Be proud of each trip you take to publish student media
by Stan Zoller
Several years ago I was having a conversation with my neighbor, also a teacher. Our conversation covered the usual teacher stuff – students, administrators, curriculum, union contracts – and course loads.
It was while we discussing the classes we taught, he pronounced that “well, anyone can teach journalism.”
So much for good neighbors.
I asked him what his point of reference was and he, to no surprise, did not have a good answer, but seemed hint that “all we had to do” was put out the paper, which, I guess is like saying all drivers education teachers have to do is start the car.
Journalism teachers seem to be education’s misunderstood children. It’s the destination – the newspaper, the yearbook, the broadcast or website by which we are judged. That’s all we do.
[pullquote]What’s overlooked, as we all know, are the intricacies that go into student media. Not the intricacies of InDesign or Photoshop – but the intricacies of journalism. The laws, the ethics, the policies and the court decisions.[/pullquote]
You know, “hey kids, go and report so we can produce the next edition, get the next sig done or post it.” You know, we’re like Nike – we just do it.
Journalism educators are notoriously supportive of each other (well, for the most part) and of our craft. We’re proud when the final product is published, produced or posted.
What we need to be proud of however, is not the destination – but the trip we took to get there. My guess is most people – in education and out – do not have an idea of everything that goes into producing student media. They see the photos, read the words, listen to the broadcast and say “nice job.”
What’s overlooked, as we all know, are the intricacies that go into student media. Not the intricacies of InDesign or Photoshop – but the intricacies of journalism. The laws, the ethics, the policies and the court decisions.
What separates journalism classes from the many other classes is what students need to know before they get “the keys to the car.” Our students need to be exposed on a regular basis to court decisions that impact journalism, not just student journalism.
News consumers who read or watch student media should have the same expectations they do as if they were reading the Chicago Tribune, the Sacramento Bee, the Virginian-Pilot or the New York Times.
Unrealistic? Maybe high school students don’t have Pulitzer Prize winning writing and reporting skills – but they need to have the same ethics and understanding of press law as any reporter. Administrators need to understand that the student media is not an outlet for students to have fun in print, online or on air. If journalism educators don’t keep the bar raised for their student journalists, then the door to prior review and prior restraint may swing open.
And before you know it, administrators may think that anyone can teach journalism.
Read MoreHandle yearbook copyright issues
before you find the book for sale online
by John Bowen
Because advisers raised this issue on JEA’s listserv before Christmas break, we thought now would be the perfect time to address the issue.
Students and advisers unhappy with various groups who buy and sell school yearbooks online, with no funds going to the student media, have several steps to consider if they want to fight the practice.
First, some points to consider:
• Yearbooks published before March 1, 1989 are no longer copyright protected. Resellers have clear access to them.
• If there is no copyright notice in a yearbook or if there is and the owner of it is not the school, the school is not the owner of that book if nothing else suggests the school owns the rights to the book. The printing company also has no ownership rights. Having the school be the copyright owner would also suggest the school can control content and decisions, and that is not smart in the long-run for student freedom of expression.
• For current student editors to engage in a copyright lawsuit, they would have to actively pursue a legal copyright infringement claim or appoint an agent to do so.
• Past student yearbook editors would have to assign copyright rights to current editor(s) to allow them to pursue a lawsuit on their behalf. This could create a larger claim.
• Advisers have no legal right to claim copyright infringement, just as a school has no rights.
• No class action can likely occur because copyright infringement suits are too fact specific.
• Students would have had to – or would still have to – complete the formal registration process and be able to clearly demonstrate the yearbook’s value at the time of publication through some sort of price guide.
Knowing what is what:
Is it editorial content or is it advertising?
by John Bowen
Can you tell ads from news?
Based on an article in Marketplace Tech published Dec. 3, it might not be that easy on digital media.
The advertising in question, referred to as “native ads” by author Stacey Vanek Smith, are ads that do not look like ads.
Because of this, Smith reports the Federal trade Commission will look into their use.
The reason: fear people cannot tell the difference and might be misled, misinformed or just plain, as one source said, “hoodwinked.”
Read MoreWorth checking out
Some current story ideas and resources worth checking out:
• The Society of Professional Journalists dedicates its Fall issue of its journal, Quill, to Freedom of Information. This year’s FOI issue can be accessed for free at: Fall 2013 FOI issue of Quill
• A New York Times article on schools watching student use of the Internet outside school:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/29/technology/some-schools-extend-surveillance-of-students-beyond-campus.html
• How night you be able to localize (or would you want to) this policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2013/10/23/peds.2013-2821.abstract?sid=eb20f88e-7741-45be-949f-058aa197c2fe
• Teaching Journalism Ethics: a resource for scholastic media advisers: This set of lessons and activities about teaching ethical decision-making is by Maggie Cogar as part of her master’s degree.
