A reader asked recently: Why do we see so many articles, especially in the sports section, credited as being written By Times staff? Who the heck is Times staff?
The general rule that we follow is that for a story to have a byline, it must include original work from the reporter. Meaning, that the reporter gained information or quotations for the story from a source independent of a news release. When that happens, the reporter receives a byline for the story.
When a story is rewritten off a news release, the reporter does not receive a byline. The story often will include a reporters name at the end of the story, essentially to tell the reader who wrote the story in case there are questions.
When a news item is published virtually word for word from a news release, which happens often on our Community page, there is no attribution.
In regard to the use of By Times staff on sports stories, frequently the work is done by a combination of our two sports reporters. Often in a roundup of sporting events, both will contribute by getting information from coaches and writing game reports. It is extremely rare for something to be written for our sports pages by anyone other than our two sports reporters. When that happens, usually there is a byline.
The reader also asked: When a coach, parent, player or other community member who isnt on the payroll submits an article to the Times, they should certainly not be credited as Times staff.
Theyre not. Almost always, that information provided by a coach, parent, player or community member is rewritten for the newspaper, which is why the By Times staff is used.
The general rule that we follow is that for a story to have a byline, it must include original work from the reporter. Meaning, that the reporter gained information or quotations for the story from a source independent of a news release. When that happens, the reporter receives a byline for the story.
When a story is rewritten off a news release, the reporter does not receive a byline. The story often will include a reporters name at the end of the story, essentially to tell the reader who wrote the story in case there are questions.
When a news item is published virtually word for word from a news release, which happens often on our Community page, there is no attribution.
In regard to the use of By Times staff on sports stories, frequently the work is done by a combination of our two sports reporters. Often in a roundup of sporting events, both will contribute by getting information from coaches and writing game reports. It is extremely rare for something to be written for our sports pages by anyone other than our two sports reporters. When that happens, usually there is a byline.
The reader also asked: When a coach, parent, player or other community member who isnt on the payroll submits an article to the Times, they should certainly not be credited as Times staff.
Theyre not. Almost always, that information provided by a coach, parent, player or community member is rewritten for the newspaper, which is why the By Times staff is used.
