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Charles Apple: The Visual Side of Journalism

 

Archive for January 2011

Number of comments in parentheses

31: Newark Star-Ledger seeks an ace sports designer (1)

Assistant managing editor Mark Miller of the Star-Ledger of Newark requested a little recruiting help recently. Here’s his want ad: The Star-Ledger is seeking a bright, energetic print designer with a strong interest in Sports. Ideal candidates combine solid design skills with an eagerness to learn. Knowledge of InDesign and Photoshop is a big plus, as is the ability to [...]

31: Have infographics ‘jumped the shark’? (3)

About once every other week or so, someone sends me a link to a page called “Fifty beautiful infographics” or somesuch. And they insist I put it into the blog. I rarely do. Because more often than not, I don’t think much of the graphics. Some of them are kind of pretty. But most of them are damned hard to [...]

31: Why local TV news needs copy editors, part two

Local TV news operations need a copy editors to keep them from making mistakes like this one: Here’s a closer look at that headline: Not the worst spelling error in journalistic history. But one of the funniest, given the topic. Thanks to Jill Van Wyke, professor of journalism at Drake University in Des Moines, for pointing it out to us [...]

31: Birthdays for Monday, Jan. 31

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to three wonderful folks… Charmel Peters is ad operations manager for the Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk, Va. She and I had the distinction of having gone through Landmark Communications orientation together in November 2003. Charmel turns 40 today. Robb Paulson is a recovering journalist in Bel Air, Md. A 1994 graduate of Florida State University, [...]

30: My Saturday adventure along the coast of South Africa (4)

The forecast for Saturday here in Cape Town, South Africa, called for clear skies and temperatures in the mid-to-high 80s. This was the view outside my window when I got up around 7:30 a.m. Not a cloud in the sky. No tablecloth on Table Mountain. Even the haze we’ve been seeing lately was a little less on Saturday Take note [...]

30: Birthdays for Sunday, Jan. 30

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to three fabulous visual journalists… Kris Goodfellow is vice president of product management at the Realtors Property Resource of Los Angeles. A 1992 graduate of Northwestern University, Kris spent three years as a graphics reporter for the Chicago Tribune before moving to the New York Times as a graphics editor in 1995. She also [...]

29: Birthdays for Saturday, Jan. 29 (1)

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to five outstanding visual journalists… Sarah Cox is a designer for web and mobile devices for AT&T and Technisource in Atlanta, Ga. A 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State University, Sara spent two years as an assistant news editor for the Sun-News of Las Cruces, N.M. and then two more as a copy editor and [...]

28: Why local TV news needs copy editors

Local TV news operations need copy editors to keep them from making mistakes like this one: It’s just a typo. But man, what a prominent one. Thanks to Jacque Petersell for pointing it out to us. You know who else needs copy editors? Baseball jersey manufacturers. And Kansas State University. And the New York Jets, the Minnesota Vikings and the [...]

28: Birthdays for Friday, Jan. 28 (1)

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to a pair of wonderful folks… Randy Foster is managing editor of the Sun Journal of New Bern, N.C. A 1982 graduate of Cal State Northridge, Randy spent seven years as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and then worked as a private investigator and an insurance adjuster before entering journalism as a [...]

27: Why Kansas State University’s basketball team needs a copy editor (4)

The Kansas State hoops operation needs a copy editor to keep it from making a mistake like this one: That, of course, is guard Shane Southwell. Not Souhtwell. And it wasn’t just the nameplate on Shane’s jersey that went, well, South. K-State is biting the big one this year on the scoreboard as well. Thanks to all the folks who [...]

27: Birthdays for Thursday, Jan. 27

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to two wonderful visual journalists… Evelyn Lau is a substitute teacher in the Ludlow Public Schools of Springfield, Mass. A 2010 graduate of the University of Iowa, Evelyn worked as a sports talk show host for the campus radio station and assistant sports editor for the student newspaper. She served an internship with Athlete [...]

26: This magazine cover is corrupting our youth! (8)

So here was the cover to last week’s Us magazine: That’s superstar musician Elton John and his longtime partner David Furnish with their baby son. Zachary — born on Christmas Day — was product of a donor egg implanted into a surrogate mother. Anybody see a problem with that cover? Me, neither. So who can explain, please, what the hell [...]

26: No mountain for YOU…

Nearly every day, I’ve shown you the mountain view outside my window on the 28th floor of the Cape Sun hotel here in Cape Town. Here is Table Mountain this morning: And here is Table Mountain on the left and Lion’s Head on the right: As you can see, the mountains have taken the day off. That’s OK with me [...]

26: Birthdays for Wednesday, Jan. 26

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to four wonderful folks… Carolyn Collins is a music producer in Los Angeles, Calif. She’s a 2005 graduate of the University of Illinois. Carolyn turns 27 today. Kevin Cox is a senior copy editor with Meredith publications in Des Moines, Iowa. A 1992 graduate of Loyola University in Chicago, Kevin earned a master’s degree [...]

25: A presentation to the tabloid paper staff of the Son (1)

Before I get into today’s activities, I have to show you my morning pictures shot through the window of my 28th-floor room here at the Cape Sun hotel in Cape Town. This is the incredibly gorgeous and haunting Table Mountain, as it looked around 6:30 a.m. this morning. To the right is Lion’s Head mountain. Today’s pictures were shot just [...]

25: Check out the classy glacier graphics in this week’s Casper, Wyo., Star Tribune (3)

So, what’s the story up in Casper, Wyoming? This week, the Star Tribune has been on the trail of the elusive glaciers. Elusive, as in “shrinking.” The ice formations for which that region is known are diminishing. And peril be unto us all. Perhaps. Anyway, this series in the Casper newspaper has been very nice, both content-wise and visually. Here’s [...]

25: More about that USA Today design update (1)

Perhaps it’s a redesign. Perhaps it’s just a tweak. Either way, the front page of USA Today looks pretty spiffy. At least in PDF format. I’m 8,000 miles away from seeing a copy for myself, dammit, and it’s driving me nuts. I have to tell you, folks. We all take USA Today for granted. You don’t realize how much you [...]

25: Tired of snow? Go work in Australia. (1)

Matt Martel — managing Editor for presentation at the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun-Herald — writes: We have had trouble finding someone to take up a new role as Database Journalism Editor, so we’re casting wider than just Australia. It’s a fantastic opportunity for someone with data visualization skills. Here’s today’s front page from the Newseum: Check out the overline [...]

25: Birthdays for Tuesday, Jan. 25

Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to five wonderful visual journalists… Greg Branson is director of art and design for the Kansas City Star. A 1992 graduate of Kansas State University, Greg spent two years as an artist for the News-Leader of Springfield, Mo., before becoming assistant graphics editor and A1 designer for the Star Tribune of Minneapolis. In 2003, [...]

24: Design pages and edit copy in beautiful York, Pa. (1)

My friend Brad Jennings — assistant managing editor for visuals and multimedia at the Daily Record and Sunday News of York, Pa. — writes this evening: The York Daily Record/York Sunday News is looking for a copy editor/page designer for our wildly creative, award-winning features department. Strong design skills, impeccable copy editing abilities and a proven track record of innovation [...]

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