Design It

MICHAEL D. NEWGREN

**** ********** ***** **, **

Washington, D.C. 20008

651-***-**** Cell

*********@*******.***

MICHAEL NEWGREN'S PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

**** **********, ***** *** *******

In the two years since Michael brought his extensive newspaper experience

to Stars and Stripes, our section has steadily improved. That change is no

coincidence. His editing skills, news judgment, institutional knowledge and

flair for design have had a marked effect on our pages and, I believe, his

work has made an impact on the work of his colleagues. That influence isn't

always easy to see. Michael's effect on the newspaper is at my fingertips,

five days a week, in black and white.

It's also in red, as in red pen. He is a thorough proofreader, and I always

read his corrections in an effort to benefit from his considerable

experience and, hopefully, avoid repeating my mistakes. Michael's editing

most definitely is a notable strong point in a skill set full of strengths.

His work also has helped the other copy editors improve and maintain a high

level of quality, even after the retirement of another veteran editor this

year.

Line editing doesn't get nearly the attention devoted to layout, so Michael

might have to rely on this evaluation to realize that his copy editing is

getting noticed. He's not hurting for compliments, though, as his design

work is consistently among the best produced by the desk. As one of his

colleagues recently said to me during his annual evaluation, "Michael is a

tough act to follow." He is, but that has had a positive effect. All of the

other designers, even the ones who already had good skills, have risen to

the challenge rather than being intimidated. The stronger paginators have

improved, and the weaker ones have closed the gap.

Michael's considerable skills, perseverance and teamwork make him a leader

on the desk, one who exceeds all of our copy editor performance standards:

Editing articles - Michael is hands down the best copy editor on the sports

desk. He goes above and beyond just checking spelling, facts and grammar,

although he makes sure to do those things every time he handles a story. He

also has shown an advanced ability to spot holes in wire stories and

strengthen them with research and rewriting. He watches for discrepancies

between stories and captions, and finds the correct information. He spell

checks his pages and all of the pages he proofreads. Needless to say, I

don't find many careless mistakes on pages Michael has handled. He doesn't

limit his checking to our section, either, routinely checking headlines and

teasers for which he is not responsible, and has helped improve headlines

and teasers on the front as well as the back of the newspaper.

Design and layout - With several eye-popping back pages in the past year,

Michael has proven to be a tough act to follow for some of his fellow copy

editors. Although they might occasionally feel intimidated by his designs,

I think that overall it has had a positive effect, giving the others

inspiration to aspire to his high standard. He occasionally pushes a bit

too far outside our design style (which is sometimes where great pages

happen), but always is accommodating when asked to dial it back a bit.

Michael's inside pages also are well organized and within our standards,

and they exhibit creativity where other editors might turn in something run-

of-the-mill.

Headlines/cutlines - Again, this is an area of strength. Michael's

headlines are accurate 99 percent of the time, and he also knows when it's

OK to be a little bit cute or use a play on words. He also has an above-

average ability to recognize when it's best to not use someone's name in a

headline, perhaps referring to them as 'Idaho quarterback' rather than just

'Jones' if the majority of the readership is unlikely to know to whom the

headline refers. Michael's caption writing is yet another strong point, and

he also tops the department in this area. He takes the time to rewrite wire

captions, including pertinent information that complements the headline and

photo, and working to draw readers into the story. He tends to keep the

language a bit conversational, which I think is a nice touch, and writes

with a lighter tone when the situation allows.

Page flow - This has not been a big area of responsibility for Michael, as

I generally rely on editors who have been with me longer to make sure that

the pages are getting out in a timely fashion. But he always is aware of

the situation, working hard to get pages in early if need be, and knowing

when to cut it off if waiting for a baseball game that might cause us to

miss deadline. If I ask for a page to be finished at a designated time,

that's when I receive it. He has no problems merging pages from edition to

edition and zoning content when needed.

Review and selection of content - Michael, as one might expect from an

editor of his experience, has excellent news judgment, and frequently

suggests interesting stories on the wire that I might not have had time to

read. He scours the wire for such stories, and Is always on the lookout for

good military-related stories. He also has an excellent grasp of what makes

a good story, even if it's one we haven't seen on the wire. Frequently he

will bring this up in conversation, offering the angles he would pursue if

he were assigning a reporter to the story. That little bit of conversation,

which might only take up 30 seconds or a minute out of an eight-hour shift,

is incredibly valuable. It gets editors thinking about what constitutes a

good story, which leads to stronger copy editing when handling stories. It

also helps editors be aware of good story angles to watch out for on wire.

