Free Journalism DictionaryA glossary of terms, words, slang and shop talk used in the journalism, book publishing, printing, and writing professions.adAdvertisement.addCopy to be added to a story already written.advance1. A preliminary story describing a future event.2. To move a story up in priority("We're advancing the scandal story to the front page.")angleThe aspect emphasized in a story.assignmentThe task or story a reporter must cover.background1. A story that is not assigned a deadline. (See also "backgrounder.")2. Any information that is given to reporter not specifically for a quote, but for general information on a subject.backgrounderA story that details the background of a subject. ("I'm assigned to do a backgrounder on the new company.")bankSee deck.bannerA headline that extends across the page or screen.beatThe area or subject matter that a reporter regularly covers.blind interviewAn interview which does not give the name of the person interviewed.blurbShort phrase issued by a publisher to promote the sale of a book."Book-on-demand"; method of book printing where each book is produced as it is ordered.boil downTo reduce in size.break1. The time when a story has been published. ("When did that story break?")2. The first news source to report a story. ("An indie Web site first broke the scandal.")briefA brief story.bump1. To move something ahead or behind schedule. ("We're going to bump this story up to Tuesday.")2. To increase or decrease. ("We'll bump your payment up to compensate you for the extra work you did.")bylineThe author's name at the beginning of a story.captionThe descriptive text for an illustration; often credits the name of the photographer or artist who made the illustration. Also "cut line" or "cutline."caseboundSee "hardbound."clipA collection of a writer's previously published work, used to show the talent and interests of a writer. ("Can you send me some clips on the subject?")codexA book made of bound pages.copyThe text of a story.copyreaderOne who edits and gives headlines to news stories.To research and put together a story.creditAcknowledging the source for a given fact.cubA beginning reporter. Also "rookie."cutRemove a portion of a story.cut lineSee "caption."dailyA publication that publishes every day.deckPart of the headline which summarizes the story. Also "deck copy," "bank."dog watchSee "lobster shift."editorializeTo inject the opinion of the writer in a story.fillerShort news stories or tidbits used to fill space.flakA low-position spokesperson for a company.flashShort news summary of an event.follow-upA story that gives new developments about the subject of a previously published story.folioPage number.fotoPhotograph.Photographer.freelancerOne work works for himeself, and is not employed by the publisher; a freelance assignment is one given to a writer not employed by the publisher. Also "free-lancer."fyiFor your information.getA very good, or exclusive, interview.grafParagraph.hardboundA codex book whose cover material is hard and not flexible. Also "hardback" or "casebound."headSee "headline."headlineTitle of a story.inset1. Correcting copy inserted into a piece that is already typeset.2. Any material inserted into something larger: pages, copy, illustration, advertisements. ("The corrections in the book's new edition were made with inset copy -- you can see that the typeface is slightly different.")journo1. Journalist.2. Journalism.kickerThe first sentence or first few words of a story's lead, set in a font size larger than the body text of the story.killTo delete copy; to remove an item from the publication schedule ("In light of the airplane tragedy, the editor decided to kill the airline humor story.")kill feeFee paid to reporter for a killed story; usually a percentage of the normal fee.leadThe lead paragraph or sentence in a story.ledeSee "lead."leg manA reporter who gathers news.libraryA publication's private collection of files, clips, illustrations, prepared bios/obits, etc.lobster shiftWorking in the hours after a publication has gone to print.mastheadThe page of a publication that gives its staff and editorial information.morgueSee "library."mug shotA head-and-shoulders picture of an individual.net salesNumber of actual sales of a book (ie, not counting copies sent to distributors and later returned).nut grafParagraph in a story containing the "meat" details of what the story is all about, often directly following an anecdotal lead.obitObituary.on specSubmitting a piece on the "speculation" that the editor will accept it, a practice more new free-lancersop-ed"Opposite editorial" -- features page usually printed opposite a newspaper's editorial page, often containing pieces presenting a position on an issue which is the opinion of the author and not necessarily (or usually) the opinion of the paper.Also "O&E."orphanA single line of text beginning a paragraph or section of text and appearing at the bottom of a page.padTo make longer.paste-upA page's individual elements assembled in its layout on a board (usu. by _pasting_ or taping); used to make the photographic plates which are then printed.picPicture or illustration.pitchStory idea sent to an editor by a reporter.pixPictures.play upEmphasize. ("Why don't you play up the infidelity angle?")porkMaterial held for later use, if needed.POD"Print-on-demand." See BOD.pull quoteA quotation from an article, sometimes edited for brevity, displayed in larger type as a figure to the body of the article. (Also "pullquote.")puffEditorialized, complimentary statements in a story.puff pieceA news story that contains a lot of puff.queryA pitch, usually for longer, editorial or magazine pieces.redletterExclusive, breaking news coverage of a major news event, printed in red type.retractionA publication's withdrawal of a previously-published story orfact. ("The _Times_ retracted their comments on the man.")revisionA re-written or improved story, often with additional quotes or facts.rookieSee "cub."run1. To put an item on schedule for publication ("Let's run this item in the gossip column.")2. A reporter's beat.sacred cowNews or promo material which a publisher or editor demands be published, often for personal reasons.scoop1. An exclusive or first-published story. ("That story you did was a nice scoop.")2. A synonym for "tip." ("I got another great scoop from her.")sell-throughPercentage amount of net sales for a book.shortSee "brief."sourceAn individual whose statements are used for material in a story.specSee "on spec."stetProofreader's mark for "restore to condition before mark up."street editionThe edition of a newspaper that comes out first and is available "on the streets" such as at newsstands.subheadA smaller one-line headline for a story.TKProofreader's insertion mark for data "to come"; also "TKTK."takeA section of a running story.tie backSee "tie in."tie inPart of the story that reiterates past events in order to make recent developments clear. Also "tie back." ("Your piece is good, but the tie-in is weak.")tipInformation about a potential story that has not been broken.top headsHeadlines at the top of a column.trimTo reduce the length of a story.vetweeklyA publication that publishes once a week.widowA single line of text ending a paragraph or section of text andappearing at the top of a page.accredited journalist n. 特派记者advertisement n．广告．advance n．预发消息；预写消息affair n．桃色新闻；绯闻anecdote n．趣闻轶事assignment n．采写任务attribution n. 消息出处，消息来源back alley news n. 小道消息backgrounding n．新闻背景Bad news travels quickly. 坏事传千里。