This week's top five new journalism professor job openings in the U.S.

Editor's Note: Every week, we highlight what we consider the top five new journalism professor job openings posted during the week across the United States. Several news reports have documented the increase in the number of U.S. college students majoring in journalism this year, and there are plenty of professor openings announced every week at journalism schools.

1. Sam Houston State University in Texas seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "The MCM Department seeks to hire two dynamic teacher-scholars who have research and teaching interests in digital media, online journalism, social media, and other topics related to digital production (reception, policy, technology, aesthetics, interactivity, and storytelling, among others). We are particularly interested in individuals who can develop undergraduate courses in multi-media and cross-platform production and take a leadership role in graduate teaching and advising."

2. Georgia Southern University seeks an assistant professor in journalism. The job listing states, "Reporting to the Department Chair, the Assistant Professor of Journalism will teach basic and advanced courses in reporting/writing, journalistic practice and ethics, along with media and society and media theory. Also expected are contributions to scholarship, and student advising. The position is a 9-month appointment, and the salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience."

3. American University in Washington, D.C., seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "The nationally accredited Journalism program of The School of Communication at American University, Washington, D.C., is seeking an experienced journalist with a strong record/expertise in health, science, and/or environmental journalism for a tenure-track position beginning in August 2010. The successful applicant could have additional business, government, and/or public policy expertise."

4. Oklahoma State University seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "The applicant should be able to teach a wide spectrum of courses in the school, including strategic writing, advertising, public relations, strategic communication campaigns and research at both the bachelor's and master's levels. Knowledge of and experience with the new media environment and global outreach is a plus."

5. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks an assistant professor in public relations journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "Professional experience in public relations and interests in (1) social media/impact of new technology on the profession, (2) health communication, and/or (3) international public relations are a plus."

10 most influential journalists on Twitter

Each week, we rank the top 10 most influential journalists on Twitter. This is not a list of the most active or the most followed journalists. This is a list of the most influential ones. While our rankings take into account a journalist's total number of followers and total number of tweets, the most important factor is the daily average of the number of times a journalist's tweets have been re-tweeted by other Twitter users.


Top 10 Most Influential Journalists on Twitter for the week of 8/28/09

1. Larry King (broadcast journalist with CNN)
Last Week: 1, Peak: 1, Weeks on Chart: 2

2. Bill Simmons (electronic journalist with ESPN)
Last Week: 9, Peak: 2, Weeks on Chart: 2

3. George Stephanopoulos (broadcast journalist with ABC)
Last Week: 3, Peak: 2, Weeks on Chart: 3

4. Ana Marie Cox (broadcast journalist with Air America radio)
Last Week: 4, Peak: 3, Weeks on Chart: 3

5. Rachel Maddow (broadcast journalist with MSNBC)
Last Week: 2, Peak: 2, Weeks on Chart: 2

6. John Dickerson (electronic journalist with Slate)
Last Week: 6, Peak: 5, Weeks on Chart: 3

7. David Gregory (broadcast journalist with NBC)
Last Week: 5, Peak: 4, Weeks on Chart: 3

8. David Pogue (print journalist with The New York Times)
Last Week: -, Peak: 8, Weeks on Chart: 1

9. Jack Gray (broadcast journalist with CNN)
Last Week: 10, Peak: 8, Weeks on Chart: 3

10. Scott Simon (broadcast journalist with National Public Radio)
Last Week: 8, Peak: 7, Weeks on Chart: 3


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If you're not already doing so, make sure you follow Scooping the News on Twitter for daily blog updates, journalism news and links to stories across the Web.

10 online tools for journalists starting blogs

Editor's Note: Scooping the News began as a blog in January of this year, and we posted our first tweet Feb. 17. In the last six months, we've gained more than 900 followers on Twitter and watched our blog traffic double every month. Less than two weeks ago, more than 1,300 absolute unique visitors came to this site in just one day. If you're starting a blog, here are 10 online tools for you that we consider essential.

