The dreaded, horrible, unspeakable

‘topic lede’

“Michael Gartner gave a speech today to journalism students about tips for good writing.”

Topic ledes

The news is not that Gartner gave a speech, or even the overall subject of his speech

Topic lede

The news is not that Gartner gave a speech, or even the overall subject of his speech

What is it about the speech that will compel the reader to read your story?

Topic lede

The news is not that Gartner gave a speech, or even the overall subject of his speech

What is it about the speech that will compel the reader to read your story?

I Can Never Prepare Pancakes In England

Topic lede

The news is not that Gartner gave a speech, or even the overall subject of his speech

What is it about the speech that will compel the reader to read your story?

I Can Never Prepare Pancakes In England Besides being boring, topic ledes are lazy,

weak and tepid

Topic lede

Set up your story with a compelling lede

Covering speeches: A recipe for success

Set up your story with a compelling lede What is the most newsworthy thing the

speaker said... or occasionally what big happened at the speech

Covering speeches: A recipe for success

Set up your story with a compelling lede What is the most newsworthy thing the

speaker said... or occasionally what big happened at the speech

Second graf is a powerful quote to reinforce the point in your lede

Covering speeches: A recipe for success

Set up your story with a compelling lede What is the most newsworthy thing the

speaker said... or occasionally what big happened at the speech

Second graf is a powerful quote to reinforce the point in your lede

Third graf includes the Ws necessary for reader to know what’s going on

Covering speeches: A recipe for success

Set up your story with a compelling lede What is the most newsworthy thing the speaker

said... or occasionally what big happened at the speech

Second graf is a powerful quote to reinforce the point in your lede

Third graf includes the Ws necessary for reader to know what’s going on

Put speaker’s name in lede only if it’s known to most of your readers: did you know Gartner before reading his speech?

Covering speeches: A recipe for success

Include enough bio details to establish credentials

Covering speeches

Include enough bio details to establish credentials

Convey tone of speech: what was mood of crowd, applause, boos, catcalls, laughter, tears, etc.

Covering speeches

You are a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, assigned to cover Steve Jobs’ commencement speech to the Stanford University graduating class of 2012

So, let’s try another speech!

You are a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, assigned to cover Steve Jobs’ commencement speech to the Stanford University graduating class of 2012

Listen to this speech and write the first three grafs of a hard-news, next-day (Wednesday) story for the morning paper

So, let’s try another speech!

You are a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, assigned to cover Steve Jobs’ commencement speech to the Stanford University graduating class of 2012

Listen to this speech and write the first three grafs of a hard-news, next-day (Wednesday) story for the morning paper

Remember: your lede is the most newsworthy thing, reinforcing quote in second graf, rest of Ws in third graf

So, let’s try another speech!

Re-read pages 44-45 of Inside Reporting

Assignment for 1/31

Re-read pages 44-45 of Inside Reporting Re-read pages 108-109 of Inside Reporting

Assignment for 1/31

Re-read pages 44-45 of Inside Reporting Re-read pages 108-109 of Inside Reporting This weekend, you are a sports reporter for

the AP. You are to travel to any college basketball game or to a tennis match at the Australian Open. You are to write a game-day story that will move internationally (tennis) or nationally (basketball). Your story will be at least 400 words! Use statistics, quotes, color, etc.

Assignment for 1/31

Re-read pages 44-45

Assignment for 1/31