats, meeting and talking to people who they don't encounter every day.
• Encourage students to major in something other than journalism. The trade is best learned through practicing it, not in a classroom.

-- Joe Humphrey can be reached at jhumphrey@jacksonville.com