1. Google Analytics -- If you're going to start a blog, then you'll want to know if anyone is reading your work. Reader comments are not a good way to measure Web traffic. Google Analytics provides a wealth of data about the number of absolute unique visitors, page views, the amount of time people spend on your site, the browser used by visitors, how visitors found your site and the countries where your readers are located. Data is available for you every day and charts are provided for you to track readership across the days, weeks, months and years.

2. Twitter -- If you're trying to boost your readership, then Twitter is your No. 1 online tool. Never before has it been so easy to market and promote a product. By establishing a Twitter account and tweeting on a daily basis, you will become part of an online community and drum up interest in your own work. You can use Twitter to promote your latest blog post, complete with a link, and you can discuss your interests and opinions with others. There is a fine line, though, between tweeting enough to make people aware of your latest post and over-tweeting a blog post. Do not tweet nine or 10 times about the same blog post in one day. At most, tweet about the same post two or three times at different parts of the day.

3. bit.ly -- In the Twitter age, it's all about writing in a concise manner. You thought working for a newspaper or magazine required you to write tight. Well, when it comes to Twitter, you're going to get a new definition of what writing tight means (140 characters or less). So, imagine trying to cram one of these long hyperlinks into a short message. Well, bit.ly makes things easier by reducing those horribly long hyperlinks to 12 characters. Even better, bit.ly allows you to track how many times your shortened link is clicked and you get data on what countries the people are from that clicked on the link. Since Google Analytics data isn't available until the next day, you get an early look at your blog's traffic.

4. Save the Media -- A 20-year veteran newspaper journalist runs this blog that is an outstanding resource for anyone starting a blog. Gina Chen is always dishing out essential advice for bloggers on everything from what to include on your blog to how to promote your work. Do yourself a favor and read through her various tips. Even if you don't follow all her tips, you will certainly find a few that will make your blogging experience more enjoyable.

5. Google -- There isn't much to say about this super search engine that you don't already know. In addition to allowing you to search the Web for any topic you can imagine, what's nice about Google is that you can also conduct searches of blogs only. It never hurts to read other blogs. You may get an idea for a post, or you may just find someone new to read.

6. WeFollow -- If you're looking to establish an online presence, then you must become a part of this Web directory today. Yes, you need a Twitter account to register with WeFollow. When you become part of this directory, you can choose different categories (newspapers, journalism, etc.) that you want to be listed under. Choose categories that fit the theme of your blog. That way people interested in those subjects will find you.

7. Muck Rack -- Like many sites on this list, Muck Rack hasn't been around for long. Also, like many sites on this list, Muck Rack is quickly becoming a popular online community. This is a site for journalists who Twitter, and this site will open your eyes to what topics journalists are discussing and just how many of them are now blogging. It provides links to stories and shows which journalists are tweeting the most every day. Muck Rack is a fantastic site for finding journalist to follow on Twitter.

8. Amazon Kindle Publishing -- As more e-readers hit the market, it's absolutely necessary that your blog be available for those wishing to subscribe via their Kindle. Is there a big chunk of money to be made from making your blog available on the Kindle? No. Will at least one person out there take advantage of being to get your blog on their Kindle? I hope so. The bottom line is there is nothing to lose by making your blog available and there is everything to gain.

9. Wikipedia -- Much like Google, there isn't much left to say about Wikipedia that you don't already know. While information on this site might not always be 100 percent accurate, you can still use this online encyclopedia as a starting point for a more extensive Web search. If you're trying to find information about a topic for your blog, this is an excellent place to start. Once you've tracked down some information here, attempt to confirm the information and add to it by visiting other sites on the Web.

10. Mashable -- If you're starting a blog with very little knowledge about this innovative world of social media, then Mashable is a great resource tool that will educate you on how to navigate this electronic environment and all its various tools.

Also, if you're not doing so already, follow Scooping the News on Twitter.

Five realities in the digital journalism era

Editor's Note: The statements below will be explored and described extensively in the upcoming book, tentatively titled Scooping the News: Rethinking the newsroom in the digital journalism era, slated for publication in early 2011.

