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 to individual 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:
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the vertical divisions of a page opinion or comment expressed by a regular writer

masthead: information about the newspaper, such as the name of the publishing company, names of the officers of the company, location of editorial offices, editorship and 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 sensational nature 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 and microfilm deadline: the assigned time for stories to be submitted in order to make the issue going to press

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 in special 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 articles for 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 gathers news outside the United States cut - 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 to lead the reader to continue logo - name of the newspaper in its signature font 2

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 the name of the paper , its ownership and management news 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)

Newspapers & Journalism 1 article 2 broadsheet UK 3 censor 4 chequebook journalism 5 correspondent 6 critic 7 desk 8 edit 9 editor 10 editorial 11 exclusive rights 12 feature 13 front page 14 headline 15 journalist 16 media 17 opinion 18 paper 19 story 20 tabloid n. a text or piece of writing on any non-fiction subject n. a large-format newspaper with usually serious contents n. official with the power to stop publication of certain articles - censorship n. n. the obtaining of exclusive rights to a story by payment of large sums of money n. 1 person who writes a letter to a paper 2 person who writes articles for a paper n. a person who writes articles, esp. stating opinion, about art, music etc n. a department of a newspaper [eg: the sports desk] v. to check, modify and generally prepare written material for publication n. 1 a person who edits 2 the head of a newspaper or newspaper department n. an article written by the editor stating his opinion n. rights or permission for one paper to publish a story that no other paper can n. a special or regular article in a newspaper, usually displayed prominently n. the first page of a paper, usually carrying the most important story n. 1 the title at the top of an article 2 headlines the most important stories n. a person employed to write articles for a newspaper journalism n. n. the media all the means of mass communication (papers, TV, radio etc) n. what a person thinks about a particular subject; a subjective point of view n. 1 thin, flexible material for writing or printing on 2 newspaper n. a news article or report n. a small-format paper, with short, sensational stories - see broadsheet

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5W'S & H The essentials of any story: who, what, when, where, why, and how ADVERTSING Space in a publication sold to other businesses; display ads usually contain headlines, illustrations, copy, a call for action and information to identify the business ALIGNMENT Refers to the justification of text at its margins; left, right, centered, justified BEAT A specific area assigned to a reporter for regular coverage BOLD Type which appears darker than surrounding type of the same family; used for emphasis BY-LINE Indicates who wrote the story; often includes the writer's title CAPTION The portion of the layout which explains what is happening in a photograph. Also called cutlines. Often includes a photo credit. COLUMN A vertical division of layout which aids in giving structure to a page DOMINANT The largest photograph on a layout EDITOR Has overall responsibility for the publication EDITORIAL A type of story which serves to express an opinion and encourage the reader to take some action ETHICS A standard of conduct based on moral beliefs FACT A statement that can be proven. Not an opinion FEATURE A story written with some interpretation that goes beyond just reporting the facts FLAG The name of the paper that usually appears at the top of page one GRAPHICS The use of lines, screens, boxes, large initial letters etc. to enhance a design by breaking up areas GRID SYSTEM A system of layout in which the page is divided into small units which are filled in HAMMER A form of headline consisting of a few very large words over a smaller subheadline HEADLINE Large type designed to summarize a story and grab the reader's attention HUMAN INTEREST An element of news that includes people or events with which the audience can identify; stories that are just interesting INTERVIEW A question and answer session between a reporter and source to get information for a story INVERTED PYRAMID A style of writing most commonly applied to news stories in which the most important facts appear early in the story and less important facts later in the story KICKER A short (one or two word) statement at the beginning of a caption that serves to grab the reader's attention LEAD The beginning of the story which serves to summarize the story and/or grab the reader's attention LIBEL Written defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that are in writing or are spoken from a written script NEWS Information delivered about an event shortly after it has occurred OP-ED Opinion/Editorial; refers to the pages in a publication that express the opinion of the writer OPINION A statement which cannot be proven. QUOTATION A statement make by another person included in a published story. A direct quotation is exactly what the person said and appears inside 5

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quotation marks. An indirect quote is a paraphrase of what a person said and does not appear in quotes. REPORTER Person who researches and generally writes stories assigned by editors REVIEW A form of editorial written to comment on a play, movie, piece of music or some other creative work SANS SERIF Type with no extension at the letters which is easier to read at large sizes SERIF An extension at the end of certain letters which make the type easier to read at text sizes SLANDER Spoken defamation; damaging false statements against another person or institution that are spoken SPREAD Two facing pages that are designed as one unit STAFF BOX A box containing the names of the staff members STORY A block of text on a single topic beginning with some form of a lead followed by the body that contains quotations and transitions TEXT WRAP Adjusting the appearance of text to follow the shape of a graphic TRANSITION 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 items in the story UNDERLINE A smaller headline set under the main headline that is approximately the same length as the main headline WHITE SPACE The portion of a page with nothing on it used to draw a viewer into the other elements on the page

What Is the Lead? The lead is the first paragraph of any news story. Its also the most important. The lead must accomplish several things:
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give readers the main points of the story get readers interested in reading the story accomplish both a and b in as few words as possible

Typically editors want leads to be no longer than 35-40 words. Why so short? Readers want their news delivered quickly. A short lead does just that. What Goes in the Lead? Journalists use the five Ws and the H Who, What, Where, When, Why and How.
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Who who is the story about? What what is the story about? Where where did the event youre writing about occur? When when did it occur? Why why did this happen? 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:
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Who the man What he fell off a ladder while painting Where at his house When yesterday Why the ladder was rickety 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 he was painting his house. That sums up the main points of the story in just 20 words, which is all you need for the lead. Emphasize Whats Newsworthy Sometimes, one particular aspect of a story the who, what, where, when, why or how will be especially interesting or newsworthy. 7

Celebrity stories are an example. People die of drug overdoses all the time, but when it happens 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 YORK (CNN) -- Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday of a possible drug overdose in a Lower Manhattan apartment, the New York Police Department said. Notice how who died Heath Ledger - is right at the start of the lead. Thats because the fact that a famous actor died is clearly the most newsworthy angle of this story. Other stories might emphasize other angles. Its the reporters job to figure out whats most 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 perspective that add meaning to a story. Look at this lead from The Associated Press: WASHINGTON -- President Bush, facing doubts about his handling of Iraq amid rising casualties, is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism and cautioning Americans that the struggle "will take time and require sacrifice." This lead is only 35 words long yet manages to tell us the following:
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President Bush is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism The president is facing doubts about his handling of the Iraq war casualties are rising in Iraq Bush 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 Bush is asking Congress for $87 billion to fight terrorism. The basic story is there, but this bare-bones lead doesnt provide any context for Bushs request. The reader is left with little understanding of whats really happening. Subject-Verb-Object A good way to keep leads tight is to follow the subject-verb-object format. This simply means putting the subject at the start of the sentence whenever possible. Look at these two sentences: 8

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?
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The first sentence is an active construction, the second is passive. The first sentence has a direct connection between the subject and the action she is taking, making the sentence punchy and vivid. The second sentence cuts that connection, making it dull and lifeless. 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 Basics of New Writing: The 5 Ws How do you write a news story? News writing follows a basic formula; there are key elements every news story follows. While styles can diverge more dramatically depending on the kind of story - a feature story may look and sound very different than a 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 and Why that every story should address. Depending on what the story is, how and when you answer those Ws may change. If, for example, youre reporting on a drive-by shooting in a city, youll likely start with where the crime happened (what street or area of 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. The answer, of course, depends on the facts. If youre working on the above story, and the murder happens to be one of a string of similar crimes, that may be the point you open the story with. If, however, the above story revolved around someone of note being shot, that might be what you start your piece with. (A story about a notable name being shot is a very different story than one about a private. The latter might speak more to ongoing local violence while the former is a story in and of itself -- X person has been killed 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. You need to hook readers with your lead and, in some cases (as discussed above), relay the important parts of your story. You need to draw a reader in while telling him why the story matters. 9

