AND FEATURES DUMMY
#Introduction to – Reporting Skills#
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8.0 Objective :
- In this lesson students will be learn what is Dummy, what is electornic editing.
- And Kinds of features and so on.
Structure of The Lesson :
8.0 Objective
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Dummy
8.3 Electronic Editing
8.4 Public Relations Features
8.5 News Features
8.6. Summing Up
8.7 Self Assessment Questions
8.8 References
8.1 Introduction :
The lay out conscious sub will be helpless with out a dummy sheet. Yet it is amazing how many Newspapers manage with out-them. Some senior’s hands even have a tendency to look down upon dummies, arguing that have carried on for decades keeping it all in their heads.
When you open a newspaper you will find news, articles, advertisements and features. These forms a writing are common to radio and television too. All of them have certain basic attributes which distinguish each of them from the others. You know that a news item is basically concerned with facts. Articles are views expressed on newsworthy events and have a conventional format. Advertisements publicise goods services, ideas and information etc. and appear in clearly demarcated areas in newspa-pers. In broadcast media, advertisement get separate slots recognisable from other slots. For the present, it is enough if you know that a feature is different from news and other contents. As a freature-writer you need different skills and orientation.
The size of the paper is determined largley by the amount of advertising for a particular issue. The amount of money recieved pays for the wages of journalists, sales people, typesetters, printers, adminis-trations staff, as well as paper, ink, and other associated.
8.2 DUMMY :
A fromat with a sketch of each page of the Newspaper or Magazine before composition is called a DUMMY. A rough copy of a newspaper or magazine showing the position of each story head and cut is to have in the total makeup. A brief knowledge of printing, copy preparation, editing, proof reading and layout is helpful to the public relations persons even if one commissions specialists for the job.
The “word” dummy means the size, form and shape in which publication are produced There is no right rule that a corporate publication such as a folder or a brochure should confirm to a specific size. In fact, all corporate publications are published in different sizes for the sake of variety. The importance of the theme, the attractiveness of the publication and the budget available are the factors that are generally taken into consideration, while deciding the size of a publication. There are various sizes bearing technical names. Some of the standard sizes are
- Imperial
- Elephant
- Royal
- Medium
- Demy
- Crown
- Fool-scap
In the present Computer Age, the Desk Top Publishing (DTP) system has become almost a household word, at least in the printing world. Its print support through Laser or Dot matrix printers has done wonders in raising the standard of printing and public relations department. Pagination has also become very easy with advent of DTP and other page-maker software’s costs.
The advertising department is responsable for creating a “dummy” of the next issue of the news-paper, in which all advertising bookings are placed on therelevantpages. A ‘dummy’ is a small paper version of the paper that tells the staff which ads go on which pages. the Torch uses a computer program to create a dummy which takes the into account the number and size of all ads booked, whether they are colour or black and white, the advertising percentage required and any specific page requests for particu-lar ads.
The ratio of advertising to editorial space in what determines the profitability of each newspaper.
Usually advertising runs between 55% and 75% for a freepublication.
Once the dummy (pictured above) has been finished, a copy of it goes to the editor, who is responsible for filling the remaining non-advertising spacewitheditorial copy. Advertising representatives visit clients and help advise them on the most efficient way to use their advertising. Once the size of the ad has been determined, the rap and the client will then design an ad which will effectively get their message across to the readers. When a desing or layout has been agreed upon, the advertising copy is sent back to the production area where the ideas are formed into an ad on a computer.
8.3 Electronic Editing :
In the early 1980’s, the advent of the home computer ushered in the first phase of the technologi-cal revolution. With the constant flow of upto the minute headlines and with detailed news becoming a reality, immediacy acquired a new meaning in newspaper terminology. For instance, UNI news agency succeeded in transmitting 70,000 words a second to newspapers by co-axial cables. With the help of satellite transmission, The Hindu daily newspaper became available simultaneously to all Indian readers. It was the American daily, USA Today, that first started using modern satellite and electronic techniques for printing and distributing newspaper copies through hundreds of kiosks across the country. Despite initial resistance. Fleet Street where Britain.s national newspaper have traditionally made their headquarters, also soon felt the termors of computer technology.
For editing through the computer, the complete material is fed in the speical software for this purpose. Seeing it on the computer screen, specal effects can be added on removed. Three dimensional effects integration of colours and scenery and introducing graphics etc., this all can be done and recorded. These all effects make the presentation interesting and eye-catching.
The material accompanied by photographs, cartoons and illustrations is prepared with the help of a scanner, which helps in arrangement of colour, desing of the photographs, making the pictures small or enlarges, preparation of colour negatives and cutting of photographs etc. Their printed form can be seen on the screen before sending for publications.