1. The death of print newspapers as a primary news source for the majority of consumers took place in 1989. Print newspapers will always exist somewhere, but the Internet officially became a big news source in 1989. Why 1989? That is the year that Internet service first became available to the general public all across the United States, and many people took advantage of the new technology immediately. By 1992, I was using Prodigy. Remember that ISP? While early connections might have been slow and we didn't have a ton of fancy search engines, we did gain a news source with unlimited potential.

2. Traditional news media outlets such as newspapers, magazines, radio and television must embrace social media or risk becoming yesterday's news. The list of major news stories that broke first on Twitter is growing every day. Remember "The Miracle on the Hudson" and how the first news of it popped up on Twitter? Within minutes a Twitter user was being interviewed live on television by a major cable news network. Not only is social media a great way to distribute news, but it's the best way to connect with readers.

3. A large percentage of editors and publishers working in today's news industry lack the sense of urgency they should have in this changing media landscape. Why are some newspapers and magazine still lacking a real presence on Twitter? A real presence requires more than just establishing a Twitter account and posting the latest headlines with links. A real presence requires that editors and publishers actually engage in conversation with readers and participate in the discussion of the news items generating the most buzz among your most important clients -- the readers.

4. Print media are becoming less and less relevant, and there is no one solution that will save all the newspapers and magazines. This is a scary reality for many journalists employed by traditional print media outlets, but it's also a reality that they must acknowledge in order to preserve their careers. If you're working for a newspaper or magazine where layoffs, pay cuts and unpaid vacations are becoming the norm, then you might need to explore other options in the new media landscape. There are plenty of online news sources experiencing success. Do your research and find them. Until you land a new job, start a blog, tweet your ideas and create your new identity in journalism.

5. News consumers are now taking the place of news providers thanks to all the opportunities provided by Twitter, Facebook and whatever the next big social media network will be called. We all can have a voice in the distribution and discussion of news, and 140-characters-or-less messages are having just as big an impact as banner headlines above the fold once had. Ever notice those messages that get re-tweeted dozens, even hundreds, of times? We really don't need these news aggregator sites, because in a sense we're all news aggregators. That's what you become every time you e-mail, tweet or re-tweet a link to a news story.

Top 5 new journalism professor job openings

Editor's Note: Every Monday, we feature what we consider the top five new journalism professor job openings for the week in the United States. Just as there are still newspaper jobs, enrollment in journalism schools is increasing across the country. That means there are plenty of teaching opportunities available.

Here are the top five new journalism professor job openings for this week in the United States:

1. The University of Tennessee in Knoxville seeks an assistant professor in journalism. The job listing states, "We seek an individual with solid journalism experience and a strong academic background who can teach journalistic writing, reporting and editing, and is knowledgeable in converged media issues and web journalism. Ph.D. required at time of appointment. The successful candidate will join a fully converged journalism program with news, magazine, media management, science communication, visual communication and sports journalism tracks."

2. The University of Alabama seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "The successful candidate will be expected to have a strong background and teaching specialty in emerging media, including digital multimedia production and online journalism. An interest in emerging media’s role in building community is also welcome, given the department’s community journalism emphasis at the graduate level. Qualifications for the tenure-track position include a Ph.D. or other terminal degree by starting date. At minimum, all candidates must have a master’s degree and substantial professional experience. Other preferred qualifications include successful college teaching experience and a record of scholarship or creative activity appropriate for the position sought."

3. North Carolina A&T State University seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "Teach courses in public relations as well as other conceptual courses in the professional and conceptual aspects of journalism and mass communications; undertake initiatives in teaching, research, production, and/or criticism in specialty; conduct research that results in peer-reviewed publications; advise students; provide service to department, College of Arts and Sciences, University, professional, and general communities."

4. The University of Southern Indiana in Evansville seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "The department of Communications at the University of Southern Indiana is seeking a colleague for a tenure-track appointment as Assistant Professor of Journalism beginning August 2010. The successful candidate will be qualified to teach basic and advanced journalism, editing and layout, public affairs reporting, as well as editorial and feature writing and literacy journalism. Ph.D. in journalism or a related mass communication area required. Preference will be given to applicants with prior professional experience in journalism and/or undergraduate journalism teaching experience."

