Media Ethics, Law & Press Freedom
Written defamation of character that is published and harms a person's reputation.
What is libel?
The opening paragraph of a news story that summarizes the key facts (who, what, when, where, why).
What is the lead?
Interview questions that require full responses rather than simple "yes" or "no" answers.
What are open-ended questions?
A photo composition technique dividing an image into a 3x3 grid to place focal points along the lines or intersections.
What is the rule of thirds?
Firm target dates when pages, copy, photos, and layouts must be finished and submitted.
What are deadlines?
The constitutional amendment that protects freedom of the press and free speech for student journalists.
What is the First Amendment?
The classic news writing structure that places the most critical information at the top and supporting details toward the bottom.
What is the inverted pyramid?
Firsthand accounts or original documents—such as interview subjects, official records, or live events—used to gather facts.
What are primary sources?
Empty space on a page spread deliberately left clear of text or images to create contrast and prevent visual clutter.
What is white space (or negative space)?
A page-by-page visual chart or outline mapping out the content, layout, and deadline schedule for an entire yearbook or publication issue.
What is a page ladder?
The landmark Supreme Court ruling establishing that students do not lose their constitutional rights at school unless their actions cause a material disruption.
What is Tinker v. Des Moines?
Unintentionally inserting a reporter's personal opinion or bias into a news story is known as this practice.
What is editorializing?
The practice of checking facts against multiple independent sources to verify accuracy before publication.
What is cross-referencing (or fact-checking)?
Using size, placement, and contrast so the reader's eye is naturally drawn to the primary element on a page first creates visual...
What is hierarchy?
The section at the back of a publication listing every person, group, and event referenced, along with their page numbers.
What is the index?
The Supreme Court decision allowing school administrators to censor school-sponsored publications for legitimate educational reasons.
What is Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier?
Explanatory text placed alongside a photo that provides context, names subjects, and describes the action taking place.
What is a caption (or cutline)?
Converting recorded audio or spoken interview notes into written text word-for-word.
What is transcribing?
Digital programs like Adobe InDesign, eDesign, or Canva used to layout publication pages and design spreads.
What is desktop publishing software?
The collaborative process where team members review, critique, and suggest revisions for a peer's draft or spread.
What is peer critique (or peer editing)?
Altering an image in a way that misleads viewers or alters the factual reality of a news event violates this journalistic boundary.
What are photo-manipulation ethics?
Standardized rules for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation used across news organizations to ensure consistent text.
What are style guidelines (or stylebooks)?
Actively seeking out and representing students from all different groups, grades, and backgrounds across the student body ensures this key outcome.
What is diverse perspective inclusion (or demographic coverage)?
An underlying structure of intersecting horizontal and vertical lines used to align photos, captions, and body copy consistently across a page.
What is a grid layout?
Managing ad sales, yearbook pre-orders, and distribution strategy directly supports this financial aspect of production.
What is publication budgeting (or ad sales/campaign management)?