speeches meetings and new conferences
Post on 15-Apr-2017
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TRANSCRIPT
SPEECHES, MEETINGS
& NEWS CONFERENCES
Featuring odd, vintage photography to keep you awake
WHY ARE MEETINGS
IMPORTANT?
Officials make the decisions that affect the public in public meetings.
Reporters are watchdogs of government at all levels. Journalists report on the decisions officials make as well as how those affect the public.
SUNSHINE LAWS
All states have open meetings laws (sunshine laws) that require officials with the
authority to spend public funds to conduct their business in public.
For laws guiding open meetings in Illinois, please read this guide compiled by
the Attorney General.
Executive session allows them to discuss certain matters behind closed doors:
Personnel matters – whether to reprimand or suspend the pay of someone, etc.
Collective bargaining – negotiations between unions and employers, usually set
wages, hiring and training procedures, how grievances are handled and so on.
But all decisions must be made in a public meeting.
PREVIEW STORY
Writing a preview story
informs public of important
issues that will be addressed so
they can give their input.
BEFORE THE MEETING
Some of the best quotes come
outside the meetings, before or
after, when people are more likely
to feel they can speak freely one
on one rather than to a crowd. So
get additional comments.
PREPARE
1. Find out about the event, the speaker and the issue.
2. Check back stories and online info.
3. If the speaker is prominent, often there is a prepared text of the speech.
But, don’t rely on it 100% – the speaker could deviate from it.
4. Use: “Speaker said in a prepared statement” or “In a written text….”
Sometimes needed to if you have to leave before it’s over.
5. Cities and schools often publish agendas for public ahead of time. Print
it out and take it with you to the meeting. Look for:
o Items that might be of special interest to readers
o Continuing issues that you’ll need background info for
READ BETWEEN THE LINES
Read between the lines on meeting agendas. If the agenda states bids will be
taken for highway improvements, ask yourself what that means. What
improvements? Will roads be closed? Most importantly – how will that affect
readers? Be aware that groups and organizations, as well as people, do use the
media to further their causes. Be aware of possible manipulation.
You might have to rush out to make your deadline so the more you can do
beforehand, the easier it will be
AT THE MEETING
City council and county
board meetings are often two
parts – The open meeting
and then a private, executive
session where officials can
discuss personnel issues and
bargaining negotiations with
unions and employees.
Committees normally meet
separately, but these meetings
are open to the public also.
ARRIVE EARLY
You don’t want to feel rushed, and you can pick up an agenda if necessary.
You’ll be able to get board member names and map out the table.
You’ll be able to get that aisle seat.
You can ask officials if they’ll be available after the meeting for questions.
You can check out who is the leader of supporting or opposing sides and ask
if they’ll be available for comments after the meeting
You can check consent items on the agenda – the board may approve these
without discussion. These items may be bids ready for approval or points from
committees.
AT THE MEETING
1. Try to get full quotes of important points, otherwise paraphrase.
2. Jot down reaction of audience to speaker. Be curious, look around –
how are people reacting? Angry? Confused? Smiling and nodding in
agreement?
3. Write follow-up questions to ask the speaker after the speech or news
conference. Mark your questions with question marks or stars in your
notes, so you can quickly located them while interviewing someone.
4. Ask questions and get opposing viewpoints when possible.
5. Never assume it will be an uninteresting meeting – stay to the end.
UNDERSTANDING
THE SYSTEM
Most open meetings laws require public agencies to give advance notice –
usually 48 hours – of their meetings and to conduct public hearings
Understand the system – what authority does that board or committee
have? Often a decision must go before city or county officials to be final.
Find out if an action is a recommendation or a ruling. The Zoning
Commission may discuss an issue and make a recommendation but it’s the
Committee of the Whole or County or City Board that votes on it.
STORIES ABOUT MEETINGS
Surveys show local news is at the top
of the stories readers want. But they
usually don’t read them all the way
through, sometimes not even past the
lead, so get their attention and put
the most important decision and its
impact at the top of the story.
WRITING THE STORY
Don’t say a board met and discussed issue “X.” Instead, tell us some of
the discussion or what was enacted or passed.
If length of a debate is crucial to the story, mention it. Otherwise, just
mention the final decision.
If it was a particularly contentious discussion, mention that and the
strong points made, pros and cons.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Type of meeting and location, unless it always meets at the same place
The vote on any major issue; if particularly controversial, mention who
voted for or against it, depending on which side is more controversial. If
unanimous, say so; you don’t need to give a vote on every item
If a major ordinance or issue can’t be adopted until a public hearing is
conducted, tell when that hearing will be or what the next step will be
before action can be taken
STYLE
Board is a collective noun and therefore takes a singular verb: The board
discussed the issue at its meeting, not their meeting.
Capitalize city council, city commission and school board ONLY when they
are part of a proper name – “Alton City Council voted ….” but “Members of
the city council discussed….”
Capitalize titles before a name: Mayor Tom Hoechst. If following the name,
lower case: Tom Hoechst, mayor of Alton.
For votes use 3-1, not 3 to 1.
SPEECHES
Estimated size of audience – is
every seat filled? Standing room only?
Sparsely filled? Can you count the rows
and number of chairs and do the math?
● Location
● Reason for speech
● Speech highlights
● Good quotes
● Audience reaction
SPEECHES: DO’S & DON’TS
Don’t use a lead that says, “someone spoke”
Speakers usually don’t make their strongest points first and follow in
chronological order, so don’t write your story that way
Do put most emotional point or newsworthy point first, then back it
up with quotes and supporting points.
Sometimes what’s more interesting is what happened before or during
a speech (like protests). Do include these details in your story.
Do use storytelling techniques for speeches.
NEWS CONFERENCES
Similar to speeches but
questions reporters ask after a
news conference are often
more important than the
prepared comments the
speaker makes. For example,
after the president’s
conference, it’s the reporter’s
questions that bring out more
information.
NEWS CONFERENCES
Stories also must include:
● Who conducted the news conference
● Reason for it and background information
● Highlights of the news conference including responses to questions
● Location if relevant
Reaction from sources with similar and opposing views Responses to
reporters’ questions are incorporated into and woven throughout the
story, without references such as “When asked about…..” “In response to
a question…”
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