College life hits the front pages

By Emily Hedges

As the school year winds down, many college- and university-related stories are making front pages around the country. Some of the topics of front-page stories include:

Money: Mesa, Ariz.'s East Valley Tribune reported that “ASU (Arizona State University) fears its enrollment will fall with budget cuts.” In good financial news, The Morning News (Springdale, Ark.) reports that the University of Arkansas is planning raises for its employees next year.

Students: The Moscow-Pullman (Idaho) Daily News did a personality profile on students who came to local New Saint Andrews College and found their future spouses.

Athletics: The (Tucson) Arizona Daily Star featured a front-page story about a University of Arizona softball player who is making a comeback from a brain injury.

Fraternities: "Reputation of frat is hardly brotherly: Allegations include drugging, sex assaults" at a Tulane fraternity, according to New Orleans's Times-Picayune.

Drugs: The president of San Diego State University is receiving praise and criticism for inviting federal drug agents to try to get undercover information from students about drug use on campus, according to a story in The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Dorms: DeKalb, Ill.'s Daily Chronicle said Northern Illinois University was seeking $7.7 million to remodel a campus dormitory. An 83-year-old women's dormitory at the University of Tennessee saw its last residents move out this week, according to Knoxville's News Sentinel. The building will be renovated and converted into a research lab.

Transportation: The Honolulu Advertiser reported on the addition of a new public transit stop only a short walk from the University of Hawaii-West Oahu, making it more convenient for students to access the campus.

Campus: The main building at Our Lady of the Lake University was destroyed by a fire, according to a front-page story from the San Antonio (Texas) Express-News. A dramatic aerial photo of the burned building tells the story.

Professors: Professors and their crazy commencement wear is the topic of a feature in the Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram. Perhaps the most bizarre front-page college reference of the day comes to us in the form of a (Bridgeport) Connecticut Post photo of two community college teachers battling with chicken-shaped piñatas on sticks. No word on how to win the game or what the prize was.

Emily Hedges is an assistant editor at the Newseum.

A solid win and a squeaker:
2 primaries produce 2 results

By Kate Kennedy

Drama continued in the presidential campaign Tuesday with heavy voting in North Carolina’s primary and late-night results from Indiana. But in the end, the news was the margin of victory: How close was it?

Two of the country’s larger newspapers summed it up well. “Obama cruises; Clinton clings,” the Los Angeles Times said. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution described the outcome as “His Decisive Win, Her Photo Finish.”

The Charlotte Observer called Barack Obama’s 56% to 42% win in North Carolina lopsided, and the News & Record of Greensboro used the word “rout.” The Winston-Salem Journal’s lead said: “In the end, it wasn’t close.”

“Two minutes after the North Carolina polls closed … networks declared an Obama primary victory,” The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer reported. North Carolina might have been devoid of suspense, but Indiana was a “nail-biter,” as the Journal & Courier of Lafayette noted.

The Indianapolis Star, sporting a “Clinton, Barely” banner headline, featured a column about the drama: “Indiana loved its moment in the spotlight so much it refused to give it up Tuesday night.” The late-night results meant early editions of some newspapers did not pronounce a winner in Indiana.

“Hillary Holds On as Lake Holds Out,” said The Times of Munster, reporting its county’s “snail-slow pace” of election reporting. The South Bend Tribune called it a “Hoosier cliffhanger” and printed at the top of its page Hillary Clinton’s win, 51% to 49%.

“High drama, but no KO,” the Chicago Tribune declared, adding in an analysis: “In the home stretch, advantage to Obama.”

A flood of voters swamped polling places. The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind., noted a “Large turnout for Democrats,” and The Herald-Times in Bloomington, Ind., said, “Voters turn out in droves.” A “record primary turnout” was reported by The Daily Reflector of Greenville, N.C.

Tuesday’s primaries had been called historic because of their impact late in the campaign. History was made in another way. A column in today’s News & Observer in Raleigh highlighted Obama’s win and the victories of female candidates in other races on the ballot in North Carolina, a state “clouded by the era of Jim Crow and a deep skepticism about women’s role in politics.”

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

Numbers make the difference
as cyclone toll makes Page 1

By Gene Mater

Numbers make the difference. Yesterday, when the death toll stood at 350 for the cyclone in Burma (aka Myanmar), a few U.S. dailies carried the story on Page One. Today, with the guesstimated toll in the multiple thousands, it’s Page One news on an international basis.

Starting with The Washington Post, which carries a banner headline “Burma says storm killed 15,000,” and The New York Times, which leads with “Myanmar reels as cyclone toll hits thousands,” we thought that we would play hopscotch with the dailies on our Web site.

