"handbook of independent journalism" summary
TRANSCRIPT
Presented by HuyHuang HENG
Content1. What’s is news?2. Getting the story3. Telling the story4. Editing the story5. Broadcast and Online6. Specialized Journalism7. Ethics and Law
1. What is news? News is what is new and contains new values:
TimelinessImpactProximityControversyProminenceOddity
Type of newsHard newsFeature story
Where the news comes from?Naturally occurring eventPlanned activitiesThe 3P: People, Place, Paper
News providers:NewspaperRadio + TVOnline
2. Getting the story Asking 5W and H Observation (look, listen, smell, taste, feel) Research background information Sources (Primary and secondary) Interview:
Ask open-ended questionAsk about opinion or experienceAsk follow-up question
Bring equipment
3. Telling the Story “Good journalism involves selection, not
compression.” Be focus: Draw story structure before the reporting
process Writing
Be concise, clear and accurateUse simple and direct language‘Show’ don’t ‘Tell’Use ‘Noun’ and ‘Verb’ more than ‘Adjective’ and ‘Adverb’Avoid repeatExplain Keywords
Leads:Hard lead: 5W + H Soft lead: set scene
Story Structures:
HourglassFeature
Inverted PyramidHard News
DiamondHave Nut Graph
EndingFor print should end by background history or
important quoteFor broadcast should end by summary of the
news Quotes
Provide personal connection to the storyEvidences and opinions making the story
strongerDon’t use direct quote if you can say it better
yourself Attribution: Who say what?
4. Editing the Story Editor’s job is to ensure the story is accurate,
complete and fair. Editors need to be strong journalists and
newsroom leaders Editors read stories with a skeptical eyes with
the questions:How does the reporter know this?Why should audiences believe this?Did they use accurate quotes?Is it fair? ...
Coaching and Supervising
5. Broadcast and Online Broadcast Writing
Use daily conversation styleDon’t use all 5W and H in the lead
SoundUse sound bites (quotes)Use natural sounds
PictureWords + video match viewers understand and
remember the storiesWords + video NOT match viewers remembers
more on what they see
Online journalists must think on multiple levels at one:WordsIdeasStory structureNews judgment DesignInteractive AudiosVideosPhotos
Online story form has been described as “Print Plus”.
Online WritingKeep the story in only one pageOnline writer should break the text into more
blocks, use more subhead and bullets
6. Specialized Journalism Government and Politics
In the government meeting, don’t report everything happened in chronological order. Report who will be affected by what.
Political reporters in a democratic countries provide citizen information they need to make decision
Business and EconomicsExplain key terms to the readersReporter can read and understand financial
statements, balance sheet, …Tell reader the significance of development, who will be
affected.
Health, Science, and the EnvironmentExplain key termsHave basic understanding about scientific method, math,
statistic …Make story less complicated by explaining the background
information Police and Courts
Know how the judicial process worksCarefully use key terms (Burglary vs Robbery)If lawyers use big words, ask them to explain
SportsReport more than score and result.Explain why and how it happened, not who and whatUnderstand the rule of sportsCan work under the very tight deadlinesReport the business of sport and behind the scenes
7. Ethical Decision Making The basic principles of the U.S. Society of
Professional Journalists:Seek the truth and report itMinimize harmAct independentlyBe accountable
Legal Issue“The best press law is no law at all.”The most common legal issue that journalists face is
“defamation”.
Questions and Answers