5. Roger Williams University in Rhode Island seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "Primary responsibilities include teaching courses in the Journalism program, developing new courses that address the role of Internet-based media in contemporary news practices, and supporting the major by teaching foundation courses. Other responsibilities include assisting in curriculum design and program development related to the Journalism concentration in particular and the Communication major in general, advising and mentoring students, and serving on college and university committees. An active agenda of scholarly and/or creative professional activities is expected."

If you're not already doing so, follow Scooping the News on Twitter.

Scooping the News ranks this week's top 10 most influential journalists on Twitter

Editor's Note: Each week, we rank the top 10 most influential journalists on Twitter. This is not a list of the most active journalists or the most followed ones. This is a list of the most influential ones.

Our weekly rankings take into account each journalist's total number of followers and total number of tweets. Most importantly, these rankings are influenced by the average number of times per day that a journalist's tweets are then re-tweeted by other Twitter users.

Top 10 Most Influential Journalists on Twitter

1. Larry King (Last Week: --, Peak: 1, Total Weeks on Chart: 1)

2. Rachel Maddow (Last Week: --, Peak: 2, Total Weeks on Chart: 1)

3. George Stephanopoulos (Last Week: 2, Peak: 2, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

4. Ana Marie Cox (Last Week: 3, Peak: 3, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

5. David Gregory (Last Week: 4, Peak: 4, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

6. John Dickerson (Last Week: 5, Peak: 5, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

7. Anderson Cooper (Last Week: 9, Peak: 7, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

8. Scott Simon (Last Week: 7, Peak: 7, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

9. Bill Simmons (Last Week: --, Peak: 9, Total Weeks on Chart: 1)

10. Jack Gray (Last Week: 8, Peak: 8, Total Weeks on Chart: 2)

If you're not doing so already, make sure you follow Scooping the News on Twitter. Also, starting next week, a brief bio will accompany each of the journalists that rank in the top 10.

The top newspaper job openings this week

Note: Every Wednesday, Scooping the News identifies five job openings at U.S. newspapers. This information demonstrates that newspaper jobs still exist despite all the layoffs, and we focus on jobs in editing, reporting, designing and photography.

Here are the five U.S. newspaper job openings we decided to highlight this week:

1. The Washington Times seeks a Web producer. The job listing states, "The Washington Times is looking for a Web producer to post breaking news reports and stories that appear in the print product. The job involves evening and weekend hours. The candidate should have sharp news judgment, possess solid editing skills, know AP style well, have a basic knowledge of HTML or XML, have a basic knowledge of the software Ellington, be able to work well in teams and alone, have initiative and be a self-starter, and remain cool and competent under deadline pressure."

2. The Waco Tribune-Herald in Texas seeks a news reporter. The job listing states, "The Tribune-Herald is seeking a reporter who brings previous reporting experience, initiative and a healthy curiosity to the table. Reporters are expected to regularly produce enterprise and watchdog stories, along with regular developments on their beats. We are seeking a hard worker who knows how to develop sources and find the news. The successful applicant will be versed in correct newspaper style and grammar, and have an obsession with accuracy."

3. Thomson Reuters seeks a news reporter in Washington, D.C. The job listing states, "The successful candidate will take the lead in writing major aspects of the financial crimes story from Washington. The emphasis will be on building strong sources to break news important to investors about U.S. Justice Department and FBI investigations of white-collar crimes growing out of the financial crisis. You will also help to lead a team of other correspondents in Washington, New York and elsewhere who are covering financial crimes within the companies and with correspondents on political and general news teams. You will also coordinate with correspondents and editors around the world, in particular with financial industry centres such as London, Zurich and Hong Kong, often writing cross-border stories."

4. The Dallas Morning News seeks an investigative reporter. The job listing states, "The Dallas Morning News Austin Bureau is looking for a versatile, energetic investigative reporter with data-mining skills and a thirst for breaking news in the largest, most experienced Texas Capitol bureau. Candidates should have at least three years experience, preferably in covering government or individual agencies. The position predominantly is geared toward hard-hitting, short-term project work, so candidates should be inquisitive, self-starting and fully versed in Excel/Access, open-records work, computer-assisted reporting and deep Internet research."