Like all forms of writing, theres no hard and fast rule about what makes a great lead. A good lead changes depending on the story youre writing. One of the best ways to get familiar 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 start to notice patterns and, more importantly, what kinds of leads you like and feel are effective. You can get more basics from on leads, but I suggest following it up with lots of reading. Getting Your Nutgraf A nutgraf, another journalism slang term, is the summarization of what the storys about. 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 they relay 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 a famous 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 try to find the nutgraf. (If you do this outside of a classroom setting, it might be a good idea to 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 theyre about or where you find them. These elements are applied differently, and often more subtle, 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 read more. Ive gotten this piece of advice and I know others whove given it. One of the best ways to see how the basic elements of news writing can be applied to wildly different stories is to read, back to back, three very different pieces. For this exercise, I suggest reading the lead story on any major paper. The front page of a paper (online and in print) offers the biggest news stories of the day and there youll find straight, hard news. It might be local, it might be international. Then hit the features section of the paper. Check out The Arts section of the Times or, say, the Washington Posts Arts & Living section, and read a review then another trend story. Then read a piece of longform journalism in a magazine like The New Yorker or Esquire. (In The New Yorker nearly every article, save the reviews and pieces from Talk of the Town, is an example of long-form journalism.) Now think about how different each piece reads. Find the nutgraf in each story and pay attention to how much each lead varies. Notice that some stories have nutgrafs that appear well below the lead, and others begin with the nutgraf. Notice how the nutgraf is more obvious in the news stories, than in the features or the magazine stories. All these stories rely on the basic elements of news writing, but do so in different styles. This 10

exercise is good for giving a sense of the breadth of journalism, and how differently the rules of news writing can be applied. So youve done your reporting at the scene of an accident or disaster and now its time to write. You have a lot of information to assemble into a coherent news story, and youre 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 they want to make the story sound as important as it is. But remember, disaster stories dont need to be embellished by clever writing. The facts usually speak for themselves. Just tell readers what happened, in simple, clear prose. Find Your Lead Your story starts from your lead, so once youre written that the rest of the story may come more easily. But a disaster story typically has lots of elements, and too often reporters try to cram too much information into their leads. Remember, the lead is the story in broad brushstrokes. It doesnt have to include every detail. Youve got the whole rest of the story for that. Get Quotes Up High Quotes from disaster survivors, eyewitnesses or rescue personnel are often the most compelling part of a disaster story. Pick a few of your best quotes and put them up high in 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. But a chronological account of what happened will give your readers a 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 is how they affect real people. Keep the human element running throughout your story. Focus on the victims, eyewitnesses and emergency responders. They will bring the story to life.

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10 Terms Every Journalist Should 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. Beat To cover a particular area or topic, such as cops, courts or city council. 5. Byline 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 press conference. They're a regular occurrence in the life of any reporter, so you need to be able to cover them - and cover them well. But for the beginner, a press conference can be tough to cover. Press conferences tend to move quickly and often don't last very long, so you may have very little time to get the 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 questions ready ahead of time. Arrive with some questions already prepared. 2. Ask Your Best Questions Once the speaker starts taking questions, it's often a free-for-all, with multiple reporters shouting out their queries. You may only get one or two of your questions into the mix, so pick your best ones and ask those. 3. Be Aggressive If Necessary Any time you get a bunch of reporters in one room, all asking questions at the same time, 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 On The News Corporations, politicians, sports teams and celebrities often try to use press conferences as public relations tools. In other words, they want reporters to put the most positive spin possible on what's being said at the press conference. But it's the reporter's job to ignore the PR talk and get to the truth of the matter. So if the CEO 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 generalizations that aren't supported by facts. Question the basis for the statements they make, and get specifics.

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For instance, if the mayor of your town announces he plans to cut taxes while at the same time increasing municipal services, your first question should be - how can the town provide more services while taking in less revenue? Seems pretty absurd when you think about it. Likewise, if that CEO whose company has just lost billions says he's upbeat about the future, ask him why - how can he expect that things will get better when the company is clearly in trouble? Again, get him to be specific. 6. Don't Be 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 they want. Once you're intimidated, you'll stop asking tough questions, and remember, it's your 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 they read 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, the results are the same. Positive editorial coverage is worth its weight in gold. Yet many exhibitors don't know how to work effectively with the media. I hear it all the time - from both sides of the aisle. Exhibitors wring their hands in despair when not a single word about their new products show up in the trade publications - and reporters get irritated, frustrated and downright disgusted with those exhibitors 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. You both win - they get good copy for their story and you get editorial coverage. Do Do your homework before the event. Develop several newsworthy angles that showcase your 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 14

stories are great because they allow writers to put a 'face' on what could be a dry nuts and bolts story. Don't Decide 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 the reporter is trying to put together a succinct, 'just-the-facts-Ma'am' story, that's just extra noise the writer doesn't want or need. Listen to what the reporter is asking for and provide that. Do Build 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 are informative, friendly and quotable. That's where they turn first when they need to write a story on a particular topic. You want to be on that source list. Don't Snub the little guy. Just because someone is writing for the Omaha Chamber of Commerce today doesn't mean they won't be editing the most prestigious trade journal tomorrow. Professionals move in the media with amazing speed and regularity - but they take their memories with them. Burn a reporter when they're nobody and they're going to remember when they're somebody! Do Have a good press kit. Include interesting and timely information; a one-page company bio sheet - corporate structure, executive staff chart, sales figures; complete product information - specs, distribution methods, pricing; good product photos or links to online FTP sites where photos can be found; key contacts. Everything must be accurate and verifiable. Unique packaging is good if you're unknown, otherwise, don't bother. Don't Pad your press kit with tons of 'fluff'. Short and to the point is much better. Avoid gimmicks, head shots of your CEO, outdated, false or exaggerated information. Misleading statistics can be the kiss of death - give context for all numbers. Standard sized folders or smaller is best, as these easily fit into bags and briefcases. Do Make every effort to spread the word. Coordinate with show organizers at any media events they host and make sure that plenty of your press kits are available in the media 15

room. Post all relevant information on line so information can be accessed after the event. Hold press conferences when appropriate. Don't Hold 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 just irritated a whole room full of reporters. Not a good idea. Do Keep 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, more accommodating source. Don't Assume that the reporter knows everything about your industry, especially if they are from a general interest publication. Provide background data, give real-world examples and avoid industry specific jargon. Spell out acronyms at least once and explain the relevance of any awards, certifications or honors you may be discussing. Written by Susan A. Friedmann, CSP, The Trade 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 The Trade Show Coach for a free copy of 10 Common Mistakes Exhibitors Make. One of the easiest ways for your company to receive free media exposure is through media events. Whether you're teaming up with several sponsors to help the less fortunate or holding a press conference to announce a new product's release, you have to follow certain steps to organize a successful media event. Press Release Sending out your press release will help the media decide if your story is worthy enough of coverage. That's why it helps to keep your press release simple and never use any hype. Stations and newspapers are looking for news; they're not looking for a sales spiel. You've got a window for sending out your press release. You don't want to send it out too early and then it gets forgotten or buried and you don't want to send it out too late when other stories may have already been assigned and they simply can't fit your event in. Generally, 2-3 days before your event is enough of an advance notice. 16

