Newspaper Editing Assignment

Article 1:
Terror Attacks by a Native Son Rock Denmark
By Andrew Higgins and Melissa Eddy
NY Times - 2/16/15
The article reports on the attacks of violence made by 22-year-old gunman, born
and raised in Denmark. I feel that the article is informative yet is poorly organized. The
authors jump around different ideas. For example, they begin the article with a few minor
paragraphs giving a general synopsis of the attack that occurred. Then, in the fifth
paragraph, the author connects the recent attacks to other recent attacks in European
countries. The paragraph goes as follows:
After a January rampage in the Paris area that killed 17 people, and police raids in
Belgium a week later that the authorities said thwarted a major terrorist operation,
Denmark became over the weekend the latest European country plunged into what Prime
Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt described Sunday as a fight for freedom against a dark
ideology.
If I were the author, I would have gone into further discussion about the so-called
fight the prime minister is referring to. Instead, they follow up with more paragraphs
referring to the incident itself and information about what happened. The story continues
on. The terrorist attacks are not compared to another terrorist attack in the world until
later in the article. The gunman is compared to that of the gunman in the Paris attacks.
I would have preferred the authors to focus more on the effect of the attacks on
the world and how it connects to other terrorist attacks. I personally feel there is a too
lengthy synopsis of what happened, including numerous details. The authors also
reference the following:
In an editorial to be published Monday, Jyllands Posten said, Unfortunately, it is
difficult to claim surprise at the attacks in Copenhagen. Terrorism, it added, was not a
question of if, but when.
This idea of the terrorism not being a surprise could be a great opportunity to
provide more analysis. The authors could provide possible reasons why it would be
expected in the country, such as recent tensions and exhibitions of violence or dispute. It
also contradicts a quote in the article from a local resident of Copenhagen. The quote
goes as follows:
My first feeling was just panic, Mr. Krebs recalled, adding that he initially thought the
gunfire was a battle between drug dealers. In Denmark, he said, the first thing that
comes to mind is not terrorism. This is not a problem we have had to think about much.

Article 2:
U.S. Intensifies Efforts to Blunt ISIS Message
By Eric Schmitt
NY Times 2/17/15
The article focuses on how the Obama administration is revamping its efforts to
counter Islamic States propaganda. I was intrigued by the article title and wanted to learn
how the U.S. was going to intensify their efforts and exactly what that entailed. The
article mentions and describes the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism at the beginning
of the article. The author does not mention this State Department agency until later on in
the article. Below is the paragraph that occurs later in the article
Created at the direction of Mr. Obama in 2011, the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism
Communications has coordinated countermessaging against extremist groups, mainly
aligned with Al Qaeda, and devised ways to counter extremists narratives. It also
employs so-called digital outreach specialists fluent in Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi and Somali
to counter terrorist propaganda and misinformation about the United States on the
Internet in real time.
I would have moved this paragraph and further discussion of the department to
earlier in the article. Specifically, I would have moved it to right after the paragraph that
initially describes how the new plan will expand the Center for Strategic
Counterterrorism. I think the article would have flowed better if introduced an overview
of the plan, provided information about the department, then included how expanding it
will help target propaganda.
More investigation into previous actions made by the department would have
improved the article. I would like to have read about examples of how the department
used to run and how expanding it will change the way it operates. The end of the article
provides a few select quotes from people that provide little optimism for the new U.S.
efforts against ISIS messages. Many officials questioned previous efforts. For example,
the following quote from Nicholas Rasmussen was added at the end of the article:
Unfortunately, as we all know, the government is probably not the best platform to try to
communicate with the set of actors who are potentially vulnerable to this kind of
propaganda and this kind of recruitment, Nicholas Rasmussen, the director of the
National Counterterrorism Center, told the Senate Intelligence Committee last week.
I would have added other quotes or examples that expressed optimism in the new
efforts. A combination of opinions would have strengthened the article. The author could
have added a quote from the President or other official supporting the decision to move
forward with the plan.

Article 3:
The S.N.L. 40th-Anniversary Show: Very Funny, Except When It Wasnt
By Alessandra Stanley
NY Times 2/16/15
The article establishes the authors overall opinion of the S.N.L 40th Anniversary
Show, which aired Sunday, February 15th. The author analyzes high points and low points
of the episode. The overall tone of the article is unimpressed and underwhelmed by the
show. I think the authors opinion gets lost in the article. It is unclear whether she
completely enjoyed or hated the show. I think the author should have taken more of a
definitive opinion and wrote about it. In the paragraph below, the author discusses how
some of the sketches were unsuccessful and discourages how the guests were utilized:
Some of the live sketches were too lame and too long; it didnt help that they were
placed next to montages of clips from some of the shows most memorable moments
from decades past. And not every guest was put to the best use. (Taylor Swift didnt sing,
and Kanye West did, lying on the floor under a large illuminated white sheet that made
him look as if he were in a tanning booth.)
This passage leads the read to assume the author was disappointed with the show.
However, the author immediately contradicts herself in the next paragraph and talks
about a successful part of the show. Below is the paragraph that follows:
Yet the special was still a high-spirited, generous tribute, self-mocking (there were
several jokes about the shows lack of diversity and overly drawn-out live skits), as well
as self-congratulatory. Some of it was awkward. After a huge, minutes-long buildup by
Chris Rock, Mr. Murphy didnt try to amuse, and despite getting a standing ovation, said
almost nothing before the show cut to commercial. Mr. Chase also seemed startled to be
there. But it was the flashbacks to their youth that made it fun.
The article would have been more effective if it were clearer. Its as if the author
is trying to hold back her complete disappointment in the show. She should have changed
the direction of the article if she was not going to be definitive. If I were the author, I
would have done more research about how the show was perceived by others. From
there, I would build my argument around these perceptions and the opinions people have
had about the show over the years. The author points out that the show has definitely left
a legacy and had an impact on American culture. She writes:
There has never been a comedy farm team like S.N.L.: The series has been finding
and nurturing talent for so many decades, waxing and waning in quality, but never
ceasing to feed the movie and television systems with a next generation of standouts.
The article could have been stronger if the author focused on S.N.L. as an entire
series as opposed to the specifics of this single episode. The article ultimately discredits
the long lasting success of the show and its ability to remain popular for decades.