writing news stories (august 18, 2011)

News/Feature Writing

Generally, media are uninformed scientifically and are headline-oriented. Thus, only sensational stories get reported, while highly technical works are ignored. Scientists must get down from their ivory towers and clearly explain to media what they are doing.

  --- J. D. Drilon, Jr. ---

News Writing

Scientists must be helped to explain their work, both to policymakers and to farmers. This is a communication task, best summed up in the newspaper executive pitch for advertising: “If you don’t advertise, it’s like winking at a girl in the dark. You may know what you are doing but nobody else does.”

  --- D. L. Umali ---

News Writing

NEWS 

News is an oral or written report of a past, present, orfuture event. It is the account of something that hashappened or is about to happen.

News Writing

Bases of News

Facts

News is always based on facts, but not all things thatare based on facts may be considered as news.InJournalism.

News Writing

Bases of News

Readers and interest

Relevance is a key factor in determining what isnews. But news reporters and editors have to decidewhat is relevant on behalf of their readers andlisteners. That is why it is also part of the job ofreporters and editors to think about the needs of theiraudience.

News WritingNews values

Conflict—may involve physical or mental struggle; it may be a story of man versus man, man versus animal, man versus nature, or man versus himself.

Immediacy or timeliness--emphasizes the newest angle of the story. The more recent the event the more interesting it is for the readers.

Proximity or Nearness--This may refer to geographical nearness as well as the nearness of interest.

News WritingConsequence—refers to importance and breadth of appeal

Names-- Important names make important news. 

Emotion -- Appeals to the emotion and tries to get a response from the readers

Drama -- This adds color to the story.The more picturesque the background and the more dramatic the actions are, the more appealing the story is to the readers.

Oddity or unusualness -- Refers to strange or unnatural events, objects, persons, and places.

News WritingThe Lead

The lead refers to the introduction of the news story. It may be a word, a phrase, a clause, a brief sentence, an entire paragraph, or a series of paragraphs. It is the first and most important paragraph of any news story. It attracts the reader and-states the important   facts   first. In writing a lead for a straight news story, the writer must answer six basic questions about the event: who, what,when, why  and how.

News Writing

Kinds of Leads

Conventional or Summary Lead- this kind of lead used in straight news, answers right away all or any of the 5 Ws and/or the H.

News Writing

Over crowded lead

To showcase the output in food processing and preservation of the students, the Department of Food Technology and Entrepreneurship of the Capiz State University (CapSU) Poblacion Mambusao Campus, in cooperation with the Philippine Association of Food Technologists (PAFT), Inc. Rho Chapter, launched the first-ever Food Expo 2011 on February 14, 2011 at the Covered Gym of CapSU Poblacion, Mabusao, Capiz.

News Writing

Over crowded lead

PCARRD Executive Director (ED) Patricio S. Faylon presented the Council’s R&D program for the agriculture sector during the Farmers Forum and Consultation in Aid of Legislation last February 24, 2011, at the Cultural Center, Provincial Capitol Compound, Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

News Writing

Anatomy of a News Story

Lead - the opening paragraph/paragraphs of a news story.

Lead support - paragraph/s containing details that support the lead; complements the lead

Details - provides realism and credibility

Backgrounding - provides background of the story

News WritingAdvantages of the pyramid style

The  inverted  pyramid  style  offers  several  distinct advantages in news writing.

Presents Pertinent Facts First. The inverted pyramid structure arouses the reader’s interest and allows the reader to swiftly skim important facts. In other words, spill the whole story in the first paragraph. The reader can decide whether to continue reading the details or to go on to something else. But even if the reader stops there, the inverted pyramid form of writing has provided the essential facts.

News Writing

Facilitates Page Layout. If the story has been written in inverted pyramid form, it becomes a simple matter  of  cutting lines of type from the bottom of the story until it fits the available space or “jumping” (continuing) the story on another page all without damage  to  the  important facts that appear at the top.

News Writing

Facilitates Headline Writing. Headlines for news stories should tell the main facts in the most brief form. If a story is written in the proper inverted pyramid style, the copyreader (who writes the headline) can find these facts in the first paragraph. The copyreader will not have to search the entire story for headline material.

News WritingTypes of lead

What, Who, When, Where, Why, How lead

What Lead

The newly passed Technology Transfer Act of the Philippines, otherwise known as RA 10055 will soon facilitate the transfer of technology-based products and processes from the laboratory to the market. (What lead)

News Writing

Who Lead

Congressman Angelo Palmones, a veteran science and technology broadcaster turned lawmaker, claims yesterday that the state of research in the government will soon be brighter with the passage of the Technology Transfer Act.

News Writing

When lead

Oct. 17, 2009, the day giving birth to the country’s first legislation on state generated technology will surely be a red letter day for the thousands of government scientists and researchers.

News WritingWhere Lead

Laboratories of state colleges and universities and other government research institutions are apt to be more inspiring for a greater number of government scientists and researchers with the recent passage of the Technology Transfer Act.