He points out two good examples in his self-evaluation, one about reshaping

the briefs and bringing to light a military angle by leading with Ralph

Houk's obit, and the other an example of seeing potential in a story about

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and then doing the homework to bring that story up to

its potential. Those examples perfectly illustrate his eye for potential in

stories and how they could be potentially enjoyed by our audience.

Photo and graphics - Michael has a great eye for photos, and knows how to

crop them and blow them up to give his designs some pop. He also works well

with the Graphics Department, particularly with Bev Schilling. They have

become quite a potent tandem, working in conjunction to turn out back pages

for which Michael has earned much praise.

Style - Michael is very knowledgeable in AP style, and has a good handle on

Stripes style, at least as it applies to the department. Most importantly,

he doesn't act like he knows it all. He uses all appropriate reference

materials when needed, and goes above and beyond in researching

information. When inserting information into stories, he doesn't rely on

his considerable knowledge, instead looking it up to make sure it is

correct.

Teamwork, attitude - Michael is, as we say in the business, a team player.

He's genuinely excited about good stories, good editing and good design. He

usually settles in for his shift by saying to me, "Dude, let's put out a

paper." And then he proceeds to help put out the best paper we can. He is

diligent in his proofreading, and he tries to make sure that we as a team

are putting our best foot forward. He readily takes on a heavier workload

when needed (such as now, when we are short-staffed) and he steps up when

called upon (such as during the massive snowstorms that hit D.C. in

February, when many of his colleagues couldn't get to work). He is liked by

his colleagues on the desk and has earned their respect.

Goals for the next 12 months

I need to get Michael more involved in improving the quality of the whole

newspaper. He has a lot of experience, and he has demonstrated on several

occasions an interest in helping to improve Page 1 headlines and teasers.

On more than one occasion he has saved us from an embarrassing mistake. I

think editors from other departments have recognized this. Regardless, I

have recognized it, and I'd be doing the organization a disservice if I

didn't push harder to see his talents fully utilized.

The department has been hearing for years about the quality of its work. In

the past two years, with the addition of Michael to the staff, they have

been challenged to keep earning that praise. His rating for the year is

"outstanding."

2009 Evaluation, Stars and Stripes

Michael came to Stars and Stripes with extensive writing, editing and

design experience, and all the desired skills for a member on our desk.

He is meticulous in his editing, fearlessly moving chunks of copy to get

pertinent information to the top, and freely tightening sentences and

paragraphs by rewriting them. He checks all information in his stories and

on his pages. If there are numbers, he makes sure they are correct. His

fact-checking is the most thorough on the desk. He uses the Stars and

Stripes and AP style books, the dictionary, the Internet. If he can't find

the answer, he asks around until he can.

Michael's design skills have made the biggest impact on the desk during his

first year with us. As soon as he had a working knowledge of the Prestige

system, Michael began producing head-turning pages that drew compliments

from his co-workers, editors on other desks and the graphics department.

Even more importantly, Michael's designs have fostered a healthy spirit of

competition in the department, and inspired his co-workers to strengthen

their designs. The results have been obvious, as the section has been

looking better than at any other time during my tenure as AME.

I don't know how closely news designers monitor the sports section, but I

hope that Michael's design work is having a similar effect throughout the

paper.

By praising Michael's work as a designer, I don't mean to sell short his

all-around editing skills. His skills are the most well-rounded in the

department.

He occasionally e-mails me from home with a suggestion for a headline

change between editions. To clarify, that means he's reading the e-paper on

his computer at home and contemplating how the section can be improved. I

can honestly say that Michael is the only editor I've ever employed who

read behind his co-workers on his day off.

It's important to note that Michael never flogs his co-workers with his

professionalism. Changes are suggested tactfully, with thoughtful

explanation as to why he thinks a different approach or word choice would

improve the paper.

Michael had a relatively short period of adjustment after coming over from

the Examiner. He got his bearings, grasped Stars and Stripes styles, and

quickly began producing head-turning designs. More importantly, he pushed

the other editors in the department to improve their performances.

I'm not sure that an editor, in his first year at a paper, can make a

bigger impact than raising the game of an entire department. That's what

Michael has done in the past 12 months.

His rating for the year is "outstanding."

