No longer ALLOWED to jump

Wasn't the USA Today the first paper that stopped jumping? Well limiting jumping to one story.

This was at least 20 years ago.

 

The newspaper execs who demand "charticles" clearly need some neuticles.
http://www.neuticles.com/

 

Here's the deal: Sometimes, there are "stories" that are better told graphically. I get that. Usually, these stories are number intensive.

When we first started this charticle kick, we would sit down in the planning stages of the story and ask the question: "What is the best way to tell this story? Is it graphically? Some other alternative story form? Is the best way to tell this story just a conventional 18-inch feature?"

Usually, the answer would be "conventional." Occasionally, the answer would be "alternative."

It seems now, however, we've gotten away from that. Instead of telling the stories that need to be told, we're trying to force charticles. The new question has become, "Uh ... you got any ideas for a charticle?"

And I hate that. Because the people who are still buying newspapers, God bless 'em, are buying because they WANT something to read. Not some stupid chart.

If the point is to attract new, younger, hipper readers ... well, I just don't see it. Like the kids hanging out in front of the 7-11 are saying, "Man, did you see that charticle on the front of the Gazette? It was bitchin'. Can't wait to see tomorrow's charticle."

 

It's almost as though Media General is actively TRYING to kill the Tampa Trib.

 

Kids hanging out at the 7-11 are texting each other. They don't know the newspaper exists and never will until 7th grade when they are required to do a "current events" homework assignment.

Charticle sounds like a venereal disease.

 

OK, first of all, having looked at that neuticle site FB, I'm wondering: Dogs have self esteem? Anyway, we don't call them charticles here in Gannettland but "chunky bits." I think that's somehow appropriate if you take that term to its extreme. Also, new Gannett rules have 1A and maybe other section fronts only allowed two stories or so to jump. We'll see how that goes.

 

Many, many charticles in my local paper, a Tribune-ite. And FB, it might not be a dictionary word, but it has been around for a while. Unfortunately, probably.

 

Was told many, (too many to count) years ago that if you can't say it in 12 inches, don't say it all. Used it as a rule of thumb and made it work for me.

 

Oh, I can write bland, fact-filled AP copy and fit everything you need to know about a game in 12 inches. But I thought we wanted to featurize, analyze and provide context in said stories so someone might want to read the damn thing the next day. Silly me.

 

Bitchin' Charticles is a good band name.

 

Be careful whom you criticize, or you'll wind up on someone's listicle.