Q and A with Editor: Front Page

mynews@school Q&A with Fred Zipp,
Editor of the Austin American-Statesman

mynews@school: What is the front page and why is this section of the newspaper treated with such high regard?

Editor: The front page is the first page of the newspaper, and it’s the face that we show the world every morning. As such, it reflects our values and judgments about the most important and most interesting news of the day. It also serves a marketing function; it allows us to promote stories inside the newspaper.

mynews@school: Is the front page unique to newspapers or is there an equivalent in other news media (TV news, online news, cable news, news magazines, radio news)?

Editor: Print and online publications have covers and home pages that serve the same functions.

mynews@school: In general, what are you trying to accomplish with the front page in terms of what’s important and the mix of stories?

Editor: We’re a local news organization in an environment where most non-local news is widely available from many different sources. So we focus on local stories on the front page as a way of making clear to readers the difference we bring to the competitive scene. We define local broadly; it can mean a story about an Austin person doing something important or interesting elsewhere just as well as an Austin city government story. We also try to include a “reader,” or a story that’s notable primarily for its ability to fascinate or charm.

mynews@school: What specific criteria, if any, do you use to determine what stories make it to the front page?

Editor: We do not have a checklist of specific criteria.

mynews@school: Are there certain types of stories or story formats that would never be published on the front page?

Editor: There are not.

mynews@school: How do you use the layout of the front page to tell readers which stories are important?

Editor: Typography is our most important cue; we signal hierarchy by the visual weight of the headlines on the page. Generally, we use placement on the page as well; the higher on the page a story appears, the more important we think it is.

mynews@school: How important are photographs on the front page? Why?

Editor: Photos are critical. Studies show that most readers tend to look at photos first as their eyes sweep around the page in a clockwise direction from top right. Photos also help establish a dynamic, energetic quality that we seek. They also give readers a feeling for how we view, literally, the area we cover.

mynews@school: Who decides the lead story and what criteria do you use to make that decision?
Editor: The slot, or person running the production operation, makes the decision in collaboration with the managing editor and other top editors. The lead story is the one we deem most significant. Usually, we’re looking for either the most important event or the most revealing piece of reporting available.

mynews@school: At what time of day is that decision made and why is the decision made then?

Editor: The decision is made about 4 p.m. so that we can proceed with putting the paper together. We can change our plan up to about the middle of the press run, which generally means about 1 a.m.

mynews@school: What does the editor do and what path did you take to become editor of the Austin American-Statesman?

Editor: The editor is responsible for all facets of newsroom operation at the policy-making, goal-setting level and then works with colleagues to translate various plans into action. I started as a reporter, working a variety of assignments, then progressed through assigning editor jobs working with reporters. Along the way, I did a couple of stints as a copy/production editor. Since about 1991, I have worked as a department head, assistant managing editor and managing editor.

mynews@school: What principles guide you as the editor of the Austin American-Statesman?

Editor: We need to be the most trusted news source in Central Texas. That requires speed, accuracy and, most of all, credibility. We build credibility by demonstrating daily that we understand our community and report on it fairly, celebrating its successes and probing failures.

mynews@school: What do you most love about newspapers?

Editor: The variety of experiences the work offers.

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