News Writing

Why Lead

To inspire state colleges and universities to generate more meaningful researches with commercial potentials, the legislature recently gave the Technology Transfer Bill a nod.

News Writing

How lead

After more than three years of study and dialogues with stakeholders in the science community, Congress finally gave the Technology Transfer Bill a nod yesterday.

News Writing

Novelty leads

Although the summary lead is the simplest, safest and strongest of all leads used in straight news writing, most media like to add a little variety when leading into a story. Novelty leads are a vital part of newspaper writing. The feature lead permits you to d transform the news into  a  story  that captures the interest and empathy of the readers.

News Writing

Novelty leads (Continuation)

Novelty  leads  differ  from  summary  leads  in that they make no attempt to answer all of the five Ws and the H. As the name implies, novelty leads are novel. They use different writing approaches to present different news situations to attract readers’ attention and  arouse  curiosity.

News Writing

Direct-address lead

The writer communicates directly with the reader by using the word you in the lead.

Example:

If you think government research is boring and unprofitable, chances are you are wrong. A recent piece of legislation proves to have a lot of good promises for the thousand of scientists and researchers in the government.

News WritingQuestion lead

While editors complain that writers use them as a crutch, when they can't decide what their main point is, this approach can effectively tease the reader, and combines easily with direct address. Example:

Who says that government research is sheer sacrifice, boring and unproductive? With the Technology Transfer Act, government research has metamorphosed from a mere public welfare endeavor to an income generating scheme not only for government researchers but also for their institutions.

News Writing

Staccato lead

This short burst of phrases is meant to tease readers and set the mood. Like the narrative lead (but in a different way) the intention is to draw the reader’s interest into the news.

Example:

Dreary laboratories. Dull research activities. Unhappy government research workers. These anathema usually associated with government research activities will soon be a thing of the past with the passage of the Technology Transfer Act.

News WritingContrast lead

This approach compares or contrasts new & old, then & now, small & large, etc. Usually the first sentence deals with what your release is not about; the second introduces the point of your release.

Example:

The proverbial servant of the people as alluded to government employees may no longer totally hold true for government researchers and scientists. The Technology Transfer Act has unleashed government workers from the bonds of being lowly servants of the people to potential government business partners.

News WritingDescriptive lead

May describe a place, a person, an event, or a thing.

Example:

The Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) conference room ordinarily used for small meetings has seen its biggest number of occupants this morning as the agency’s researchers and scientists nationwide gathered here to tackle the Department newest challenge—benefiting from the gains of the Technology Transfer Act.

News Writing

Grammatical beginning lead

Causal clause - consists of a dependent clause beginning with because or since

Conditional clause-consists of a dependent clause beginning with if, unless, provided

Concessive clause-consists of a dependent clause beginning with though or although

News Writing

Temporal clause - consists of a dependent clause beginning with while, after, before, since, as, as soon as.

Infinitive phrase - consists of a phrase beginning with an infinitive

Participial phrase - consists of a phrase beginning with a participle.

News WritingPrepositional phrase-consists of a phrase beginning with a preposition.

Noun clause-consists of a dependent clause used as the subject of the verb in the independent clause and begins with what, how, why, whether, and when.

Gerund phrase -consists of a verb noun used as the subject of the the sentence.

Headline WritingHeadline Writing

Headline Writing

A. Headline refers to the title of a news story

B. Functions of the headline

• To give the gist of the news• To present the news for rapid survey reading • To give a pleasing appearance to the page

Headline Writing

Headlines according to purpose

• Headline designed to inform• Headline designed to intrigue

Headline Writing

Rules in writing headlines

1. Use easy to read headlines.2. Write nothing in the headline that is not in the

story.3. Avoid repeating key words.4. Don’t use names of persons unless well known5. Be specific, avoid generalities6. Don’t editorialize7. Don’t use labels8. Avoid using a negative verb9. Avoid obvious alliteration

Headline Writing

10. Use present tense for past tense11. Use infinitive group for future events12. Don’t begin a headline with a verb.13. Use forceful dynamic verbs14. Omit the articles a, an, the and all forms of the

verb to be unless needed to make the meaning clear

15. Avoid screaming headline- a headline that is big and bold while the story is not important

16. Use short familiar words

Headline WritingSubstitute the italicized words in each of the headlines with conventional headline terms     •     Enrollment decreases •     Secret alliance on coup disclosed •     Drive against dirty literature going on•     Enrollment reaches 5,000 students•     Student writers prepare for journalism contest•     GMA orders investigation•     BIR plans disapproved • Donors increased fund• Supreme Court decides on impeachment

Headline Writing11.Senate approves budget proposal12.Border dispute starts war 13.President ended up diplomatic tour14.PGH lessens flu fears 15.DOST supports science seminar 16.Slay suspect questioned17.Peru removes martial law 18.Notorious pickpocket arrested19.Laborer goes berserk20.Cabinet revamp expected 21.PNP captures dope pusher 22.Examination schedule released 23.Politics disregarded in slay rap 24.Police Chief dismissed five cops

Headline WritingImprove each of the following headlines 1. Barangay election Must Go On According to Experts2. House Approved Budget3. Juan Cruz Sought Asylum4. PCARRD Performed Well in 20055. Medallists6. 2011 Election Wont be Held7. Pinay Beauty Joined and Won Asia Pacific Beauty

Contest8. Purefoods beats Ginebra 9. Fernandez is next Press Secretary10. Congress next Session Will Be Held In Cebu

Feature Writing

What is a feature?

