aulas teoricas ingles e os media (1)

8/3/2019 Aulas Teoricas Ingles e Os Media (1)

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Newspaper Vocabulary

font: style and size of type

headline: extra large font across top of front page, placed above or below the masthead

wire service: a news agency or organization that gathers news and transmits it toindividual subscribing newspaper (AP, CP, Reuters)

tabloid: a smaller format 1/2 broadsheet folded, often preferred by publishers of local papers or commuter papers and the sensationalist press ( National Enquirer )

broadsheet: full-size newspaper, averaging six columns to a page

column:

y the vertical divisions of a pagey opinion or comment expressed by a regular writer

masthead: information about the newspaper, such as the name of the publishingcompany, names of the officers of the company, location of editorial offices, editorshipand distribution facts, all usually found at the top of the editorial page

hard news: up-to-the-minute news and events that are reported immediately

soft news: background information or human interest stories

paparazzi: international press corps who compete for stories, usually of a sensationalnature

reporter: a person hired to rush to the scene and phone back information as soon as possible or to key the report into a word processing terminal at the newspaper office

layout: the position of stories, advertisements, photos and graphics on a page

morgue: the newspaper's collection of clippings, photos, reference materials andmicrofilm

deadline: the assigned time for stories to be submitted in order to make the issue goingto press


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Newspaper Vocabulary

advertisement - messages paid for by the advertiser; display ads appear in any section of the paper and may be of any size; classified ads are short and arranged in categories inspecial sections of the paper

assignment - an event or story a reporter has been asked to write

banner - a very large headline

beat - a particular topic or place covered by a reporter, such as police, Midtown, or

schools

breaking news - a news event in progress

budget meeting a daily meeting where editorial staff talk about the schedule of articlesfor the next days paper

byline - name of the newspaper writer, appearing at the beginning or end of a story

circulation - number of copies sold (subscription and newsstand)column inch - space measurement that is one column wide and one inch deep

column (1) - a regularly appearing feature by a particular writer

column (2) - vertical sections of typed lines on a newspaper page

copy - any kind of written material

correspondent - reporter stationed in another location; foreign correspondent gathersnews outside the United Statescut - newspaper photograph

cutline - caption accompanying a photo

dateline the information at the beginning of the story that tells where the story

originated dummy draft of layout that indicates position of each story, picture,

headline and ad

editorial - article expressing the opinion of, e.g., a journalist, a reader, newspaper

management

feature story - a special interest article; the basic purpose is something other than news

flag - the name of the newspaper on the first page, in a particular font so it is easily

recognized

headline - summary of an article that appears over the story to draw attention to the

story

index a listing that refers readers to articles and sections throughout the newspaper

lead - first paragraph of a news story containing the most important facts, designed tolead the reader to continuelogo - name of the newspaper in its signature font


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journalist a reporter who gathers information and writes articles for publication

jumpline - line at the bottom of a story listing the page where the story continues

kill remove a story or ad from the newspaper

masthead a box of information, usually found on the editorial page, containing thename of the paper , its ownership and managementnews story - an article based on current events and facts of immediate interest

obituary a published notice of a death, sometimes with a brief biography of the

deceased

paste-up - the assembling of ads and news components into completed pages

photo credit a byline for the photographer

press - the newspaper industry

publisher the person responsible for the total operation of the newspaper

refer copy and sometimes art that reer the reader to articles inside the newspaper

review a critical report of, e.g., a new book, movie, TV show, restaurant, performance

morgue - newspaper library

scoop - an exclusive story, published before anyone else has it

staff writer a writer employed by the paper

syndicate a business that sells columns, comics, and other specialty features to

newspapers

tip information from someone outside the newspaper leading to an interesting news

article

wire service a business that sells articles and photos and sends them electronically -via satellite or computer to news papers (e.g., AP, UPI, Reuters)


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Newspapers & Journalism

1 article n. a text or piece of writing on any non-fiction subject2 broadsheet UK n. a large-format newspaper with usually serious contents3

censor n. official with the power to stop publication of certain articles- censorship n. 4 chequebook

journalismn. the obtaining of exclusive rights to a story by payment of large sums of money

5 correspondent n. 1 person who writes a letter to a paper 2 person who writesarticles for a paper

6 critic n. a person who writes articles, esp. stating opinion, about art,music etc

7 desk n. a department of a newspaper [eg: the sports desk]8 edit v. to check, modify and generally prepare written material for

publication

9 editor n. 1 a person who edits 2 the head of a newspaper or newspaper department

10 editorial n. an article written by the editor stating his opinion11 exclusive rights n. rights or permission for one paper to publish a story that no

other paper can12 feature n. a special or regular article in a newspaper, usually displayed

prominently13 front page n. the first page of a paper, usually carrying the most important

story14 headline n. 1 the title at the top of an article 2 headlines the most

important stories15 journalist n. a person employed to write articles for a newspaper -

journalism n. 16 media n. the media all the means of mass communication (papers, TV,

radio etc)17 opinion n. what a person thinks about a particular subject; a subjective

point of view18 paper n. 1 thin, flexible material for writing or printing on 2

newspaper 19 story n. a news article or report20 tabloid n. a small-format paper, with short, sensational stories - see

broadsheet


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y 5W'S & H The essentials of any story: who, what, when, where, why, and howy ADVERTSING Space in a publication sold to other businesses; display ads

usually contain headlines, illustrations, copy, a call for action and information toidentify the business

y ALIGNMENT Refers to the justification of text at its margins; left, right,

centered, justifiedy B EAT A specific area assigned to a reporter for regular coveragey BO LD Type which appears darker than surrounding type of the same family;

used for emphasisy BY -LINE Indicates who wrote the story; often includes the writer's titley CAPTI O N The portion of the layout which explains what is happening in a

photograph. Also called cutlines. O ften includes a photo credit.y CO LUMN A vertical division of layout which aids in giving structure to a pagey DO MINANT The largest photograph on a layouty EDIT O R Has overall responsibility for the publicationy EDIT O RIAL A type of story which serves to express an opinion and encourage

the reader to take some actiony ETHICS A standard of conduct based on moral beliefsy FACT A statement that can be proven. Not an opiniony FEATURE A story written with some interpretation that goes beyond just

reporting the factsy FLAG The name of the paper that usually appears at the top of page oney GRAPHICS The use of lines, screens, boxes, large initial letters etc. to enhance

a design by breaking up areasy GRID S Y STEM A system of layout in which the page is divided into small units

which are filled iny HAMMER A form of headline consisting of a few very large words over a

smaller subheadliney HEADLINE Large type designed to summarize a story and grab the reader's

attentiony HUMAN INTEREST An element of news that includes people or events with

which the audience can identify; stories that are just interestingy INTERVIEW A question and answer session between a reporter and source to

get information for a storyy INVERTED P Y RAMID A style of writing most commonly applied to news

stories in which the most important facts appear early in the story and lessimportant facts later in the story

y KICKER A short (one or two word) statement at the beginning of a caption thatserves to grab the reader's attention

y LEAD The beginning of the story which serves to summarize the story and/or

grab the reader's attentiony LIB EL Written defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that are in writing or are spoken from a written script

y NEWS Information delivered about an event shortly after it has occurredy O P-ED O pinion/Editorial; refers to the pages in a publication that express the

opinion of the writer y O PINI O N A statement which cannot be proven.y QUO TATI O N A statement make by another person included in a published

story. A direct quotation is exactly what the person said and appears inside


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quotation marks. An indirect quote is a paraphrase of what a person said anddoes not appear in quotes.

y REP O RTER Person who researches and generally writes stories assigned byeditors

y REVIEW A form of editorial written to comment on a play, movie, piece of music or some other creative work

y SANS SERI F Type with no extension at the letters which is easier to read atlarge sizes

y SERI F An extension at the end of certain letters which make the type easier toread at text sizes

y SLANDER Spoken defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that are spoken

y SPREAD Two facing pages that are designed as one unity STA FF BOX A box containing the names of the staff membersy STO R Y A block of text on a single topic beginning with some form of a lead

followed by the body that contains quotations and transitionsy TEX T WRAP Adjusting the appearance of text to follow the shape of a graphicy TRANSITI O N The portion of the story which helps the reader move from one

point to the next: helps a story flow, adds information, and explains other itemsin the story

y UNDERLINE A smaller headline set under the main headline that isapproximately the same length as the main headline

y WHITE SPACE The portion of a page with nothing on it used to draw a viewer into the other elements on the page


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Wh at Is t h e Lead?