You 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 at your plant 30 miles away, you need to make this clear in your release. Watch the Phone Calls After 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 able to come or not. But even if it doesn't, you don't want to ask if they're coming. They'll be there if they can but won't make any promises. Do keep in mind, breaking news or heavy news days might prevent them from coming at the last minute. You don't want to pester them to see if they're coming, even on the day of the event when you're standing there waiting for reporters to show up. You 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 a nightly newscast. The best times to call are generally around 10 a.m. and between 1 and 2:30 p.m. Your Event's Time Everyone's working on deadlines. Newspapers have set times they put the next day's issue to bed. This means if they come to your event at 5 p.m. on Thursday, coverage may not show up until Saturday. TV stations generally have a morning, noon, 5, 6, 10 and/or 11 p.m. newscasts during the week, depending on your TV market. Getting coverage if your media event starts at 4 p.m. might be very tricky. They won't just hop into their news car and drive like crazy to get your tape on the air by 5. There's a script that has to be written and a tape that has to be edited. Plan your event time so that it's not only convenient to the reporters but also increases your chances of getting more immediate exposure. Don't Call the Shots As tempting as it may be to become a director, don't tell the reporter, photographers or videographers what shots you want them to get. You want to establish a certain rapport with them and start a relationship with the newspaper or TV station. You won't win any friends by telling them how to do their job. Easy In/Easy Out If you're holding the event at your 50,000 square foot plant and the area you're allowing media is in the back of the building, give them as easy access as possible. Don't have them 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 the driving directions in your press release and clearly mark the way when they actually arrive. 17

You 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 they want. But many companies have strict policies about where cameras and non-employees can go for proprietary reasons. Visuals Think 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 brochure is something the media doesn't even have to show up for. Remember, they're passing the visuals on to your potential customers (their viewers or readers) so it's important to keep your audience in mind so you can get the coverage you need. Press Kit Don't forget your press kit. Include the information about your event and hand it out to the media. This info will help them write the story but also helps you have more control over the news since you're supplying them with the crucial info. Your Media Contact's Availability Don't forget to make your media contact available for questions. If a reporter has additional questions, they need to be able to get a hold of your media contact quickly. Be sure to include the media contact's phone number and any other contact info within your press kit. Employees With Experience You don't have to limit your event's spokespeople to your own media contact. If an employee can give a better sound bite because he's had more experience developing and working with a certain product, by all means, make him available for questions. Prepare Your Statement Beforehand If you do plan on talking on-camera or to a newspaper reporter, think about what you want 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 questions as well as some brainstorming of your own, come up with a list of answers. You don't want to sound rehearsed but you don't want to sound unprepared or saying "Umm..." a lot either. You also want to consider the different types of mediums. Newspaper has different needs than television and vice versa. A newspaper reporter might ask you questions that are much different than a TV reporter. Each medium has different ways of presenting your news so they'll need the type of that suits their audience the best. When a Reporter Doesn't Show Up The 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 there if 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. Offer to carry it for him until he's been able to get the shots he needs. Treating him or her like a second class citizen will make it back to the station and could hurt your chances of future coverage. Covering Accidents & Disasters Keep Your Cool And Do Thorough Reporting By Tony Rogers, About.com

NEW YORK - JANUARY 15: Rescue boats float next to a US Airways plane floating in the water after crashing into the Hudson River in New York 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 scene must gather important information under very difficult circumstances, and produce stories on very tight deadlines. Covering an accident or disaster requires all of a reporters training and experience. Here are some tips to keep in mind when covering such events. Keep Your Cool Disasters are stressful situations. After all, a disaster means something horrible has happened 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 upon to 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. You 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 a camera, recording every visual detail you can. Find The Officials in Charge In the aftermath of a disaster there will usually be dozens of emergency responders on the scene firefighters, police, EMTs, and so on. Find the person whos in charge of the emergency response. That official will have the big-picture overview of whats happening 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. Eyewitness accounts are invaluable for a disaster story. Interview Survivors If Possible Its not always possible to interview survivors of a disaster immediately after the event. Often theyre being treated by EMTs or being debriefed by investigators. But if survivors are available, try your best to interview them. But remember, disaster survivors have just survived a traumatic event. Be tactful and sensitive with your questions and general approach. And if they say they dont want to talk, respect their wishes. Find The Heroes In nearly every disaster there are heroes who emerge - people who bravely and selflessly jeopardize their own safety in order to rescue or help others. Find those people and interview them. Get The Numbers Disaster stories are often about numbers - how many people were killed or injured, how much property was destroyed, how fast the plane was traveling, etc. Remember to gather these for your story, but only from reliable sources - the officials in charge at the scene. Remember The Five Ws and the H 20

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 that you 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 9:30 p.m. You're on the night shift at the Centerville Gazette. You hear some chatter on the police scanner and call the cops. Lt. Jack Feldman says hes not sure yet whats happening but he thinks a plane crashed near the local airport. Centerville Airport is a small facility used mostly by private pilots flying single-engine craft. Your editor tells you 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 lights of probably about a dozen emergency vehicles in a field about 200 yards from the control tower. That area is fenced off so you park and run over to the tower, where a command post has been set up. The weather is lousy; theres sleet and a strong, driving wind. A man who identifies himself as Jeff Belden of the local Federal Aviation Administration field office tells you the following: Uh, yeah, it was a single-engine plane a Cessna 172 Skyhawk, I believe. It was taking off about 30 minutes ago when it crashed in a field adjacent to the runway. The control 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 not sure yet. We have no information on the pilot or any passengers or their conditions. This crash is under investigation. You call your editor. He says youve got 45 minutes to bang out the story. Youll write it on your laptop and e-mail it to the editor. He tells you to add whatever background you can find on the Cessna 172 Skyhawk. You 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 people were killed the pilot and owner of the plane, Dr. Richard Sabatini, a prominent local cardiac surgeon, and his wife, Lydia. Feldman says the two had planned to fly to the exclusive Fontainebleau resort in the northern part of the state for a skiing holiday. Write the story in 45 minutes or less. Tips for Covering Meetings as News Stories Find Your Focus, Do Plenty of Reporting By Tony Rogers, About.com

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So youre covering a meeting maybe a city council or school board hearing as a news story for the first time, and arent sure where to start as far as the reporting is concerned. Here are some tips to make the process easier. Get the Agenda Get a copy of the meetings agenda ahead of time. You can usually do this by calling or visiting your local town hall or school board office, or by checking their website. Knowing what they plan to discuss is always better than walking into the meeting cold. Pre-Meeting Reporting Once youve got the agenda, do a little reporting even before the meeting. Find out about the issues they plan to discuss. You can check the website of your local paper to see if theyve written about any of the issues coming up, or even call members of the council or board and interview them. Find Your Focus Pick a few key issues on the agenda that you will focus on. Look for the issues that are the most newsworthy, controversial or just plain interesting. If youre not sure whats newsworthy, ask yourself: which of the issues on the agenda will affect the most people in my community? Chances are, the more people affected by an issue, the more newsworthy it is. For example, if the school board is about to raise property taxes 3%, thats an issue that will affect every homeowner in your town. Newsworthy? Absolutely. Likewise, is the board is debating whether to ban some books from school libraries after being pressured by religious groups, thats bound to be controversial and newsworthy. On the other hand, if the town council is voting on whether to raise the town clerks salary by $2,000, is that newsworthy? Probably not, unless the towns budget has been slashed so much that pay raises for town officials have become controversial. The only person really affected here is the town clerk, so your readership for that item would probably be an audience of one. Report, Report, Report Once the meetings underway, be absolutely thorough in your reporting. Obviously you need to take good notes during the meeting, but thats not enough. When the meeting has ended, your reporting has just begun. Interview members of the council or board after the meeting for any additional quotes or information you might need, and if the meeting involved soliciting comments from local residents, interview some of them as well. If an issue of some controversy came up, be sure to interview people on both sides of the fence as far as that issue is concerned. 22

