B-copy |
The background of the story is outlined first without having the specific or major details of the story. Also called A matter. |
BACK4 |
GN4 related service that handles all back-office tasks: receiving of wires, asynchronous publishing, license control, maintenance and similar. |
Backslant |
A typeface with a backwards slant, the opposite of italic. |
Balloon |
A cartoon device, used in comic strips and occasionally in other ways, that show the words of a person coming directly from his mouth into the "balloon" |
Ballot box |
A square bullet or checkbox. |
Banding |
A striped effect that may appear as a side effect of dithering. |
Bang |
An exclamation point. Also called a screamer. |
Bank |
(1) lower portion of a headline (2) computer file in which stories are kept before they are placed in their designated page form |
Banner |
(1) a headline stretching across the top of a page; also called a "streamer" or "banner line" (2) A periodical's title, set in a recognizable way using a special typeface, size, and color. The banner is usually consistent across issues. Compare logo. |
Bar |
(1) Thick rule or lines used to separate articles or banners or to emphasize pull quotes or images. (2) See character. |
Base |
(of letters) The width of letters. Also known as horizontal scale. |
Base query |
(GN4) standard b.q) The configuration statement in xxx_Config.XML that contains instructions what to display and for what to search. |
Baseline |
The imaginary line upon which a line of type appears to sit. Lower case letters with descenders such as 'p' and 'q' drop below the baseline. In some typefaces, the bottom stroke of letters like 'a' may also drop below the baseline. |
Baseline shift |
Moving the baseline of a text selection to create superscripts or subscripts, fractions, notes and special effects. See bounce. |
Folders |
(GN4) "containers" for content in the copy-flow. |
Bastard title |
See half-title. |
Beak |
The projection that extends from the end point of an uppercase, e.g. L, or E. |
Beat |
A reporter's regular assignment, such as city hall beat, police beat |
Bell |
(GN4) a special sign @, acting as a trigger for cascading styles and some GN4 tags . |
Bezier curve |
Equations that describe the shapes of characters in electronic typography. Named for Pierre Bézier, French mathematician. |
Bicameral |
An alphabet which actually joins two alphabets, e.g. our Latin alphabet which includes both uppercase and lowercase letters. Compare unicameral. |
Bit depth |
The number of bits used to store information about each pixel in given bitmap image is said to be that image's bit depth. Monochrome images are 1-bit images; 256-color images (e.g. GIFs) are 8-bit; full-color images with millions of colors are 32-bit. |
Bitmap |
A computer graphic image stored as a grid of dots, with each dot (pixel) representing a point on the image. A monochrome bitmap requires only one bit per pixel; the dot is either black or white. The more bits used per pixel (see bit depth), the more color information the bitmap can contain. Common bitmap formats include BMP, GIF, JPG, and TIF. Bitmaps, also called raster graphics or paint-type images, are created and manipulated with paint programs. Compare draw graphic. |
Blackletter |
Typefaces which resemble 15th century script or have an old world feel. Also known as "Old English." |
Blacks |
(GN4) copies of original text, created automatically in a folder (if set so), on sending text. Used for personal reference by text authors. Term is "carbon copies" |
Blad |
Dummy pages used in pre-release materials. |
Bleed |
An illustration filling one or more margins and running off the edge of the page or border; used frequently in magazines and advertisements bleed; also, a image, photograph, or tint that runs off the edge of a page. |
Blind ad |
A classified ad hat does not reveal the identity of the advertiser; responses are generally sent to a P.O. box |
Blind folio |
Page number placed at head of page. Compare drop folio. |
Blind text |
(GN4) A text, formatted so it does not appear in printing and WYSIWYG view, but it appears in the text editing window in a different color. Also hidden text, or commented. |
Blow up |
(1) to play a story beyond its news value (2) to enlarge something (photo, art, copy, etc.) |
Blueline, blueprint |
A proofing aid used to check type, image position, and page numbers. |
Blurb |
A short text block, often containing a quote, capsule description, or selling message. |
BMP |
Standard Microsoft Windows format for bitmap images. Images (up to 24-bit bit depth) are saved uncompressed, so they load quickly but file sizes are large. |
Body |
The main text of the work but not including headlines. |
Body size |
See point size. |
Body text |
The main text within a publication. |
Body type |
Type used in stories, not in headlines; generally under 12-point size. |
Boil or "boil down" |
An expression for condensing news copy |
Boiler plates |
Parts of text, saved in a permanent "clipboard", and accessible to be inserted in text, by shortcut keys. Also save/gets. |
Bold or boldface |
Heavy or dark-faced type, usually of heavy weight, used for emphasis (highlighting). |
Bolle |
Accent as on this Å letter |
Bookface |
See text face. |
Border |
Boxes or frames around images, stories and advertisements. |
Bounce |
A special effect in which characters alternate in up/down positions. The baseline shift of alternating letters is adjusted. (GN4): jumping off obstacles on page |
Bow |
A curved portion of the letterform that encloses the counter, as in the g letter. |
Box |
Refers to type that is framed in a border to give it prominence. The box is sometimes "filled" with a shaded area. |
Boxing |
(GN4) the operation of adding border to text frame(s). |
Braces |
{ } enclosing marks used primarily in mathematics. Also called curly braces. |
Bracket |
(1) a curve that connects the serif to the stem or stroke. Also fillet. (2) [ ] enclosing marks used especially for editorial interjections; also called square brackets. In UK, brackets refers to parentheses. |
Break |
(1) the point at which a story turns from one column to another or "jumps" to another page (2) the time when a story becomes available for publication. News is said to "break" when it happens |
Breaker |
One or more lines of text in mid-story, often set bold, introducing a section that follows |
Breakline |
A mid-sentence or paragraph that continues the story on the following page. Sometimes used to mean turnline. |
Breakout |
The synopsis of the story. Key highlights of the story that stand out. |
Brief |
A small or tiny story. |
Brite or bright |
A funny, short story. |
Broadsheet |
The size of most dailies, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today and the Free Press. Folded in half, it's a tabloid, or tab. |
Browsing (items) |
(GN4) displaying more items in directory listings; B. (fonts, colors, tint values) using shortcut keys to apply "next" or "previous" predefined font, color or tint. |
Budget |
The various news departments' proposals for what they want to put in the newspaper. Has to do with space and news, not dollars. |
Bug |
A short bit of type, such as (AP). In this case, it would signify that the story is from the Associated Press. |
Build |
(GN4) a number of a released version of GN4 application or database upgrade. |
Bulk |
See caliper. |
Bull's eye |
See register mark. |
Bulldog |
The earliest edition of a newspaper, or one printed outside its regular schedule; e.g., a Sunday paper printed days ahead of its publication date |
Bullet |
A large dot or other shape used as an attention-getter. Also called a meatball. |
Bumped heads |
Similar headlines running side by side that create monotony and the tendency to read across. |
Butt |
When two layout elements meet edge to edge. |
Byline |
The author's name carried at the top of a story |
Byliner |
A writer important enough to merit a byline. |