The lead is the first paragraph of any news story. Its also the most important. The leadmust accomplish several things:

y give readers the main points of the storyy get readers interested in reading the story

y accomplish both a and b in as few words as possible

Typically editors want leads to be no longer than 3 5-4 0 words. Why so short? Readerswant their news delivered quickly. A short lead does just that.

Wh at Goes in t h e Lead?

Journalists use the five Ws and the H Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.

y Who who is the story about?

y What what is the story about?y Where where did the event youre writing about occur?y When when did it occur?y Why why did this happen?y How how did this happen?

Example:

Lets say youre writing a story about a man who was injured when he fell off a ladder.Here are your five Ws and H:

y Who the many What he fell off a ladder while paintingy Where at his housey When yesterdayy Why the ladder was ricketyy How the rickety ladder broke

So your lead might go something like this:

A man was injured yesterday when he fell off a rickety ladder that collapsed while hewas painting his house.

That sums up the main points of the story in just 20 words, which is all you need for thelead.

Emphasize Whats Newsworthy

Sometimes, one particular aspect of a story the who, what, where, when, why or how -will be especially interesting or newsworthy.


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Celebrity stories are an example. People die of drug overdoses all the time, but when ithappens to a celebrity its big news. So the who aspect of the story who died must

be emphasized.

Heres an example from CNN.com:

NEW YO RK (CNN) -- Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drugoverdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New Y ork Police Department said.

Notice how who died Heath Ledger - is right at the start of the lead. Thats becausethe fact that a famous actor died is clearly the most newsworthy angle of this story.

O ther stories might emphasize other angles. Its the reporters job to figure out whatsmost interesting in any story, and to play that up in the lead.

Adding Context

Leads must be short, but that doesnt mean they cant include context and perspectivethat add meaning to a story. Look at this lead from The Associated Press:

WASHINGT O N -- President B ush, facing doubts about his handling of Iraq amid risingcasualties, is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism and cautioningAmericans that the struggle "will take time and require sacrifice."

This lead is only 3 5 words long yet manages to tell us the following:

y President B ush is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorismy The president is facing doubts about his handling of the Iraq war y casualties are rising in Iraqy B ush admits the war will take time and require sacrifice.

Why did the writer feel the need to add such background information? Well, imagine if the lead had read like this:

President B ush is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism.

The basic story is there, but this bare-bones lead doesnt provide any context for B ushsrequest. The reader is left with little understanding of whats really happening.

Subject-Verb- O bject

A good way to keep leads tight is to follow the subject-verb-object format. This simplymeans putting the subject at the start of the sentence whenever possible.

Look at these two sentences:


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She read the book.

The book was read by her.

The first sentence is in S-V- O format, the second isnt. Whats the difference?

y The first sentence is an active construction, the second is passive.y The first sentence has a direct connection between the subject and the action

she is taking, making the sentence punchy and vivid. The second sentencecuts that connection, making it dull and lifeless.

y The first sentence is four words long, the second is six words long.

Two words may not seem like a big difference, but imagine cutting two words out of every sentence your write. After awhile, it starts to add up.

The B asics of New Writing: The 5 Ws

How do you write a news story? News writing follows a basic formula; there are keyelements every news story follows. While styles can diverge more dramaticallydepending on the kind of story - a feature story may look and sound very different thana hard news one -- all news stories are cut from the same mold. The first element of news writing is, of course, to deliver the news.

Most people have heard of the 5 Ws, even if theyve never taken a journalism class.The Ws in question, as you probably know, refer to the Who, What, When, Where andWhy that every story should address. Depending on what the story is, how and whenyou answer those Ws may change. If, for example, youre reporting on a drive-byshooting in a city, youll likely start with where the crime happened (what street or areaof town for the local paper) and who was involved (if you dont have names, or the

people are regular citizens, you might refer to notable affiliations if, say, the victim and presumed perpetrator were gang members).

Figuring out what details to give a reader, and when, is key in constructing a story. Theanswer, of course, depends on the facts. If youre working on the above story, and themurder happens to be one of a string of similar crimes, that may be the point you openthe story with. If, however, the above story revolved around someone of note beingshot, that might be what you start your piece with. (A story about a notable name beingshot is a very different story than one about a private. The latter might speak more toongoing local violence while the former is a story in and of itself -- X person has beenkilled and heres what X person was known for.)

Crafting a Lead

A lead, which is a journalism slang term for the first sentence or two of a story (i.e.lead), is an incredibly important part of the process. Y ou need to hook readers with your lead and, in some cases (as discussed above), relay the important parts of your story.Y ou need to draw a reader in while telling him why the story matters.


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Like all forms of writing, theres no hard and fast rule about what makes a great lead. Agood lead changes depending on the story youre writing. O ne of the best ways to getfamiliar with what a good lead is, is to read. Read lots of different stories. Read

breaking news stories. Read features. Read reviews. Leads vary wildly but, youll startto notice patterns and, more importantly, what kinds of leads you like and feel areeffective. Y ou can get more basics from on leads, but I suggest following it up with lots

of reading.

Getting Y our Nutgraf

A nutgraf, another journalism slang term, is the summarization of what the storysabout. A nutgraf (also written with as nut graf) can be a sentence or a paragraph and,sometimes, may also be your lead.

Nutgrafs are incredibly important, and some might argue the heart of a story, since theyrelay why the story matters. A nutgraf needs to address why the story is being written,whether the piece is about something like the aforementioned murder, or a profile of afamous celebrity. Like leads, nutgrafs vary wildly from story to story. Nutgrafs can also

be harder to identify than leads so a good exercise to read lots of different stories and tryto find the nutgraf. (If you do this outside of a classroom setting, it might be a good ideato find someone who can go over your findings with you.)

How Style Comes Into Play

The basics outlined above apply directly to all stories but, most obviously, to your classic news story. That said all stories have leads and nutgrafs, no matter what theyreabout or where you find them. These elements are applied differently, and often moresubtle, in long-form journalism and feature stories, but theyre still there. All (good)

stories have leads and nutgraf.

Ive said elsewhere on this site that the best way to become a better writer is to readmore. Ive gotten this piece of advice and I know others whove given it. O ne of the

best ways to see how the basic elements of news writing can be applied to wildlydifferent stories is to read, back to back, three very different pieces. For this exercise, Isuggest reading the lead story on any major paper. The front page of a paper (online andin print) offers the biggest news stories of the day and there youll find straight, hardnews. It might be local, it might be international. Then hit the features section of the

paper. Check out The Arts section of the T imes or, say, the Washington Post s Arts &Living section, and read a review then another trend story. Then read a piece of long-form journalism in a magazine like T he New Yorker or Esquire . (In T he New Yorker nearly every article, save the reviews and pieces from Talk of the Town, is an exampleof long-form journalism.)

Now think about how different each piece reads. Find the nutgraf in each story and payattention to how much each lead varies. Notice that some stories have nutgrafs thatappear well below the lead, and others begin with the nutgraf. Notice how the nutgraf ismore obvious in the news stories, than in the features or the magazine stories. All thesestories rely on the basic elements of news writing, but do so in different styles. This


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exercise is good for giving a sense of the breadth of journalism, and how differently therules of news writing can be applied.

So youve done your reporting at the scene of an accident or disaster and now its timeto write. Y ou have a lot of information to assemble into a coherent news story, andyoure facing a deadline. Here are some tips that can help.

Keep It Simple

Reporters covering disasters sometimes make the mistake of trying to get too fancy or complicated with their writing. After all, theyve just covered a huge story, and theywant to make the story sound as important as it is.

B ut remember, disaster stories dont need to be embellished by clever writing. The factsusually speak for themselves. Just tell readers what happened, in simple, clear prose.