Get Phone Numbers Get phone numbers and email addresses for everyone you interview. Virtually every reporter whos ever covered a meeting has had the experience of getting back to the office to write, only to discover theres another question they need to ask. Having those numbers on hand is invaluable. Understand What Happened The goal of your reporting is to understand what exactly happened at the meeting. Too often, beginning reporters will cover a town hall hearing or school board meeting, dutifully taking notes throughout. But at the end they leave the building without really understanding what theyve just seen. When they try to write a story, they cant. You cant write about something you dont understand. So remember this rule: Never leave a meeting without understanding exactly what happened. 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. Youre covering a 7 p.m. meeting of the Centerville School Board. The meeting is being held in the auditorium of Centerville High School. Here are your notes from the meeting: -Board begins with discussion of ongoing cleanup at McKinley Elementary School; school had experienced water damage during heavy rains and flooding two weeks ago in the citys Parksburg section, near the Root River. Several ground-floor classrooms had water damage. School Principal Jaclyn Wong says repairs are proceeding on schedule but it will be several more weeks before theyre finished. She says much of the furniture, books and supplies in the rooms was ruined by the water and will need replacing. Estimated cost: $20,000. Wong says classes in those rooms have been temporarily moved to the cafeteria. -Tamara Washington, principal of Centerville High School, gives an update on work on the schools new computer lab. She says the lab, which is being installed as an addition to the schools library, is on schedule and due to be completed in two months. Estimated cost: $150,000. -Board hears a proposal from local resident Sandra Williams, member of a group called Creation Science Ministry of Centerville. Williams presents the board with a petition bearing 500 signatures from local residents demanding that creationism be taught in the science curriculum of all Centerville School District high schools. Were keeping God out 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 a mixture of boos and applause from the group of about 50 local residents attending the meeting. 23

Bob Stanford, a science teacher at Centerville High School, stands up and asks to be recognized. 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 is the 21st century; our students have to be able to compete in the sciences with students from 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 with the idea of teaching religion in our science classes, but in any case, such a change in the districts curriculum would require approval by the state legislature, wouldnt it? Jason Smith, a conservative member of the board, responds, I dont think we need the state to dictate what we can and cannot teach in our own school district. The board votes to table the matter for further discussion. When you get back to the Centerville Gazette newsroom its 9:30 p.m. The night city editor says youve got an hour to write the story. And dig up some background online about 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. Thorough Reporting Getting All The Facts, and Then Double-Checking Them By Tony Rogers, About.com 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 a thorough, solid reporter. After all, sloppy writing can be cleaned up by a good editor, but an editor can't compensate for a poorly-reported story that lacks important information. So what do we mean by thorough reporting? It means getting all the information relevant 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 writing about an issue that's controversial or the subject of a dispute. Getting All The Information You 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 tell you, "You 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 24

reporters will tell you they spend the bulk of their time reporting, and much less time writing. For many it will be something like a 70/30 split - 70 percent of the time spent reporting, 30 percent writing. So how can you know what information you need to gather? Think back to the five W's and H of lead writing - who, what, where, when why and how. If you have all those in your story, chances are you're being thorough in your reporting. Read It Over 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 you need to do more reporting. Sometimes it also helps to have a friend read your story, and have 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 the reporter 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: "The mayor held a closed-door meeting with the deputy mayor and neither official would speak to reporters afterward." Double-Checking Information Another aspect of thorough reporting is double-checking information, everything from the 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. It could be Jon Smythe. Experienced reporters are habitual and even obsessive about double-checking the information in their stories. Getting Both - Or All Sides - Of 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. But 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's schools. And let's say there are plenty of people at the meeting representing both sides of 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 only wouldn't be fair, it wouldn't be an accurate representation of what happened at the meeting, would it? Thorough reporting means fair reporting. They're one and the same How to Structure News Stories There are a few basic rules for writing and structuring any news story. If youre accustomed to other types of writing such as fiction these rules may seem odd at first. But the format is easy to pick up, and there are very practical reasons why reporters 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 least important information is at the bottom. And as you move from top to bottom, the information presented should gradually become less important. A Break From the Past. Newswriting turns traditional storytelling on its head. In a short story or novel, the most important moment the climax - typically comes near the very end. But 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 killed and their house is burned down. In your reporting youve gathered a lot of details including the victims names, the address of their home, what time the blaze broke out, etc. Obviously the most important information is the fact that two people died in a house fire. Thats what you want at the top of your story. Other details the names of the deceased, the address of their home, when the fire occurred should certainly be included in your story. But they should be placed lower down in your story, not at the very 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 as few words as possible. One way reporters do this is by using the Subject-Verb-Object format. Sentences Writing tight means we generally keep individual sentences short. A good rule of thumb is to have just one main idea per sentence. Example: The president signed the treaty. 26

See? Short, sweet and to the point. Not all your sentences need to be that tight, but the one-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 the changes that had been made were sound. See the difference? This sentence is stuffed with four or five ideas, and the result is a confusing mess. Clauses Notice that our long sentence also has a number of clauses. A clause is a part of a sentence 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 in there somewhere and start a new sentence. Example: The president had originally opposed the treaty. But he signed it anyway, saying the changes that had been made were sound. At the signing, the president was suffering 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 sentences each. 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? Youve 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 and efficiently as possible. Writing tight does just that. In the newsroom, there are other very practical reasons for keeping stories short. At newspapers, after space is set aside for ads, headlines and pictures, there is always a finite amount of space left for news stories. Editors call this space the news hole. Obviously, 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 this format, 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 to transmit their stories back to their newspapers offices. But often saboteurs would cut the telegraph lines, so reporters learned to transmit the most important information Gen. Lee defeated at Gettysburg, for instance at the very start of the transmission to make sure it got through successfully. The newswriting format developed then has served reporters well ever since. So you want to start covering stories as a reporter, maybe as a student working on a school paper or as a citizen journalist writing for a website or blog. But how do you decide what is newsworthy? What is worth covering, and what isnt? Over 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 HOW 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 that have 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 the story. 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 the ultimate 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 some type of conflict. Without conflict, there would be no literature or drama. Conflict is what propels the human drama.

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Imagine two city council meetings. At the first, the council passes its annual budget unanimously with little or no argument. In the second, there is violent disagreement. Some council members want the budget to provide more city services, while others want a bare-bones budget with tax cuts. The two sides are entrenched in their positions and 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 so interesting 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 that any 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 destruction on 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 in which several people perish. Obviously 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 hometown newspaper, but chances are no one will care in the next town over. Likewise, wildfires in 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 becomes more newsworthy. For example, if an average person is injured in a car crash, chances are that wont even make the local news. But if the president of the United States is hurt in a car crash, it makes headlines around the world. Prominence can apply to politicians, movie stars, star athletes, CEOs anyone whos in the public eye. But it doesnt have to mean someone whos famous worldwide. The mayor of your town probably isnt famous, even locally. But he or she is prominent in your town, which means any story involving him or her is likely to be more newsworthy. 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, this minute. So events that are happening now are often more newsworthy than those that happened, say, a week ago. Another factor that relates to timeliness is currency. This involves stories that may not have 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, but its 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 any deviation from the normal, expected course of events is something novel, and thus newsworthy. 10 Steps For Producing The Perfect News Story What You Need To Do To Create Articles That Shine By Tony Rogers, About.com So you want to produce your first news story, but not sure where to begin, or what to do along the way. Creating a news article is actually a series of tasks that involve both reporting and writing. Here are the things you'll need to accomplish in order to produce a 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. You have to find newsworthy topics worth writing about. You can get started by checking out 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 experience for the aspiring sportswriter. Or interview local merchants for their take on the state of the economy. 2. Do Your Interviews

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Tony 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 plan to interview, prepare some questions and make sure you're equipped with a reporter's notepad, 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 Best Quotes

Tony Rogers You 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 are created equal - some are compelling, and others just fall flat. Pick the quotes that grab your 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 replace thorough, 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 to make sure it's accurate. And donlt forget to check the spelling of your source's name. It's Murphy's Law - just when you assume your source's name is spelled John Smith, it'll be Jon Smythe. 5. Be Objective and Fair

Digital Vision/Getty Images Hard-news stories are not the place to for opinion-spewing. Even if you have strong feelings about the issue you're covering, you need to learn to set those feelings aside and 31

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

Tony Rogers So you've done your reporting and are ready to write. But the most interesting story in the world isn't worth much if no one reads it, and if you don't write a knock-their-socksoff 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. Then find a way to convey that interest to your readers. 7. After The Lede, Structure The Rest of The Story

