The Evolution of the News Cycle

What does the breaking news cycle look like today on the multiple platforms where it's published? And how might it look in the future--if we move onto an all-digital platform?

A smart analysis from Lauren Rabaino of the confusing, and often dead-end, threads that now greet readers trying to follow a story as it develops: http://www.mediabistro.com/10000words/the-new-convoluted-life-cycle-of-a-newspaper-story_b8552.

How could the publishing platform(s) be improved?

Strong and Not-so-Strong Headlines

Class, a reminder to please post a comment to this thread before the next class on good and bad headlines. Here are the instructions from your class schedule:

Please find a good and not-so-adept headline on one or more news Web sites, and explain why you think so. Please be sure to give the full URL and headline for each. Include a sentence or two of constructive comments. Please be sure your criticism is tactful: Our class blog is online for the world to see (although only the class can comment to it.) Please don't write anything you'd be embarrassed by if strangers see.

To refresh your memory on what makes a good and bad headline, please read the headline area of this Web writing handout: http://www.newsline.umd.edu/italy/writing.htm

And please review the headline sections of this handout: http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/seo-search-engine-optimization-basics/seo-newsroom/

A Must-Read on Aggregation

Jack Shafer writes a thoughtful piece about best practices for aggregation, while offering a defense for Jim Romenesko, who stepped down after a dozen years from his post at Poynter.