Find Y our Lead

Y our story starts from your lead, so once youre written that the rest of the story maycome more easily. B ut a disaster story typically has lots of elements, and too oftenreporters try to cram too much information into their leads.

Remember, the lead is the story in broad brushstrokes. It doesnt have to include everydetail. Y ouve got the whole rest of the story for that.

Get Quotes Up High

Quotes from disaster survivors, eyewitnesses or rescue personnel are often the mostcompelling part of a disaster story. Pick a few of your best quotes and put them up highin your story. They will grab a readers attention and convey the drama of the event.

Convey the Chronology

A disaster is a series of actions that unfold over time. They can happen in seconds or take several hours. B ut a chronological account of what happened will give your readersa better understand of the event, so include that in your story.

Keep the Focus on People

Disasters are events that occur on a large scale, but in the end whats most important ishow they affect real people. Keep the human element running throughout your story.Focus on the victims, eyewitnesses and emergency responders. They will bring the storyto life.


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10 Terms Every Journalist S h ould Know

1. Lead

The first sentence of a hard-news story; a succinct summary of the storys main point.

2. Inverted Pyramid

The model used to describe how a news story is structured. It means the heaviest or most important news goes at the top of the story, and the lightest, or least important,goes at the bottom.

3 . Copy

The content of a news article.

4 . B eat

To cover a particular area or topic, such as cops, courts or city council.

5. B yline

The name of a news story's author, usually put at the start of the article.

6. Dateline

The city from which a news story originates, usually placed at the start of the story.

7. Source

Anyone you interview for a news story.

8. Anonymous Source

A source who does not want to be identified in a news story.

9. Attribute

To tell readers where the information in a news story comes from.

10. Morgue

A newspapers library of clippings of old articles


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Spend five minutes in the news business and you'll be asked to cover a pressconference. They're a regular occurrence in the life of any reporter, so you need to beable to cover them - and cover them well.

B ut for the beginner, a press conference can be tough to cover. P ress conferences tendto move quickly and often don't last very long, so you may have very little time to getthe information you need. So here are six tips for covering them well.

1. Come Armed With Questions

As we said, press conferences move quickly, so you'll need to have your questionsready ahead of time. Arrive with some questions already prepared.

2. Ask Y our B est Questions

O nce the speaker starts taking questions, it's often a free-for-all, with multiple reporters

shouting out their queries. Y ou may only get one or two of your questions into the mix,so pick your best ones and ask those.

3 . B e Aggressive If Necessary

Any time you get a bunch of reporters in one room, all asking questions at the sametime, it's bound to be a crazy scene. And reporters are by their nature competitive

people.

So when you go to a press conference, be prepared to be a bit pushy in order to get your questions answered. Shout if you need to. Push your way to the front of the room if you

must. Above all, remember - only the strong survive at a press conference.

4 . Forget the PR Speak - Focus O n The News

Corporations, politicians, sports teams and celebrities often try to use press conferencesas public relations tools. In other words, they want reporters to put the most positivespin possible on what's being said at the press conference.

B ut it's the reporter's job to ignore the PR talk and get to the truth of the matter. So if theCEO announces that his company has just suffered its worst losses ever, but in the next

breath says he thinks the future is bright, forget about the bright future - the real news is

the huge losses, not the PR sugarcoating.

5. Press the Speaker

Don't let the speaker at a press conference get away with making broad generalizationsthat aren't supported by facts. Question the basis for the statements they make, and getspecifics.


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For instance, if the mayor of your town announces he plans to cut taxes while at thesame time increasing municipal services, your first question should be - how can thetown provide more services while taking in less revenue? Seems pretty absurd whenyou think about it.

Likewise, if that CE O whose company has just lost billions says he's upbeat about thefuture, ask him why - how can he expect that things will get better when the company isclearly in trouble? Again, get him to be specific.

6. Don't B e Intimidated

Whether you're covering a press conference with the mayor, the governor or the president, don't let yourself be intimidated by their power or stature. That's what theywant. O nce you're intimidated, you'll stop asking tough questions, and remember, it'syour job to ask tough questions of the most powerful people in our society.

There's a saying in the newspaper business: Advertising is expensive - but editorial is priceless!

This simple phrase speaks to the fact that readers trust and value any information theyread in an article or column far more than any data they glean from an advertisement.Even when the facts presented in an article and an advertisement are identical, theresults are the same.

Positive editorial coverage is worth its weight in gold. Y et many exhibitors don't knowhow to work effectively with the media.

I hear it all the time - from both sides of the aisle. Exhibitors wring their hands indespair when not a single word about their new products show up in the trade

publications - and reporters get irritated, frustrated and downright disgusted with thoseexhibitors who seem to go out of their way to make getting a good story possible.

It's a no-win situation - but it doesn't have to be!

Here are ten do's and don'ts about working with the media at a trade show. Remember,the press is not your enemy.

Reporters have a job to do, and nine times out of ten, it's in your best interest to help

them do it.Y

ou both win - they get good copy for their story and you get editorialcoverage.

DoDo your homework before the event. Develop several newsworthy angles that showcaseyour message.

Emphasize timely information, such as industry trends, statistics, new technology or products, do-it-yourself tips, techniques or strategies and useful advice. Human interest


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stories are great because they allow writers to put a 'face' on what could be a dry nutsand bolts story.

Don'tDecide what story the reporter is going to write before they even get to the show. Sure,you might have all these great human interest angles or wonderful quotes but if thereporter is trying to put together a succinct, 'just-the-facts-Ma'am' story, that's just extranoise the writer doesn't want or need. Listen to what the reporter is asking for and

provide that.

DoB uild a working relationship with the press. Get to know the editors and writers.

Volunteer to be a resource for them. Reporters keep 'source lists' -- people who areinformative, friendly and quotable.

That's where they turn first when they need to write a story on a particular topic. Y ouwant to be on that source list.

Don'tSnub the little guy. Just because someone is writing for the O maha Chamber of Commerce today doesn't mean they won't be editing the most prestigious trade journaltomorrow. Professionals move in the media with amazing speed and regularity - butthey take their memories with them.

B urn a reporter when they're nobody and they're going to remember when they'resomebody!

DoHave a good press kit. Include interesting and timely information; a one-page company

bio sheet - corporate structure, executive staff chart, sales figures; complete productinformation - specs, distribution methods, pricing; good product photos or links to on-line FTP sites where photos can be found; key contacts.

Everything must be accurate and verifiable. Unique packaging is good if you'reunknown, otherwise, don't bother.

Don'tPad your press kit with tons of 'fluff'. Short and to the point is much better. Avoidgimmicks, head shots of your CE O , outdated, false or exaggerated information.

Misleading statistics can be the kiss of death - give context for all numbers. Standardsized folders or smaller is best, as these easily fit into bags and briefcases.

DoMake every effort to spread the word. Coordinate with show organizers at any mediaevents they host and make sure that plenty of your press kits are available in the media


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room. Post all relevant information on line so information can be accessed after theevent. Hold press conferences when appropriate.

Don'tHold a press conference 'just because'. Press conferences are specifically for major announcements, new product introductions but only if they are truly new or improved,or general industry trends - what's hot and what's not.

If you host a poorly organized event when nothing newsworthy is shared, you've justirritated a whole room full of reporters. Not a good idea.

DoKeep your promises. If you schedule an interview, be available and on time.

If you arrange to have materials sent to a reporter, make sure they're actually sent.Promised photos should be as described.

Reporters work tight time frames so when you fail to deliver what they're expecting,they don't have time to come back looking. They'll move onto another, moreaccommodating source.

Don'tAssume that the reporter knows everything about your industry, especially if they arefrom a general interest publication. Provide background data, give real-world examplesand avoid industry specific jargon. Spell out acronyms at least once and explain therelevance of any awards, certifications or honors you may be discussing.

Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, T he T rade Show Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author:"Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Visit T he T radeShow Coach for a free copy of 10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make.

O ne of the easiest ways for your company to receive free media exposure is throughmedia events. Whether you're teaming up with several sponsors to help the lessfortunate or holding a press conference to announce a new product's release, you have tofollow certain steps to organize a successful media event.