Photo by Tony 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, as quickly and efficiently as possible. The inverted pyramid format means you put the most important information at the top of your story, the least important at the bottom. 8. Attribute The Information You Get From Sources

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

The Associated Press So you've reported and written a terrific story. But all that hard work will be for nothing if you send your editor a story filled with Associated Press style errors. AP Style is the gold 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'll start to memorize some of the most common style points. 10. Get Started on a Follow-up Story 32

Getty Images So you've finished your article and sent it to your editor, who praises it profusely. Then she says, "OK, we'll need a follow-up story." Developing follow-up stories can be tricky at 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 when interviewing a source, taking notes the old-fashioned way or using a cassette or digital voice recorder? Both have their pros and cons. Notebooks Pros: A reporter's notebook and a pen or pencil are the time-honored tools of the interviewing trade. Notebooks are cheap and easy to fit into a back pocket or purse. They're also unobtrusive 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 down what 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 on note-taking. Also, it can be hard to get quotes that are totally accurate, word-for-word, using just a notebook. That may not matter much if you're doing a quick person-on-the-street interview. But it might be a problem if you're covering an event where getting the quotes 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. You don't have to worry about missing or mangling key quotes from your source. Using a recorder can free you up to jot down things in your notes you might otherwise have missed, 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's ever used a recorder has a story about the batteries dying in the middle of an important interview. Also, recorders are more time-consuming than notebooks because a recorded interview has to be played back later and transcribed in order to access the quotes. On a breaking news 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. But there are clear preferences:
y y

Notebooks work best when you're on a tight deadline. 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 use recorders for articles that have longer deadlines, such as features. Overall, notebooks are probably used more often than recorders on a daily basis. But remember: Even if you're recording an interview, always take notes anyway. Why? The Murphy's Law of journalism says that the one time you rely solely on a recorder for an interview will be the one time the recorder malfunctions.

The Basics of Conducting Interviews for News Stories Conducting interviews for news stories is an important skill for any journalist. A source anyone a journalist interviews - can provide the following elements that are vital to any news story:
y y y y y

basic factual information perspective and context on the topic being discussed direct quotes ideas on how to approach the story names and contact information of other people to interview

Things Youll Need

y y

a thin reporters spiral notebook (can be purchased at most office supply stores) several pens and a pencil if its winter (pens freeze in cold weather) 34

y y

a tape recorder or digital voice recorder (optional) 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 sure you understand basic terms such as cardiac arrest. A well-prepared reporter inspires confidence in the person being interviewed. Developing Questions Once youve thoroughly researched your topic, prepare a list of questions to ask. That will help you remember all the points you 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, so keep things natural and conversational. Instead of mechanically reading out your list of questions, weave your queries naturally into the flow of the conversation. Also, maintain eye contact as much as possible. Nothing is more unnerving to a source then a reporter who never looks up from their notebook. Be Open Dont be so focused on getting through your list of questions that you miss something interesting. For instance, if youre interviewing the cardiologist and she mentions a new heart-health study thats coming out, ask her about it. This may take your interview in an unexpected direction but if it leads to something interesting, so what? Maintain Control Be open, yes, but dont waste your time. If your source starts to ramble on about things that are clearly of no use to you, dont be afraid to gently but firmly steer the conversation back to the topic at hand. Wrapping Up At the end of the interview, ask your source if theres anything 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 Beginning reporters often freak out when they realize 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 they wont. 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 youre doing a long interview that youll have time to listen to and type out later. But the rules regarding taping a source can be tricky. According to Poynter.org, recording phone conversations is legal in all 50 states. And federal law allows you to record a phone conversation with the consent of only one person involved in the conversation - meaning that only the reporter is required to know that the conversation is being taped. But 12 states require varying degrees of consent from those being recorded in 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, best to check. And when in doubt, ask permission to tape. But if youre doing a story that has to be written on a tight deadline, you likely wont have to transcribe a recorded interview. Stick to note-taking for deadline stories. Finally, ALWAYS take notes, even if youre using a recorder. Every reporter 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 that the machines batteries were dead. The News Media A Brief History of the News Media By Rachel Deahl, About.com The backbone of the news media is print journalism. In the early, early days the news media 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 1456, which is attributed to 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 early developments in news media, as professional journalism standards are created and adopted.

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What is Journalism? Journalism is the reporting of news. And, as I note here, the basics are the 5 Ws: The Who, What, Where, When and Why of a story. Although print journalists adhere to a somewhat strict style of how they present a story, there are various subjects being reported on. If you peruse any major newspaper, like The Washington Post or The New York Times, youll notice all the different sections. A good exercise to get a feel for the different 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 to culture. "Genres" in Journalism In addition to the various subjects being reported on in journalism, there are also different 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 tries to 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 and almost prose-like). There is also a rift between features, which may cover a person or a trend, and straight-up news stories, which deliver information directly about something thats happened. Reading Up on Journalism The above is pretty brief rundown of journalism so its a great idea to read up more about the field, if it interests you. To that end here are some books, from straightforward tomes about writing stories to romantic (and sometimes crazy) tales of being a reporter: The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel: This book is a good primer on the basics of news writing. Associated Press Guide to News Writing: Another good guide to straightforward news reporting. The New New Journalism by Robert Boynton: A wonderful collection of interviews with some of the leading long-form journalists working today. Especially good since the reporters share details on their work habits and how they got started in the industry The Mammoth Book of Journalism: 101 Masterpieces from the Finest Writers and Reporters edited by Jon Lewis: Since I think its inherently important to simply read great writing to become a better writer, this collection is a good place to start. In it you'll find pieces by some of the luminaries in the field, everyone from Hemingway to Orwell. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson: What do two guys with a car-full of drugs headed out for a bender in Vegas have to do with journalism? Well Thompson, who's credited with creating Gonzo Journalism -- his free-wheeling style was 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 the Campaign Trail, in which Thompson chronicles covering the 72 presidential raceas irreverently and drugged up as ever.)

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Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss: Even if youre not planning on being a copy editor, 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. The Boys on the Bus by Timothy Crouse -- A much loved account of Crouses time following the 72 presidential election as a reporter on the bus, i.e. traveling with the candidates (same as Thompson in the aforemention Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, Nixon and McGovern.

When you're trying to mingle at a media event, being able to talk about media news is key. And, in job interviews, showing you know your media news can really impress an employer. The Importance of Following the Industry at Large People who work in media, as with any field, follow what they do. And, since media folks are in the business of crafting news, they perhaps like talking about and analyzing their 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, that you 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 impress interviewers. Focusing on Your Segment of Media First off, you should follow what interests you. Secondly, you should follow the field youre interested in. If you want to break into TV news, pay attention to whats happening at the networks. Is there a contract disagreement somewhere? Has a big anchor just been fired? Hired? Knowing about these things will come in very handy when you go an interview. Not only will you avoid looking silly -- if you interview for a job at CBS 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 more informed and serious candidate. And in the media world, this is always attractive to people doing the hiring. Why Its Good to Be a Generalist Although I noted above that you dont need to be an expert in every facet of the media world 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, and it 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 38

hirings and firings, etc. -- often dominate talk at parties and, therefore, being in the know will also help you network. The Other Plus of Following Media News At the end of the day, you need to ask yourself why you want a job in media. Hopefully the 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. Because 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 the important people working the jobs that interest you. For example, if you dream of being a 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 industry every day. One of the best ways to find out more about the industry -- and what areas interest you -- is to read lots of publications. Read more newspapers. Read more magazines. 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 readers who 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 things happening 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. You can find NY Times coverage on the subject here Finding Media Events How to Find Media Events By Rachel Deahl, About.com One of the best ways to network is in a room full of media professionals. Where do you find 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 media events even if you don't have a media job yet. 39

