Critique: Nov. 12-16

“Controversial call dooms Lions,” Page 1, Monda

A word, in this case three words, on the photo we ran with this story: It wasterrible.

 Yes, we needed a photo of the controversial fumble. Yes, the photo we ranwas the only one the AP provided of the play.

So, what could we have done dierently? e could have found a dierentphoto.

e had !" hours from the end of the #ame to production to do somehomewor$. %ad we done this homewor$, we would have found at least twonewspapers with outstandin# photos of the play. &all these newspapers andas$ for permission for a one'time use of the photo. (hat sort of thin#happens all the time.

“!" Matt Mc#loin: $%e&re not going to get t'at call ever,&Page 1, Monda

 (his was an e)cellent *ob by Stephen Pianovich of movin# the story forward.+y onday, our readers $new that Penn State lost to -ebras$a. At that point,the story was the fumble and especially att cloin/s post'#ame remar$sabout the play. Stephen/s story captured all of it.

In this particular case, Stephen didn/t need to share above the fold spacewith himself. %is other story, 0&ontroversial call dooms 1ions,2 was a 3uasirecap of a #ame that was two days old. ove the story to the 1ions rap'4p.

“(rader )oe&s o*ens to cro+d o visitors,” Page 1, Monda

 (wo thin#s5

6irst, I couldn/t help but notice the cutline to the photo: 0(rader 7oe/s opened6riday mornin#, and was #reeted by a rush of people. &usto888mers werewelcomed with 9ower leis upon enterin#.2

-ever mind that we #ave human characteristics to an inanimate ob*ect.People #reeted the store?; (he most important thin# is 0&usto888mers.2%ow does somethin# li$e that happen?

 

<ach of you is in a learnin# environment. As such, I will defend your ri#ht toma$e mista$es. %owever, you don/t #et a pass for ma$in# silly ones. (his3uali=es as silly.

Second, this is another case of a story that e3uates to a free advertisementfor the business. At the very least, I hope we #ot a than$'you card.

“ntern *lans la+suit against earst,” Page /, (uesda

e do this re#ularly '' ta$e a national story and locali>e it in an attempt tointerest readers. In this case, the national story was about a #raduatestudent from (he hio State 4niversity who is see$in# compensation fromthe %earst &orporation for wor$ performed durin# an internship.

-ow there is nothin# wron# with locali>in# stories. It/s common practice. +utI have seen two trends from our recent wor$: e/re for#ettin# the local part.Plus, we/re for#ettin# our audience. (his is a #ood e)ample.

In this case, the writer too$ the =rst @@ para#raphs to e)plain the nationalstory, used para#raph -o. @! as a transition, then delved into the local part.e are e)pectin# way too much from our audience if we e)pect them tohan# around that lon#.

Also, this is an article about student internships. It/s a #reat topic. It/s a hottopic. ho/s #oin# to want to read about it? Students. hat we don/t have inthis story is a sin#le student tal$in# about his or hers internship e)perience.

“0nder+ood to $lo+ a+a& ")C,” Page , (uesda“0nder+ood evolves rom $dol& ne+comer to countrcrooner,” Page 12, 3rtsin4evie+, (uesda

 (o their credit, elly od>i$ and arissa Stern produced e)amples of stron#entertainment reportin#. +ut did we need two stories previewin# a concert?%ad we simply put the info bo) on Pa#e B on Pa#e @! instead, we would havemet the needs of our readers.

 (hat said, if we/re #oin# to have similar stories about the same topic ondierent pa#es, could we at least put somethin# in the desi#n that lin$sthem to#ether? It could have been as easy as a line on Pa#e B that read,0Cead more about 4nderwood, Pa#e @!.2

 

“3 vision made real: ers'e unveils ne+est uilding,”Page 1, %ednesda

Pa#e @, above the fold space dedicated to a sin#le story? A bi# picture? A bi#headline?

I/ll ta$e that every time.

“4ental ordinances c'anging,” Page 1, %ednesda

A couple of 3uic$ thou#hts on this front pa#e story from 7amie 1ee iros5

D (his story started with 0Student housin# rentals may see some chan#es52I/m sure that #ot the attention of our readers. (hat said, there/s a lot of *ar#on in the story but no real e)planation of how, if at all, these ordinanceswill impact students.

