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"Legal and Ethical Considerations for Writers"

            The final chapter of “Feature Writing: the Pursuit of Excellence” is titled “Legal and Ethical Considerations for Writers.”  It details some of the challenges and protections for writers and readers, such as libel, invasion of privacy, and copyright law.  In the case of libeling, malice must be proven for it to be considered libel.  The book goes into possible defenses against the charge, including “neutral reportage” and “opinion.”  Also, libel laws differ from state to state, so, according to the book, the best defense “preventive medicine,” making sure to provide evidence on which an opinion is based, and to not be sloppy in not only your writing but your research.  The chapter then goes into copyright protection, listing the various rights associated with the subject.  There are many different ways that you can allow a publication to use your work, and it was interesting to see how many different options are open to writers.  However, unless you are an established writer with credentials and authority, I would image the publication holding the cards, so to speak, and the being able to dictate terms.

            The cha-pter ends with a section on ethical guidelines.  The chapter correctly points out that ethics are “a very personal thing.”  However, despite this fact, journalists have attempted to create “group ethics,” creating the Canons of Journalism and the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.  There are many different aspects to acting ethical, but to me, the most important is truth and accuracy.  That would be the ground floor of any discussion on ethics.  Writing with a sense of truth and accuracy will take care of some of the other problems that may arise, such as doctoring quotes, and using made-up names and places.  As long as you know you are writing in a truthful and accurate manner, there is no need to worry about any of those problems.  Where a journalist may run into problems comes with the subjects of fairness, on and off the record conversations, and conflicts of interest.  These can venture into ambiguous territory, which is why going back to the first rule in this chapter, being honest and accurate, goes a long way.  As far as conflicts of interest, it is important for the writer to disclose any, which could also take away any pretense of bias.

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differences between newspaper and magazine features

The main difference between a newspaper feature and a magazine feature is that a magazine feature takes a more leisurely approach to the subject matter, while the newspaper feature is more serious in tone.  It is important to note, however, that leisurely does not mean sloppy.  Magazines are held to the same standard as newspapers in terms of the quality of the writing.  Also, magazines tend to take a subjective stand, and extrapolate on it, while newspapers generally deal more with “facts.” 

            As for form, magazines have longer paragraphs.  Newspapers feature shorter, punchy paragraphs.  Magazines can also use short paragraphs for effect, however.  Newspapers use short paragraphs mainly due to how it looks on the page, considering newspapers have less room, and are usually presented in columns in print.  Another difference in format is the lead.  Leads in magazines are generally longer, sometimes 300-600 words.  Many newspaper features would be half-finished by this word count.  The reason for this is that magazines are meant for leisurely reading, while newspapers are usually read at once and then discarded.

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Why New Orleans Matters, pages 56-109

This section of the book continues to delve into the rich musical history and scene of New Orleans.  The muscial scene is marked by an annual event, Jazz Fest, where not only the biggest names in the genre converge on the area for two weeks, but also the local treasures that give New Orleans' music it's character.  While some of what Piazza writes comes off as esoteric, he does a good job of setting the scene, and explaining why and how the music is so engrained in the culture of the area.

Piazza also goes on to detail the the crime and corruption of New Orleans.  While I had earlier written that the book seemed to be a "travel brochure on steroids," this part smacks the reader in the face with reality, and that not everything is bliss.  It reminded me of 90's hip hop that came from the area (hip hop that was awful, by the way.  i.e., Mater P, Lil Wayne, Hot Boyz) that spoke to the drugs, thuggery, and having the one of the highest murder rates in the country.  This certainly lended a balance to the book.  New Orleans matters because it is a real place, not just a utopia.

Also of note in this section, Piazaa for the first time details the Mardi Gras experience.  I found it interesting that he waited almost 100 pages into the book to explore this topic, because, as an outsider, Mardi Gras is the first thing that comes to mind regarding New Orleans.  Piazza does a good job explaining why it is important to the city, and not just a boozefest for out of towners.

Why New Orleans Matters, pages 31-55

“Why New Orleans Matters” continues on with trying to get the reader to what makes New Orleans so special and worth rehabilitating after Katrina.  Despite the author’s promise to not turn the book into a history, the first part of this selection starts of as just that: a history of New Orleans music.  However, it is interesting to see just how far back the music started, as far back as the late 19^th century.  He also traces the African influences in the music from African territories that were colonized by Spanish and French speaking powers.  Finally, he ties in that the sounds of New Orleans are the basis for today’s rock, rhythm and blues, and, by extension, all forms of popular music in America today.

Piazza spends some time discussing the tradition of the New Orleans funeral.  He vividly describes them as something important to all in the city.  He also writes about the Indians of New Orleans, and the gang culture that deals with dancing rather than violence of gangs as we know them today.  Piazza’s affection comes across strongly for the Indians, with much time spent covering their dress, as well as the chants and dances they do when it is time for Mardi Gras.

Why New Orleans Matters, introduction and pages 1-30

The introduction of “Why New Orleans Matters,” a book by Tom Piazza written in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, reveals why the author chose to write about the city at that time.  He begins to describe the events of the disaster, pointing out that because of the levees, the catastrophe was as much man-mad rather than natural, if not more so.  He is writing the book because New Orleans isn’t just any city, but a vibrant cultural center unlike many places on Earth.  The first thirty pages almost come across as a travel brochure on steroids.   Piazza lists many of the city’s restaurants, and explains to the reader just how important food is to the Crescent City, and how it is woven into the fabric of daily life.  New Orleanians value not only the more well-known restaurants in the city, but also the smaller corner restaurants that are so vital to their respective communities.  The beginning of the book has made me really want to visit New Orleans, and so far Piazza is off to a good start in showing “Why New Orleans matters.”