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW

SACRAMENTO BEE

MICHAEL NEWGREN

MAY 3, 2006

SUPERVISOR COMMENTS

Michael,

You had another strong year. You continued to push us to be better --

whether it's design, story selection, headlines or just taking a fun

approach to newspapering.

You are that rare editor with the ability to switch back and forth from

words to visuals, and do both very well.

Please know that your work is valued and very much appreciated. Mort and I

want to see you continue to grow in your career, and to remain at The Bee.

Here are a few goals for the year ahead:

1) Keep pushing to make The Bee a better paper. You are an editor who

doesn't want to settle. You push to make your pages, your stories, your

headlines the best they can be. You also watch the paper as a whole,

offering ideas when you see something that can be done better in another

department.

2) This year you have become the backup for Tom Couzens in the weekend

planning and Sunday A-1 design and news editor role. You are becoming more

comfortable in the job and able to have more influence on the newspaper. I

would like to see you also start filling more daily news editor shifts.

3) Deadlines. You are one of the best on the desk about finishing your

pages before deadline. Our performance as a whole has slipped in the past

year, and we need to get back to that near-perfect record. When you need

support, let me know.

NEWS JUDGMENT

You have excellent news judgment and know how to exercise it. You walk in

each day fully updated on the news of the day. You are quick to capitalize

on breaking news stories and photographs. And when you have great photos

or graphics, you work hard to make sure they get the play they deserve.

I especially like your focus on making your sections interesting for the

readers -- you push for the best mix of stories, then you find ways through

design to pull readers in. One example was your Metro cover of June 9,

2005, which Mort praised as "very reader friendly." It included a weather

story with a four-day forecast graphic you put together, and a fire season

preview centerpiece that included a graphic "Making your home safe" and a

pullout on "Fire contacts."

You continue to bring a fresh perspective to discussions about the news.

You know your stories and are a full participant with the originating

editors in decisions about content and presentation.

DESIGN

Your pages are always organized, clean and attractive. You strive for

interesting and innovative designs, and you push to keep the paper looking

fresh. Your read-ins and other display elements always highlight the most

interesting and important parts of the story.

In the past year, you devised a new headline style for brites that Bob

Casey and I agree works well to help identify those stories for readers.

Our space is tightening, and I want to encourage you to keep looking for

ways to maximize the news hole. Your are one of the best at pushing for

shorter story lengths and, through design elements, telling the story in

ways other than story text type.

You are very good at this.

COMPETENCY & TEAMWORK

Producing a section means working with a good number of people across all

departments in the newsroom. It can be stressful at times, but you keep

your composure and stay focused on the task at hand, no matter what is

thrown at you.

And then, when your work is done, you dive in to help out if you see the

copy desk or slot editors are behind.

You always have a kind word for your co-workers and are quick to offer

praise for others. Your mentoring is especially helpful to the newer copy

editors and designers.

Your work hard, so please remember to ask for help when you need it. I can

pitch in, or I can find someone who is not busy to help lessen the

workload.

GOOD STUFF

1) You are a news hound, always staying abreast of developments. One

example: On June 17 you had a centerpiece about a series of earthquakes in

California. When you got home that night, you spotted a report on the

Chronicle Web site of another quake. You called in to make sure we had it.

The Metro editors had decided to pass on it, but because of your call I

was able to make sure the story and the

graphic were updated. Readers got a better and more timely package.

2) You work especially well with the graphics editors and photo editors,

which helps ensure the very best presentation. When I complimented your A-

1 centerpiece on May 19, about Berkeley banning alcohol at fraternities, I

received this reply from you: "Olivia and I sat down and worked it out . .

. a total team effort." And, Bob Casey and Tim Reese praised your efforts

as A-1 designer for the

paper of Nov. 23, the funeral of CHP Officer Andy Stevens, shot in a

Woodland traffic stop. This is Tim's e-mail: "I think Spike did a

spectacular job with the slain officer funeral pictures. I talked with him

about the display and how we wanted some impact. I think both the front and

back pages have a presence we don't often see in the Bee."

3) You don't wither in the face of hard work: On Nov. 23, you handled a

huge Thanksgiving day paper -- it looked great, was done in good time and

had excellent page flow. On Dec. 21, you did double duty because of an

illness on the desk, whipping out the Business section on a pre-run

deadline, then turning around and designing the Metro section. On Jan. 6,

as A-1 designer, you handled the State of the

State coverage -- it was a great looking page, and you made deadline (which

we don't often do on that night!)