P ress Release Sending out your press release will help the media decide if your story is worthy enoughof coverage. That's why it helps to keep your press release simple and never use anyhype. Stations and newspapers are looking for news; they're not looking for a salesspiel.

Y ou've got a window for sending out your press release. Y ou don't want to send it outtoo early and then it gets forgotten or buried and you don't want to send it out too latewhen other stories may have already been assigned and they simply can't fit your eventin. Generally, 2- 3 days before your event is enough of an advance notice.


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Y ou also want to be sure you include directions and any special instructions within your press release. If your company's headquarters are at one location but your event is atyour plant 3 0 miles away, you need to make this clear in your release.

Watch the Phone CallsAfter you've sent your press release, you can call the editors at the newspapers or the

producers at the TV stations to verify they receive it. That's all you have to ask.

This will often open up the conversation for them to tell you if they think they'll be ableto come or not. B ut even if it doesn't, you don't want to ask if they're coming. They'll bethere if they can but won't make any promises.

Do keep in mind, breaking news or heavy news days might prevent them from comingat the last minute. Y ou don't want to pester them to see if they're coming, even on theday of the event when you're standing there waiting for reporters to show up.

Y ou also want to watch the time you make your phone call. Calling at 10 til 5 p.m.might seem like the end of the day for you but for a producer that's 10 minutes until anightly newscast. The best times to call are generally around 10 a.m. and between 1 and2:3 0 p.m.

Y our Event's TimeEveryone's working on deadlines. Newspapers have set times they put the next day'sissue to bed. This means if they come to your event at 5 p.m. on Thursday, coveragemay not show up until Saturday.

TV stations generally have a morning, noon, 5, 6, 10 and/or 11 p.m. newscasts duringthe week, depending on your TV market. Getting coverage if your media event starts at4 p.m. might be very tricky. They won't just hop into their news car and drive like crazyto get your tape on the air by 5. There's a script that has to be written and a tape that hasto be edited.

Plan your event time so that it's not only convenient to the reporters but also increasesyour chances of getting more immediate exposure.

Don't Call the ShotsAs tempting as it may be to become a director, don't tell the reporter, photographers or videographers what shots you want them to get. Y ou want to establish a certain rapportwith them and start a relationship with the newspaper or TV station. Y ou won't win anyfriends by telling them how to do their job.

Easy In/Easy O utIf you're holding the event at your 50,000 square foot plant and the area you're allowingmedia is in the back of the building, give them as easy access as possible. Don't havethem park at the front of the building and then lug their equipment all the way to the

back if you can help it. If there's a way to drive to the back, let the media know thedriving directions in your press release and clearly mark the way when they actuallyarrive.


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Y ou also want to consider what area of your facility is strictly off-limits. For example, if you can't avoid a long walk, do you really want the media to walk through your entire

building with cameras? That doesn't mean they're going to start shooting whatever theywant. B ut many companies have strict policies about where cameras and non-employeescan go for proprietary reasons.

VisualsThink about your visuals. Give the media as much of a hands-on experience as possible.Talking about a product for half an hour and then referring to the picture in the brochureis something the media doesn't even have to show up for. Remember, they're passing thevisuals on to your potential customers (their viewers or readers) so it's important to keepyour audience in mind so you can get the coverage you need.

Press KitDon't forget your press kit. Include the information about your event and hand it out tothe media. This info will help them write the story but also helps you have more controlover the news since you're supplying them with the crucial info.

Y our Media Contact's AvailabilityDon't forget to make your media contact available for questions. If a reporter hasadditional questions, they need to be able to get a hold of your media contact quickly.B e sure to include the media contact's phone number and any other contact info withinyour press kit.

Employees With ExperienceY ou don't have to limit your event's spokespeople to your own media contact. If anemployee can give a better sound bite because he's had more experience developing andworking with a certain product, by all means, make him available for questions.

Prepare Y our Statement B eforehandIf you do plan on talking on-camera or to a newspaper reporter, think about what youwant to say ahead of time. It can help to have a friend who's not familiar with your

business to read over your press kit and ask questions they have. From these questionsas well as some brainstorming of your own, come up with a list of answers. Y ou don'twant to sound rehearsed but you don't want to sound unprepared or saying "Umm..." alot either.

Y ou also want to consider the different types of mediums. Newspaper has differentneeds than television and vice versa. A newspaper reporter might ask you questions thatare much different than a TV reporter. Each medium has different ways of presentingyour news so they'll need the type of that suits their audience the best.

When a Reporter Doesn't Show UpThe station or newspaper may very well send a photographer or videographer instead of a reporter. That doesn't mean your story isn't important to them. They wouldn't be thereif they didn't plan on giving your story coverage so treat whoever shows up very well.


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If a videographer is lugging his gear, don't hand him a press kit right then. O ffer to carryit for him until he's been able to get the shots he needs. Treating him or her like asecond class citizen will make it back to the station and could hurt your chances of future coverage.

C overing Accidents & Disasters

K eep Your Cool And Do T horough Reporting

B y Tony Rogers, About.com

NEW YO RK - JANUAR Y 15: Rescue boats float next to a US Airways plane floatingin the water after crashing into the Hudson River in New Y ork City.

Photo by Jerritt Clark/Getty Images

Accidents and disasters everything from plane and train crashes to earthquakes,tornadoes and tsunamis are some of the hardest stories to cover. Reporters at the scenemust gather important information under very difficult circumstances, and produce

stories on very tight deadlines. Covering an accident or disaster requires all of areporters training and experience.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when covering such events.

Keep Y our Cool

Disasters are stressful situations. After all, a disaster means something horrible hashappened on a very large scale. Many of the people at the scene, especially victims, will

be distraught. Its the reporters job in such a situation to keep a cool, clear head.

Learn Fast

Reporters covering disasters often have to take in a lot of new information very quickly.For instance, you may not know much about planes, but if youre suddenly called uponto help cover a plane crash, youre going to have to learn as much as you can fast.

Take Detailed Notes


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Take detailed notes about everything you learn, including things that seem insignificant.Y ou never know when small details might become critical to your story.

Get Plenty of Description

Readers will want to know what the scene of the disaster looked like, sounded like,smelled like. Get the sights, sounds and smells in your notes. Think of yourself as acamera, recording every visual detail you can.

Find The O fficials in Charge

In the aftermath of a disaster there will usually be dozens of emergency responders onthe scene firefighters, police, EMTs, and so on. Find the person whos in charge of theemergency response. That official will have the big-picture overview of whatshappening and will be a valuable source of information.

Get Eyewitness Accounts

Information from emergency authorities is great, but you need to also get quotes from people who were there and saw with their own eyes what happened. Eyewitnessaccounts are invaluable for a disaster story.

Interview Survivors If Possible

Its not always possible to interview survivors of a disaster immediately after the event.O ften theyre being treated by EMTs or being debriefed by investigators. B ut if survivors are available, try your best to interview them.

B ut remember, disaster survivors have just survived a traumatic event. B e tactful andsensitive with your questions and general approach. And if they say they dont want totalk, respect their wishes.

Find The Heroes

In nearly every disaster there are heroes who emerge - people who bravely andselflessly jeopardize their own safety in order to rescue or help others. Find those peopleand interview them.

Get The Numbers

Disaster stories are often about numbers - how many people were killed or injured, howmuch property was destroyed, how fast the plane was traveling, etc. Remember togather these for your story, but only from reliable sources - the officials in charge at thescene.

Remember The Five Ws and the H


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As you do your reporting, remember whats critical to any news story the who, what,where, when, why and how. Keeping those elements in mind will help to ensure thatyou gather all the information you need for your story.

What follows is a newswriting exercise. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Its 9:3 0 p.m. Y ou're on the night shift at the Centerville Gazette. Y ou hear some chatter on the police scanner and call the cops. Lt. Jack Feldman says hes not sure yet whatshappening but he thinks a plane crashed near the local airport. Centerville Airport is asmall facility used mostly by private pilots flying single-engine craft. Y our editor tellsyou to get over there as fast as you can.