D (he story ma$es reference to a @"'pa#e report available in full online. asthere any thou#ht #iven to providin# a EC code to this report? At the least,students could see$ out answers to any 3uestions.

“5&s t'e limit,” Page 12, %ednesda

n our website, we had #reat overhead pictures of +eaver Stadium and othershots from State &olle#e.

In the paper, we had four shots of the balloon.

hy?

“"ars to sta o*en on 5tate Patt&s,” Page 7, ('ursda“No call made or ars,” Page 1, 8rida

A 3uic$ 3uestion: hy was only one of these stories considered front pa#enews?

5*orts, Pages 9-, ('ursda

Sports has been a consistently stron# section throu#hout this semester, andthese two pa#es are a nice e)ample why.

 

hat we had was this5

D A nice balance of stories si) dierent sports were covered;D A #ood variety of stories #ame recaps, #ame previews, and features;D Stron# reportin#D Stron# use of action photos

verall, #reat wor$.

“3**eal, *otential retrial loom,” Page 1, 8rida

Solid reportin# from +rittany %orn 5 on Pa#e @.A sharp illustration from 7esse Ceis 5 on Pa#e @.

Anybody $now what happened to the *ump?

%esite tra;c

easured by total number of visitors5

8ri. 11<: @F,GHG, 5at. 11<1=: @G,!G8, 5un. 11<11: @",B"!, Mon. 11<12:@F,F"B, (ue. 11<17: @F,B!, %ed. 11<1>: !8,JF8, ('urs. 11<1/: !8,H@"

(otal: @J8,"88 @H,!F per day avera#e;Previous seven das: @"J,H@! !8,G"G avera#e;

%'at&s eing read?

%ere are the top =ve most'read sta stories on the website between 6ri. @@KFand (hurs. @@K@G, based on total number of visitors5

@,JGH '' 0Penn State application numbers down,2 7ennifer 1ewisKindyS>$aradni$, (hurs. @@K@G@,@GH '' 0e cannot rush the healin# process,2 Alice Pope #uest column;,6ri. @@KF@,@J" '' 0&ontroversial call dooms Penn State in loss to -ebras$a,2 StephenPianovich, on. @@K@!@,8H '' 0ini'documentary released about PS4/s last year,2 &assie %art, 6ri.@@KFF! '' 0cre#or loo$s bac$ on PS4 career,2 7ohn Stuet>, ed. @@K@"

 

Print circulation

8ri. 11<: F,F!B, Mon. 11<12: H,!FF, (ues. 11<17: H,"G@, %ed. 11<1>: H,H!J, ('urs. 11<1/: B,FH

(otal: "J,"H H,FB avera#e;Previous @ve das: "B,HFB F,GBF avera#e;

eadlines

If not already mentioned above, here are some of the stron#writin#Kreportin# and interestin# story topics that stood out from this pastwee$:

0ill to survive: Student recovers from propeller accident,2 Pa#e B, onday0Professor writes boo$ on PS4/s reputation,2 Pa#e ", (uesday0A vision made real: %ershey unveils newest buildin#,2 Pa#e @, ednesday0&hild raises money for disease research,2 Pa#e @, ednesday0-61 not on /+rien/s radar,2 Pa#e H, ednesday0cre#or re9ects on football career,2 Pa#e F, ednesday0 L<very 9i#ht is uni3ue/ for balloon pilot evin itt,2 Pa#e @!, ednesday0 LCide/ opens dialo#ue on rape,2 Pa#e @, (hursday0Mamboni driver earns respect for his abilities,2 Pa#e @!, (hursday01ions hope for #ood turnout,2 Pa#e H, Sports0 LCun'ons/ set to ta$e on lar#er role in pro#ram,2 Pa#e G Stadiuma#a>ine;, 6riday

udos to this #roup for their eorts: <ri$a Spicer, itchell &uller, ellyibson, aitlyn Murcher, Nan -orton, 7ohn Stuet>, Shannon Snell, 1ucie&ouillard, ayla ontoro and Stephen Pianovich.