P

page one - (1) noun - the first page of the newspaper (2) adjective - important, as in "page one news"

paste up - art and photos are occasionally "pasted up" on a page when they are not scanned into the computer

patent insides - name given to "ready-print" inside pages bought from syndicates by smaller papers. Also called boilerplate

Photofax - brand name for an Associated Press machine that electronically receives and prints photographs by wire from a national AP network

photoshop - a computer program for photographs. Photos are scanned into the computer where the image appears on the CRT. The image can then be cropped and the size altered to fit a desired space.

pi - disarranged type hopeless jumbled

pica - (1) 12-point type (2) unit of linear measurement equal to 1/6 of an inch (i.e., six picas equal one inch.)

pix - abbreviation for pictures

plagiarism - literary theft - passing off as one's own work that of another person

plate - a plate contains the image of one page and is installed onto the press

play - the emphasis given a piece of news. A story may be "played down" or "played up."

p.m. - an afternoon paper

point - the unit of measurement in which type sizes are designated; approximately 1/72 of an inch

porkchop - half-column picture. Synonymous with thumbnail

precede - material to be printed ahead of copy already set

pre-date - an edition issued before its announced date of publication

press agent - a publicity or public relations person

press conference - meeting called to give information to the news media

press release - specially prepared statement for the news media. See handout

proof - "proofreading" to look over items before they are printed and mark errors and changes for correction

proofreader - person who reads pages and marks errors for correction

public relations - the art or science of developing understanding and goodwill between a person, firm or institution and the public

publisher - the chief executive and often the owner of a newspaper or other publishing firm

puff - editorialized, complimentary statement in a news story

put to bed - printer's term meaning all the pages of an edition are completed and the presses are ready to roll

quotes - quotation marks. A quote is a portion of a story that consists of direct quotations.

readertorial - a long letter to the editor that is written and produced as an editorial

register - correct placement of printing on the sheet. In color printing, register means the correct placement of each plate to the colors are laid down properly, without running "off-register."

release (1) noun - common term for a press release or publicity handout (2) verb - to permit publication of a story at a specified time (3) noun - in photography, a form signed by the person photographed to authorize use of the picture

replate - also "makeover" to make a new plate for a page in order to correct a major error or to insert an urgent story received after deadline

repros - reproduction proofs - not the actual page or artwork

Reuter - the first news-gathering service, founded in Great Britain in 1849 and still in operation today

review - a writer's critical evaluation of an artistic event, such as a movie or play

rewrite - literally, to write again. On large newspaper, rewrite persons are assigned to such tasks as taking facts over the telephone from a leg man and writing the story, oiling down information received from news and publicity agencies, and revising a story to improve it.

ROP - (1) run-of-paper news and advertising that appears in any part of the paper convenient to the make-up of the paper (2) ROP Color - a term used in advertising, means color printed on an ordinary newspaper press.

rough - a preliminary layout not in finished form

run - (1) the territory assigned regularly to a reporter; a beat (2) a press run, an edition. A story is "run" when it is printed.

run-around - body of type to be set around an odd-shaped picture, as in a feature story or a magazine

running story - a story that develops over a period of several days or more and is reported from day to day

runover - part of a story that continues on a second page

schedule - a news editor's record of assignments. Also, the copy editor's record of stories handled

scoop - an exclusive story or photograph; a beat

second-day story - a "follow-up" story giving new developments on one that has already appeared in the newspaper

second front page - the front page of a second section; also called the "split page"

sectional story - a major news story with different aspects, featured under two or more headlines

series - a group of related stories generally run on successive days

set - to type words into a computer file

shirt tail - a short, related story added at the end of a longer one

shoot - to take photographs

short - a minor, brief story

sidebar - a secondary news story that supports or amplifies a major story

skyline - a banner head that runs above the nameplate

slant - an angle of a story. A story is "slanted" when a certain aspect is played up for policy or other reasons.

soft copy - copy seen on a computer screen

source - a supplier of information. A person, document, etc.

split page - usually the first page of the inside or second section of the newspaper carrying local or area news; the second front page

spot news - news obtained on the scene of an event, usually unexpectedly

spread - the display given to an important story; a double spread is one across facing pages

squib - a short news item; a filler

standing heads - headlines that do not change and are usually kept in a library file on a computer so they are ready for instant use

stet - "let it stand." Proofreader's notation instructing the printer to ignore a change marked on a proof; from the Latin "stetundum".

story - the general term applied to any newspaper article written by a reporter

straight news - a plain account of news facts written in standard style and structure, without coloring or embellishments

streamer - a multi-column headline leading a page, but not necessarily across its full width. Synonymous with banner.

stringer - a correspondent for a newspaper or a news agency, usually part-time, who often covers a certain subject or geographic area. The person is usually paid according to the number or length of stories printed by the newspaper.

style book - a compilation of typographical and other rules formulated by a newspaper to make uniform its treatment of spelling, capitalization, abbreviations, punctuation, typography, etc. Most newspapers provide style books for their staffs' use.

subhead - small, one-line headline inserted in the body of a story to break up the monotony of a solid column of small type

syndicate - an organization that buys and sells feature material of all kinds, such as comic strips, gossip columns, crossword puzzles, etc.

take - a portion of copy in a running story sent down to the composing room in sections

tearsheet - a full page of the paper, including the folio, that has been clipped out sent to an advertiser as proof that his or her ad has appeared.

text - the verbatim report of a speech or public statement

think piece - a background or opinion article

thumbnail - a half-column picture. See porkchop.

tie-back - the part of the story that ties it back to something that has already been published. A tie-in is used to connect a story with some other, perhaps more important, story.

tight - generally, too full; applies to crowded lines of type, pages, sections, entire editions. A tight paper is one without much room for additional news or advertising.

tip - information that may lead to a story

tombstone - to place two or more headlines of similar size side by side. Eyes tend to read across from one head into the next.

trial balloon - a project or idea tentatively announced in the news media in order to test public opinion

trim - to reduce the length of a story; same as boil

typo - typographical error - a mechanical error in typing a story