The first bit of good news is that, as industries go, the media world is pretty social; there are often media events happening in the major media cities. Media parties, especially for those job hunting or just getting started in the industry, are good 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 to help 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. You should never crash a private event but there are events 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 the industry. Never be pushy but, if you know anyone who does have a job in media, you can 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 that you should never be pushy or overbearing. Even if you're looking for a job, don't approach these events as a conduit to getting work. Nobody wants to be bombarded with questions about job openings at their company when they're out to have a good time. And, if you strike someone as a desperate job seeker who's at the party expressly to 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 to know 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 who understand exaclty what you're going through so, if nothing else, you can comiserate. When you start general conversations with people, the talk will quickly turn to what you do. This is when you casually say that, actually, you're a recent grad looking for a job. It's at this point that you can work in a little of your background and your interests. The Art of the Mingle Mingling isn't for everyone, but some people love to do it. If it's not for you, don't worry -- you don't have to be a social butterfly to get a job. But, if you like talking to people, and you're ok chatting up strangers, you can probably get some good out of your outgoing nature. Here are some articles and tips on mingling:

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An amusing story from NPR about the do's and don'ts of holiday party mingling A more general take on how to mingle at parties Susan RoAne is a well-known guru on media networking and mingling. She's written bestselling books on the topic and knows all about the nitty gritty that goes into socializing for work. Her website is a great resource, as it has links and info on her books and articles on the subject. Writing Follow-up Stories Finding a Fresh Lead Is Key By Tony Rogers, About.com Filed In: 1. Newswriting

A Reporter Works On Her Story Writing a single basic breaking news article is a pretty straightforward task. You start by writing your lede, which is based on the most important facts in the story. But many news stories are not simply one-time events but rather ongoing topics that can last for weeks or even months. One example would be a crime story that unfolds over time - the crime is committed, then police search for and finally arrest a suspect. Another example might be a long trial for an especially complex or interesting case. Reporters must often do what are called follow-up articles for long-lasting topics such as these. At this link you can read about developing ideas for follow-up stories. Here we'll discuss how to write follow-ups. The Lead The key to writing an effective follow-up story starts with the lead. You can't write the same lead every day for a story that continues over an extended period of time.

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Instead, you must construct a fresh lead each day, one that reflects the latest developments in the story. But while writing a lead that includes those latest developments, you also need to remind your readers what the original story was all about to begin with. So the followup story lead really combines new developments with some background material about the original story. An Example Let's say you cover a house fire in which several people are killed. Here's how your lead for the first story might read: Two people were killed last night when a fast-moving fire swept through their house. Now let's say several days have passed and the fire marshal tells you the fire was a case of arson. Here's your first follow-up lead: A house fire that killed two people earlier this week was deliberately set, the fire marshal announced yesterday. See how the lead combines important background from the original story - two people killed in the fire - with the new development - the fire marshal announcing that it was arson. Now let's take this story one step further. Let's say a week has passed and police have arrested a man who they say set the fire. Here's how your lead might go: Police yesterday arrested a man who they say set the fire last week that killed two people in a house. Get the idea? Again, the lead combines the most important information from the original story with the latest development. Reporters do follow-up stories this way so that readers who may not have read the original story can figure out what is going on and not be confused. The Rest of The Story The rest of the follow-up story should follow the same balancing act of combining the latest news with background information. Generally, the newer developments should be placed higher in the story, while the older information should be lower down. Here's how the first few paragraphs of your follow-up story about the arrest of the arson suspect might go:

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Police yesterday arrested a man who they say set the fire last week that killed two people in a house. Police said Larson Jenkins, 23, used rags soaked with gasoline to set the fire at the house that killed his girlfriend, Lorena Halbert, 22, and her mother, Mary Halbert, 57. Detective Jerry Groenig said Jenkins was apparently angry because Halbert had recently broken up with him. The fire started around 3 a.m. last Tuesday and quickly swept through the house. Lorena and Mary Halbert were pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured. Again, the latest developments are placed high in the story. But they are always tied to background from the original event. This way, even a reader learning about this story for the first time will easily understand what has happened. How To Cover Debates By Tony Rogers, About.com

Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain debate. Scott Olson/Getty Images Take Great Notes Sounds like an obvious point, but debates are long (and often longwinded), so you dont want to risk missing anything by assuming you can commit things to memory. Get everything down on paper, and in your notes put checkmarks next to quotes or moments in the debate that you think youll use in your story. Write The Background Copy Ahead of Time Debates are often held at night, which means stories must be written on very tight deadlines. So have some background copy also called B-Copy written up before the debate begins. This can include basic information on the candidates, the state of the election and their campaigns, etc. The b-copy will fill out the bottom of the story, while the debate itself will be the top. Write As You Go

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If you wait until the debate ends to start writing your story, youre bound to miss your deadline. So once you have a feel for how the debate is going, start writing. You may not know what your lead will be until the event ends, but at least youll have the bulk of your story ready to go. Watch For Trends Think of the debate as a game and yourself as a sportswriter. Does one side come out punching while the other holds back? Does one side take an early lead, only to squander it at the finish? Picking out trends like these as the debate goes on will help you write your lead. Dont Worry About Chronology Dont feel obligated to cover a debate in the order in which it unfolds. Follow the rule of all good news writing: Put the good stuff at the top of the story, the less-good stuff at the bottom. If a particularly interesting or provocative exchange occurs in the last five minutes of the debate, theres nothing wrong with making that your lead. Find Your Lead Generally, your leade should sum up the debates main points. Heres an example of this type of lead from Adam Nagourney of The New York Times: Senators John McCain and Barack Obama debated for 90 minutes on Tuesday night before a nation in economic crisis, each promising anxious Americans that he had the better plan and vision to lead the country through what both men said was the direst financial situation since the Great Depression. But there are other approaches. You might focus, for example, on the demeanor of the debaters themselves, as Patrick Healy of The Times does here: Gov. Sarah Palin used a steady grin, folksy manner and carefully scripted talking points to punch politely and persist politically at the vice-presidential debate on Thursday night, turning in a performance that her rival, Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr., sought to undermine with cordially delivered but pointed criticism. Another approach might be to zero in on a dramatic moment, such as an especially angry exchange between the debaters, as in this made-up example: Mayor John Smith and challenger John Jones nearly came to blows and had to be pulled apart by police in their debate Tuesday night after Jones suggested that Smith had stolen money from the city treasury. And of course, if something genuinely newsworthy happens during the debate that should obviously be your lead: 44

Mayor John Smith stunned Centerville residents Tuesday night when, at the start of a scheduled debate with challenger John Jones, he announced he would not run for reelection after all. The Basics of Conducting Interviews for News Stories Conducting interviews for news stories is an important skill for any journalist. A source anyone a journalist interviews - can provide the following elements that are vital to any news story:
y y y y y

basic factual information perspective and context on the topic being discussed direct quotes ideas on how to approach the story names and contact information of other people to interview

Things Youll Need

y y y y

a thin reporters spiral notebook (can be purchased at most office supply stores) several pens and a pencil if its winter (pens freeze in cold weather) a tape recorder or digital voice recorder (optional) 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 sure you understand basic terms such as cardiac arrest. A well-prepared reporter inspires confidence in the person being interviewed. Developing Questions Once youve thoroughly researched your topic, prepare a list of questions to ask. That will help you remember all the points you 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, so keep things natural and conversational. Instead of mechanically reading out your list of questions, weave your queries naturally into the flow of the conversation.