The same photo appears at the top of the page of Der Tagesspiegel in Berlin, Germany, with an off-lead story, “Thousands dead after cyclone in Burma,” and the Salzburger Nachrichten in Salzburg, Austria, which refers to 10,000 dead. Prazsky Denik in Prague, Czech Republic, has a small story about the cyclone, while Taxydromos in Volos, Greece, has a picture and a story about 10,000 dead. The Irish Examiner in Cork, Corriere della Sera in Milan, Italy, AD in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and El Periodico in Barcelona, Spain, all play up the cyclone, all refer to 10,000 dead and all carry photos. AD offers a map for those uncertain about where to find Burma. The Guardian in London also leads with the cyclone, with the headline, “Burma seeks emergency aid as cyclone kills at least 10,000” and photo of the devastation.

And in Asia, the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong has as its off-lead “Myanmese cyclone leaves 10,000 dead,” Manila Standard Today in the Philippines has the headline “Cyclone kills 3,969 in Myanmar” above the nameplate, and The Chosun Ilbo in Seoul, South Korea, has a Page One photo. The Nation in Bangkok, Thailand, leads with “Toll to rise by thousands,” and The Wall Street Journal Asia in Hong Kong leads with “Myanmar cyclone kills at least 4,000.” Farther south, The Age in Melbourne, Australia, has a photo topped by “Burma devastated/‘It’s clear that this is a major disaster.’”

Finally, in the Middle East, Gulf News in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has a picture and the lead story “Cyclone toll hits 10,000” and the English-language Iran Daily in Tehran has a Page One piece reporting “Cyclone Nargis kills thousands in Myanmar.”

And is it Myanmar or is it Burma? The U.S. government calls it Burma and so do dailies. In Europe, it’s some form of “Burma” but not Myanmar. An in Asia, it’s either one. When we sing Kipling’s “Road to Mandalay” in the shower it will always be Burma to us.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Wherever Myanmar (aka Burma)
is, editors go for a killer cyclone

By Gene Mater

As we flipped through our collection of U.S. front pages, two things struck us. First, 350 dead in a cyclone is a BIG story to some editors even if it happened in a country that many of our readers never heard of. Second, the “gasoline tax holiday” issue in the U.S. elections is a major item.

The cyclone that killed 350 or more happened in Myanmar, an Asian country that the U.S. State Department and many of us of a certain age prefer to call Burma. Quick, where is Myanmar or Burma? That’s a true gotcha question.

As to the gas-tax holiday, Hillary Clinton has proposed canceling the federal tax on fuel during the summer months, while Barack Obama calls it a “bogus gas tax gimmick.”

The Anniston (Ala.) Star leads with “Cyclone kills hundreds in Myanmar” but takes a pass on the gas tax, while the Scottsdale Tribune in Arizona does it in reverse, with a Page One story about “Clinton, Obama make final pleas to voters,” including the gas tax. The Sentinel-Record in Hot Springs, Ark., says: “Cyclone kills 350+ in Myanmar” but skips the election, while The Herald in Monterey, Calif., gets both stories on Page One, with a map for all to see about where Burma is.

The Aurora (Colo.) Sentinel has a banner headline reporting “Cyclone toll tops 350” and a drop head explaining that “Thousands of homes in Myanmar are destroyed as a powerful cyclone ripped through the nation,” which may get you to turn to Page 9 for the details. The Day in New London, Conn., leads with the Indiana and North Carolina primaries roundup. Just below is “Hundreds are killed by Myanmar cyclone.”

The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times has an election story at the bottom of Page One and nothing about the cyclone, while The Lewiston Tribune in Idaho puts “Obama, Clinton squabble over taxes, policy on Iran” at the top of Page One while giving the cyclone a favored position. The Chicago Tribune leads with “Rivals get grillings on gas, pastor,” as The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Ind., plays up “Crushing cyclone kills 350 in Myanmar” over the “Hoosier homestretch” voting tomorrow. The Boston Globe leads with the election and “Rivals spar on gas tax,” while teasing to the cyclone story inside. The Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal has “Dems bicker over Iran, gas tax” and no cyclone, but The Blade in Toledo, Ohio, leads with the cyclone as do the Amarillo Globe-News in Texas and The Roanoke Times in Virginia.

At break time, we’re going to read the Page One story in The Sun in San Bernardino, Calif., about the last orange grove in Rialto — and the passing of an era.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

On Friday, it’s all about
Saturday and Sunday

By Kate Kennedy

TGIF. Except that Fridays pose a challenge. Should festivals, music performances, sports and other weekend events be promoted on Page One? Contained to a weekend section? Ignored?

The largest and most popular events often are advanced and then covered on Page One of community newspapers.

“What a Weekend!” screamed today’s Indianapolis Star. “There’s a political race, a 13.1-mile footrace and opening day at the Speedway …”

The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post combined a story, photo, info box and reference to video online to promote the three-day music and wine SunFest. The Herald Journal in Spartanburg, S.C., profiled the resident who named the city’s festival Spring Fling. And the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison chronicled 40 years of the Mifflin Street Block Party.

