Do not select a photograph for publication that
might cause embarrassment to the subject or command.
Depending on the nature of the event, use extreme
caution when selecting photographs for publication.
CUTLINE INFORMATION
Check the cutline information with the photograph.
Each of the five W’s and H that can be answered must
be answered. Check the spelling of names, position
titles, nomenclature of equipment and other facts. Make
sure individuals are clearly and consistently identified
and that the cutlines are formatted according to the rules
outlined in your local stylebook.
PROOFREADING GALLEY PROOFS
AND BLUELINES
Learning Objective:
Recognize the importance of
proofreading galley proofs and bluelines as a staff
function.
As you read in JO3 & 2, proofreading is one of the
final steps in the printing process of the newspaper.
After the publisher typesets your copy, he will return
it to you with a set of galley proofs. Galley proofs, for
the purpose of this chapter, are photocopies of the actual
pages of the newspaper, including headlines, copy,
cutlines, captions and artwork. Photographs and ads (in
CE newspapers) will not appear on the galley proofs,
but the publisher will indicate their positions. In the CE
and funded newspaper business, these first copies are
called “whites” (fig. 7-5). Your particular deadline
structure will determine the days in which you will
receive the galley proofs.
Regardless of the deadlines in place, make sure the
galley proofs are thoroughly proofread by all staff
members. Granted, proofreading is a tedious facet of
newspaper production, but it is well worth it when you
catch a typographical error, misaligned column or other
mistake (no matter if your staff or the publisher is to
blame) before it ends up in print.
Have your staff members initial each galley proof
after proofreading. When all the pages have been
reviewed, go through them yourself one more time, then
call or visit the publisher and give him the changes.
The final proofreading step involves the “blues,” or
blueline (fig. 7-6). The blueline is a replica of the
newspaper in reverse and is similar in appearance to a
blueprint. The size of the publisher’s press determines
whether the blueline is in eight or 16-page signatures.
This is your last chance to make corrections before
the plates are made and the newspaper is printed and
distributed. Most publishers will not mind a small
amount of blueline corrections. However, this is not the
time to make wholesale changes. The bulk of the
corrections should have already been made on the galley
proofs. If an accident or incident requires a sizaable
change of the bluelina, the publisher will normally
accommodate the necessary changes. Remember, the
amount of cooperation you receive depends largely
on the relationship you have fostered with the
publisher.
Closely scrutinize the blueline. It is a good idea to
bounce the blueline against the galley proofs for the
most comprehensive check possible. Make sure folio
lines, by-lines, cutlines, tag lines and page numbers are
on the pages and are correct. Look for the following
errors:
. Reversed or upside-down photographs and art
. Photographs and cutlines or captions that do not
match
. Headlines that do not match stories
. Smudges or stray markings that might repro-
duce
Because of time constraints, the publisher may ask
you to proof the blueline at the printing plant.
DESKTOP PUBLISHING
Learning Objective: Define desktop publishing and
identify its hardware and software requirements.
There is a technological innovation in newspaper
production that is changing the way words are put on
paper. This innovation is called desktop publishing.
Desktop publishing (also known as electronic
publishing and electronic makeup) refers to the use of a
microcomputer (personal computer) to compose and
print newspapers, documents and other publications. It
is a process that encompasses design, composition, page
makeup and document reproduction. By combining the
microcomputer with desktop publishing software, you
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