5. The Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee seeks a continuous news editor. The job listing states, "The Knoxville News Sentinel is looking for a continuous news editor for business and metro. The position is responsible for directing a staff of 25 writers and editors covering business and local news for the print and electronic products of East Tennessee's largest news organization. A successful candidate will have a passion for breaking news and watchdog reporting, absolute integrity and devotion to the tenets of journalism, and at least five years experience managing in a multimedia newsroom."

Top 5 new journalism professor job openings

Editor's Note: This is a sneak preview of what you can expect every Monday, starting Aug. 24. We will feature what we consider the top five new journalism professor job openings for the week in the United States. Just as there are still newspaper jobs, enrollment in journalism schools is increasing across the country. That means there are plenty of teaching opportunities available.

Here are the top five new journalism professor job openings for this week in the United States:

1. The University of Texas in Arlington seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "UT Arlington seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Journalism beginning Fall 2010. Applicants with Ph.D.s are preferred; ABDs will be considered. Candidate should demonstrate a record of, or potential for, excellence in social scientific research, teaching, and service appropriate to the rank."

2. Ohio University in Athens seeks an assistant professor in multimedia journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "Candidates should have earned a terminal degree such as Ph.D. or M.F.A. Applicants with ABD status are acceptable, with the understanding that the dissertation must be completed within one year of hire. Candidates with a master's degree, significant experience and a national reputation may be considered."

3. Indiana University in Bloomington seeks lecturers in several areas of journalism (non-tenure-track positions). The job listing states, "Indiana University's School of Journalism on the Bloomington campus seeks applicants for new lecturer positions in areas such as advertising, graphic design, magazine, multimedia, online journalism and public relations. Initial contracts are for three years, with renewals possible."

4. The University of Oregon in Eugene seeks an assistant professor in online journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "The successful candidate will have professional experience in online journalism, a demonstrated commitment to teaching, and to scholarship and/or creative activity in the field. An advanced degree and either teaching experience or demonstrated potential for university teaching are required. Preferred candidates will hold the Ph.D., or have a strong professional portfolio."

5. Ball State University in Indiana seeks an assistant professor in journalism (tenure-track position). The job listing states, "Responsibilities: opportunities for teaching undergraduate courses in multimedia storytelling, emerging media, writing and editing across platforms and graduate courses in theories, research methods and management; program leadership opportunities in the news-editorial sequence."

Scooping the News announces honor roll: Most innovative daily paper Web sites for '09

Earlier this summer, we began evaluating five U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites per week, and we ended up issuing innovation report cards for 45 publications. Only daily newspapers with a minimum print circulation of 100,000 were evaluated. What appears below is our 2009 honor roll of the most innovative U.S. metro daily newspapers' Web sites. These are the best of the big newspapers when it comes to Web innovation.

To access the complete series with all 45 evaluations, click here. Also, if you're not doing so already, make sure you follow Scooping the News on Twitter.

The Indianapolis Star: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 12.

The Arizona Republic: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

Star Tribune in Minneapolis: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

San Francisco Chronicle: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

The Orange County Register: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

The Denver Post: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

The Baltimore Sun: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 12.

Houston Chronicle: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

Knoxville News Sentinel: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

The Miami Herald: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

Scooping the News ranks this week's top 10 most influential journalists on Twitter

Editor's Note: This is the debut of a new feature that we'll publish every Friday. Each week, we will rank the top 10 most influential journalists on Twitter. This is not a list of the most active journalists or the most followed ones. This is a list of the most influential ones.

Our weekly rankings take into account each journalist's total number of followers and total number of tweets. Most importantly, these rankings are influenced by the average number of times per day that a journalist's tweets are then re-tweeted by other Twitter users.

Top 10 Most Influential Journalists on Twitter

1. Ann Curry

2. George Stephanopoulos

3. Ana Marie Cox

4. David Gregory

5. John Dickerson

6. Greg Mitchell

7. Scott Simon

8. Jack Gray

9. Anderson Cooper

10. Nicholas Kristof

If you're not doing so already, make sure you follow Scooping the News on Twitter.