Will leeches suck readers into a story? The Sioux City (Iowa) Journal thought so as it promoted the Great Walleye Weekend (that’s fishing) and reported the scarcity of leeches (bait) because of the late spring.

A stand-alone photo is a common way to advance events. The Anchorage (Alaska) Daily News used the technique for the state aviation trade show. The Fort Worth (Texas) Star-Telegram included “Three reasons not to miss Mayfest” in its expanded cutline.

The Desert Sun in Palm Springs , Calif., used the top of its page to advance a country music event, promising live blogs and photo galleries online.

Images from Robert Downey Jr.’s new superhero flick “Iron Man” appeared on many pages, including the South Florida Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale. RedEye from Chicago divided its page in half for a “Metal Head” illustration.

And what would a weekend be without sports? It’s NASCAR for the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, which provided an eight-page race section inside. And it’s the Derby in Kentucky, where The Courier-Journal of Louisville profiled a past winner and referred to Derby material throughout its print and Web products. A Lexington Herald-Leader illustration combined the Derby with a different kind of a horse race to promote a weekend story: “Tip sheet for candidates if they come to derby.”

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

In stagnant economy,
money matters on Page 1

By Kate Kennedy

How well do newspapers make sense of money news?

A day after the Fed lowered interest rates another quarter percentage point, let’s consider newspapers cited in the general-excellence category of the annual Society of American Business Editors and Writers contest.

“Latest cut may be last for now,” said The Indianapolis Star, which bulleted “What the cut means to you.”

The New York Times combined news of the rate cut with a Commerce Department report on economic growth: “Lower Spending is taking a Toll on the Economy/Growth Held to 0.6%.” The Arizona Republic of Phoenix led with a Christian Science Monitor story on sagging growth: “Grim economy, silver linings/Downturn may last long, but analysts expect it to be mild.” The Boston Globe localized the growth report with information from the University of Massachusetts: “Economy in state outpaces US growth.”

The St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press paired economic stories at the top of its page. “Free food, long line — a sign of the times,” it said about a food giveaway in rural Wisconsin. A second story — “Sellers step back in slow housing market” — centered on the tough Twin Cities housing market. The Detroit News focused on what matters to Michigan, the auto industry: “GM to cut more after $3B loss.”

With rising gas prices and declining home values, economic issues have been a key Page One topic this year. The news continued on other front pages today. “Pain beyond the gas pump” is how the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News titled a package on how business owners pass on to consumers the added expense of gasoline. From ag country, The Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune quoted farmers about rising food prices: “Don’t blame ethanol.” The Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch used arrows to illustrate an “economy just limping along.”

The Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Journal used much of its page to report on federal tax-rebate checks and their potential impact on local counties. The package that included an analysis of IRS and Census data referred to a “Let’s shop local” special section inside, which featured a first-person essay from the local Chamber of Commerce president. In an analysis, the St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times noted that “the government has done what it can to boost the economy.” It added: “Now it’s your move.”

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

Obama’s breakup tops news

By Patty Rhule

Breaking up is hard to do, especially when the split occurs at the height of your campaign for the presidency.

Sen. Barack Obama’s public distancing from his former pastor was front-page fodder across the country. “Obama’s Achilles’ Heel?” The Bakersfield Californian asked. The New York Post promised a scoop in “BARACK STABBER” with a story that says the Rev. Jeremiah Wright “delights in revenge on ‘traitor’ Obama.” “Test of faith,” pronounced Colorado’s Aurora Sentinel, with a dramatic side-view image of Obama, eyes downcast.

The Chicago Sun-Times filled its tabloid-sized front with a typographical treatment of the story: “What Obama Now Thinks of Rev. Wright: ‘Divisive’ ‘Outrageous’ ‘Appalling’ ‘Objectionable’ ‘Offensive’ ‘Inexcusable.’ ” Teasers promised six more pages of coverage inside on the matter.

The St. Petersburg Times had a gloomy analysis by its political editor, Adam Smith, writing from Indiana: “Obama doomed in small towns.” And in a headline we wish we’d written, the Metro-Boston Edition blared, “Obama declares Wright is wrong.” “Candidate lets down some of N.J. clergy,” wrote Newark, N.J.’s Star-Ledger, in a reaction story from fellow pastors.

But with one candidate’s strife comes another’s opportunity. “Hillary Thrills Hobart,” reported the Post-Tribune in Merrillville, Ind., with a kitchen-table photo of Sen. Hillary Clinton surrounded by voters and cameras.

The news that baseball superstar Roger Clemens, already besieged by accusations that he used steroids, had a relationship with then-under-age country singer Mindy McCready inspired the Nashville Tennessean to do a Page One story on the career crisis for both stars.