Its a 15-minute drive and when you get there you hear sirens and see the flashing lightsof probably about a dozen emergency vehicles in a field about 200 yards from thecontrol tower. That area is fenced off so you park and run over to the tower, where acommand post has been set up. The weather is lousy; theres sleet and a strong, drivingwind. A man who identifies himself as Jeff B elden of the local Federal AviationAdministration field office tells you the following:

Uh, yeah, it was a single-engine plane a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, I believe. It wastaking off about 3 0 minutes ago when it crashed in a field adjacent to the runway. Thecontrol tower tells me the pilot managed to get off the ground but immediately after takeoff he radioed the tower, saying he was having problems controlling the aircraft.Shortly after that the plane crashed. This could have been weather-related, were notsure yet. We have no information on the pilot or any passengers or their conditions. Thiscrash is under investigation.

Y ou call your editor. He says youve got 4 5 minutes to bang out the story. Y oull writeit on your laptop and e-mail it to the editor. He tells you to add whatever backgroundyou can find on the Cessna 172 Skyhawk.

Y ou write the story and just as youre about to send it you call Lt. Feldman on your cellphone. Weve got IDs on the victims of the crash, he says. He tells you two peoplewere killed the pilot and owner of the plane, Dr. Richard Sabatini, a prominent localcardiac surgeon, and his wife, Lydia. Feldman says the two had planned to fly to theexclusive Fontainebleau resort in the northern part of the state for a skiing holiday.

Write the story in 4 5 minutes or less.

Tips for C overing Meetings as News Stories

Find Your Focus, Do Plenty of Reporting



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Get Phone Numbers

Get phone numbers and email addresses for everyone you interview. Virtually everyreporter whos ever covered a meeting has had the experience of getting back to theoffice to write, only to discover theres another question they need to ask. Having thosenumbers on hand is invaluable.

Understand What Happened

The goal of your reporting is to understand what exactly happened at the meeting. Toooften, beginning reporters will cover a town hall hearing or school board meeting,dutifully taking notes throughout. B ut at the end they leave the building without reallyunderstanding what theyve just seen. When they try to write a story, they cant. Y oucant write about something you dont understand.

So remember this rule: Never leave a meeting without understanding exactly whathappened. Follow that rule, and youll produce solid meeting stories.

What follows is a newswriting exercise. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Y oure covering a 7 p.m. meeting of the Centerville School B oard. The meeting is beingheld in the auditorium of Centerville High School. Here are your notes from themeeting:

-B oard begins with discussion of ongoing cleanup at McKinley Elementary School;school had experienced water damage during heavy rains and flooding two weeks agoin the citys Parksburg section, near the Root River. Several ground-floor classroomshad water damage. School Principal Jaclyn Wong says repairs are proceeding onschedule but it will be several more weeks before theyre finished. She says much of thefurniture, books and supplies in the rooms was ruined by the water and will needreplacing. Estimated cost: $20,000. Wong says classes in those rooms have beentemporarily moved to the cafeteria.

-Tamara Washington, principal of Centerville High School, gives an update on work onthe schools new computer lab. She says the lab, which is being installed as an additionto the schools library, is on schedule and due to be completed in two months. Estimatedcost: $150,000.

-B oard hears a proposal from local resident Sandra Williams, member of a group calledCreation Science Ministry of Centerville. Williams presents the board with a petition

bearing 500 signatures from local residents demanding that creationism be taught in thescience curriculum of all Centerville School District high schools. Were keeping Godout of our schools. Evolution is a theory, not a fact. All were asking is that students get

both sides of the story. Let them hear the debate, Williams tells the board. There is amixture of boos and applause from the group of about 50 local residents attending themeeting.


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B ob Stanford, a science teacher at Centerville High School, stands up and asks to berecognized. He is red in the face and appears agitated. This group is doing nothing but

peddling pseudo-science. Theyre trying to inject religion into science classes. This isthe 21st century; our students have to be able to compete in the sciences with studentsfrom all over the world. How are they going to do that if we teach this nonsense in our science classes? Stanford also gets a mixture of boos and applause.

When Stanford is finished, school board member Linda Fiorello says, I disagree withthe idea of teaching religion in our science classes, but in any case, such a change in thedistricts curriculum would require approval by the state legislature, wouldnt it? JasonSmith, a conservative member of the board, responds, I dont think we need the state todictate what we can and cannot teach in our own school district. The board votes totable the matter for further discussion.

When you get back to the Centerville Gazette newsroom its 9: 3 0 p.m. The night cityeditor says youve got an hour to write the story. And dig up some background onlineabout attempts to teach creationism in other school districts around the country. Put

some of that in your story, he adds.

Write the story in an hour or less.

T h oroug h Reporting

Getting All T he Facts, and T hen Double-Checking T hem


People starting out in journalism tend to worry a lot about getting a handle on

newswriting, but experienced reporters will tell you it's more important to be athorough, solid reporter.

After all, sloppy writing can be cleaned up by a good editor, but an editor can'tcompensate for a poorly-reported story that lacks important information.

So what do we mean by thorough reporting? It means getting all the informationrelevant to the story you're doing. It means double-checking the information in your story to make sure it's accurate. And it means getting all sides of a story if you're writingabout an issue that's controversial or the subject of a dispute.

Getting All The Information Y ou Need

Editors have a term for information that's missing from a news story. They call it a"hole," and if you give an editor a story that's lacking information, he or she will tellyou, " Y ou have a hole in your story."

To ensure that your story is hole-free, you need to put a lot of time into your reporting by doing lots of interviews and gathering plenty of background information. Most


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reporters will tell you they spend the bulk of their time reporting, and much less timewriting. For many it will be something like a 70/ 3 0 split - 70 percent of the time spentreporting, 3 0 percent writing.

So how can you know what information you need to gather? Think back to the five W'sand H of lead writing - who, what, where, when why and how. If you have all those inyour story, chances are you're being thorough in your reporting.

Read It O ver

When you've finished writing your story, read it through thoroughly and ask yourself,"Are there any questions left unanswered in this story?" If there are, that means youneed to do more reporting. Sometimes it also helps to have a friend read your story, andhave them ask the same question.

If There Is Information Missing, Explain Why

Sometimes a news story will lack certain information because there's no way for thereporter to get access to that information. For instance, if the mayor holds a closed-door meeting with the deputy mayor and doesn't explain what the meeting is about, then you

probably have little chance of finding out much about it.

In that case, explain to your readers why that information isn't in your story: "Themayor held a closed-door meeting with the deputy mayor and neither official wouldspeak to reporters afterward."

Double-Checking Information

Another aspect of thorough reporting is double-checking information, everything fromthe spelling of someone's name to the exact dollar amount of the new state budget. So if you interview John Smith, check how he spells his name at the end of the interview. Itcould be Jon Smythe. Experienced reporters are habitual and even obsessive aboutdouble-checking the information in their stories.

Getting B oth - O r All Sides - O f The Story

We've discussed objectivity and fairness on this site. To be fair when covering issues of controversy it's absolutely vital to get both sides, to interview people of opposing

viewpoints.B

ut aside from issues of fairness, it's also part of doing thorough reporting.

Let's say you're covering a school board meeting at which board members are hearing public comments about a proposed measure to ban certain books from the district'sschools. And let's say there are plenty of people at the meeting representing both sidesof the issue -to ban, or not to ban.


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If you only get quotes from those who want to ban the books, your story not onlywouldn't be fair, it wouldn't be an accurate representation of what happened at themeeting, would it? Thorough reporting means fair reporting. They're one and the same

H ow to Structure News Stories

There are a few basic rules for writing and structuring any news story. If youreaccustomed to other types of writing such as fiction these rules may seem odd atfirst. B ut the format is easy to pick up, and there are very practical reasons whyreporters have followed this format for decades.

The Inverted Pyramid

The inverted pyramid is the model for newswriting. It simply means that the heaviest or most important information is at the top the beginning of your story, and the leastimportant information is at the bottom. And as you move from top to bottom, theinformation presented should gradually become less important.

