A study was conducted at two major midwestern newspapers to ascertain the effects of video display terminal (VDT) use on the work and perceptions of copy editors. The methodology consisted of observation of one full day of copy desk work at a VDT by a single local news desk copy editor and one full day of work at VDTs by a regular weekday shift of…

Shows that newspapers moving to new reporting and editing systems, such as the video display terminal, must develop the new electronic system to meet copy-flow needs. Notes that new systems must conform to a newspaper's gatekeeping needs, not vice versa. (RL)

A review of the literature on the computerization of newspaper newsrooms shows that since 1960, computers have assumed an increasingly important role in information collection, news writing and editing, pagination, and news transmission. When newspaper libraries are computerized, reporters are able to find information more quickly and to use…

A review of the literature for the past 7 years reveals that the computer serves several key functions in the newsroom. Its more dominant role is in word processing, or internal copy processing regardless of the source of the copy. Computers are also useful in reviewing documents for content analysis, for survey research in public opinion polls…