It differs from straight news in one respect — itsintent. A news story provides information about an event, idea or situation. The feature does a bit more. It also may interpret or add depth and color to the news; instruct; or entertain.

Feature Writing Characteristics of a Feature Stories

The Lead

A feature lead doesn't have to have the who, what, where, when and why in the very first paragraph, the way a hard-news lead does. Instead, a feature lead can use description or an anecdote to set up the story. A feature lead can run for several paragraphs instead of just one.

Feature Writing

Phase 

Feature stories often employ a more leisurely phase than news stories. Features take time to tell a story, instead of rushing through it the way news stories often seem to do.

Feature Writing

Length 

Taking more time to tell a story means using more space, which is why features are usually, though not always, longer than hard news articles.

Feature Writing

Focus

If news stories tend to focus on events, features tend to focus more on people. Features are designed to bring the human element into the picture, which is why many editors call features "people stories."

Feature Writing

Kinds of Feature  The Profile

A profile is an article about an individual. Profiles can be done on just about anyone who's interesting and newsworthy.

Feature Writing

Human interest stories

A human interest story is written to show a subject’s oddity or its practical, emotional, or entertainment value.

Feature Writing

Backgrounders

A backgrounder--also called an analysis piece--adds meaning to current issues in the news by explaining them further. These articles bring an audience up-to-date, explaining how this country, this organization, this person happens to be where it is now.

Feature Writing

The News Feature

The news feature is just what it sounds like - a feature article that focuses on a topic of interest in the news. News features often cover the same subjects as deadline hard-news stories, but do so in greater depth and detail.

Feature Writing

The Spot Feature 

Spot features are feature stories produced on deadline that focus on a breaking news event. Often news features are used as sidebars to the mainbar.

Feature Writing

Trend Stories

Trend stories take the pulse of the culture at the moment, looking at what's new, fresh and exciting in the world of art, fashion, film, music, high-technology and so on.

Feature Writing

The Live-In

The live-in is an in-depth, often magazine-length article that paints a picture of a particular place and the people who work or live there.

Feature Writing

Structure of a feature story

Title & Headline

The headline performs two important functions. An effective headline:

• Grabs the reader's attention and persuades them to read the article

• Highlights the main idea of the article.• Includes keywords (for online articles).

Feature Writing

The lead

The introduction is the most important part -entice your reader, hook them in. Use drama, emotion, quotations, questions, descriptions.

Feature WritingIntroduction

The first paragraph outlines the subject or theme of the article, it may also:

• Provoke the reader's interest by making an unusual statement.• Provide any necessary background information.• Invite the reader to take sides by making a controversial

statement.• Heighten the drama of an event or incident to intensify its appeal.• Establish the writer's tone• Create a relationship between the writer and the reader.

Feature Writing

The body

The body of the article needs to keep any promises or answer any questions raised in the introduction - try and maintain an "atmosphere" throughout the writing·

Feature Writing

The Nutgraph

The nutgraph is where the feature writer lays out for the reader exactly what the story is all about. It usually follows the first few paragraphs of the scene-setting or story-telling the writer has done. A nutgraph can be a single paragraph or more.

Feature WritingDetails (The Main Article)

The middle section consists of a number of paragraphs that expand the main topic of the article into subtopics. The usual components are:

• Subheadings.• Facts and statistics which support the writer's opinion.• Personal viewpoints.• Opinions from authorities and experts.• Quotes and interviews.• Anecdotes and stories.• Specific names, places and dates.• Photographs, tables, diagrams and graphs.

Feature Writing

The conclusion

The conclusion should be written to help the reader remember the story. Use a strong punchline

Feature Writing

Conclusion

The concluding paragraph should leave a lasting impression by:

• Reminding the reader of the article's main idea

• Suggesting an appropriate course of action.• Encouraging a change of attitude or opinion.

Feature WritingPointers in feature writing

• Know your readers • Avoid providing too many information in the

lead • Use a thread• Use transition• Write clear concise statements• Ensure accuracy • Avoid lengthy, complex paragraphs• Use dialogues if applicable• Maintain tenses

Feature Writing

Pointers in feature writing

• Check your spelling• Write in the active voice• Avoid clichés• Select proper words• Establish a voice• Never plagiarize

Thank you !