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Journalism Jargon

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Date: 

Instructions: Step into the newsroom and test your knowledge of the terms reporters and editors use every day.

  1. 1.

    In journalism, what is a 'lede'?

    A
    The opening sentence or paragraph of a news story
    B
    The editor-in-chief
    C
    The headline of a story
    D
    A confidential source
  2. 2.

    What does 'above the fold' mean?

    A
    Information that is classified
    B
    Content appearing on the top half of a newspaper's front page
    C
    A story that has been censored
    D
    The masthead of a newspaper
  3. 3.

    What is a 'byline' in journalism?

    A
    A deadline for submitting stories
    B
    A secondary headline
    C
    A line crediting the author of an article
    D
    The last line of an article
  4. 4.

    What does 'off the record' mean?

    A
    A story that has been retracted
    B
    An unconfirmed rumor
    C
    Information given with the understanding it will not be published or attributed
    D
    Not recorded on tape
  5. 5.

    What is a 'slug' in newsroom terminology?

    A
    A typographical error
    B
    A rejected story
    C
    A short label or identifier used to track a story during production
    D
    A slow news day
  6. 6.

    What does 'bury the lede' mean?

    A
    Hide a story from publication
    B
    Cancel a story at the last minute
    C
    Write a very short article
    D
    Place the most important information too far into the story rather than at the beginning
  7. 7.

    What is an 'op-ed'?

    A
    An editor's correction
    B
    An operational editorial meeting
    C
    An opinion piece published opposite the editorial page
    D
    A breaking news bulletin
  8. 8.

    What does 'dateline' refer to in a news article?

    A
    The publication deadline
    B
    The line at the beginning of a story indicating where and sometimes when it was filed
    C
    The date the story was written
    D
    A timeline of events in the story
  9. 9.

    What is a 'stringer' in journalism?

    A
    A press photographer
    B
    Someone who strings newspaper headlines together
    C
    A copy editor
    D
    A freelance journalist who contributes to a publication without being on staff
  10. 10.

    What does 'embargo' mean in journalism?

    A
    A retraction of a story
    B
    A ban on a reporter
    C
    A type of newspaper format
    D
    A restriction on publishing information until a specified date and time
  11. 11.

    What is a 'beat' in journalism?

    A
    A specific subject area or geographic region a reporter regularly covers
    B
    Scooping a rival newspaper
    C
    A rhythm in writing
    D
    The pace of a news broadcast
  12. 12.

    What does 'inverted pyramid' refer to?

    A
    An upside-down chart
    B
    A method of stacking newspapers
    C
    A type of news organization hierarchy
    D
    A writing structure that puts the most important information first, with details following in decreasing order of importance
  13. 13.

    What is a 'scoop' in journalism?

    A
    A summary paragraph
    B
    A type of camera lens
    C
    A correction to a previous article
    D
    An exclusive story published before competitors
  14. 14.

    What does 'masthead' refer to?

    A
    The ship used by a war correspondent
    B
    The first page of a newspaper
    C
    The largest headline on the page
    D
    The section of a publication listing ownership, editors, and contact information
  15. 15.

    What is a 'sidebar' in journalism?

    A
    An advertisement placed next to an article
    B
    A conversation at a bar
    C
    A short, supplementary article that accompanies a main story
    D
    The margin of a newspaper page

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