The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-04-14
THE STORY Of A
NEWSPAPER STORY

Inls ID story OF story, OF q
newspaper story. A newspaper story
is something that is read by, and
consequently affects the life of every
man. woman and child in the country,
excluding. Of course, the illiterates,
says the Fremont. Nebraska, Even
ing Tribune.
OF all the thousands of persons who
read news story there isn't one per-
son In thousand who has the slight
est idea Of how 1t came to be in the
printed page before him. For the
benefit OF the readers, The Tribune
Is going to take them all the way
through the plant with a piece of
copy"
First of all, something must hap
pen. 1t Is absolutely impossible for
piece of news to exist unless some
thing happens. There Is no way
around 1t. When something happens
that would be of interest to a number
OF people. 1t becomes valuable. mar
ketable commodity.
A reporter must either see the
something happen or must be told
about 1t by someone who did see It,
1t is interesting at this point to note
the vocational attitudes that men of
different professions take when they
witness and happening. An automo-
bile accident, for instance. II a law
yer sees II, the first thing that pops
in his mind is: "Ahai a damage suit"
II he Is garage man: Here's an
other repair job" II he Is a police
man: Were there any traffic laws
violated?" But the eyes and ears OF
the great public who did not see the
accident. and he Immediately says:
Here's story"
After the reporter gets all the de-
tails Of his story. either by seeing 1t,
hearing 1t by word of mouth, or over
the telephone. he hotfoots 1t to the
office where with the aid of his
trusty typewriter. he turns it into
copy" and hands 1t to the editor
The reporter is then through with
the incident and he goes out scout
ing for @ new story.
But the piece of copy has only start
ed its journey. The editor did not see
the happening. has no personal in
terest in 1t. but he must judge 1t
solely upon its merits as good stuff"
His decision is the final verdict as to
whether 1t shall see the light of day
via the printed page or whether 1t
shall rest in peace In the waste bas-
ket. II he decides that II is good
story. he must then correct mispelled
words, grammatical errors and make
allowance for typographical limita-
tons. Above all. he must eliminate
any words or phrases that may be
libelous or vulger or that may In
jure some person wrongfully.
Then the story is read for a head"
Hitherto 1t has been running around
complete only from the neck down,
but now the head writer equips 1t
with headline according to its
worth and the piece of copy" is
ready to leave the editorial rooms
and go to the composing room or the
mechanical department
II you have never visited a compos-
ing room in a real newspaper office
and seen the news stories going
through the various channels neces-
sary to get them to the readers 1t
will be worth your while to visit the
Tribune and be shown through this
modern plant.
Assuming that you now understand
clearly how copy is prepared, re-
written, corrected. cut, pasted and f.
nally whipped into shape for the
printer. let's take peep into the
mechanical department.
Duly marked and with copy for the
heading the story goes to the COM
posing room. some finding its way In
to a large basket at the side Of the
editors desk and is never read by
any other than the editor himself.
After the copy reaches the COM
posing room 1t is sorted and placed
ON various hooks according to the
Immediate needs in the composing
room. II early In the morning, all
.a4xa. .uhIoh ..rill AMMAN M, thu In.