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Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Wed Nov 20, 2002 10:56 pm

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Question: What does President Bush have in common with the world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, rapper Eminem and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein?
Answer: They are all on the "short list" for Time Magazine's 2002 Person of the Year.***That isn't news. Neither is the announcement of the "Person of the Year." It's a magazine promotion. Stop treating it like it's something more. Now.***[ November 21, 2002: Message edited by: blanp ]

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2002 12:55 am

From SREENATH SREENIVASAN, Columbia U. prof, Poynter columnist: It's time again for the annual Sree.net contest to predict who Time magazine's editors will pick as "Person of the Year." (Romenesko's MediaNews)***What fun!***

dmfugitive · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2002 2:01 pm

This is a Journalism 101 exercise in which all departments can participate: Sports Illustrated's "Sportsman of the Year" is not news, nor is People's "Sexiest Man Alive."

In a similar vein, because it's that time of year, a word for those of you working on the annual "What's Hot/What's Not" or "In/Out" list: Don't.

Guest · **Posted:** Tue Dec 10, 2002 2:56 pm

That being said, are things like the "People's Choice Awards" or the "MTV Viewer Awards" news? My editor always asks me to get at least a brief in featuring the top winners, no matter how trivial or contrived the event ....

dimn · **Posted:** Wed Dec 11, 2002 3:28 am

In so far as it's something readers will talk about, yes Man of the Year is news.
For instance, I bet we've all got an opinion, if asked, on who the Time's Man of the Year should be. Bush comes to mind - unfortunately - because he's led the direction of the country in 2002. Time doesn't usually care whether that's good or bad.
Such a story does not raise the level of public discourse, but everything does not need to. Saying that, it should only be a brief note in the Arts/Entertainment section.
Short definition: News is what readers want and some of what they don't know they want.And saying that, I agree, the "hot" lists are always quite lame.
templestark.com

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Wed Dec 11, 2002 3:38 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Temple Stark:
Short definition: News is what readers want and some of what they don't know they want.
<hr></blockquote>Nah. That's Poynter-like drivel. News is what we say it is.

dimn · **Posted:** Fri Dec 13, 2002 5:38 pm

Is that attitude why newspaper readership is tanking? I'm not saying I think that to be the case but it seems arrogant to say "news is what we say it is." That makes it sound like we are writing/editing articles for ourselves.I have written many articles as well and the majority of the time I'm thinking, "Is this clear to my readers? Is this something my readers need to know." Those should be a guiding principles. Poynter is an empty institution, but it's still something a lot of newspaper people turn to.This question/point is slightly out of the realm of copy editing but ...

Rio · **Posted:** Sat Dec 14, 2002 3:37 am

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Temple Stark:
Is that attitude why newspaper readership is tanking? I'm not saying I think that to be the case but it seems arrogant to say "news is what we say it is." That makes it sound like we are writing/editing articles for ourselves.<hr></blockquote>Both of your guys' comments are weak. Blanp's because it's arrogant on its face, and yours because "what readers want and some of what they don't know they want" is, well, Poynter-like drivel. :)[ December 14, 2002: Message edited by: Gary Kirchherr ]

Phillip Blanchard · **Posted:** Thu Jan 09, 2003 9:00 pm

Follow-up: Time magazine named Sherron Watkins, Cynthia Cooper and Coleen Rowley as "People of the Year." I discovered this by accident today.

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