Writing Assignment No. 1 — Compare two issues of the Arkansas Gazette

200 points, due by 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 5 — NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!

500 words (minimum), typed, double-spaced, turned in in class.

You must staple to your paper copies of the microfilm illustrating the issues you address.

Before you decide which issues you would like to compare, read some background here:

http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2344



Here is the assignment:

Compare two issues of the Arkansas Gazette. The first should come from a date between 1819-Oct. 29, 1986 (family ownership); the other should come from the Gannett era (Oct. 30, 1986-Oct. 18, 1991, the final day of the Gazette).

In your paper, compare both the newspaper (media) as well as society. You might look for color, size of type, size of columns, ad content and display, word choice, subject matter, size of headlines, separation of sections, etc. Don't just look at the front page; look all the way through and include your observations. For example, is there a separate editorial section? Are there letters to the editor? If so, how many? What are some subjects addressed? How much sports coverage is there? Is there a separate business section? Is there much international news? Etc.

Do you see evidence of family vs. corporate ownership?
You should have an introductory paragraph and then three paragraphs addressing a different topic of comparison. Your concluding paragraph should sum up what you found and also include your personal observations. What do you like about the editions? What do you dislike? What can today's media learn from these two editions?

Come see me if you have any questions.