In yet another sign of the spasms in the newspaper business, Today’s Local News in San Marcos, Calif., announced in front-page letter to readers that it would go from a Wednesday through Sunday publication to just Wednesday and Sunday, starting May 7.

Patty Rhule is an assistant editor at the Newseum.

Obama, pastor make the news
but not in primary states

By Gene Mater

An Associated Press lead puts it this way: “The Rev. Jeremiah Wright is going after his critics on an incendiary tour that is doing his one-time congregant, Barack Obama, little good.” Page One of our local daily, The Washington Post puts it this way, “As minister repeats comments, Obama tries to quiet fray,” and offers some inside pieces, including an editorial about “The audacity of Rev. Wright.” The New York Times has a Page One story, with photo, under the headline “Not speaking for Obama, pastor speaks for himself, at length,” and a column-long sidebar with the jump about “Obama adds to distance from pastor and opinions.”

But what about dailies in the two states where voters will go to the polls next Tuesday, Indiana and North Carolina? Will the stories about Wright be whooped up and possibly hurt Obama? Well, as some comedian put it in the long ago, there we make it different.

We have more than a half-dozen Indiana front pages on our Web site today. Would you believe that only one, The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, has a Page One story about Obama and his former pastor? The bottom-of-the-page piece is labeled “analysis” and carries the clever head “Obama woes: Wright out of the box.” The Indianapolis Star has a small tease for an inside story about Wright. As for the other Indiana newspapers, several play up the U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Indiana voter ID law, a story that leads both The New York Times and The Washington Post, and several have coverage of the Obama-Clinton duel for voters, but not the pastor.

Moving over to North Carolina, we have about a dozen front pages and, again, only one has a Page One piece about Obama and his former pastor. The Winston-Salem Journal has a bottom-of-the page piece with the headline “Impact? Media rounds by pastor may hurt Obama.” Again, one newspaper, The News & Observer in Raleigh has a brief tease to an inside piece about Wright. The other dailies offer Page One coverage of the upcoming primaries and the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Obama, but Wright didn’t make the cut.

No more politics and no more second-guessing the editors. For coffee-break time, we’re going back to The Times in Munster, Ind., which has a story at the bottom of Page One reporting that it is the “fastest-growing newspaper in country,” according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. How did they do that?

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Probable closing of iconic airport
rates limited interest in Germany

By Gene Mater

The people of Berlin, the capital of Germany, went to the polls yesterday to cast their ballots on an emotional issue that has divided the city and has national implications. It was a non-binding, first-ever referendum forced on the city by a public petition to determine the future of a longtime icon of the city — Tempelhof Airport. It has been called the oldest airport in the world and the third largest building in the world, and it may be neither or both. But it always will be remembered as the key hub of the Berlin Airlift, when the Soviet Union blockaded the city and everything — from coal to food — had to come in by U.S., British and French military aircraft to West Berlin from June 24, 1948, to May 12, 1949. Now the airport in downtown Berlin is outmoded, cannot handle today's jet traffic, and should be shut down. Or so the mayor and his coalition say. Only 21% of the 2.4 million eligible voters turned out yesterday, with 25% needed for the vote to count, even in non-binding fashion. Of those who voted, 60% want to keep Tempelhof open.

For Der Tagesspiegel, arguably Berlin’s leading daily, Tempelhof is the story of the day, with a big Page One photo and a headline that says it all: “For most Berliners, Tempelhof is all the same,” meaning the people really don’t care. There also is a sidebar with the headline “In the hangar of history.” For Die Tageszeitung, another Berlin daily, Tempelhof rates a big Page One photo, with words about the campaign having failed and the airport to close in October, all as a tease to stories inside on Pages 21 and 22. The third Berlin daily on our Web site, Die Welt, is a puzzle, with not a word on Page One about Tempelhof, although there are stories on the daily’s Web site.

There are more than a dozen other German dailies on our site this morning, so we thought that we would check them all. We found four of them with some Page One reference to Tempelhof. The Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, not all that far from Berlin, has a Page One piece about the Babelsberg film studios making plans to move to Tempelhof when the flying days are over. The Suedwest Presse in Ulm has a short piece about “Defeat for the Tempelhof supporters,” while the two Bremen newspapers, the Weser Kurier and the Bremer Nachrichten, have brief Page One stories about the vote.

To close with a note of personal bias: We have flown in and out of Tempelhof a great many times, particularly in the days when propeller planes were the preferred means of travel; it remains our favorite airport in all the world.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Beyond words: Page One
tells stories in photos

By Kate Kennedy

Just call the front page image conscious.

Editors used photos and illustrations today to help tell news, sports, economic and health stories.

The Independent in Helena, Mont., captured a reaction to a guilty verdict in a dominant Page One photo. In Nebraska, the (Neb.)World-Herald documented the concern after an eighth-grader apparently was hit by a stray bullet during a soccer game. And The Washington Post pictured a 20-foot-wide hole — a sinkhole on the busy Interstate 70.