A B reak From the Past. Newswriting turns traditional storytelling on its head. In a shortstory or novel, the most important moment the climax - typically comes near the veryend. B ut in newswriting the most important moment is right at the start in the lede.

Example: Lets say youre writing a story about a fire in which two people are killedand their house is burned down. In your reporting youve gathered a lot of detailsincluding the victims names, the address of their home, what time the blaze broke out,etc.

O bviously the most important information is the fact that two people died in a housefire. Thats what you want at the top of your story. O ther details the names of thedeceased, the address of their home, when the fire occurred should certainly beincluded in your story. B ut they should be placed lower down in your story, not at thevery top.

Keeping it Tight

Another hallmark of newswriting is the need to keep it short, or as editors often say,tight. Writing tight simply means conveying as much information as possible in asfew words as possible. O ne way reporters do this is by using the Subject-Verb- O bjectformat.

Sentences

Writing tight means we generally keep individual sentences short. A good rule of thumbis to have just one main idea per sentence.

Example: The president signed the treaty.


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See? Short, sweet and to the point. Not all your sentences need to be that tight, but theone-idea-per sentence is a good one to stick to.

See what happens when we try to cram too many ideas into one sentence.

Example: The president, who was suffering from a cold, which he caught last week in Norway, signed the treaty, which he had originally opposed, because he said thechanges that had been made were sound.

See the difference? This sentence is stuffed with four or five ideas, and the result is aconfusing mess.

Clauses

Notice that our long sentence also has a number of clauses. A clause is a part of asentence separated by a comma. The long sentence has six clauses way too many. In

general, the fewer clauses in your sentences, the better.

Just remember, when you feel a sentence is getting too long, break it up. Put a period inthere somewhere and start a new sentence.

Example: The president had originally opposed the treaty. B ut he signed it anyway,saying the changes that had been made were sound. At the signing, the president wassuffering from a cold that he caught last week in Norway.

Paragraphs

Paragraphs in news stories should also be short, generally no more than 1-2 sentenceseach. And the lede of your story the very first paragraph - should be just one sentence.

Why Do it This Way?

Why the emphasis on short sentences and paragraphs, and on writing tight in general?Y ouve probably guessed at some of the reasons. First, readers today have little time,and their attention spans are often short. They want their news delivered as quickly andefficiently as possible. Writing tight does just that.

In the newsroom, there are other very practical reasons for keeping stories short. Atnewspapers, after space is set aside for ads, headlines and pictures, there is always afinite amount of space left for news stories. Editors call this space the news hole.O bviously, having lots of short stories allows editors to fit more news into the paper.

The inverted pyramid format, in turn, enables editors to quickly cut stories that need to be trimmed. An editor on a tight deadline knows that if a reporter has followed thisformat, the story can usually be cut from the bottom without losing vital information.


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Short paragraphs are also easier to edit then long ones, and look less imposing on the printed page.

A Little History

The inverted pyramid format was developed during the Civil War. Newspaper correspondents covering that wars great battles relied on telegraph machines totransmit their stories back to their newspapers offices.

B ut often saboteurs would cut the telegraph lines, so reporters learned to transmit themost important information Gen. Lee defeated at Gettysburg, for instance at the verystart of the transmission to make sure it got through successfully. The newswritingformat developed then has served reporters well ever since.

So you want to start covering stories as a reporter, maybe as a student working on aschool paper or as a citizen journalist writing for a website or blog. B ut how do youdecide what is newsworthy? What is worth covering, and what isnt?

O ver the years editors, reporters and journalism professors have come up with a list of factors or criteria that help journalists decide whether something is newsworthy or not.They can also help you decide H O W newsworthy something is. Generally, the more of the factors below that can be applied to your event or story, the more newsworthy its

bound to be.

Impact or Consequences

Generally, the greater the impact a story has, the more newsworthy it is. Events thathave on impact on your readers, that have real consequences for their lives, are bound to

be newsworthy.

An obvious example would be the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In how many ways have all of our lives been affected by the events of that day? The greater the impact, the bigger thestory.

Conflict

If you look closely at the stories that make news in any given day, chances are most of them will have some element of conflict. Whether its a dispute over banning books at a

local school board meeting, bickering over budget legislation in Congress, or theultimate conflict war conflict is almost always newsworthy.

Conflict is newsworthy because as human beings were naturally interested in conflict.Think of any book youve ever read or movie youve ever watched they all had sometype of conflict. Without conflict, there would be no literature or drama. Conflict iswhat propels the human drama.


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Imagine two city council meetings. At the first, the council passes its annual budgetunanimously with little or no argument. In the second, there is violent disagreement.Some council members want the budget to provide more city services, while otherswant a bare-bones budget with tax cuts. The two sides are entrenched in their positionsand in the city council chambers the conflict erupts into a full-scale shouting match,

Which story is more interesting? The second, of course. Why? Conflict. Conflict is sointeresting to us as humans that it can even make an otherwise dull-sounding story the

passage of a city budget into something utterly gripping. And the ultimate conflict war is always a huge story.

Loss of Life/Property Destruction

Theres an old saying in the news business: If it bleeds, it leads. What that means is thatany story involving loss of human life from a fire to a shooting to a terrorist attack - is

bound to be newsworthy. Likewise, nearly any story that involves property destructionon a large enough scale a house fire is a good example - is also bound to be news.

Many stories have both loss of life and property destruction think of the house fire inwhich several people perish. O bviously loss of human life is more important than

property destruction, so write the story that way.

Proximity

Proximity has to do with how close an event is geographically is to your readers or viewers. A house fire with several people injured might be big news in your hometownnewspaper, but chances are no one will care in the next town over. Likewise, wildfiresin California usually make the national news, but clearly theyre a much bigger story for those directly affected.

Prominence

Are the people involved in your story famous or prominent? If so, the story becomesmore newsworthy. For example, if an average person is injured in a car crash, chancesare that wont even make the local news. B ut if the president of the United States is hurtin a car crash, it makes headlines around the world.

Prominence can apply to politicians, movie stars, star athletes, CE O s anyone whos inthe public eye. B ut it doesnt have to mean someone whos famous worldwide. Themayor of your town probably isnt famous, even locally. B ut he or she is prominent inyour town, which means any story involving him or her is likely to be morenewsworthy. Prominence can apply on a local, national or international level.

Timeliness


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In the news business we tend to focus on whats happening this day, this hour, thisminute. So events that are happening now are often more newsworthy than those thathappened, say, a week ago.

Another factor that relates to timeliness is currency. This involves stories that may nothave just happened but instead have an ongoing interest to your audience. For example,the rise and fall in gas prices is something thats been happening for several years, butits a story thats still relevant to your readers, so it has currency.

Novelty

Another old saying in the news business goes, When a dog bites a man, no one cares.When the man bites back now thats a news story. The idea, of course, is that anydeviation from the normal, expected course of events is something novel, and thusnewsworthy.

10 Steps For P roducing T h e P erfect News Story

What You Need To Do To Create Articles That Shine


So you want to produce your first news story, but not sure where to begin, or what to doalong the way. Creating a news article is actually a series of tasks that involve bothreporting and writing. Here are the things you'll need to accomplish in order to producea story that's ready for publication.

