[GreenKeys] TTYs in news service

Sun Mar 29 16:28:13 EDT 2009

Somewhere around here I do have old wire copy for the Kennedy assassination 
and other memorable events, but I do not have enough copy to fill your 
request.

Is this for a museum display?

If so, here is a scan that I have made of the UPI Newswire Stylebook.

https://rcpt.yousendit.com/669590669/f1626bbd5015e3dd0afd22adf625eab9

or    http://tinyurl.com/cx7wlm    2.5 MB

(These links are good for only 20-downloads and will expire in a couple of 
days.)

While mainly devoted to grammar and punctuation, the last several pages 
address the composition of wire copy for TTS and Newswire Circuit Styles. 
Perhaps it will help you in composing your own copy for use on your 
machines.

I will also try to dig out my AP Stylebook.

Here is an example from the UPI Stylebook:

     Style on TTY (page teleprinter)

circuits of United Press Interna-

tional will conform to TTS (Tele-

typesetter) style in abbreviation,

punctuation, figures, spelling and

general usage.

     In many respects procedures for

identifying copy are the same on

TTS and TTY circuits. There is ex-

panding use of circuitry which per-

mits TTY copy, read by subscribers

on monitor printers in capital letters,

to be reproduced in capitals and

lower case, with justified lines, on

TTS monitors and in TTS tape,

In the following section, both simi-

larities and differences of style will

he described.

     News is transmitted on all UPI

circuits in the order of its impor-

tance and urgency. Slugs indicate

priority.

FLASH-Dateline, dash, no date

or logotype, limited to one or two

lines depending upon whether it ap-

pears on a TTY or a TTS monitor.

Originating bureau comes onto wire

immediately to send. Used seldom

and only on biggest news.

FLASH

DALLAS-PRESIDENT

KENNEDY DEAD

J T104PCS

The Hash must be followed imme-

diately by a publishable bulletin

expanding the story.

BULLETIN-One paragraph of

50 words or less. It must be a self-

contained report of a major develop-

ment and should be followed without

interruption by an add developing

the story. On stories of great impor-

tance there should be no interruption

between adds until the story is

cleaned up.

URGENT-Used on dispatches

meriting faster wire movement than

ordinary copy. Aids in delivering

good stories in one or two takes in-

stead of breaking them up into a

bulletin and several short adds. Must

not exceed 200 words.

ADDS-A story is completed or

developed by moving adds. They are

slugged to indicate exactly where

they fit on previous copy.

BULLETIN PRECEDE-Used to

report a major development before a

new lead is ready. Must be followed

within a few minutes by e. lead or

insert incorporating the new infor-

mation into the story.

USE OF BELLS-A Hash takes

10 bells, which follow it. A bulletin

uses five bells, an urgent four. When

designated by desk, copy may be

given four bells and urgent priority

without the use of the urgent slug.

A news dispatch carries a three-

digit number, in most cases followed

by a letter for circuit designation. It

carries a slugword, the month and

day in digits, and either call letters

of the sending bureau or the opera-

tor's initials.

Examples following show how the

copy would appear on a TTY circuit,

except that lines would be longer,

The TTS version would be in capital

letters and lower case, and each line

would contain only the wordage

which would fit into an 11-pica body

type line. Slugwords, bureau and

operator initials, pickup lines, etc.,

would be in lower case.

107A

JOHNSON 3/2 WA

BULLETIN

WASHINGTON (UPI) - PRESI-

DENT JOHNSON ANNOUNCED

TODAY THAT SOVIET PRE-

MIER ALEXEI KOSYGIN HAD

AGREED TO SOVIET DISCUS-

SIONS WITH THE UNITED

STATES ON LIMITING THE

ARMS RACE IN DEFENSIVE AS

WELL AS OFFENSIVE NUCLE-

AR MISSILES.

(MORE) TMl152AES

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "STEPHEN JONES" <smj at cirr.com>
To: <greenkeys at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 7:38 PM
Subject: [GreenKeys] TTYs in news service

> I've been looking through a few copies from TTYs that were from news
> service and I'm wondering if there were standard rules for transmissions
> or did it vary from source to source?  What I'm specifically looking for
> is field work and other internal work such as story drafts and such.
> There doesn't seem to be too much of this documented, but maybe I'm
> just not looking in the right place.
>
> I'd also like to see if there is an archive of wire service news.
> ______________________________________________________________
> GreenKeys mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/greenkeys
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:GreenKeys at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.285 / Virus Database: 270.11.31/2028 - Release Date: 03/28/09 
07:16:00