An “accidental tourist” was featured on the San Francisco Chronicle. The wayward gray whale was shown in San Francisco Bay, “posing for pictures along the waterfront.”

A dead man — or so his family thought after he went missing in 2003 — was pictured alive on the front of the Albuquerque (N.M.) Journal. The Detroit News incorporated an old newspaper clipping and current photos with a story about a man who seeks his birth parents 55 years after being abandoned as a baby in a department store.

The Oregonian of Portland inserted a story about the price of rice into a package that contained a photo of a rice bowl, while The Globe and Mail of Toronto had its own view of global food prices.

A sports image made the long jump from the sports section to Page One in The Philadelphia Inquirer, which photographed the Penn Relays. A contender from the U.S. Paralympic team, among those disabled in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, is shown on The Denver Post.

While some front pages used news photos, others used photos to illustrate stories. The State in Columbia, S.C., donned a close-up of Kenny Chesney with reverse text appearing in the singer’s cowboy hat. With a nose for news, The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City used photos to illustrate allergy season. And The Forum in Fargo, N.D., used a “Faux News” illustration for a story about U.S. “secret” plans to invade Canada.

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

Money on your mind?

By Bridget Gutierrez

From pricey school proms in Norwich, Conn., to the cost of gas for car-racing fans in Anniston, Ala., articles on Americans’ financial woes marked today’s front pages.

The Wall Street Journal gave readers a double-dose: The top story focused on the country’s deepening economic crisis, while, just below that, readers learned hard times for restaurants meant “No free sour cream.”

In Los Angeles, the Daily News reported at the top of its page that city budget shortfalls will be “Hitting Angelenos in wallet.” While over in Colorado, The Denver Post gave prominence to a report about big-box grocery stores limiting customer purchases: “As rice gets pricey, stores clamp down.”

Up in Michigan, The Detroit News told families “Student loan plan dropped” because of the poor credit market, while down South there was this stark prediction from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Airline woes likely to push fares up.”

Less prominent but still on the front page: The Chicago Tribune noted that “At $3.75 a gallon, more drivers park it,” and The Miami Herald announced, “Agency for the poor faces financial crisis.”

After seeing all that doom-and-gloom, check out the Las Vegas Sun, where the leading news story, “Buyers sign $30 million deal for topless club,” is curiously juxtaposed with a feature titled, “Through his church a community thrives.”

Bridget Gutierrez is an exhibits writer at the Newseum.

The beat goes on after
Clinton gets must-win in Pa.

By Kate Kennedy

A margin of 10 percentage points was good enough for front pages to use forceful descriptors of Hillary Clinton’s win in Tuesday’s important Pennsylvania primary.

“Clinton Takes Pennsylvania,” The Washington Post said after the Democrat got 55% of the vote to Barack Obama’s 45%. The New York Times said, “Clinton Clearly Outduels Obama.”

Noting that the win keeps Clinton’s campaign alive, USA Today said, “Clinton boosted by big win.” Today’s headline goes to the Los Angeles Times, which said: “Good night, not goodbye for Clinton.”

From the Keystone State, The Philadelphia Inquirer proclaimed: “A convincing victory, and the race goes on.” Managing Editor Sandra Long said: “We wanted our front page to capture what went on across the state; the excitement and diversity of voters and the unprecedented high voter turnout in the election.”

The Bucks County Courier Times in Levittown used “historic” and “urgent” in describing the primary. “Clinton grinds out must-win,” the Reading Eagle said. Clinton has childhood ties to Scranton, where The Times-Tribune called her win a “Gritty Victory.”

From the state capital, Harrisburg, The Patriot-News devoted most of its page to results. “We stewed over the hed — 10 points was less than a blowout but more than a win — before going with ‘Slam Dunk,’” said David Newhouse, executive editor. “Of course, Obama is the one who plays basketball, but we figured this was better than a whiskey-swigging metaphor.”

Headlines were more tempered in other communities. The Morning Call in Allentown said: “Clinton Wins, But … was her margin of victory … big enough to make a dent in Obama’s delegate lead?” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pictured Obama, saying: “Obama shifts quickly to Indiana, next battleground.”

Analysts have noted that age, gender and race are playing roles in voter decision-making. The Tribune-Review of Greensburg said: “White workers deliver the victory, exit polls show.”

After six weeks in Pennsylvania, the campaigns turn to Indiana and North Carolina, which have May 6 primaries. “It’s Our Turn,” The Indianapolis Star said.

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

Don’t know about today’s primary?
Look at your local newspaper

By Gene Mater

In towns you’ve never heard of and places you’ve heard of but never visited, readers of the front page have no excuse for not knowing that the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania today is a major political event in selecting the next president of the United States.