Which journalists should you follow online?

Who are the most influential journalists on Twitter? Find out Friday in a new weekly feature from Scooping the News. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter.

The top newspaper job openings this week

Note: Every Wednesday, Scooping the News identifies five job openings at U.S. newspapers. This information demonstrates that newspaper jobs still exist despite all the layoffs, and we focus on jobs in editing, reporting, designing and photography.

Here are the five U.S. newspaper job openings we decided to highlight this week:

1. Seattlepi.com seeks a night and weekend producer/editor/reporter. The job listing states,"Must be able to write headlines, blog posts, stories and other content with speed, accuracy, fairness, voice and flair. Must be comfortable multitasking and juggling complex workflows, must understand how and when to use maps, charts, video, audio and multimedia and be able to edit everything from a simple blog post to a complex news story. Must have worked as an editor and reporter for a minimum of 2 years each."

2. The Naples Daily News in Florida seeks a business staff writer. The job listing states, "The successful applicant will have the ability to juggle daily stories, quick turnaround postings for the Web as well as reach into the community for stories on interesting people and events. Ability to shoot video, familiarity with audio recording or willingness to learn other multimedia story techniques is a plus. Applicants must have a bachelor's degree with a major or minor in journalism, communications, English or a related field."

3. The Corpus Christi Caller-Times in Texas seeks a copy editor. The job listing states, "Scripps Texas Central Desk, which produces four newspapers in the state, welcomes highly motivated, creative journalists with experience in page design and copyediting to apply to our team, based in seaside Corpus Christi. Web knowledge/skills required. Steadiness on deadline and willingness to communicate with co-workers within newsroom and outside also necessary. This is a fast-paced environment with strict publication deadlines."

4. The Colorado Daily seeks a news reporter. The job listing states, "We're looking for a creative reporter who will find new, interesting and fun ways to chronicle -- both in print and online -- the daily lives of CU's students, whether that be covering breaking campus news, examining the latest college trends or simply writing about what they do for fun on Thursday nights. Applicants must have a college degree and, preferably, one to two years' professional newspaper experience; be clean, fast and proficient writers; and be Web savvy and well-versed in the latest online media and social-networking tools."

5. The Kansas City Star seeks a Web designer. The job listing states, "The successful candidate will work with newsroom managers, editors and end users to conceptualize, plan and design on-line products. Projects will cover a wide range of possibilities from adding widgets to existing sites to building complex new websites. The ideal candidate must display excellent written and oral skills with demonstrated interpersonal and organization abilities. The web designer will be expected to keep up to date with advances in design technology and to apply these advances to existing products as needed."

Five more newspaper Web sites evaluated

Note: Each week, Scooping the News selects five U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites and evaluates how well they are performing in three out of these five areas used to define innovation. Newspapers with a minimum daily print circulation of 100,000 receive scores. This weekly report card shows who is innovating and who isn't. Innovative newspapers attract online readers.

Scooping the News evaluated the following five newspaper Web sites on their design/navigation, reader presence and evidence of continuous updates. Each newspaper received a score ranging from 1 to 4 (1 = no innovation, 2 = limited innovation, 3 = good innovation and 4 = significant innovation). The total of these scores provides an innovation composite score.

1. The Star-Ledger: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 1; and evidence of continuous updates = 3. Innovation composite score = 6.

2. St. Louis Post-Dispatch: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 10.

3. The Kansas City Star: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 9.

4. The Indianapolis Star: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 4; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 12.

5. San Jose Mercury News: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 2. Innovation composite score = 6.

To review the five newspapers evaluated August 3, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 27, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 20, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 13, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 6, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 29, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 22, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 15, click here.

Newspaper access fees destined for failure

The big newspaper industry development this week is the announcement that access fees are coming to all News Corp. online sites. The corporation's chairman, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, is convinced that this plan will be an incredible success. Murdoch is on record as saying that access fees will help newspapers generate a much-needed source of revenue from their online sites. Murdoch is confident that more newspaper chains will adopt fees once News Corp. succeeds.

