NEWS WRITINGMr. Antonio Delgado
July 16, 2012GJC Audio-Visual Room
July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
WHAT IS NEWS?NEWS is information
about current events printed in newspapers or broadcast by the media.
--Microsoft Encarta, 2009.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
IN OTHER WORDS… Recent information Current events Somebody or something interesting Something previously unknown
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1ELEMENTS OF NEWSWORTHINESS
Timeliness Proximity or Nearness Significance Prominence Oddity or Unusualness Conflict Progress
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
SCHOOL NEWS Classroom story Enrolment story Meeting story Program/Party Story Honor roll
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
SCHOOL NEWS Awards story School Improvement story Election story School Organization/Club story Out-of-School Activity
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF NEWS
Accuracy Brevity (briefness) Clarity Objectivity
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
SOURCES OF NEWS offices, departments, library School calendar Invitations and Memos Different clubs and organizations Sports teams Students and teachers Community
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
KINDS OF NEWS Straight news –
consists of facts reported without elaboration
News feature – based on facts; writer may give his impressions, may describe and narrate without resorting to biased opinion
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
STRUCTURE OF NEWSMost interesting or
most important
Least interesting
or least important
The Inverted Pyramid of news suggests that news be told in order of most interesting or important to least interesting or important
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
Inverted Pyramid of News
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
THE LEADI’LL TAKE
THE LEAD!
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
THE LEAD The 1st paragraph:
Most important part of the article, summarizes the story
The Hook: Arouses the readers interest
Answers right away the most important questions: 5 W’s and 1 H
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
WRITING THE LEADThere are two kinds of
lead: the straight and novelty leads.
Depending on the nature of the story and its driving news elements, a straight lead can focus on one or a few of the six question words.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
THE STRAIGHT LEAD:5 W’S AND 1 H FORMULA
Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
Many students in GJC are getting bald early.
The GJC board had a meeting.The meeting was held last night.They ate chicharon during the meeting.One of the causes of baldness might be
the wearing of caps.The board passed a resolution banning
the wearing of hats in the school.The board voted 9-1 in favor of the
resolution.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1ONE STORY, SIX POSSIBLE LEADSWho? — The school board passed a
resolution last night banning the wearing of caps in all school buildings.
What? — Cap wearing was banned in all school buildings last night after the school board passed a new resolution.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1ONE STORY, SIX POSSIBLE LEADSWhere? — In General de Jesus
College last night, the school board passed a resolution to ban the wearing of caps in all school buildings.
When? — Last night, the school board passed a resolution banning cap wearing in all school buildings.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1ONE STORY, SIX POSSIBLE LEADSHow? — By a 9-1 margin last night,
the school board passed a resolution banning cap wearing inside the school premises.
Why? — Citing a pattern of early-onset baldness in GJC students, the school board last night passed a resolution that restricts cap wearing in all school buildings.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
NOVELTY LEADSAstonisher Lead
Better attend your classes on November 5!
Contrast LeadTwenty years ago, he was the
school’s janitor. Now, he came back to become the college dean.
Epigram Lead – verse, quotationLike father, like son…
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
NOVELTY LEADSPicture Lead – describes to create a
mental picture of the subject.The new dean, although only in his
30s, is already silver-haired.Background Lead – describes the
settingDecorated with buntings and
multi-colored lights, the quadrangle became a grand setting for a barrio fiesta as GJC celebrated its…..
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
NOVELTY LEADSParody Lead – a parody of a well-known
song or poem Never say never… This must be far away from the
mind of a 45-year old man who killed himself..
Punch Lead - short, forceful, explosiveGod is dead!
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
NOVELTY LEADSQuotation Lead
“Ignorance, not poverty, causes malnutrition.”
Thus revealed former Isabela governor Grace Padaca to …
Question LeadWho will be the next CSC
governor? The answer will be known on…
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1GUIDELINES IN LEAD WRITING
Pack the most important info in one sentence
Start with the most important or unusual idea of the news event.
Go direct to the point
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1GUIDELINES IN LEAD WRITING
Rarely use the “when” and “where” leads
Use less than 30 words Avoid starting with articles:
a, an, the Do not mention names in the
lead unless the person is well-known
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
THE BODY
WHAT A GREAT BODY!
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THE BODY The details of the lead Arranged from most
important to the least important
One sentence, one paragraph
Sentences are generally less than 25 words
Include quotations from at least two different people
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
TIPS FOR NEWS WRITERS Make sure your facts are accurate Keep your sentences short. Use the SVO formula Be specific. Avoid long and complex words. Write in the third person. Use adjectives sparingly. Do not editorialize.
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
THE GOOD NEWS IS…
LECTUREENDS NOW!
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
THE BAD NEWS IS…
WORKSHOPSTARTS NOW!
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July 16, 2012 Vol.1 Issue 1
WRITE A SHORT NEWS STORYON OUR ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON
POINTERS: 5 W’s and 1 H Quotations Details One paragraph, one sentence
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