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Programs to Know
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InDesign InDesign is used by many journalists to lay out pages and design publications both for print and online. Having a working knowledge of InDesign is essential because it allows journalists to expand their skill set to encompass design as well as writing. InDesign offers more comprehensive design features than Microsoft software and allows for more intricate layouts for newspapers and yearbooks.
by Haley Walters
Photoshop
Photoshop is another useful addition to the Adobe program suite. It is essential for student journalists to know how to edit pictures before they are used for publication. Photoshop allows the user to perform tasks quickly, such as gray scaling and resizing pictures and then importing them into documents. The biggest drawback of all Adobe software is the price and frequent updates.
Google Docs
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WordPress
Almost all newspapers now have an online presence in some way. However, m o s t websites cost money to produce and maintain. Word Press is a frugal option for student publications who would like to increase their readership to an online audience. The easy-to-use blogging interface can be manipulated to mimic a news website and can be updated easily.
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For newspapers or yearbooks who may not meet on a daily basis, Google Docs offers an easy and free solution for collaboration between writers and editors. Users can begin documents and share them with other users who can edit and make comments on their work directly on the document. Editing can be done almost immediately and users won’t have to wait a week until the staff meets again.
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Twitter Student journalists can stay connected with their readers more easily than ever before. By creating a Twitter user account for a publication, writers can stay in the loop about things that are happening around them as well as sharing stories online and posting promotions for upcoming issues. For ideas on how to correctly utilize Twitter, check out various professional newspapers and magazines that use the site, such as The New York Times. uwosh.edu/journalism/newspa 09