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Also, maintain eye contact as much as possible. Nothing is more unnerving to a source then a reporter who never looks up from their notebook. Be Open Dont be so focused on getting through your list of questions that you miss something interesting. For instance, if youre interviewing the cardiologist and she mentions a new heart-health study thats coming out, ask her about it. This may take your interview in an unexpected direction but if it leads to something interesting, so what? Maintain Control Be open, yes, but dont waste your time. If your source starts to ramble on about things that are clearly of no use to you, dont be afraid to gently but firmly steer the conversation back to the topic at hand. Wrapping Up At the end of the interview, ask your source if theres anything 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. A Note About Note-taking Beginning reporters often freak out when they realize 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 they wont. 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 youre doing a long interview that youll have time to listen to and type out later. But the rules regarding taping a source can be tricky. According to Poynter.org, recording phone conversations is legal in all 50 states. And federal law allows you to record a phone conversation with the consent of only one person involved in the conversation - meaning that only the reporter is required to know that the conversation is being taped. But 12 states require varying degrees of consent from those being recorded in 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, best to check. And when in doubt, ask permission to tape. But if youre doing a story that has to be written on a tight deadline, you likely wont have to transcribe a recorded interview. Stick to note-taking for deadline stories. 46

Finally, ALWAYS take notes, even if youre using a recorder. Every reporter 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 that the machines batteries were dead. Covering speeches, lectures and forums any live event that basically involves people talking - might seem easy at first. After all, you just have to stand there and take down what the person says, right? In fact, covering speeches can be tough for the beginner. Here are some tips that can help. Report Before You Go Get as much information as you can before the speech. This initial reporting should answer such questions as: Whats the topic of the speech? Whats the background of the speaker? Whats the setting or reason for the speech? Whos likely to be in the audience? Write Background Copy Ahead of Time Having done your pre-speech reporting, you can bang out some background copy for your story even before the speech begins. This is especially helpful if youll be writing on a tight deadline. Background material, which typically goes at the bottom of your story, includes the kind of information you gathered in your initial reporting the background of the speaker, the reason for the speech, etc. Take Great Notes This goes without saying. The more thorough your notes, the more confident youll be when you write your story. Get The Good Quote Reporters often talk about getting a good quote from a speaker, but what do they mean? Generally, a good quote is when someone says something interesting, and says it in an interesting way. Forget Chronology Dont worry about the chronology of the speech. If the most interesting thing the speaker says comes at the end of his speech, make that your lead. Likewise, if the most boring stuff comes at the start of the speech, put that at the bottom of your story or leave it out entirely. Get The Audience Reaction 47

After the speech ends, always interview a few audience members to get their reaction. This can sometimes be the most interesting part of your story. Watch For The Unexpected Speeches are generally planned events, but its the unexpected turn of events that can make them really interesting. For instance, does the speaker say something especially surprising or provocative? Does the audience have a strong reaction to something the speaker says? Does an argument ensue between the speaker and an audience member? Watch for such unplanned, unscripted moments they can make an otherwise routine story interesting. Get a Crowd Estimate Every speech story should include a general estimate of how many people are in the audience. You dont need an exact number, but theres a big difference between an audience of 50 and one of 500. Also, try to describe the general makeup of the audience. Are they college students? Senior citizens? Business people? Try doing this newswriting exercise about a speech. What follows is a newswriting exercise. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. The Centerville Chamber of Commerce is holding its monthly luncheon at the Hotel Luxe. An audience of about 100, mostly local business men and women, is in attendance. The guest speaker today is Alex Weddell, CEO of Weddell Widgets, a local, family-owned manufacturing firm and one of the citys largest companies. Here is the text of Weddells speech: Unfortunately, I wish we could all be here together under happier circumstances. As you all know, these arent exactly the best of times for the economy. With the problems on Wall Street, companies, like individuals, are facing a credit crunch. Its becoming very difficult to get access to credit to expand or even maintain our operations. Health care costs are also an issue. As you know, these costs have risen substantially in recent years. Many companies, especially small to medium-sized firms like my own, find it increasingly difficult to pay for the health insurance of our employees. Fuel prices are another area of concern. With the dramatic rise in oil prices, our costs, for both production and distribution, have risen dramatically. And with a weakening economy both here and abroad, demand for American-made products has dropped substantially in the last year. Speaking of global markets, as you know, there is increasing pressure in many industries to outsource production to developing countries with much cheaper labor costs. In fact, our main competitor, XYZ Widgets, last year moved its entire 48

manufacturing operation to China. In doing so they cut production costs in half. Weve tried to resist such measures. We believe in employing Americans workers, to create American products, to boost the American economy. As I said, weve tried to resist such measures, but unfortunately, that is no longer possible. Im here today to tell you that Weddell Widgets is facing a third quarter loss of $25 million, our worst quarterly loss ever. As a result, weve decided that early next year, we will relocate our entire manufacturing operation to India. We will maintain our management and administrative operations here in Centerville. It is with great sadness that we made this decision. My grandfather started Weddell Widgets in Centerville more than 80 years ago. This has been our home. We only did this as a last resort. Weddell leaves the stage. The audience is silent. As he quickly grabs his coat and exits the hotel ballroom, you ask him how many employees will lose their jobs as a result of the outsourcing. About 450, he says. How many administrative jobs will be left in Centerville, you ask. About 30, he responds, then adds, Im sorry, I cant answer any more questions now. He rushes out the door to a waiting limousine. You call the city editor at the Centerville Gazette newsroom. He says to write a breaking news version of the story for the papers website, then a more in-depth piece for tomorrows paper. Write the story in an hour or less. Tips For Basic Broadcast Newswriting Keep It Short and Conversational By Tony Rogers, About.com The idea behind newswriting is pretty simple: Keep it short and to the point. Anyone writing for a newspaper or website knows this. But that idea gets taken to a new level with it comes to writing copy for radio or television broadcasts. Here are some tips for broadcast newswriting. Keep It Simple Newspaper reporters wanting to show off their writing style occasionally insert a fancy word into a story. But that just doesn't work in broadcast newswriting. Broadcast copy must be as simple as possible. Remember, viewers aren't reading what you're writing, they're hearing it. People watching TV or listening to the radio generally don't have time to check a dictionary.

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So keep your sentences simple and use basic, easily understood words. If you find you've put a longish word in a sentence, replace it with a shorter one. Example: Print: The physician conducted an extensive autopsy on the decedent. Broadcast: The doctor did an autopsy on the body. Keep It Short Generally, sentences in broadcast copy should be even shorter than those found in print articles. Why? Shorter sentences are more easily understood than long ones. Also, remember that broadcast copy must be read out loud. If you write a sentence that's too long, the news anchor will be gasping for breath just to finish it. Individual sentences in broadcast copy should be short enough to be easily read in one breath. Example: Print: President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats sought to ease Republican complaints about a massive economic stimulus plan Friday, meeting with GOP leaders in the White House and promising to consider some of their recommendations. Broadcast: President Barack Obama met with Republican leaders in Congress today. The Republicans aren't happy with Obama's big economic stimulus plan. Obama says he'll consider their ideas. Keep It Conversational Many sentences found in newspaper stories simply sound stilted and unwieldy when read out loud. So use a conversational style in your broadcast writing. Doing so will make it sound more like real speech, as opposed to a script someone is reading. Example: Print: Pope Benedict XVI joined U.S. President Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II on Friday by launching his own YouTube channel, the latest Vatican effort to reach out to the digital generation. Broadcast: President Obama has a Youtube channel. So does Queen Elizabeth. Now Pope Benedict has one too. The pope wants to use the new channel to reach out to young people. Use One Main Idea Per Sentence 50

Sentences in newspaper stories sometimes contain several ideas, usually in clauses that are broken up by commas. But in broadcast writing you really shouldn't put more than one main idea in each sentence. Why not? You guessed it - more than one main idea per sentence, and that sentence will be too long. Example: Print: Gov. David Paterson appointed Democratic U.S. Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand on Friday to fill New York's vacant Senate seat, finally settling on a woman from a largely rural, eastern district of the state to replace Hillary Rodham Clinton. Broadcast: Gov. David Paterson has appointed Democratic Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand to fill New York's vacant Senate seat. Gillibrand is from a rural part of the state. She will replace Hillary Rodham Clinton. Use The Active Voice Sentences written in the active voice just naturally tend to be shorter and more to the point than those written in the passive voice. Example: Passive: The robbers were arrested by police. Active: Police arrested the robbers. Use a Lead-in Sentence Most broadcast news stories start with a lead-in sentence that is fairly general. Broadcast newswriters do this to alert viewers that a new story is being presented, and to prepare them for the information that is to follow. Example: "There's more bad news today from Iraq." Note that this sentence doesn't say very much. But again, it lets the viewer know that the next story is going to be about Iraq. The lead-in sentence almost serves as a kind of headline for the story. Here's an example of a broadcast news item. Note the use of a lead-in line, short, simple sentences and a conversational style.