4) Your work on Back Talk. You took on this new page when it started,

editing and designing something new for Bee readers. A new concept is

always tough, but you pulled together the ideas and the staff to make it

happen for the first several months.

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW

SACRAMENTO BEE

MICHAEL NEWGREN

APRIL 8, 2005

Michael, you've made quite an impact in your first year here at The Bee.

Already, you've distinguished yourself as a top-flight editor with

excellent news judgment and design skills.

You are one of the rare editors who can do words and visuals -- and do them

both very well. You bring fresh ideas and creativity to you work -- and the

ability to execute so that those ideas make it into the paper.

Despite whatever difficulties you might encounter, your focus is on making

a better paper each and every day. Your versatility makes you especially

valuable. And with your upbeat approach to the job and willingness to help

and praise others, you set a good example for all of us.

You are not shy about speaking out, but I want to encourage you to continue

bringing your ideas forward. Be a mentor to our younger editors. They can

learn a lot from your experience and ability.

You have strong news judgment for stories, photos and graphics. You know

good stories when you see them, and you are quick to point them out. When

you walk into the newsroom, you're already prepared with ideas for your

section.

You've been especially good about sharing a fresh perspective. You're

pushing more compelling story mixes on A-1, and forcing onto your pages

more art and graphics and other devices to grab readers' interest. You

clearly like taking a risk when the time is right.

You've succeeded in pushing a more lively approach to design at The Bee.

Your sections stand out because they are eye-catching and INTERESTING.

Your centerpiece packages and covers are designed for impact. You've

learned and adhered to Bee style, but you've managed to freshen things up a

bit. I'm sure your readers thank you.

I know you are sometimes frustrated by late decision-making on story

lineups, story lengths that change, and sometimes a lack of good art. But

you keep a cool head, rethinking your pages and space and remaking your

section as needed. Tim Reese praised two instances: You moved the B-1

Education Extra centerpiece downpage late

in the evening when better pictures (flamingos) came along. You pointed

out the redundancy in the Metro centerpiece photos, then talked with Tim

and moved one of the photos inside.

Your work on deadline is very good. I love it when you've cleared your

pages and I hear "Does anyone need help?" I'm sure the slot editors love it

more. You often pitch in, copy editing or slotting stories late in the

night to help clear pages. You are quick to offer help to others.

You're respectful in your dealings with co-workers. You often praise

others' work, which is a welcome morale-booster.

GOOD STUFF:

1) Your ability to spot stories or photos other editors have overlooked.

One terrific example: The Johnnie Cochran funeral. As you pointed out, it

included Stevie Wonder, P. Diddy, Geronimo Pratt, Jesse Jackson, Michael

Jackson, Al Sharpton and Magic Johnson. With your urging, the story became

the A-3 centerpiece.

2) You go the extra mile. You usually come in early to get organized and

prepare for your section. And you stay late as needed. Some recent

examples: Remaking A-1 for the death of Prince Rainier (That chase made

200,000 of 303,000 papers). Staying late two nights and preparing an A-1

chase for the pope's death -- just in case. And, returning to The Bee late

to help the fill-in night wire editor fix an A-1 turnline.

3) The new designs you've been able to work into Bee style. I've dubbed one

"Plan N" for Newgren, the 4 1/2 column thin strip at the top left over the

centerpiece. It's a good option when we want to give more stories

prominence above the fold.

SIX-MONTH PERFORMANCE REVIEW

SACRAMENTO BEE

MICHAEL NEWGREN

SEPT. 15, 2004

Michael, I am pleased to say that you have passed probation at The Bee.

From your very first day on the job you've proved to be a valuable

addition. I am especially impressed with your editing. You have a solid

grasp of style and grammar, and you also spot discrepancies and factual

errors and work with the appropriate

reporters and editors to fix them.

Some good catches from the past few months:

** On Aug. 6, while editing a B1 story on a second Elk Grove house being

checked for prostitution, you questioned why we were running a mug shot of

a woman who was arrested in the raid in July on the first house. The mug

was killed for Final edition.

** On July 22, we ran an A3 story about a push by Rep. Doug Ose to put

Ronald Reagan's image on Mount Rushmore. You noticed that the lede said

Reagan's image would join George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham

Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt. You fixed the reference, changing it to

Theodore Roosevelt -- thereby saving

the writer and The Bee from considerable embarrassment.