Unfortunately, much like the many attempts previously made by the newspaper industry to adapt to the Internet during the past 20 years, this latest idea for generating revenue online is destined for the same kind of failure pop-up advertisements met a few years ago. The appeal of the Internet for news consumers is the sheer number of free sources of information. News consumers have no shortage of blogs, podcasts and Web sites to choose from when seeking information.

Here are the five primary reasons why online access fees will not ultimately generate a great deal of revenue for newspapers and why they certainly will not save reporters' jobs.

1. The Internet is a vast sea of resources for anyone wishing to produce and/or consume news. It's cheap to start a Web site, and that means anyone with Internet access can join in on the news conversation. Where radio stations and television networks are limited in terms of expanding because of their formats and expenses, the opportunities for creating and distributing news on the Internet are limitless.

2. The concept of free information is a popular concept on the Web and it's something news consumers enjoy. If one site builds a pay wall, a free site will pop up next to it. When given a choice to access information at a price or to get the same news for free, which option are consumers most likely to choose? We want our information now and we want it free. Look for free competitors to keep popping up.

3. The newspaper industry never before relied on circulation revenue for its survival, but now leaders such as Murdoch seem to think money from readers can save everything. Why are newspapers failing to realize that they can't count on charging readers as a way to save everything? Obviously, with the decline in online advertising revenue, newspapers are grasping at anything that might bring in money.

4. While many newspapers have failed to establish an innovative online presence for the majority of the Web explosion that's been taking place over the last 20 years, many other news sources have flourished with products that appeal to consumers. Intelligent individuals have created and maintained these essential online sites. If charging access fees actually worked, those same intelligent people would have already done so. Can't newspapers learn from others?

5. Right now, many newspapers lack great online content that demonstrates that talented journalists are employed by them. I have no doubt that talented journalists are employed by newspapers. But, I also know many of them are stretched far too thin thanks to layoffs. Newspapers must offer unique content in order to become popular news sources again. Who is going to pay an access fee to read stories available elsewhere on the Web?

Remembering five classic John Hughes films

This column has absolutely nothing to do with the newspaper industry. Instead, this is a column about five films that achieved critical and box office success. All five films came about because of a talented man named John Hughes. That accomplished 59-year-old man died suddenly Thursday of a heart attack. While Hughes stepped out of the limelight in the early 1990s, his films have continued to impact and affect people.

Here are five of Hughes' films that I adore. If you've never experienced Hughes' work, or if it's just been a while, check out these five films. Whether they are timeless commentaries on youth in the United States, or comedic takes on holidays such as Christmas, all five of them are celebrations of excellent writing, directing and acting. Below this list of movies is a video clip of a documentary being produced about John Hughes and a clip featuring scenes from his films.

1. The Breakfast Club (1985). Hughes wrote, produced and directed this important movie about what life is like for teens attending high school. Ten years later when I started writing for my high school newspaper, this film was still popular and we talked about it in the newsroom on a regular basis. What clique were you in during high school?

2. Christmas Vacation (1989). Hughes wrote and produced this holiday classic that is easily watched more than a dozen times every Christmas in my home. As with all of Hughes' films, Christmas Vacation managed to somehow work emotional, serious moments into scenes filled with comedic genius. How many of us have had holidays this crazy?

3. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). Hughes wrote, produced and directed this film that launched the careers of Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck and Ben Stein. This is another great commentary on the life of teenagers both at home and at school. It's a film about teenager dreams and fantasies. Did you live out this film in your own life?

4. Home Alone (1990). Hughes wrote and produced this film about a boy who gets left at home while the rest of his family flies to Europe for Christmas. This film introduced the world to a young director named Chris Columbus and an even younger actor named Macaulay Culkin. Overall, it has one of the best casts of any movie made in the 1990s. Have you seen it?

5. Weird Science (1985). Hughes wrote and directed this often forgotten film. Not only does the cast include Anthony Michael Hall and a young Bill Paxton, but it introduced the world to a rising actor named Robert Downey Jr. This was Hughes' one foray into the sci-fi world, but it retained the comedic genius of his other work. Have you ever heard of this film?