There it is, squared-off at the top of the Times Daily in Florence, Ala.: “Clinton seeks Pennsylvania win.” In California, The Bakersfield Californian has “Campaign ’08: Pennsylvania Primary Preview,” with pictures of the two candidates high on Page One, just below a tease for a story on A12 about the “Price of beer brings on tears.” The Spanish-language La Opinion in Los Angeles touts “Elecciones decisivas” with photos of the candidates at the top of the page.

In Little Rock, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette leads with, “Hopefuls make final sweep of Keystone State,” while The Day in New London, Conn., tells its readers that “Clinton steps up the attack on Obama in Pennsylvania.” The News Journal in Wilmington, Del., squares off “Pa.’s Democratic voters take center stage.”

In Florida, The News-Press of Fort Myers reports that “Clinton reaches for Pa. win; Obama says he’ll be close,” and in neighboring Georgia the Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus says that “Clinton fights to catch Obama.” For the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake, Ill., it’s “Clinton reaches for win,” and The Times in Munster, Ind., plays both with “Clinton reaches for primary win; Obama says he will be close.” The Kentucky Enquirer in Fort Mitchell notes that “Clinton, Obama bare their knuckles in Pa.,” the Kennebec Journal in Maine reports Obama saying “Clinton will win primary,” and the Independent Record in Helena, Mont., uses a promotion above the nameplate to tease an inside story about “Clinton, Obama fight over suburban vote in Pennsylvania.” The Telegraph in Nashua, N.H., localizes the vote in faraway Pennsylvania with the headline “Four months later, it’s N.H. version 2.0,” while our friends in McAllen, Texas, have photos of the two candidates almost as part of The Monitor nameplate with the tease, “The End? Hillary’s bid for president may be over if she loses in Pennsylvania.”

In most cases when the two candidates are named, Clinton comes before Obama, so we’re going to ponder whether it’s done alphabetically, or by age, or by sex. The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro, Tenn., goes with “Obama, Clinton tout Penn strongholds,” but we’re going to wonder about the others.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Pope’s visit to U.S. is Page 1 news
for some German dailies, not others

By Gene Mater

Pope Benedict XVI has completed his visit to the U.S. That’s Page One news for some American dailies but not for others, for The New York Times but not for The Washington Post (except for a tease). But this is the first German pope in several hundred years — historians are not in agreement about the nationality of at least two of his predecessors — so we wondered how the German-language press in Europe is playing the story.

Starting with the Sueddeutsche Zeitung in Munich — and Munich is the capital of the pope’s home state of Bavaria — there is a big Page One photo of the pope praying at Ground Zero in New York, a caption and a reference to inside coverage. Not far away, in Augsburg, the Augsburger Allgemeine has a brief item noting that “The Pope ends his USA trip,” similar to the Page One treatment in the Neue Westfaelische in Bielefeld, the Braunschweiger Zeitung in Braunschweig — which also has an editorial about the trip — and the Saechsische Zeitung in Dresden. However, the Weser Kurier and the Bremer Nachrichten, both in Bremen, each carries a large Page One photo and story about the pope praying at Ground Zero in New York. The Suedwest Presse in Ulm — home of the tallest cathedral in the world, albeit a Lutheran one — has a photo of the pope at Ground Zero. In Berlin, Die Welt has a big top-of-the-page photo, while Der Tagesspiegel and Die Tageszeitung have nothing about the pope on Page One. The European edition of Stars and Stripes, the daily for U.S. service personnel, fills most of Page One with a photo and the headline ”Pope blesses ground zero,” with story inside on page eight; we thought we would slip this one in because it’s published in Griesheim.

The Austrian press handles the story in much the same way. Cut into its nameplate, the Kurier in Vienna has a picture of the pope with hand outstretched and the headline, “Pope waves goodbye,” with story on page six. The Salzburger Nachrichten in Salzburg has a brief Page One story with details on page seven, while Die Presse in Vienna has nothing on Page One about the pope.

Yesterday was a big sports day in Europe, which to some editors is what Monday’s Page One is all about.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Papal Mass a bit of heaven;
earthly sins discussed in private

By Kate Kennedy

“Prayers, public and private” appeared on Page One a day after Pope Benedict XVI said Mass at Washington Nationals’ stadium and talked privately with victims of priest sexual abuse.

The Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal used one of a host of photos available from the Mass. The Denver Post pictured “Faces in the Crowd,” and The Bradenton (Fla.) Herald pictured three views. The Daily Herald of suburban Chicago matched its colorful photo with a bright headline: “Sermon on the mound.” The Star Tribune of Minneapolis summed up the excitement: “For Catholics, a bit of heaven.”

“45,000 united by one man,” the Rochester (N.Y.) Democrat and Chronicle said. Yet, coverage of the spiritual leader of more than 1 billion people worldwide and news about priest sex abuse, a story that had national impact, did not appear on front pages in some places.

