1What is online journalism? - Ayo Menulis FISIP UAJY

104 Journalism Online
Both urge economy of language, partly because space is limited
for newspaper journalists. In contrast, pagination can be unlimited
online. But Evans’ rule of seeking ‘the marriage of economy and
accuracy’ (2000) is also sound advice for the online journalist.
Jakob Nielsen (2000) cites research that indicates reading from
computer screens is about 25% slower than reading from paper.
He recommends you should write 50% less text to accommodate
this disadvantage and the discomfort caused by reading from
screens (although screen resolution will improve in the next few
years). This gives a fresh resonance to Evans’ (2000) warning to
newspaper journalists that ‘nothing is so tiring to the reader as
excavating nuggets of meaning from mountains of words’.
What follows includes, among other advice, a précis of some of
the key points from both Evans and Strunk. Both of these seminal
texts should be read in full, if you are serious about your
writing.
Words and sentences
The first step to effective writing is widespread, critical reading.
You should read many different newspapers. In the UK, the
tabloids are sniffed at by some of the more ‘serious-minded’
journalists. But they contain many of the best examples of simple,
effective writing. Read magazines, books and online sources. Read
literature as well as factual material. Look for distinctive voices
among the newspaper columnists and writers and study their
work. You will not find any discernible style that has been imposed
on their writing. Rather they will have a keen eye, quick wit and a
sharp intellect, married to a clear understanding and respect for
the power of simple language.
As journalists, sentences and words are the basic units of our
currency and we must not devalue them. As Evans (2000) put it,
‘Nothing so distinguishes good writing as vivid economy’. The
following are guiding principles on the use of sentences and words
when writing. They are not unbreakable rules, but you must have
a good reason for not enforcing them. Most importantly, you must
have thought carefully about those reasons and therefore also
about your writing.