Wikipedia, A Reliable Source?

 

Should journalists rely on Wikipedia as primary or supplementary source? The ongoing debate on the credibility of Wikipedia warms up again.
Some recent references to Wikipedia in the Tampa Tribune has stimulated an interesting discussion on Sticks of Fire blog.

Is Wikipedia an acceptable source?

, asks Sticks of Fire.
Whilst reading through the Guardian Newsblog, I noticed a post by Jane Perrone entitled St Nicholas's letter to the Wikipedians. You'll find some useful links to the ongoing controversy over Wikipedia's credibility there.

Related posts:
WIKIPEDIA Zooms Ahead

Jack Smith  |  *Feedback  |   0 comments   |     |  12:04 PM

One Blog Created 'Every Second'

 

The blogosphere is now over 30 times as big as it was 3 years ago, says a new report of the Technorati's State of the Blogosphere.

Excerpt:

• As of October 2005, Technorati is now tracking 19.6 million weblogs
• The total number of weblogs tracked continues to double about every 5 months
• The blogosphere is now over 30 times as big as it was 3 years ago, with no signs of letup in growth
• About 70,000 new weblogs are created every day
• About a new weblog is created each second
• 2% - 8% of new weblogs per day are fake or spam weblogs
• Between 700,000 and 1.3 million posts are made each day
• About 33,000 posts are created per hour, or 9.2 posts per second
• An additional 5.8% of posts (or about 50,000 posts/day) seen each day are from spam or fake blogs, on average

Jack Smith  |  *Feedback  |   0 comments   |     |  12:04 PM

Writing Better Headlines

 

Kenn Finkel, a long-time desk editor and supervisor at different newspapers, will host a headline-writing workshop for print media staff at NewsU of The Poynter Institute For Media Studies.
Last night, I received an announcement in the mail from News University saying NewsU is offering copy editors the opportunity to review your headline-writing techniques and to renew your commitment to excellent journalism....
Participants will learn to:

• Write engaging headlines that draw readers into a story
• Identify the elements of good and bad headlines
• Identify some of the worst (yet most common) transgressions in headlines and eliminate them
• Use key words in the story to write stronger headlines
• Recognize when and how to use word play
• Pinpoint strong verbs for headlines

You'll also get coaching and individualized feedback on your work by instructor Kenn Finkel, and you'll have the opportunity to share online with other course participants.
I wish I could take part, but due to my busy schedule that would be impossible. I recommend that anyone with a direct interest in this should sign up for Kenn's course(esp those involved in print journalism).
Former Miami Herald copy desk guru, Kenn Finkel, is regarded as one of the newspaper industry's top teachers of reporting, writing and editing. I have some of his handouts and go through them on occasion. He'd be a perfect guy to produce a writing style book for journalists.
Before becoming a consultant, Kenn had worked for 33 years as a journalist at the Miami Herald, the New York Times, Newsday, Dallas Times Herald and Miami News, serving as a reporter, copy editor, assistant city editor, features editor, sports editor, graphics director and associate managing editor.

Jack Smith  |  *Feedback  |   0 comments   |     |  1:06 PM