Standard 5—Student Newspaper and Yearbook Production Cycles
Throughout the year, the HiLite staff goes through two different production cycles: the newsmagazine production cycle and the beats cycle. I have had different roles in both, although here is a typical cycle for each (I discussed this during my writing workshop in order to emphasize the importance of meeting deadlines and give reporters a better understanding of what their deadlines mean):
Newsmagazine Production Cycle
1. Maestros → staff members contribute ideas, and editors give out assignments for the cycle
2. Gathering Content → staff members produce the content for the issue, including obtaining interviews to write stories for reporters and taking photos for editors to put on the page
3. First Page → editors must have a first draft of their spreads by this date, with the intent to have a full publication ready, if necessary, by this point
4. Proofreading → during the week after first page, all staff members proofread pages (two spreads) to check for spelling and style mistakes or anything that could be improved; editors have morning edits each day of the week to make the proofreaders’ changes
5. PDF → editors must finalize their spreads and content; after PDF, all pages are completed
6. Distribution → all staff members distribute the newsmagazines they have worked on throughout the month
Beats Cycle
There are three cycles of beats: A, B and C. I have written for all three cycles, a different one each year, but as beats editor, I also edited and posted one cycle of beats. Every three weeks, staff members are required to write a short synopsis of the events to come for their assigned club or group. Beats editors edit and post the beats they are assigned as they receive them, making sure to check for any style, spelling or grammar errors.
Throughout the year, the HiLite staff goes through two different production cycles: the newsmagazine production cycle and the beats cycle. I have had different roles in both, although here is a typical cycle for each (I discussed this during my writing workshop in order to emphasize the importance of meeting deadlines and give reporters a better understanding of what their deadlines mean):
Newsmagazine Production Cycle
1. Maestros → staff members contribute ideas, and editors give out assignments for the cycle
2. Gathering Content → staff members produce the content for the issue, including obtaining interviews to write stories for reporters and taking photos for editors to put on the page
3. First Page → editors must have a first draft of their spreads by this date, with the intent to have a full publication ready, if necessary, by this point
4. Proofreading → during the week after first page, all staff members proofread pages (two spreads) to check for spelling and style mistakes or anything that could be improved; editors have morning edits each day of the week to make the proofreaders’ changes
5. PDF → editors must finalize their spreads and content; after PDF, all pages are completed
6. Distribution → all staff members distribute the newsmagazines they have worked on throughout the month
Beats Cycle
There are three cycles of beats: A, B and C. I have written for all three cycles, a different one each year, but as beats editor, I also edited and posted one cycle of beats. Every three weeks, staff members are required to write a short synopsis of the events to come for their assigned club or group. Beats editors edit and post the beats they are assigned as they receive them, making sure to check for any style, spelling or grammar errors.