Journalism

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Journalism is a short film from 1940 released on 16mm. It is held in the Prelinger Archives collection.

Contents. Some jobs in journalism and the responsibilities and training necessary for each.

As displays of magazines and newspapers are shown, the commentator points out the great variety of such periodicals. Writing for newspapers is the subject of the first sequence. In a newsroom a managing editor is at work. He calls a reporter and tells him to cover a fire. The commentator says that the reporter must think fast and get his facts accurately. A map of a city divided into zones illustrates the commentator's statement that reporters are usually assigned to a beat. Such routine news-gathering points as the police station, airport, railroad terminal, hospitals, etc., are shown. A reporter telephones his story to a rewrite man; a copyreader edits the story and writes the headline. A linotype operator sets the story in type, and the make-up editor decides where it will be placed in the paper. The work of those responsible for special departments of the newspaper foreign news, sports, finance, society, homemaking, music, drama, and art is depicted. The commentator says that it is in the special departments of publications specializing in information for and about women that girls have their best chance in journalism. Qualifications of the editorial writer who analyzes and interprets the news are described by the commentator. Writers who produce features for magazines and newspapers are considered in the next sequence. The commentator says that there are many magazines that will accept articles on how to do or make something. Columnists' work is described as very interesting, but the commentator warns that it takes long years of experience to become a columnist. Several scenes suggest the scheme used by syndicates to distribute special columns. The next sequence deals with the work of the country editor. Such an editor is shown setting type, writing advertising, gathering news, and running a press. The commentator says that the country newspaper furnishes an opportunity for the aspiring journalist to get experience in all branches of newspaper work. The work of job printing, which, the commentator states, forms an important part of the country editor's work, is briefly described. The work of the city editor is contrasted with that of the country editor.

The final sequence suggests considerations for students contemplating journalism as a vocation. The commentator says that reporting is a job requiring ambition, stamina, and intelligence, and adds that an interest in writing is the first requisite for success in journalism. The commentator says that high school courses in composition and social studies, and experience on a school paper are good training for a career in journalism.

Journalism
Produced byHolmes (Burton) Films, Inc.
Production
companies
Holmes (Burton) Films, Inc.
Distributed byHolmes (Burton) Films, Inc.
Release date
1940
Running time
10:38
LanguageEnglish
Thumbnail
ewid: 3026 | Fresh | || dopt: {{{dopt}}}