inside reporting ch3

lcome to the world of

urnalism, where

porters have been

gging dirt, raking muck,

king headlines and

adlines for centuries

w. It’s a history full of

bloid trash, of slimy

nsationalists, of

runkards, deadbeats and

mmers” (as a Harvard

iversity president once

scribed reporters).

But it’s a history full of

roes, too: men and

men risking their lives

tell stories of war and

agedy, risking

prisonment to defend

ee speech. And as you

n see here, reports have

come beloved characters

p culture, too, turning up

movies, comics and TV

ows as if guided by an

cult hand.

Every culture seeks

effective ways to spread

new information and gossip.

In ancient times, news was

written on clay tablets. In

Caesar’s age, Romans read

newsletters compiled by

correspondents and

handwritten by slaves.

Wandering minstrels spread

news (and the plague) in the

Middle Ages. Them came

ink on paper. Voices on

airwaves. Newsreels, Web

sites, And 24-hour cable

news networks.

Thus when scholars

analyze the rich history of

journalism, some view it in

terms of technological

progress—for example, the

dramatic impact of bigger,

faster printing presses.

Others see journalism as

a specialized form literary

expression, one that’s

constantly evolving,

reflecting and shaping its

culture.

Others see it as an

inspiring quest for free

speech, an endless power

struggle between Authority

(trying to control

information) and the People

(trying to learn the truth).

Which brings to mind the

words of A.J. Liefling:

“Freedom of the press is

guaranteed only to htose

who own one.”

In the pages ahead, we’ll

take a quick tour of 600

years of journalism history,

from hieroglyphics to

hypertext: the media, the

message and the politics.

Technical advances and

brilliant ideas forged a new

style of journalism. It was a

century of change, and

newspapers changed

dramatically. The typi

newspaper of 1800 wa

undisciplined mishma

legislative proceeding

long-winded essays a

secondhand gossip. B

1900, a new breed of

tor had emerged. Jour

had become big busin

Reporting was becom

disciplined craft. And

newspapers were bec

more entertaining and

essential than ever, w

most of the features w

expect today: Snappy

headlines, Ads, Comic

Sports pages. And an

“inverted pyramid” sty

writing that made stori

tighter and newsier.

Radio and television

brought an end to

newspapers’ media

monopoly. Why? Well

yourself: Which did yo

Inside ReportingTim Harrower

Newswriting basics

3

McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 2

© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Newswriting basics

Just the facts

The five W’s

The inverted pyramid

Beyond the basic news lead

Leads that succeed

After the lead…what next?

(continued)

McGraw-Hill

Slide 3


Newswriting basics

(continued)

Story structure

Rewriting

Editing

Newswriting style

Making deadline

66 essential tips

McGraw-Hill

Slide 4


Just the facts

Good reporters respect integrity of facts.

Facts tell the story.

Readers draw their own conclusions.

You must try to be objective. Truthful. Fair.

Where do opinions belong in a newspaper?

• Most newspaper stories can be placed on a continuum.

• Ranges from rigidly objective (breaking news) to rabidly opinionated (movie reviews).

McGraw-Hill

Slide 5


The five W’s

Facts usually fall into

McGraw-Hill

Slide 6


The five W’s

The WHO

Readers love stories that focus on people.

WHO keeps it real.• Who’s involved?

• Who’s affected?

• Who’s going to benefit?

• Who’s getting screwed?

The WHAT

WHAT gives news its substance.• Stories become dry

and dull if they focus too much on WHAT.

• Need WHO.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 7


The five W’s

The WHEN

Timeliness essential to every story.

• When events happened or will happen.

• How long they lasted or will last.

The WHERE

The closer the event, the more relevant it is for readers.

Many stories require supplements.• Map

• Diagram

• Photo

McGraw-Hill

Slide 8


The five W’s

The WHY

Finding explanations difficult.

The WHY is what makes news meaningful.

The HOW Often requires

detailed explanation.

Sometimes omitted to save space.

Readers love “how-to” stories.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 9



Newswriting format summarizes most important facts at story’s start

This is the lead, which summarizes the story’s most important facts

This paragraph adds more details or background

This paragraph adds even more details

This adds more details

More details

McGraw-Hill

Slide 10


So should you use this format for every story?

• Gets repetitive.

• Doesn’t always organize story material logically.


Summarize first.

• Explain later.

Resolve everything in the beginning.

Allows editors to trim stories from bottom.

The typical news story uses the inverted pyramid

McGraw-Hill

Slide 11



If a story takes too long to make sense…

Readers flee like rats from a sinking ship.

Why writing a good lead actually matters to readers

McGraw-Hill

Slide 12


Writing basic news leads

Collect all your facts.

• Lead should summarize.

• The more you know, the easier it is to summarize.

How to write an effective news lead Sum it up. Boil it

down.• List who, what,

when, where, why of story.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 13



Prioritize the five W’s.

• Lead contains the most important facts.

• Which of the key facts deserves to start the first sentence?

How to write an effective news lead Rethink. Revise.

Rewrite.• Is it clear?

• Is it active?

• Is it wordy?

• Is it compelling?

McGraw-Hill

Slide 14



Writing leads often a process of trial and error.

• Try different approaches.

How to write an effective news lead Create different

leads using the…• Who.

• What.

• When.

• Where.

• Why.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 15



Basic news leads can be too dull and dry.

All good reporters spend time searching for the perfect lead.

Not every story begins with a roundup of essential facts

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Slide 16


Beyond the basic news lead

Be accurate.

