The document outlines tips for planning coverage of major news events based on lessons learned from covering Barry Bonds breaking the home run record and Bill Walsh's career. It recommends putting together a budget and plan for stories, graphics, photos and design well in advance; doing research, testing and editing elements ahead of time; bringing in extra help at deadline; and being willing to modify the plan as the event unfolds to best capture the moment. It emphasizes starting graphics, interactives and other elements as early as possible while continuing to tweak them up to deadline.
Planning a Memorable Day What to Look For In Murrells Inlet Fishing Charters
Barry Bonds and Bill Walsh coverage at the Mercury News
1. Game-planning
for big news events
Nine tips from the Mercury News
Kevin Wendt, AME
Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
2. 1st
inning
Put the plan in
planned news event
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
3. Realized at home run 754
we needed a better plan
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
4. Bonds plan:
Budget of stories, graphics
Photo planned and tested remotes
Graphics dove in early
Plan for space
Time given for predesign
Became much more focused as event closed in
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
5. Walsh plan:
Budget of stories for special section
Graphics and interactives worked ahead of time
Photos edited ahead of time
Design done ahead of time
Edited hard up until deadline
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
11. Pre-design:
Graphics and breakouts started early
Wanted every element to add value
Worked with photo up front
Edited early drafts of main elements
Were willing to change on deadline
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
16. Deadline design:
Brought in extra help, design & editing
Divided up duties
Edited until the last possible moment
Stopped ourselves throughout
to push harder
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
17. 4th
inning
Pre-design and
deadline design
Bill Walsh
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
21. Pre and deadline design:
Modified our plan to fit the news
Pushed hard to add polish and flair
Took advantage of work we’d done
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
22. 5th
inning
The done-in-advance
special section
Bill Walsh
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
28. Done-in-advance special section:
Gave graphics and design enough time to get it done
Scheduled time on back end to tweak
Took care in booking the section, creating a feel
Took care in editing things so they fit together
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
36. On-deadline special section:
Pushed aggressively for the best idea
Built on a plan already in place
Used new and old content to our best ability
Tried to capture the moment
Figured out how to get the work done
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
37. 7th
inning
Graphics: all about
working ahead
Bonds and Walsh
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
46. HR infoWendt, AMEwww.baseball-
Kevin from | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
reference.com
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
47. Graphics:
Planned specific graphics in advance
Did research and verified sources in advance
Tweaked and edited up until deadline
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
48. 8th
inning
Interactives: Also
about working ahead
Bonds and Walsh
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
49. Created an |experience.
Kevin Wendt, AME Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
52. Interactives:
Planned (most of ) them from the start
Allocated info-gathering time
Allocated programming time
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
53. 9th
inning
Priority: great
use of photography
Bonds and Walsh
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
54. Less thanWendt, AME | Jonathonwith Walsh
a minute Berlin, senior editor
Kevin
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
59. Space and time AME | Jonathon“closer” image
for the Berlin, senior editor
Kevin Wendt,
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007
60. Photography:
Design, graphics and photo
communicated from the start
Looked for ways to capture the moment
Ripped up pages multiple times to get it right
Smart use of archive images
Gave space for photos
Kevin Wendt, AME | Jonathon Berlin, senior editor
SND QUICK COURSE | FRESNO, SEPT. 15, 2007