Wagner's Web
MEDIA MAKES THE WORLD GO 'ROUND
    These links are meant to aid you in surviving the media-based world in which we live.  Whether you're a journalism student or just interested in learning more about today's current events, this page offers you links to various websites to help in your media quest.   
    If you have suggestions of other pages to add to this index, please let me know so I can make revisions.

GET CURRENT!  Newspapers / Online News
ABC News Online news
Chicago Tribune

Daily Herald
MSNBC
Online News Association
WBEZ Chicago Public Radio - R
ecommended by my friend, Jeff Dunlap, who works for WBEZ. 
The Week Magazine
Worldpress
- Links to news and views from around the world

Broadcast Resources
HTV Magazine Online - One of the country's premiere student stations.
My Pop Studio - Make your own video and practice editing skills.
STN
- The Student Television Network - Extraordinary people willing to help you in any way they can.

Cartoon (Editorial Cartoon) Resources
Daryl Cagle's Professional Cartoonists Index - High-quality cartoons galore!
Political Cartoons by Dr. Seuss
World in Cartoons - Political cartoons from around the world.
Design Resources
BrassTacks - Some great ideas for redesign and graphics reporting.
Great Sites - Links to great resources.  Hosted by the Garden State Scholastic Press Association.
InDesign Magazine - A monthly magazine offering tips and tricks for InDesign, LZHS' desktop publishing software.
News Designers - Lots of examples for front pages.
Newseum - See front pages from dailies around the world!
ThincTanc - Covers both design and photography.
Editing Resources
Editing Treasure Hunt - 10 questions to test your newsroom literacy and editing ability.  A great challenge!
See Writing Links for general editing help and resources
Ethics Resources
Codes of Ethics - Codes of Ethics from media outlets around the world.
Digital Tampering in the Media, Politics and Law - Myriad photos which have been altered.
Ethics in Photojournalism - A Slate story with altered photographs.
FERPA Resources
FERPA Fundamentalism - Learn from the SPLC "how a federal law designed to protect student privacy is being misinterpreted to injure press freedom"
First Amendment Resources
First Amendment Handbook   
Project Censored Media Democracy in Action
  - Great site for monitoring censorship in our media.
SPLC - Student Press Law Center - Student journalists' and advisers' first stop for legal help.
Student Press Rights - Resource for learning/ teaching about press rights.
Miscellaneous Resources
NewsCollege – great resource for myriad situations
Rubrics - Random assortment of rubrics.  Note: these are not rubrics used for LZHS' journalism program.
Sharp Points - How to do the crazy stuff we have to in print. Kinda a stylebook.
Story Hunting - From NewsCollege
Photography/ Photojournalism Resources
Digital camera tutorials - More of the basics and how to get started. 
Digital Tampering in the Media, Politics and Law - Myriad photos which have been altered.
Ethics in Photojournalism - A Slate story with altered photographs.
Great Sites - Links to great resources.  Hosted by the Garden State Scholastic Press Association.
National Press Photographers Association 
Photography for the Mass Media - Some good examples of student work.
Photography Resources - Index of sample photography from LIFE magazine to Pulitzer Prize winners.
Photojournalism - See a 2003 San Jose University student's award-winning work.  A Hearst Journalism Award winner.
Photojournalism - See a 2000 University of Florida student's award-winning work.  A Hearst Journalism Award winner.
Sports Photography
Top 10 Tips - For those who are just starting out or who need to master the basics.
Research & Statistics Resources
Census Bureau - Great for finding statistics about people, geography, economics, etc.
Fast Facts - Almanacs/factbooks/statistical reports and related reference tools.
Federal Statistics - Statistics from over 100 US Federal agencies.
Government Accountability Office - For records on
the programs and expenditures of the federal government.
How to Use Statistics - Learn how to use statistics intelligently and effectively.
Legislation Archives - Search
historical records of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
Maps - Printable maps.  PS: Maps are cool.
National Security Archives - Run through George Washington University
Pew Research Center
- A research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues.
Power Reporting - Thousands of free research tools for journalists.
The Salary Calculator - Helpful for figuring out cost-of-living.
Statistical Assessment Services - Easy to search for evidence or stats to bolster your argument.
Switchboard - For finding addresses and phone numbers.
World Factbook - Compiled information from CIA statistics and records.
Scholastic Journalism Resources / Organizations
ASNE - The American Society of Newspaper Editors - A great site for journalists and educators.
JEA - Journalism Education Association - A site dedicated to helping student journalists and advisers.
KEMPA - The Kettle Moraine Press Association - One of our area's great resources for helping students and advisers.  The fall conference comes highly recommended by my student journalists!
Style Resources
Bear Facts Style Book - Created and edited by AJNP/Bear Facts staff. Use this style guide for all Bear Facts work.
AP Style Guide -
Copy Desk - Practice your skills with this style quiz.
Kansas State Style Book -
Newsroom 101
Vocabulary Resources
Journalism Terms - Searchable by first letter of the term you're looking for.
Writing Resources for Journalists  (also check out these Writing Links for editing, grammar, active/passive, and more!)
50 Writing Tools - Quick list of Poynter's top 50 rules for writing.
The Basics - A warehouse of links, examples, tip sheets to help you with all types of journalistic writing.
Hearst Journalism Awards - Read sample news and feature articles written by college students.
Media Writing Tips - An extensive list of common mistakes beginning writers make.  A good stylebook.
No Train, No Gain - Writing exercises to help you hone your craft, including writing better leads.
The Power of Words - Comprehensive site
of writing tips by the staff of The Providence Journal.

Features
300 Words
- Archive of 300-word features by Brady Dennis (St. Petersburg Times)
Elements and Structure of Narrative
- Lengthy handout discussing how write with a clear journalistic voice.
Everything About Features
- Use this site to find out everything about features from A-Z.
Feature Writing
- An article with direct instruction on how to master the art of the feature.
News Feature
- Find out how to construct a news feature using this analysis of an article sample.
Personality Profile Interview
- A list of questions to get you thinking about your conversation with your subject.
Personality Profile "How To"
- Follow these common elements to write a personality profile.
Personality Profile
- Read a Michigan State University student's writing.  A 2006 Hearst Journalism Award winner.
Personality Profile - Read a Northwestern University student's writing.  A 2004 Hearst Journalism Award winner.
Writing a Feature
- A general "how to" guide for writing features.

Headlines
Headline Challenge

Headlines Past Deadline – how headlines written past deadline can inaccurately capture the story

Interviews
Loosening Lips
- Learn the art of the interview from the Seattle Times.
Tips for Interviewing - A comprehensive handout from The Atlanta-Journal Constitution on how to get what you need.

Leads
Leads
- Hook your readers with a strong, interesting lead.... or they may not read the article.
Narrative Leads
Wall Street Journal - Use a single person's experience to frame a large issue.

News
Defining News
- A quick explanation of news values.
Featurizing News
- Use the Wall Street Journal approach to address large issues by focusing on a single person.
News Leads - Hook your readers with a strong, interesting lead.... or they may not read the article.
Newswriting Intro - An overview of inverted pyramid, leads, organization.
Newswriting Tips - from Northern Illinois University's paper, the Northern Star.

Opinion
Leonard Pitts' columns
- Archive of this fabulous columnist's work.

Quotes/Attribution
You Can Quote Me on That
- Everything you ever wanted to know about how to use quotes and attribution in your article.