Once the composing is complete, the material is transferred to ‘pagemaker’. The pagemaker arranges the material according to the layout of the newspaper or magazine. The works related to spread-ing a material in two or more columns, making use of rule, etc., are also performed with the help of computers.
Computer has, thus revolutionized the process of printing; new techniques are facilities are being added to help make the printing process more attractive and convenient.
Features :
There are more features in newspapers today than there were two decades go. In India, newspa-pers and even other broadcast media remained news-oriented and the broadcast media devoted their non-news time more to music, drama, talks etc. than to features. Features is a new arrival and its glamour is so irresistible that news-writing began to adopt some of the trappings of a feature. Increasingly, investi-
gative reporting has begun to read and sound more like a feature than straight news. The feature has its uses and does more than merely to inform. Many times, a feature is news plus something more and that something has greater power over the minds of the media users than simple news. The features is usually fallout from news.
8.4 Public Relations Features :
When you acquire a degree or diploma in journalism or communications, or public relations, you may take up a teaching assignment, or enter a media office or any public or private sector units or univer-sities or any big public organization. As a public relations person, you will do many things. One of them is writing for the media – press notes, articles and, of course, features.
A Public relations person essentially works to promote the progress and image of an organization or an industrial group or product or a service.
As Arthur H. Center and Frank E.Waish say in their book Public Relations Practices “the mission of the public relations function is to present its employers to the best adventage making use of news media and techniques when an employer’s opinions or activities are news worthy.” Thus, the employer, the media and the public are very important for a public relations manager.
A public relations features is only of the activities of a public relations person. It might be written for a special occasion like the centenary of an organization, the receipt of a prestigious national award by its chairperson or any other employee or the organization itself. It might be simply written to remind the public, Read this feature appearing in a English daily on the efforts of the Civil Aviation Ministry to boost tourism : The open sky policy of the Government may well revolutionize civil aviation in the country with tourist charters and air taxi services coming in the scene in sizeable numbers. While seven air taxi opera-tors have already been issued permits by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to fly in different parts of the country, as many as 58 applications are pending disposal in the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Tourist charters are getting clearance without procedural wrangles now. As many as 300 charters have lately sought and procured clearance from Indian Civil Aviation authorities.
The Civil Ministry has just cleared 20 South African charters which would be landing in India from March-end to July. More such charters are expected in the coming days from the West and Japan, accord-ing to Civil Aviation sources.
8.5 News Features :
News features are very common in mass media. As you have seen earlier, they are take-off on news. Primarily, news concerns itself with an event that has taken place within the last 24 hours. The media user is just informed, say of the arrest of a managing director of a firm in Patancheru, for flouting regulations regarding protection of environment. This simple report evokes neither interest nor anger in the community. Every day you see or read such reports in the media which barely tell you of some happening. A 22-year old youth is run over by a truck. You will dismiss It as a road accident.
But this road mishap sets the media person to seek answers for several questions. What is the incidence of road accidents? Answers to this question will make an interesting article on road safety. The reporter will look for figures of such accidents for several years to show that road deaths have been on the increase. He will unearth figures relating to other countries to portray how road-users in India run greater risk than their counter parts in other parts of the world. The reporter then proceeds to examine the reasons for the rise in the road deaths. The entire feature can be devoted solely to statistics or inefficiency in public bodies. Alternatively, the feature can discuss both. The idea in such a news feature is to go beyond facts and identify what and who cause road accidents and why.
Informative Features :
The subtitle itself indicates that the informative feature seeks to inform. Most of the news items we read in newspapers give primary information, say about the arrival of a dignitary or the signing of a loan or an earthquake in Philipines and so on. A news report will simply say “President of the Palestinian Libera-tion Organisation Yassara Arafat arrived here today. He was received by Minister of State for External
Affairs Eduardo Faleiro at the Palem Airport. Among other things, Mr.Arafat will receive the Indira Gandhi Award for international Justice and Harmony”.
This is what we call primary information about an event. But many readers would want to know more about Mr.Arafat. Coming on the day of his visit or on the eve of the visit, the article about Mr.Arafat can be a curtain-raiser also. But an informative article is a very clinical narration of facts, the main aim being to introducer Mr. Arafat to the readers of the paper. It does not discuss, for instances, the angulari-ties of Mr.Arafat’s personality or the tenability of the Palestinian cause or bring in any comment, favourable or unfavourable. Readers need information not only about personalities but also about issues, new discov-eries, places, gadgetry, natural phenomena. The list is endless. But remember that an informative feature need not always give secondary and supplementary information about something that has figured recently in the news, It may also say something new.