The Times-Picayune of New Orleans noted the “landmark meeting” about abuse, saying: “Benedict makes issue centerpiece of his visit.” The five who met privately with Benedict came from Massachusetts, where the Globe said: “Tears, prayers as pope meets with abuse victims from Boston.” The Globe’s story was written by religion writer Michael Paulson, who has been blogging the visit.

Other front pages offered local angles. Several, including the Press-Register of Mobile, Ala., reported on those who attended Thursday’s events: “Mobilians moved by sight of pope.” The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle focused on Benedict’s comments on education and included a sidebar on Catholic schools.

“Next Stop: NY,” announced Newsday on Long Island. The Advance in Stamford, Conn., pictured two young men who will serve as altar servers. The Journal News of Westchester County, which has had excellent advance coverage by religion reporter Gary Stern, used a graphic to explain “Pope’s busy schedule.” The New York Times reported Benedict’s meeting with sexual-abuse victims in its lefthand column but put photos and other coverage inside.

Flashback: Today’s Oshkosh Northwestern takes a step back in time — to 1934 — to report on the filming of Universal Studio’s “Public Enemies” in the Wisconsin city. “Downtown Shoot Out,” blares the banner headline on the black-and-white page. Below, a photo shows Johnny Depp as John Dillinger in a bank-robbery scene.

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

All the news that’s
fit to print barely fits

By Kate Kennedy

The front page is only so big, yet today’s pages managed to make room for three significant stories — the first full day of the pope’s U.S. visit, a Democratic debate and a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding execution by lethal injection.

Which story took the lead depended upon proximity.

In Washington, Pope Benedict XVI appeared at the White House and addressed American cardinals. The Washington Post pictured Benedict in a sea of well-wishers and digital cameras: “Multitudes Gather for a Glimpse Or, Perhaps, a Touch of the Hand.” The Examiner of Washington focused on his speech at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception: “Benedict: Child sex scandal ‘badly handled.’”

In Philadelphia, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama participated in the 21st debate of the presidential campaign. The Inquirer described “A Bitter Aftertaste” and, in an analysis, said, “Obama had the tougher night.” The Philadelphia Daily News pictured smiling candidates and asked: “Who’ll have the Last Laugh?”

USA Today reported that several states are ready to resume executions after a Supreme Court decision upholding lethal injection. In one of them, Texas, the Houston Chronicle said: “6 from area likely among first to die.” The case originated in Kentucky, where The Courier-Journal of Louisville said, “Court: Punishment isn’t cruel, unusual.” The Tennessean of Nashville broke out “What Happened,” “Tenn. Impact” and “What’s Next.”

The Chicago Tribune managed to feature today’s three big stories — and make room for an enterprise story after the newspaper tested local water and found drugs and chemicals.

But no story offered as much color as Pope Benedict’s Washington events, which continue today. The Boston Globe called it “pomp and substance,” and The Orange County (Calif.) Register said, “Revelry, Reproach.” Benedict’s 81st birthday was noted in La Repubblica in Rome, and a photo with President Bush appeared on Die Welt in the pope’s native Germany. The Providence (R.I.) Journal wrote about its bishop’s surreal experience at the papal gathering. The Religion Newswriters Association estimates that 500 people across the U.S. write about religion in the general news media. Among them is Ann Rodgers, who broke from the pack in her reporting for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Pope wants a spark / Tells U.S. bishops to make Masses lively to keep flock.”

Kate Kennedy is front pages editor at the Newseum.

Pope's visit is news across U.S.;
a year later, we remember Va. Tech

By Emily Hedges

From Oregon to Florida and Texas to Maine, Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to the U.S. was a natural choice for large front-page photos and stories. Cleveland's Plain Dealer even put a photo of the pope and President Bush above its nameplate. The Anniston (Ala.) Star also showed the pope with the president and gave readers a front-page itinerary for the pope's six-day visit.

Pope Benedict's message on the priest sex scandal was on many front pages. The Citizens’ Voice (Wilkes-Barre , Pa.) quoted the pope in its headline, "Pope 'Deeply Ashamed.'" Eugene, Ore.'s Register-Guard used alliteration to get the message across with "Pope decries pedophile priests."

Even though the pope's visit is confined to two East Coast cities, Tucson's Arizona Daily Star provided local context with the story "Tucsonans are thrilled by chance to see pope." Madison's Wisconsin State Journal allowed readers to see the pope's view, in his own words, on issues such as Iraq, abortion and redemption.

The U.S.'s Spanish-language press, including Hoy in New York and El Nuevo Herald in Miami, gave the pope a lot of room on the front page. Yet the papal arrival wasn’t a universal front-page choice for dailies.

Creative headlines were scarce (perhaps the subject seemed too sacred?), but Los Angeles's Daily News gave us "The Pontiff Has Landed," and the Aurora (Colo.) Sentinel said the pope's first day was punctuated by "Amens and amends."