1. Find Something To Write About

Photo by David McNew/Getty Images Journalism isn't fiction writing - you can't create stories from your imagination. Y ouhave to find newsworthy topics worth writing about. Y ou can get started by checkingout the places where news often happens - your local city hall, police precinct or courthouse. Attend a city council or school board meeting. Want to cover sports? High

school football and basketball games can be very exciting and provide great experiencefor the aspiring sportswriter. O r interview local merchants for their take on the state of the economy.2. Do Y our Interviews


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T ony Rogers Now that you've decided what to write about, you need to hit the streets (or the phone,or your e-mail) and start interviewing sources. Do some research about those you planto interview, prepare some questions and make sure you're equipped with a reporter'snotepad, pen and pencil. Rerember that the best interviews are more like conversations.Put your source at ease, and you'll get more revealing information.3 . Choose The B est Quotes

T ony Rogers Y ou may fill your notebook with quotes from your interviews, but when you write your story you'll only be able to use a fraction of what you've gathered. Not all quotes arecreated equal - some are compelling, and others just fall flat. Pick the quotes that grabyour attention, and chances are they'll grab your reader's attention as well.4 . Report, Report, Report

Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Good clean newswriting is fine, but all the writing skills in the world can't replacethorough, solid reporting. Good reporting means answering all the questions a reader might have, and then some. It also means double-checking the information you get tomake sure it's accurate. And donlt forget to check the spelling of your source's name. It'sMurphy's Law - just when you assume your source's name is spelled John Smith, it'll beJon Smythe.5. B e O bjective and Fair

Digital Vision/Getty Images Hard-news stories are not the place to for opinion-spewing. Even if you have strongfeelings about the issue you're covering, you need to learn to set those feelings aside and


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become a dispassionate observer. Remember, a news story isn't about what YO U think -it's about what your sources have to say.6. Craft a Great Lead

T ony Rogers So you've done your reporting and are ready to write. B ut the most interesting story inthe world isn't worth much if no one reads it, and if you don't write a knock-their-socks-off lede, chances are no one will give your story a second glance. To craft a great lede,think about what makes your story unique, and what you find interesting about it. Thenfind a way to convey that interest to your readers.7. After The Lede, Structure The Rest of The Story

Photo by T ony Rogers Crafting a great lede is important, but you still have to write the rest of the story.

Newswriting is based on the idea of conveying as much information as possible, asquickly and efficiently as possible. The inverted pyramid format means you put themost important information at the top of your story, the least important at the bottom.8. Attribute The Information Y ou Get From Sources

Michael Bradley/Getty Images It's important in news stories to be absolutely clear about where the information comesfrom. Attributing the information in your story makes it more credible, and builds trustwith your readers. Whenever possible, use on-the-record attribution.9. Check Y our AP Style

T he Associated Press So you've reported and written a terrific story. B ut all that hard work will be for nothingif you send your editor a story filled with Associated Press style errors. AP Style is thegold standard for print journalism usage in the U.S., which is why you need to learn it.Get used to checking your AP Stylebook whenever you write a story. Pretty soon, you'llstart to memorize some of the most common style points.10. Get Started on a Follow-up Story


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Getty Images So you've finished your article and sent it to your editor, who praises it profusely. Then

she says, " O K, we'll need a follow-up story." Developing follow-up stories can be trickyat first, but there are some simple methods that can help you along. For instance, think about the causes and consequences of the story you're covering. Doing so is bound to

produce at least a few good follow-up ideas.

It's an old debate among print journalism reporters: Which works better wheninterviewing a source, taking notes the old-fashioned way or using a cassette or digitalvoice recorder? B oth have their pros and cons.

Notebooks

Pros:

A reporter's notebook and a pen or pencil are the time-honored tools of the interviewingtrade. Notebooks are cheap and easy to fit into a back pocket or purse. They're alsounobtrusive enough that they generally don't make sources nervous.

A notebook is also reliable - no need to worry about it running out of batteries. And for the reporter working on a tight deadline, notebooks are the fastest way of taking downwhat a source says, and of accessing his or her quotes when you're writing your story.

Cons:

Unless you're a very speedy note-taker, it's hard to jot down everything a source says,especially if he or she is a fast talker. So you can miss key quotes if you're relying onnote-taking.

Also, it can be hard to get quotes that are totally accurate, word-for-word, using just anotebook. That may not matter much if you're doing a quick person-on-the-streetinterview. B ut it might be a problem if you're covering an event where getting thequotes exactly right is important - say, a critical speech by the president.

Recorders

Pros:

Recorders enable you to get literally everything someone says, word-for-word. Y oudon't have to worry about missing or mangling key quotes from your source. Using arecorder can free you up to jot down things in your notes you might otherwise havemissed, such as the way a source acts, their facial expressions, etc.


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Cons:

Like any technical device, recorders can malfunction. Practically every reporter who'sever used a recorder has a story about the batteries dying in the middle of an importantinterview.

Also, recorders are more time-consuming than notebooks because a recorded interviewhas to be played back later and transcribed in order to access the quotes. O n a breakingnews story there just isn't enough time to do that.

Finally, recorders can make some sources nervous. And some sources may even prefer that their interviews not be recorded.

The Winner?

There's no clear winner. B ut there are clear preferences:

y Notebooks work best when you're on a tight deadline.y Recorders are good for stories where you have time to transcribe the quotes

after the interview.

So many reporters rely on notebooks for breaking news stories, and userecorders for articles that have longer deadlines, such as features. O verall,notebooks are probably used more often than recorders on a daily basis.

B ut remember: Even if you're recording an interview, always take notesanyway. Why? The Murphy's Law of journalism says that the one time yourely solely on a recorder for an interview will be the one time the recorder malfunctions.

T h e Basics of C onducting Interviews for News Stories

Conducting interviews for news stories is an important skill for any journalist. Asource anyone a journalist interviews - can provide the following elements that arevital to any news story:

y basic factual informationy perspective and context on the topic being discussedy

direct quotesy ideas on how to approach the storyy names and contact information of other people to interview

Things Y oull Need

y a thin reporters spiral notebook (can be purchased at most office supplystores)

y several pens and a pencil if its winter (pens freeze in cold weather)


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y a tape recorder or digital voice recorder (optional)y a video camera for interviews you plan to webcast

Preparing for the Interview:

Research Do as much research as you can. If youre going to interview,say, a cardiologist about heart attacks, read up on the subject and make sureyou understand basic terms such as cardiac arrest. A well-preparedreporter inspires confidence in the person being interviewed.

Developing Questions O nce youve thoroughly researched your topic, prepare a list of questions to ask. That will help you remember all the pointsyou want to cover once the interview is underway.

Keys to a Successful Interview

Establish a Rapport When starting out, dont abruptly launch into your questions. Chitchat a little with your source. Compliment them on their office, or comment on the weather. This puts your source at ease.

Keep it Natural An interview can be an uncomfortable experience, sokeep things natural and conversational. Instead of mechanically reading outyour list of questions, weave your queries naturally into the flow of theconversation.

Also, maintain eye contact as much as possible. Nothing is more unnervingto a source then a reporter who never looks up from their notebook.

B e O pen Dont be so focused on getting through your list of questionsthat you miss something interesting.

For instance, if youre interviewing the cardiologist and she mentions a newheart-health study thats coming out, ask her about it. This may take your interview in an unexpected direction but if it leads to somethinginteresting, so what?

Maintain Control B e open, yes, but dont waste your time. If your sourcestarts to ramble on about things that are clearly of no use to you, dont beafraid to gently but firmly steer the conversation back to the topic athand.

Wrapping Up At the end of the interview, ask your source if theresanything they want to discuss that you hadnt asked about. Double-check the meanings of any terms or words they used that youre unsure about.And always ask if there are other people they recommend that you speak with.


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A Note About Note-taking B eginning reporters often freak out when theyrealize they cant possibly write down everything the source is saying,word-for-word. Dont sweat it. Experienced reporters learn to take down

just the interesting stuff they know theyll use, and ignore the stuff theywont. This takes some practice, but the more interviews you do, the easier it gets.

Taping Recording an interview is fine, and generally it's best to get the permission of the person you're recording. Taping can be helpful if youredoing a long interview that youll have time to listen to and type out later.

B ut the rules regarding taping a source can be tricky. According toPoynter.org, recording phone conversations is legal in all 50 states. Andfederal law allows you to record a phone conversation with the consent of only one person involved in the conversation - meaning that only thereporter is required to know that the conversation is being taped.

B ut 12 states require varying degrees of consent from those being recordedin phone interviews, so it's best to check the laws in your own state. Also,your newspaper or website may have its own rules about taping. Again, bestto check. And when in doubt, ask permission to tape.

B ut if youre doing a story that has to be written on a tight deadline, youlikely wont have to transcribe a recorded interview. Stick to note-taking for deadline stories.

Finally, ALWA Y S take notes, even if youre using a recorder. Everyreporter who ever worked has a story about the time they thought they were

recording an interview, only to get back to the newsroom to discover thatthe machines batteries were dead.