Historical Features :
Very often history needs to be recalled. Distant or recent history supplies context to a fact. It helps to correct distortions in perspectives. A peep into the past sometimes becomes necessary to understand the present. Sometimes, you see a lot background added to a news item. Without the background, the news item looks like dangling in space. For example, when the Soviet Union borke up, you must have read a recap of events, beginning with the advent of Micheal Gorbachev as the President of the Soviet Union and ending with his resignation as its President. This helps you understand the serial of events that led to the end of the Soviet State. Following is an excerpt from an Indian Express feature years back.
Reminiscences : Distant history has no eyewitness to corroborate or contradict. As distance increases, the number of versions of history also increases. The Babri Masjid Controversy for example. Each one has his or her own version. Truth ultimately comes to have several versions. Any new light about Babri Masjid may lead to the writing of a book or simply a feature article which is an instant response to the debate making the Masjid.
There can also be historical features which are totally non-controversial. They simply supply facts relating to the past. Assume India takes a big loan from the IMF. A feature dedicated to earlier borrowing by India from the IMF and other financial institutions will give the reader an idea of the extent of India’s indebtedness. Facts regarding IMF borrowings by other developing countries will show the reader the place India occupies among the World’s big borrowers. All these facts in a historical feature are intended to help the reader to take peep into the past the understand the present.
Interview – Based Features :
Certain statements made or views expressed acquire authority because they are made by certain personalities. These persons are regarded as experts or insiders who have access to specialized informa-tion or who are knowledgeable in their area. Fro example, when you are writing a feature on the state of film industry, it carries weight if your own views on the film industry are backed by views expressed, say, by Satyajit Ray. So, this is how we come to the first kind of interview-based feature, which is primarily you handiwork but includes an – element of authority by citing ray on the industry. The feature may cite others too but the primary statement is made by you or it may just be a feature on Satyajit Ray by you interview him to impart a personal touch to the article.
In such features, the personality is important and the views expressed by his have significance for the reader. Again, you may interview a personality on a topic or issue or it can be an all-embracing free-wheeling interview.
A third variety of interview-based feature is based on interviews with several persons referred to as a cross section of the society. When something important happens, like the presentation of budget, or the electoral victory of a political party, everyone has views on such a development. a report of reporters elicit views from politicians, bureaucrats, students, housewives, professionals, taxi drivers, shop-keepers etc. to provide a rough picture of public feeling on the budget or party victory. You are also familiar with the tributes eminent persons pay when a national figure passes away.
Interview features, therefore, may focus on personalities who have lately hit the headlines or on issues which are agitating the public mind. To sum up, an interview-based feature can be
- Your own featured based on an interview with a personality.
- A feature where all the talking is done by the interviewee in response to a string of questons, and
- A feature which is a garland made up of mini interviews with several persons on the same subject.
Special pages :
The newspapers with the advent of technology has come up with many supplements day in and day out. Package Journalism is the trend. The newspaper today has become a commodity and wants to cater to every member of the family. The result, an women’s page, page for finance, children’s page, literary page and many more. All telugu newspapers today have a special supplement/page for a target gorup with inputs from the readers themselves. For example if you take Eenadu apart from Vasundhara. You have e-page, siri, bujjai for children etc. Similarly all the national newspapers have similar pages.
8.6 Summing up :
The layout conscious sub will be helpful without a dummy sheet. Yet it is amaing how many newspapers manage, without them. Some senior hands even have a tendency to look down upon dum-mies, arguing that they have carried on for decades keeping it all in their heads. A proper dummy with clearly marked details as to healines, stories, story lengths, pictures of positioning is essential to any news desk. This simple universal dummy sheet has only one calibration – 0 to 27 (that is 54cms in real size) on one side of from 27 to 0 on the other.
The ad department and the news editor can help a lot to improve the look of the page by restrict-ing the ads and placing them properly. There is a need to limit the advertising on the front page.
An authentic piece of writing based on intensive research and study is called an article. A light piece of writing built on dramatic presentation for the entertainment of the readers is know as a feature. One is related to the mind and the other to the heart. A feature deals with a subject in depth. News are in brief whereas, a feature is detailed description of any subject. Feature is a special style of writing based on the following techniques.
Determine the number and sizes of the various stories, pictures and pieces of art that will be placed on the page.
- Decide which elements are related and how to group.
- Select the major display element or elements for page.
- Select the second major display element or elements for page
- A feature is difficult to define
- It is different from a news item and a formal article
- It is topical but not timely
- It has no definite structure which characterizes a news item or a formal article.
- It seeks to appeal, inform entertain or educate through in a different manner.
- There are more kinds of features than we have identified.
8.7 Self Assessment Questions :
- Prepare a dummy for an evening daily published from your town?
- What is electronic editing and online editing?
- Describe different types of features?