We would be remiss if we did not pause to remember the first anniversary of the deadly shootings at Virginia Tech. The story dominated the front page for several Virginia papers. The Roanoke (Va.) Times, which published a special section on Sunday, used the headline "We remember" and listed the names of the victims on the front page. The Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch put the victims' names above the nameplate with "4.16.07" in bold. Hampton Roads, Va.'s Link had a remembrance-ribbon illustration, in the Hokies' maroon and burnt orange.

Newspapers in other parts of the nation also remembered. The Times Union (Albany, N.Y.) and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale used the anniversary as a platform to discuss increased campus security. The Times Union included a touching picture of a mourner at the Virginia Tech memorial.

Emily Hedges is an assistant editor at the Newseum.

Do newspapers offer food
for thought on local issues?

By Gene Mater

We read an interesting story yesterday about a commission that will be established to analyze whether people are getting the local news they need from newspapers and television stations to make decisions in their communities. Except for the unfortunate suggestion that government action might be proposed to cover broadcasting, it’s a study that sounds worthwhile. We decided to check a few dailies, including in capital cities, to see what local or state news makes Page One.

The Arizona Republic in Phoenix squares off a story claiming “Ariz. deportation policy a model,” a political issue these days, and also has a piece about how “Campaign 2008 gives students real-life lessons.” The Arkansas Democrat Gazette in Little Rock leads with problems of the homeless after February twisters. The Denver Post leads with the labor problems of area agricultural growers and shippers, while the Hartford (Conn.) Courant plays up several local stories on Page One, including who pays the most state income tax. The Tallahassee Democrat in Florida really fits the bill with stories about a tax commission rejecting revenue limits, new fees for parks, arts funding problems and health-care solutions.

The merger of Delta and Northwest airlines is played up in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution because it is a local story, as it is for The Cincinnati Enquirer and St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press.

For The State Journal Register in Springfield, Ill., the big story is that city population tops 120,000, coupled with a push for a water-rate hike. The Advocate in Baton Rouge, La., also is replete with state news — a bill to limit phoning while driving, high river-level problems, parking scarcity near the Capitol, and so on. The Nevada Appeal in Carson City tops Page One with, “Leaner public safety question could go on ballot,” and reports, “Sheep to protect city from wildfires.” The Santa Fe New Mexican leads with, “Councilors weigh in on police plan,” and the Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore., has a story about dead geese raising alarms with the hope that labs will find an explanation. The State in Columbia, S.C., is another daily with local issues topping the day — “Staffing, salaries worry city leaders” leads, with “DUI law sets sobering new penalties” the off-lead.

Yes, there are local issues being covered that give local readers food for thought.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Just because television plays up
election doesn’t mean it’s news

By Gene Mater

With the broadcast news divisions and cable news networks spending part of the weekend whooping up the Clinton-Obama contretemps over voter attitudes in advance of the important Pennsylvania and Indiana primaries, we thought that it would be worth checking the dailies in those states to see whether they thought it was a BIG story. The simple answer is yes and no.

Starting with Pennsylvania, The Intelligencer in Doylestown plays up “Bill Clinton comes calling,” with pictures and teases to election stories inside, including one that we were looking for, while The Philadelphia Inquirer has as the off-lead story “Obama goes on the offensive,” complaining about Hillary Clinton calling him “elitist.” The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette squares off “Democrats quizzed on God, faith,” which is right on target,” even as The Times-Tribune in Scranton plays up “Clinton stays on offensive,” adding “In local stop, senator calls Obama remarks on guns, religion ‘elitist.’” The Citizens’ Voice in Wilkes-Barre gives over almost all of Page One to the election, with a photo of Clinton meeting the people in West Scranton while slamming Obama, as the York Daily Record reports on Clinton and Obama visiting Messiah College.

But the Philadelphia Daily News, the Reading Eagle, the Pocono Record and the Williamsport Sun-Gazette find no Page One space available for the Clinton-Obama fracas, although the last-named daily does have a state election story at the bottom.

In Indiana, it’s also no and yes. The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne squares off “Decatur quickly preps for Clinton visit.” The Indianapolis Star teases two primary election stories way down at the bottom of the page, as does the Post-Tribune in Merrillville with its one inside piece. The nothing re the primary on Page One list includes The Herald-Times in Bloomington, the Kokomo Tribune, the Chronicle-Tribune in Marion and the South Bend Tribune. We’ll give partial credit to the Journal & Courier in Lafayette for a major piece on “New rural election centers may create problems for some voters in county.” Well, it is about the election.

Now we’re going to ponder the earthshaking news we watched on the telly yesterday.

Gene Mater is a Freedom Forum media consultant.

Slovak newspapers use few
words to make a statement

By Kate Kennedy

The power of the newspaper front page was tested today in Europe, where main newspapers in Slovakia used blank pages and edit