Five Tips to Writing Effective News Briefs

Grade 8 Language Arts

Tip #1Target Your Audience

Ask yourself

Who are you writing for?

What do they care about?

What are they Facing?

What can you tell them?

Possible Audiences

“Bye, Bye, Bags”! – Environmentalist, activists

“Frozen Feat” – Adventurists, travelers

“Mystery Tomb” – Anyone who has ever been fascinated by mummies

“Mission to Mars” – Space enthusiasts

Tip # 2 – Know What News is

What’s the Point?

NEW FACTUAL INTERESTING

CONFLICT CURRENT IMPACT PROMINENCE

PROXIMITY TIMELESSNESS HUMAN INTEREST

Tip #3 - Objectivity

Expressing or dealing with facts or conditions as perceived without distortions by personal feelings,

prejudices or interpretations.

LET THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Limit Fluff.

Tip #4- Use Inverted PyramidStructure

The Structure known as the inverted pyramid is used in most news writing, and the brief is no exception although the brief is more compact than a long story.

If you imagine a pyramid turned upside down, that is the model for how your news brief should be presented:

1. Most important information at the very beginning

2. Less important details—those that provide extra information, but are not crucial—closer to the end.

3. Background and Fluff - Keep overall word count to 100 – 120 words (2- 3 paragraphs).

Inverted Pyramid

MMost important information includes who, what when, where, why and how.

Additional details and elaboration important to the story.

Background & Fluff

The Three Cs

Tip #5 – Compose News Brief Using the 3 Cs

Be Clear Be Concise Be Compelling

Did you answer the 5Ws?

Make your point and be done

What do you want to happen as a result of the News Brief?

Use Inverted Pyramid? Omit needless words. Do a word count—remove extra words, but don’t take out detail.

Ask yourself: “What’s the point of the News Brief?”

Write Active voice rather than passive voice?

Avoid redundant phrases and jargon.

What can you tell your audience that they might not know, but should?

Use Everyday language?

Use adj., adv., and pronouns

Use strong verbs? Avoid flattery—instead use facts to make your point.

Suggest subject heading?

News Brief Video

https://youtu.be/oTk_wkMv6ww

https://youtu.be/XHiu45iC490

https://youtu.be/q5p6uwyvWnE

News Brief Written Sample

“Bye-Bye, Bags!”

Plastic bags are getting the boot in California. The state recently became the first to ban most plastic bags at grocery stores, pharmacies, and megastores such as Walmart. Under the law, retailers can charge customers a fee of at least 10 cents for paper or compostable bags. (Who and What is the subject of News brief?)

“This bill is a step in the right direction—it reduces the torrent of plastic polluting our beaches, parks, and even the vast ocean itself,” says California Governor Jerry Brown. (Quote)

Americans use about 100 billion plastic bags every year. Many of the bags end up in landfills, where they take up to 20 years to decompose. Plastic bag makers object to the ban. They say it could pit Americans out of work. About 300,000 people in the U.S. work in the plastic-bag industry. Many cities have similar laws, and statewide bans are pending in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. “With the amount of waste that we produce, we can try to help out by slightly inconveniencing ourselves,” says Megan Schenfeld of San Diego. (Some Context)—what does it mean in general).

~In the News (Scholastic) p. 4 Nov. 2014 issue

You Try It!

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