Regarding news judgment, I think the Athens Banner-Herald's story, "Athens feels impact of momentous day," represents precisely the news angle needed by the Banner-Herald to produce hyper-local content without sacrificing essential state and national stories.
The article, written by a Banner-Herald staffer rather than an Associated Press reporter, approaches the story of Obama’s transition in to office by talking with Athens residents watching from home, locals that traveled to Washington, D.C., University of Georgia professors and local public officials. Though the task is admittedly easier with a story as big as the presidential inauguration, this is the kind of localization the Banner-Herald should incorporate in all its state and national coverage.
Even when mentioning the mood in Washington, the quote is from the manager of R.E.M., a hometown band. It’s right there in the headline: impact. Well done.
Stylistically, the lead is personal and opens the article up to many different reactions to the event. A huge number of quotes are included—and appropriately so in a reactionary piece—drawn from prominent local politicians as well as everyday Athens residents.
I was surprised that there was no mention of any negative reactions by Athens republicans or residents opposed to the new President. The word “momentous” in the headline does have positive connotations, but I think the story would have been more complete with the inclusion of an opposing viewpoint. I know there were several different articles about the inauguration in today’s newspaper. Perhaps negative feedback was reported elsewhere, and the editors decided this piece could be upbeat.
I questioned the construction of one sentence:
“Democratic Party of Georgia Chairwoman Jane Kidd, an Athens resident and another ticket-holder, was able to get to her seat relatively near the Capitol, but still was far enough away that she relied on a nearby Jumbotron, she said.”
Does there really need to be a comma within the section I have bolded? These are certainly not two independent clauses because the section after the comma could not stand alone as a sentence. Following the rule of thumb outlined in The Associated Press Stylebook, the comma before the conjunction is used if the subject of each clause is expressly stated; however, The AP Stylebook favors the use of a comma. My judgment favors no comma in this case, but I would appreciate a thoughtful comment to set the record straight. (Don’t miss this opportunity for one of your three required comments!)
We talked in lecture about the necessity for “moment” stories in forging an emotional bond between the newspaper and its readers, which I think this article exemplifies. This may not be precisely what Professor Parks meant, but the Banner-Herald Web site also has a link to an interesting, interactive Associated Press photo gallery of images from around the world as President Obama was sworn in to office.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Definitely no comma, as far as I can tell. The second half of the sentence is a dependent clause, as you noted, so the comma implies the creation of a new thought or action where there isn't one. Since there's no subject in the second clause, the comma doesn't belong.
ReplyDeleteBeth, I think you hit on a couple of key points in your article. First, as you note, the Athens Banner-Herald does a good job of localizing this national piece. Also, you're right on target with the comma critique. Bravo.
ReplyDelete