By: Mark Fitzgerald Exclamation marks in every headline! Exclamation marks in every lead graf! Thick and inky sans serif headline type! A community newspaper on Oregon's Pacific coast seems to be channeling the Weekly World News.
Hurling off the presses every two weeks, the Depoe Bay Beacon covers its extremely local news with every design element of the infamous supermarket tab. But all the news is true and objectively reported, though local bloggers would often beg to disagree.
Beacon owner and editor Rick Beasley confirms that the Weekly World News "is our template." In lieu of a stylebook, Beasley keeps copies of the supermarket tab on hand to show writers what he expects, hailing the "20-word lead in classic newspaper inverted-pyramid style that tells the story."
The difference between the two tabs, Beasley says, is that the Beacon publishes straight journalism. Despite the many exclamation marks and breezy style, the reporting is "very, very cautious," he adds, and he sells out his 3,000-copy press run every issue.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here