T h e News Media

A Brief History of the News Media

B y Rachel Deahl, About.com

The backbone of the news media is print journalism. In the early, early days the newsmedia was about the basics: news spread via word of mouth. During the Roman Empire

governments transferred written accounts, via people, long distances.

Fast forward quite a bit to the invention of the printing press in 1 4 56, which is attributedto Johannes Gutenberg, and you have the beginnings of the mass dispersion of information, i.e. news. Fast forward again, to the 1920s, and we see some of the earlydevelopments in news media, as professional journalism standards are created andadopted.


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What is Journalism?

Journalism is the reporting of news. And, as I note here, the basics are the 5 Ws: TheWho, What, Where, When and Why of a story. Although print journalists adhere to asomewhat strict style of how they present a story, there are various subjects beingreported on. If you peruse any major newspaper, like T he Washington Post or T he NewYork T imes , youll notice all the different sections. A good exercise to get a feel for thedifferent types of news being reported is to check out a weekend edition of the big

papers -- then youll notice there is everything from travel to sports to business to arts toculture.

"Genres" in Journalism

In addition to the various subjects being reported on in journalism, there are alsodifferent ways of transmitting the story. In short there are different styles or genres of

journalism. A few examples include investigative journalism (in which a reporter triesto uncover wrongdoing by following a story almost like a detective); and long-form or narrative journalism, also known as new journalism (in which stories are longer andalmost prose-like). There is also a rift between features, which may cover a person or atrend, and straight-up news stories, which deliver information directly about somethingthats happened.

Reading Up on Journalism

The above is pretty brief rundown of journalism so its a great idea to read up moreabout the field, if it interests you. To that end here are some books, from straightforwardtomes about writing stories to romantic (and sometimes crazy) tales of being a reporter:

T he Elements of Journalism by B ill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel: This book is agood primer on the basics of news writing.

Associated Press Guide to News Writing : Another good guide to straightforwardnews reporting.

T he New New Journalism by Robert B oynton: A wonderful collection of interviewswith some of the leading long-form journalists working today. Especially good since thereporters share details on their work habits and how they got started in the industry

T he Mammoth Book of Journalism: 101 Masterpieces from the Finest Writers and Reporters edited by Jon Lewis: Since I think its inherently important to simply readgreat writing to become a better writer, this collection is a good place to start. In it you'llfind pieces by some of the luminaries in the field, everyone from Hemingway to O rwell.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson: What do two guys with acar-full of drugs headed out for a bender in Vegas have to do with journalism? WellThompson, who's credited with creating Gonzo Journalism -- his free-wheeling stylewas marked by the fact that he inserted himself into his stories -- is a giant in the field.To boot, the book's a very fun read. (Also check out Fear and Loathing: On theCampaign T rail , in which Thompson chronicles covering the 72 presidential raceasirreverently and drugged up as ever.)


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Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss: Even if youre not planning on being a copyeditor, you should have more than passable grammar skills. And this nifty little guide to

punctuation makes a seemingly boring topic quite a bit of fun. The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B . White: Since we can't talk grammar and not mention the classic book on the topic, I advise checking out this little

book; it's original standard, originally published in 1957, for the basic elements of

writing.

T he Boys on the Bus by Timothy Crouse -- A much loved account of Crouses timefollowing the 72 presidential election as a reporter on the bus, i.e. traveling with thecandidates (same as Thompson in the aforemention Fear and Loathing on theCampaign T rail , Nixon and McGovern.

When you're trying to mingle at a media event, being able to talk about media news iskey. And, in job interviews, showing you know your media news can really impress anemployer.

The Importance of Following the Industry at Large

People who work in media, as with any field, follow what they do. And, since mediafolks are in the business of crafting news, they perhaps like talking about and analyzingtheir own work and that of their colleagues even more. This doesnt mean you need to

be an expert in all things media before you go into a job. It does mean, however, thatyou should start following the media industry. I blog about the industry on this site for that very reason: being knowledgeable about your field, at large, will impressinterviewers.

Focusing on Y our Segment of Media

First off, you should follow what interests you. Secondly, you should follow the fieldyoure interested in. If you want to break into TV news, pay attention to whatshappening at the networks. Is there a contract disagreement somewhere? Has a biganchor just been fired? Hired? Knowing about these things will come in very handywhen you go an interview. Not only will you avoid looking silly -- if you interview for a

job at C B S News, say, and the network just lost a big anchor and you dont know about,you will look foolish if it comes up during conversation -- but youll come off as a moreinformed and serious candidate. And in the media world, this is always attractive to

people doing the hiring.

Why Its Good to B e a Generalist

Although I noted above that you dont need to be an expert in every facet of the mediaworld to land a media job, its a good career move to start following the media world.Why? For starters, it will help you gain more knowledge about what youre doing, andit will also help you as you move along in your career. What do you think people talk about at industry parties? Conversations about the media world -- gossip, news about


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hirings and firings, etc. -- often dominate talk at parties and, therefore, being in theknow will also help you network.

The O ther Plus of Following Media News

At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself why you want a job in media. Hopefullythe answer is because youre curious -- because you want the story. At all levels of media, thats the goal: To get the story and then inform the public. B ecause of that,knowing the stories about your industry, and the people who inhabit it, should be of interest to you. The more you follow those stories, the more you will learn about theimportant people working the jobs that interest you. For example, if you dream of beinga magazine editor, you should be able to tell whose work inspires you, and why.[/pp]

Where to Find Industry News

For starters, you can follow my blog. That said, I cant cover every facet of the industryevery day. O ne of the best ways to find out more about the industry -- and what areasinterest you -- is to read lots of publications. Read more newspapers. Read moremagazines. Get better acquainted with the blogosphere.

For more general overview-type information, all the major newspapers cover media.And most industries have trade publications, which are publications geared to readerswho work in that industry. A list of some trades and general sites about media:

mediabistro.com: this job site also dishes a lot of news about every facet of the industry(and has blogs about book publishing, TV news and other areas)

Ad Age: the trade magazine of the advertising industry, it often discusses thingshappening behind-the-scenes at magazines (as it relates to advertising)

Publishers Weekly : the trade magazine of the book publishing industry

Folio : a trade about the magazine industry

And, as I said, most major papers cover news and the media. Y ou can find NY T imes coverage on the subject here

Finding Media Events

How to Find Media Events

B y Rachel Deahl, About.com

O ne of the best ways to network is in a room full of media professionals. Where do youfind a room full of media professionals? At media events. And, while it's easier to hear about media events once you're working in the media industry, you can find mediaevents even if you don't have a media job yet.


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The first bit of good news is that, as industries go, the media world is pretty social; thereare often media events happening in the major media cities.

Media parties, especially for those job hunting or just getting started in the industry, aregood because they expose you to other people in your field. Not only will you meet

potential colleagues -- i.e. others who, like you, are looking to get their foot in the door -- but you have the potential to meet industry veterans. And the veterans might be able tohelp you get that first (or second or third) job.

Locating the Parties

There are listings for media gatherings of all kinds on all different sorts of websites.True, it's tough to show up to an industry party when you're not yet in the industry but,often, these things are petty open. Y ou should never crash a private event but there areevents in major cities around the country designed for people just starting out.

Mediabistro has a page dedicated to industry parties which is good to refer to.

Another way to find out about parties is to ask friends and people you know in theindustry. Never be pushy but, if you know anyone who does have a job in media, youcan mention that you would love to attend any industry parties happening.

Working a Room

There are good and bad ways to approach parties. First off, you need to remember thatyou should never be pushy or overbearing. Even if you're looking for a job, don'tapproach these events as a conduit to getting work. Nobody wants to be bombardedwith questions about job openings at their company when they're out to have a goodtime. And, if you strike someone as a desperate job seeker who's at the party expresslyto find work, no one will want to talk to you.

Instead, try to be yourself and make small talk. Think of these events as a way to get toknow other people in your field and in your situation. Making friends with similar interests, who might also be in your situation, is invaluable. These are people

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