• Check out the new, online version of The Principal’s Guide to Scholastic Journalism from Quill and Scroll.
• Ethics, a compilation of resources from SchoolJournalism.org.
• A new blog from Poynter, The Ethics Blog, is outlined in this Poynter article.
• A story to localize: what is bullying? Is it the newest way to get around Tinker?
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FOIA can put a lot of power in the hands of students
by Stan Zoller
One of the challenges associated with presenting at a conference – journalism or otherwise – is trying to figure out how many people will attend your session.
There have been times when I’ve had standing room only, and other times when I could have invited the attendees to Starbucks to discuss the topic over a latte.
I recently presented three sessions at a conference – one on news literacy, one on lede writing and one on using the Freedom of Information Act.
As I drove through the fall colors of Wisconsin, I wondered. My thinking was the lede writing would be packed because student journalists, often at the urging of their advisers, want to spice up their ledes, so I generally have a good turnout. And that was the case.
I wasn’t sure about News Literacy because too many high school journalists it’s a “new” topic, one often mistaken for media literacy. My expectations were that it would be a small turnout. I was right. Small, but enthusiastic.
But what about the FOIA presentation? You know, that “legal stuff” just ain’t as sexy as InDesign or how to raise money for pizzas. But to me, know how to access public records is important for all journalists, including scholastic journalists. So armed with a somewhat humorous title (Dropping the Journalistic F Bomb), I worked my way to the session hoping for the best.
The room was almost filled. In fact there were more students at my FOIA presentation than there were for my lede writing session. It must have been the F Bomb.
It was gratifying so many students had an interest in accessing public records and protecting the public’s right to know.
In addition to tips on how to use the FOIA, we discussed what to expect once you do use it, especially in scholastic media. The FOIA, like Twitter, Instagram or Facebook is essential to delivering timely news.
But it’s a tool.
And as is the case with any tool, you need to know not only how to use it, but why you are using it. The information available by using the FOIA is amazing. The bottom line is this, in most cases if it goes through courts, it is part of a public agency, or if it is government regulated, odds are it can be accessed by the FOIA.
That can put a lot of “power” in the hands of student journalists.
[pullquote]As is the case with any tool, you need to know not only how to use it, but why you are using it. The information available by using the FOIA is amazing. The bottom line is this, in most cases if it goes through courts, it is part of a public agency, or if it is government regulated, odds are it can be accessed by the FOIA. Stan Zoller[/pullquote]
If students decide to use the FOIA to get information about a staff member, faculty member or administrator, they should do so to seek information germane to their story. Just because an administrator is a “jerk” or “the coach didn’t start my boyfriend” is no reason to use the FOIA. It is to be used, not abused.
If there is ever a time to practice journalistic ethics, it’s when you are going to dig below – way below — the surface. I often refer students to the Society of Journalists’ Code of Ethics because, quite simply, it’s the best. The code can be found at http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp.
It is also a good time to practice protocol. Make sure your student journalists inform you of every step in the process. Conversely, I have always, maintained an open communication policy with building administrators because, quite simply, principals hate surprises – especially when they’re delivered in student media. Remember, you are practicing protocol, not asking for prior review.
Students need to be braced for a wave of criticism. Calls for invasion of privacy, running “personal” information and “taking advantage” of the First Amendment should be expected. Granted, and hopefully, there will be those news consumers who will understand and appreciate watchdog journalism that is well balanced and well researched.
Still, there will likely be a few administrators who just don’t get it. Rather than try to understand it, they will put on airs as if they do.
As did one administrator who, after being told a journalism staff used the FOIA after a teacher’s arrest, bellowed at the adviser “You can’t use that!”
The answer is quite simply – Yes we can.
The FOIA is a great tool – just use it wisely and with a strong intestinal fortitude.
About Stan Zoller: Stan Zoller, MJE has been a journalism educator for 15 years. Before that he worked as a journalist and media relations professional. He is Vice President of Freedom of Information for the Chicago Headline Club, the nation’s largest local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was a DJNF Special Recognition Adviser in 2010 and Distinguished Adviser in 2011. He is a member of JEA’s Scholastic Press Rights Commission and the Outreach Academy Teaching Cadre.
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