Dozens ensure
news gathering
goes smoothly
Advertiser expands
coverage of Islands,
strengthens sections
By David Waite
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Advertiser employs about 140 people in its news gathering operation. That number includes about 50 reporters, the newspaper's front-line troops who keep track of everything in Hawai'i, from births to deaths, human triumphs to tragedy and everything in between.
In recent years, coverage of local news expanded with the introduction of a "Hawai'i" section and creation of the "Neighbors" page, which features news about the outlying communities on O'ahu.
Coverage of more traditional beats — law enforcement, government, education, courts and transportation — continues at The Advertiser, as does coverage of Hawai'i's Neighbor Islands, with reporters assigned to bureaus on Maui, Kaua'i and the Big Island.
Some reporters specialize in business reporting and others are assigned to our Island Life or sports sections.
The paper's seven photographers capture dozens of images every day, from public events to sports to raw human emotion. They do so without using a single roll of film since the process today is digital. Graphics artists produce maps and illustrations.
Editors decide how to deploy reporters and photographers and later choose story "play" — where in the newspaper the story or photograph will appear.
Throughout the day and late into the night The Advertiser's copy editors are hard at work grooming "copy" or written reports to ensure the stories are easy to read, and facts and grammar are correct. Then they write the headlines that grab your attention and help you navigate stories.
Page designers take the completed news stories and position them on pages along with the photographs.
The entire production process today is virtually "paperless," with most of the work being done on computers. Hot lead and linotype machines are relics.
The Advertiser's editorial page staff of five keeps readers abreast of the newspaper's views on local, state, national and international issues.
While the Advertiser is thought of primarily as a morning newspaper, it began publishing an afternoon edition in March 2001.
Today, one staff at The Advertiser works late into the night to gather and package the news that arrives on your doorstep each morning, while a second staff starts work well before dawn to bring you the news found in The Advertiser's afternoon edition.
The Advertiser also has a "state" edition, printed in the early-morning hours and distributed on the Neighbor Islands.
While printing operations have shifted exclusively to the Advertiser's new printing plant in Kapolei, the news operations remains at the news building at the corner of Kapi'olani Boulevard and South Street.
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