Editor’s Note
Back in the old days — that’s less than a decade and before there were such things as blogs and interactive conversations with readers — editors used to respond to their newspaper readers with an “editor’s note.” Sometimes it clarified a point made in a letter to the editor. Sometimes it offered a correction. Sometimes it was just a simple explanation. An editor’s note was a handful of sentences; maybe a four or five paragraphs. It was always a personal link between the editor and the reader. Only difference between it and today’s blog is the immediacy and the platform. Welcome to Editor’s Note.

Kissing photos: News or cliche?

June 17th, 2008 at 04:33pm Linda Grist Cunningham

I vote cliche. Whether it’s a political candidate kissing the proverbial babies, grandma bussing grandpa at the 100th birthday party or a newly married gay couple, the kiss photo is just so passe. But, it’s got the world a twittering as newspapers discuss, then decide, whether they will or won’t use a photo of a gay couple kissing. OK, I’m not so ingenuous as to pretend there aren’t those who will find that photo distressing; there will be. And, the same distressed folks won’t be the slightest concerned that there was live footage on the Web site or on television. It’s all about being distressed because it was in print in the daily newspaper. So, what about here in the News Tower? Pretty simple.

Print good photos. Tell the story. Kiss photos beat kill photos any day in my book. So, if the kiss tells the story, go for it. But, I’m pretty convinced there are better photos than anyone kissing anyone (or thing….).
Want to read more? Check the discussion at this journalism Web site: http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=67&aid=145412

Entry Filed under: Uncategorized

2 Comments Add your own

  • 1. the.dude.abides.man  |  June 18th, 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Does the RRStar still offer a daily pdf of the front page like it used to? Can\’t find the link anywhere. I\’m interested to see what <i>did</i> make today\’s front page.

  • 2. Linda Grist Cunningham  |  June 18th, 2008 at 5:33 pm

    No, we don’t. It’s one of the things our online audience misses most, so we’re trying to figure out a decent way to get it back on the site. But, in the meantime, if you want a daily fix of newspaper front pages, including the Register Star, follow this link to the Newseum Web site: http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/

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