My local paper is The Washington Post, which serves the metropolitan Washington, DC area.
Above the fold on Thursday, January 30, 2014:
1) "Probe focuses on D.C. firehouse" by Peter Hermann
The story serves as a local interest story, exposing flaws in local municipality function. It was the only story on the front page of the Washington Post that served as a local story to the Washington, DC area. The reporter's attempt to humanize the story is what grabbed by attention, her lede was on the lack of response from local firefighters as she held her 77 year old father in her arms after he collapsed. While the majority of the story does seem fact, I'm left wondering if the author hasn't had an agenda in the method in which he presents the facts. For example, the facts stated about the woman looking for help are listed first and then the firefighters/municipality response.
2) "Clinton holds big Democratic lead" by Philip Rucker and Scott Clement
The story has national interest, and is a political story which serves to the interest of a large demographic of readers in the metropolitan Washington, DC area - or what we'd refer to as "inside the Beltway." The story most likely made the front page due to discussion circulating the DC area on "who the next Democratic nominee would be for 2016" and substantial rumors swirling the city that Hilary Clinton will make a run for President in 2016 as well as the story showing her having a commanding lead based on an ABC News poll. The story, while based on data from the Washington Post-ABC News poll, focuses mostly on numbers and comparing polling data which leaves moderate room for opinion.
3) "Republicans' overtures aimed at middle class" by Zachary A. Goldfarb
The story is a political story, which again, caters to the interests of the political demographic inside the Washington, DC metropolitan beltway. What grabbed my attention was the lede, which first mentions President Obama and not Republicans - which is who is in the headline. There does seem to be opinion in the story, for example, the adjectives selected to describe policy or legislative action appeals to a politically minded audience. (i.e., "lucrative tax credit", "conservative vision for covering the uninsured") Opinion exists in the piece as I'm sure the reporter has a political viewpoint of his own, and he is, in fact, writing the story through his lens.
Not above the fold on Thursday, January 30, 2014:
4) "European combatants in Syria war alarm West" by Griff Witte
The story has a dateline from London, and is the only international news story on the front page, giving the front page well rounded measure. The lede of story discusses old news, which grabbed my attention - why have the first paragraph recap news from "last autumn"? There was a moderate level opinion through choice adjective and description, but overall the story was reporting fact. The opinion offered in the piece was most likely to give the reader emotion or a way to personalize the tragedy occurring in story.
5) "A textbook political dilemma of alliances" by Laura Vozzella
The dateline is Richmond (VA) and discusses education policy in the state of Virginia as it relates to textbooks, involving Terry McAuliffe (D). The story discusses a vow "to add a second map name for Sea of Japan" in textbooks, and it grabbed my attention as to how/why this story made the front page. It seems this story caters to such a niche audience, namely parents and interests in the Asian America community. Some opinion does seem to occur, for example, "Republicans, who've become angry at what they see as the governor's increasingly combative agenda" - the reporter's choice of words appears to paint a story of two sides and a wealth of political friction. The reporter most likely inserted his opinion as it is his lens on the circumstances.
Above the fold on Thursday, January 30, 2014:
1) "Probe focuses on D.C. firehouse" by Peter Hermann
The story serves as a local interest story, exposing flaws in local municipality function. It was the only story on the front page of the Washington Post that served as a local story to the Washington, DC area. The reporter's attempt to humanize the story is what grabbed by attention, her lede was on the lack of response from local firefighters as she held her 77 year old father in her arms after he collapsed. While the majority of the story does seem fact, I'm left wondering if the author hasn't had an agenda in the method in which he presents the facts. For example, the facts stated about the woman looking for help are listed first and then the firefighters/municipality response.
2) "Clinton holds big Democratic lead" by Philip Rucker and Scott Clement
The story has national interest, and is a political story which serves to the interest of a large demographic of readers in the metropolitan Washington, DC area - or what we'd refer to as "inside the Beltway." The story most likely made the front page due to discussion circulating the DC area on "who the next Democratic nominee would be for 2016" and substantial rumors swirling the city that Hilary Clinton will make a run for President in 2016 as well as the story showing her having a commanding lead based on an ABC News poll. The story, while based on data from the Washington Post-ABC News poll, focuses mostly on numbers and comparing polling data which leaves moderate room for opinion.
3) "Republicans' overtures aimed at middle class" by Zachary A. Goldfarb
The story is a political story, which again, caters to the interests of the political demographic inside the Washington, DC metropolitan beltway. What grabbed my attention was the lede, which first mentions President Obama and not Republicans - which is who is in the headline. There does seem to be opinion in the story, for example, the adjectives selected to describe policy or legislative action appeals to a politically minded audience. (i.e., "lucrative tax credit", "conservative vision for covering the uninsured") Opinion exists in the piece as I'm sure the reporter has a political viewpoint of his own, and he is, in fact, writing the story through his lens.
Not above the fold on Thursday, January 30, 2014:
4) "European combatants in Syria war alarm West" by Griff Witte
The story has a dateline from London, and is the only international news story on the front page, giving the front page well rounded measure. The lede of story discusses old news, which grabbed my attention - why have the first paragraph recap news from "last autumn"? There was a moderate level opinion through choice adjective and description, but overall the story was reporting fact. The opinion offered in the piece was most likely to give the reader emotion or a way to personalize the tragedy occurring in story.
5) "A textbook political dilemma of alliances" by Laura Vozzella
The dateline is Richmond (VA) and discusses education policy in the state of Virginia as it relates to textbooks, involving Terry McAuliffe (D). The story discusses a vow "to add a second map name for Sea of Japan" in textbooks, and it grabbed my attention as to how/why this story made the front page. It seems this story caters to such a niche audience, namely parents and interests in the Asian America community. Some opinion does seem to occur, for example, "Republicans, who've become angry at what they see as the governor's increasingly combative agenda" - the reporter's choice of words appears to paint a story of two sides and a wealth of political friction. The reporter most likely inserted his opinion as it is his lens on the circumstances.
I should not be surprised that three of five headlines relate to politics in DC. I do think that's vastly more interesting than a front page dominated by winter. I like DC and appreciated the inside view.
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