** On May 27, while proofing a map with a casino story on A3, you did some

fact checking and discovered that the casino's Web site spelled the

casino's name differently from the map. You checked the story, which also

did not agree with the Web site. You ultimately resolved the problem with

Metro -- the story and map were wrong, so you fixed them.

You also do a great job of tightening language and making stories more

precise, but you do so with a light touch. In fact, I received a message

from Weekend Editor Deb Anderluh lauding your editing on one of your first

A1 assignments: "Mike, a very nice copy edit on the Brown story. I

appreciate your precision with language. Thanks and welcome!" Deb back-

reads stories with a very close eye, so that

message is high praise indeed.

As your contributions to the Sharps board attests, you bring flair and

creativity to your headlines. You produce laugh-out-loud offerings on

offbeat stories; your first night on the job, for example, you wrote this

gem on the Strange Stuff column:

"If the driveway goes up in smoke, it's probably the clamshells."

You followed that up a few days later with this headline on a story about

cicadas (which won the in-house headline writing contest): "Here's the

buzz: They're loud, ugly and back again."

I should emphasize that you bring that same headline creativity to more

complicated and nuanced stories. One effort in particular stands out: You

edited an A1 Sunday analysis about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's tendency to

embellish the truth. The headline was at the top of the page, and it was

rather tight, which presented

a real challenge -- how to get the gist of the story across without saying

that the governor is a liar. You came up with "The world according to

Schwarzenegger" -- a wonderfully subtle headline that still had great

impact.

Finally, let me say that you've added a lot to the camaraderie at The Bee.

I look forward to working with you as you continue to take your talents to

new areas.

Michael Newgren Year-End Review

Omaha World-Herald

** Michael has done an excellent job in the past year.

** With regard to his talent and skills as a page editor, he ranks among

the best.

** That has been shown in daily sections and the College World Series

special section.

** He regularly writes snappy headlines.

** He has brought a brightness to our section that not only has been good

on its own, but also has influenced other staffers to the good.

** Michael also is a solid word editor, very competent, and he is fast.

** He is intelligent, sensitive to issues of race and gender, and shows

great initiative.

NEWS DIVISION PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

MICHAEL NEWGREN

ATTITUDE:

Michael arrives eager to go to work each day. He is punctual. His

attendance record is good.

He has a good influence on his co-workers.

WORK QUALITY:

Michael needs to take on a mentor role for some of our younger and less-

experienced copy editors.

He is always willing to take on any assignment.

Michael needs to demonstrate to others his attention to detail and his

care. This is an area that some of our copy editors need to show

improvement in.

Michael can serve as a mentor to others in showing the importance of paying

attention to details in both layout and design as well as final editing of

copy. All of our copy editors need to be able to point out gaps in stories

and edit and condense unnecessary material in stories. Your help in this

area is welcome.

Michael has high standards and tries to meet them each day, regardless of

the circumstances. He is a very knowledgeable editor.

Michael is dependable. He has a high energy level and can work long hours

as necessary. Michael can handle a large volume of work. He doesn't

hesitate to take the initiative when a decision is needed. He is also not

hesitant to consult other editors as necessary to achieve the best results

for the paper. He is a consistent performer.

Michael is a very good editor. He checks for completeness, accuracy,

fairness and is careful in matters of taste and privacy. He is able to

condense and revise stories without loss of information and color as well

as the writer' style.

He does not hesitate to send a story back to the Metro editors for

additional work or trim. Michael needs to share his expertise in this area.

Michael is a very good headline writer.

SUMMARY:

Michael is a versatile editor. He can handle a large volume of work with a

drop in quality.

Michael needs to help others grow in the areas of layout and design and

final editing.

Michael needs to share his expertise in layout and design, particularly

with those working on the Metro pages, the Sunday business pages and Money

Today. Those editors are encouraged to consult with Michael.

Also along the lines of mentorship, Michael needs to share his expertise in

final editing. We need to be more aggressive in challenging copy and in

pointing out gaps and holes in stories.

Michael can demonstrate this by example as he finds problems with stories

and shows other editors what to look for. One of our monthly meetings will

deal with final editing. Michael's help here will be welcome. Michael

needs to help raise awareness in this area.

We will be doing a redesign during the year, and Michael's assistance in

this project is desired and welcome.

Contact this candidate