Finally, if you've made it this far in the column, read the best John Hughes obituary on the Web (from the Chicago Tribune). Here is the last published interview ever conducted with Hughes from January of this year.

The top newspaper job openings this week

Note: Every Wednesday, Scooping the News identifies five job openings at U.S. newspapers. This information demonstrates that newspaper jobs still exist despite all the layoffs, and we focus on jobs in editing, reporting, designing and photography.

Here are the five U.S. newspaper job openings we decided to highlight this week:

1. The New York Post seeks an associate metropolitan editor. The job listing states, "The New York Post is seeking a sharp, tough-minded, experienced and energetic associate metro editor who is able to thrive in a fast-moving, highly charged atmosphere. The job includes developing story ideas, managing reporters, collaborating with photo editors, updating the paper’s vibrant, highly popular Website and editing copy under heavy deadline pressure. The position provides rarely a dull moment but requires an iron will."

2. The Salt Lake Tribune seeks a Spanish language writer/editor. The job listing states, "Ahora Utah, a Spanish-language weekly newspaper serving northern Utah's vibrant Latino population, seeks a skilled journalist for full-time employment. Candidates should have at least three years experience in writing and editing news copy in Spanish. Experience with page layout/design is a plus, as is a knowledge of Salt Lake City and its surroundings. Ahora Utah is a free newspaper (distribution: 15,000 per week) published by The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's largest daily newspaper."

3. The Sandusky Register in Ohio seeks an online producer. The job listing states, "You'll be a part of our newsroom and be in charge of keeping sanduskyregister.com fresh with stories, photos, video, other interactive ventures and live streaming from various events in our coverage area. The online producer position will work under the umbrella of the newly created multimedia department and directly with the chief photographer as well as coordinating efforts with the news editors, our sports department and design desk."

4. The New York Times Company seeks a Web newsroom intern. The job listing states, "The internship in the Web newsroom involves participating both in the packaging of online news in The Times's fast-paced newsroom, as well as assisting in the development of interactive projects and features for internal content management systems. The intern will work with producers, reporters and editors who work on both the Web site and the newspaper. He or she will assist in the production of stories for various sections; developing interactive features with Flash. Archiving and research tasks will also be associated with both breaking news events and enterprise stories."

5. The Herald Times Reporter in Wisconsin seeks a news reporter. The job listing states, "The Herald Times Reporter in Manitowoc seeks a versatile journalist to join our award-winning news staff. The successful candidate will generate local content for print and online, focusing on public schools and three local colleges. Our reporters also handle general assignments and have the opportunity to take on projects, flip videos and blogs. The successful candidate will post to our Web site and write for the front page of the daily newspaper from day one."

Five more newspaper Web sites evaluated

Note: Each week, Scooping the News selects five U.S. daily newspapers' Web sites and evaluates how well they are performing in three out of these five areas used to define innovation. Newspapers with a minimum daily print circulation of 100,000 receive scores. This weekly report card shows who is innovating and who isn't. Innovative newspapers attract online readers.

Scooping the News evaluated the following five newspaper Web sites on their design/navigation, reader presence and evidence of continuous updates. Each newspaper received a score ranging from 1 to 4 (1 = no innovation, 2 = limited innovation, 3 = good innovation and 4 = significant innovation). The total of these scores provides an innovation composite score.

1. USA Today: This is what the Web site looks like today. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 10.

2. The Washington Post: This is what the Web site looks like today. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 9.

3. The Arizona Republic: This is what the Web site looks like today. Area scores: design/navigation = 4; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 11.

4. The Plain Dealer: This is what the Web site looks like today. Area scores: design/navigation = 2; reader presence = 2; and evidence of continuous updates = 4. Innovation composite score = 8.

5. Detroit Free Press: This is what the Web site looks like today. Area scores: design/navigation = 3; reader presence = 3; and evidence of continuous updates = 3. Innovation composite score = 9.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 27, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 20, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 13, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated July 6, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 29, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 22, click here.

To review the five newspapers evaluated June 15, click here.