Wednesday February 08, 2012

CCJ Books

The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect

Completely updated and revised
"The most important book on the relationship of journalism and democracy published in the last fifty years." – Roy Peter Clark, The Poynter Institute
We Interrupt This Newscast: How to Improve Local News and Win Ratings, Too

Just Released
A landmark study on what people watch and why. The most exhaustive study ever of local TV news -- what helps ratings, what drives viewers away, and what editorial approaches and story-telling techniques most influence viewership.

Budget Story Checklist

Melvin Mencher, Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, July 29, 2006

Some key elements to included in stories on budget adoptions:

- Amount to be spent.
- New or increased taxes, higher license and permit fees and other income that will be necessary to meet expenditures.
- Cuts, if any, to be made in such taxes, fees or fines.
- Comparison with preceding year(s).
- Justification for increases sought, cuts made.
- Rate of current spending, under or over budget of previous year.
- Patterns behind the submission and subsequent adjustments, such as political motives, pressure groups,
history.
- Consequences of budget for: agencies, departments, businesses, the public.