Remember what day it is.

Don’t name names.

Use strong verbs.

Story checklist

Ask “Why should I care?”

Sell the story.

Don’t get hung up.

Move attributions to the end of the sentences.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 17


Leads that succeed

Basic news leads

Anecdotal/ narrative leads

Scene-setter leads

Blind leads

Roundup leads

A roundup of commonly used options

Direct address leads

The startling statement

Wordplay leads

McGraw-Hill

Slide 18


Leads that succeed

Basic news leads

• Summary lead

– Combines five W’s into one sentence.

• Delayed identification lead

– Withholds the name of the person in question until the second paragraph


• Immediate identification lead

– Uses a public figure or celebrity in the sentence.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 19


Leads that succeed

Anecdotal/ narrative leads

• Have a beginning, middle and end.

• Will be mini-story with symbolic resonance for bigger story.


Scene-setter leads

• Lack urgency of hard-news leads.

• Borrowed from fiction.

Blind leads

• Extreme delayed information lead.

– Deliberately teases reader.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 20


Leads that succeed

Roundup leads• Rather than focus

on one person, place or thing, impress reader with longer list.

Direct address leads• Use second-

person voice.


The startling statement

• Also called a “zinger” or a “Hey, Martha.”

Wordplay leads

• Encompass wide range of amusing leads.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 21


Leads that succeed

Topic leads

• Convey no actual news.

Question leads

• Are irritating stalls.

Quote leads

• Don’t fairly summarize the story.

…and three lazy leads you should usually reconsider

McGraw-Hill

Slide 22


After the lead…what next?

Know how long the story should be.

Add another paragraph

Write the nut graf

Paragraph that condenses the story idea into nutshell.

Briefs and brites:

•Brief – written using the inverted pyramid.

•Brite – written with more personality than a brief.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 23


Story structure

No one-size-fits-all solution.

Every story unfolds in a different way.

Giving an overall shape to writing

McGraw-Hill

Slide 24


Story structure


• Use for:

–News briefs.

–Breaking news.

Organizing your story

Most important facts

Additional facts

More facts

Etc., Etc.

Etc.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 25


The lead

Key facts in inverted-pyramid form

Chronology of events

Kicker

Story structure

The martini glass

• Use for:

–Crimes.

–Disasters.

–Dramatic stories.


McGraw-Hill

Slide 26


Story structure

The kabob

• Also called Wall Street Journal formula or the Circle.

• Use for:

– Trends.

– Events where you want to show actual people.


Anecdote

Nut graf

Meat

Meat

Meat

Anecdote

McGraw-Hill

Slide 27


Story structure

Modern journalist’s job basically boils down to

• Teaching.

• Storytelling.

Keeping readers from getting bored

Use narratives when you can.

Think like a teacher.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 28


Story structure

Keep paragraphs short.

Write one idea per paragraph.

Add transitions.

Writing tips as you move from paragraph to paragraph

Alternatives to long, gray news stories

•Bullet items

•Sidebars

•Subheads

•Other storytelling alternatives

McGraw-Hill

Slide 29


Story structure

Good writers agonize over the kicker as much as the lead.

•Plan ahead.

•Don’t end with a summary.

•Avoid clichés.

•End with a bang.

The big finish

McGraw-Hill

Slide 30


Rewriting

Writing is rewriting.• Make things a little

better.

• Few stories arrive fully formed and perfectly phrased.

• Most require rethinking, restructuring and rewording.

Good story. Now make it better.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 31


Rewriting

Passive verbs• Start sentences

with their subjects.

• Replace to be with stronger verbs.

Redundancy• Avoid unnecessary

modifiers.

Reasons to hit the delete key5 Wordy sentences

Jargon & journalese

• Filter out jargon and officialese.

Clichés

• Lower the IQ of your writing.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 32


Rewriting

Find typical example.

Average number of words per sentence.

Number of “hard” words with 3 or more syllables (no proper names).

The Fog Index – a readability gauge

Add average number of words to number of “hard” words.

Multiply the sumby 0.4.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 33


Rewriting

Most Americans read at or about 9th-grade level.• Aim for Fog Index

of 7 to 8.

• Bible, Mark Twain, TV Guide have Fog Index around 6.

The Fog Index – a readability gauge

McGraw-Hill

Slide 34


Editing

Before you write

• Assigning story.

• Planning angle.

• Estimating scope.

• Anticipating packaging.

The role editors play in your stories

While you write

• Adding details.

• Monitoring speed.

• Fine-tuning.

• Layout changes.

McGraw-Hill

Slide 35


Editing

After you write

• Editing content.

• Copy editing.

• Cutting or padding.

• Assigning follow-up stories.

The role editors play in your stories

McGraw-Hill

Slide 36


Newswriting style

Every news outlet customizes guidelines.

Copy desk’s job to standardize style.

Know AP and your news outlet’s style.

Who’s right?

McGraw-Hill

Slide 37


AP Style Highlights

Numbers

Titles

Capitalization

Abbreviations

Addresses

The Internet

Parentheses

Possessives

Prefixes

And others…

McGraw-Hill

Slide 38


Making deadline

Deadlines are mandatory.

Pass the deadline checklist.

• Accuracy.

• Fairness and balance.

• Writing style.

Live by the clock

McGraw-Hill

Slide 39


66 newswriting tips

Writing leads

The rest of the story

Editing and style

Rules of grammar

Word choices

• Nonsexist, nonageist, nondiscriminatory

Punctuation

inside reporting ch3

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