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There's more bad news from Iraq. Four U.S. soldiers were killed in an ambush outside Baghdad today. The Pentagon says the soldiers were hunting insurgents when their Humvee came under sniper fire. The Pentagon hasn't yet released the soldiers' names. News story samples courtesy of The Associated Press War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast Causes Panic By Jennifer Rosenberg, About.com On Sunday, October 30, 1938, millions of radio listeners were shocked when radio news alerts announced the arrival of Martians. They panicked when they learned of the Martians' ferocious and seemingly unstoppable attack on Earth. Many ran out of their homes screaming while others packed up their cars and fled. Though what the radio listeners heard was a portion of Orson Welles' adaptation of the well-known book, War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, many of the listeners believed what they heard on the radio was real. The Idea Before the era of T.V., people sat in front of their radios and listened to music, news reports, plays and various other programs for entertainment. In 1938, the most popular radio program was the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" which aired on Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. The star of the show was ventriloquist Edgar Bergen and his dummy Charlie McCarthy. Unfortunately for the Mercury group, headed by dramatist Orson Welles, their show, "Mercury Theatre on the Air," aired on another station at the very same time as the popular "Chase and Sanborn Hour." Welles, of course, tried to think of ways to increase his audience, hoping to take away listeners from the "Chase and Sanborn Hour." For the Mercury group's Halloween show that was to air on October 30, 1938, Welles decided to adapt H. G. Wells's well-known novel, War of the Worlds, to radio. Radio adaptations and plays up to this point had often seemed rudimentary and awkward. Instead of lots of pages as in a book or through visual and auditory presentations as in a play, radio programs could only be heard (not seen) and were limited to a short period of time (often an hour, including commercials). Thus, Orson Welles had one of his writers, Howard Koch, rewrite the story of War of the Worlds. With multiple revisions by Welles, the script transformed the novel into a radio play. Besides shortening the story, they also updated it by changing the location and time from Victorian England to present day New England. These changes reinvigorated the story, making it more personal for the listeners. The Broadcast

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On Sunday, October 30, 1938 at 8 p.m., the broadcast began when an announcer came on the air and said, "The Columbia Broadcasting System and its affiliated stations present Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre on the Air in The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells." Orson Welles then went on the air as himself, setting the scene of the play: "We know now that in the early years of the twentieth century this world was being watched closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own..." As Orson Welles finished his introduction, a weather report faded in, stating that it came from the Government Weather Bureau. The official sounding weather report was quickly followed by "the music of Ramon Raquello and his orchestra" from the Meridian Room in the Hotel Park Plaza in downtown New York. Actually, the broadcast was all done from the studio, but the script led people to believe that there were announcers, orchestras, newscasters and scientists on the air from a variety of locations. The dance music was soon interrupted by a special bulletin announcing that a professor at the Mount Jennings Observatory in Chicago, Illinois reported seeing explosions on Mars. The dance music resumed until it was interrupted again, this time by a news update in the form of an interview with astronomer, Professor Richard Pierson at the Princeton Observatory in Princeton, New Jersey. The script specifically attempts to make the interview sound real and occurring right at that moment. Near the beginning of the interview, the newsman, Carl Phillips, tells the listeners that "Professor Pierson may be interrupted by telephone or other communications. During this period he is in constant touch with the astronomical centers of the world . . . Professor, may I begin your questions?" During the interview, Phillips tells the audience that Professor Pierson had just been handed a note, which was then shared with the audience. The note stated that a huge shock "of almost earthquake intensity" occurred near Princeton. Professor Pierson believes it might be a meteorite. Another news bulletin announces, "It is reported that at 8:50 p.m. a huge, flaming object, believed to be a meteorite, fell on a farm in the neighborhood of Grovers Mill, New Jersey, twenty-two miles from Trenton." Carl Phillips begins reporting from the scene at Grovers Mill. (No one listening to the program questions the very short time that it took Phillips to reach Grovers Mill from the observatory. The music interludes seem longer than they are and confuse the audience as to how much time has passed.) The meteor turns out to be a 30-yard wide metal cylinder that is making a hissing sound. Then the top began to "rotate like a screw." Then Carl Phillips reported what he witnessed: Ladies and gentlemen, this is the most terrifying thing I have ever witnessed. . . . Wait a minute! Someone's crawling. Someone or . . . something. I can see peering out of that black hole two luminous disks . . . are they eyes? It might be a face. It might be . . . good 53

heavens, something's wriggling out of the shadow like a gray snake. Now it's another one, and another one, and another one. They look like tentacles to me. There, I can see the thing's body. It's large as a bear and it glistens like wet leather. But that face, it . . . ladies and gentlemen, it's indescribable. I can hardly force myself to keep looking at it, it's so awful. The eyes are black and gleam like a serpent. The mouth is kind of Vshaped with saliva dripping from its rimless lips that seem to quiver and pulsate. Carl Phillips continued to describe what he saw. Then, the invaders took out a weapon. A humped shape is rising out of the pit. I can make out a small beam of light against a mirror. What's that? There's a jet of flame springing from the mirror, and it leaps right at the advancing men. It strikes them head on! Good Lord, they're turning into flame! Now the whole field's caught fire. The woods . . . the barns . . . the gas tanks of automobiles . . it's spreading everywhere. It's coming this way. About twenty yards to my right... Then silence. A few minutes later, an announcer interrupts, Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been handed a message that came in from Grovers Mill by telephone. Just one moment please. At least forty people, including six state troopers, lie dead in a field east of the village of Grovers Mill, their bodies burned and distorted beyond all possible recognition. The audience is stunned by this news. But the situation soon gets worse. They are told that the state militia is mobilizing, with seven thousand men, and surrounding the metal object. They, too, are soon obliterated by the "heat ray." The "Secretary of the Interior," who sounds like President Franklin Roosevelt (purposely), addresses the nation. Citizens of the nation: I shall not try to conceal the gravity of the situation that confronts the country, nor the concern of your government in protecting the lives and property of its people. . . . we must continue the performance of our duties each and every one of us, so that we may confront this destructive adversary with a nation united, courageous, and consecrated to the preservation of human supremacy on this earth. The radio reports that the U.S. Army is engaged. The announcer declared that New York City is being evacuated. The program continues, but many radio listeners are already panicked. The Panic Though the program began with the announcement that it was a story based on a novel and there were several announcements during the program that reiterated that this was just a story, many listeners didn't tune in long enough to hear them. A lot of the radio listeners had been intently listening to their favorite program the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" and turned the dial, like they did every Sunday, during the musical section of the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" around 8:12. Usually, listeners turned back to the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" when they thought the musical section of the program was over. However, on this particular evening they were shocked to hear another station carrying news alerts warning of an invasion of Martians attacking Earth. Not hearing the

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introduction of the play and listening to the authoritative and real sounding commentary and interviews, many believed it to be real. All across the United States, listeners reacted. Thousands of people called radio stations, police and newspapers. Many in the New England area loaded up their cars and fled their homes. In other areas, people went to churches to pray. People improvised gas masks. Miscarriages and early births were reported. Deaths, too, were reported but never confirmed. Many people were hysterical. They thought the end was near. Hours after the program had ended and listeners had realized that the Martian invasion was not real, the public was outraged that Orson Welles had tried to fool them. Many people sued. Others wondered if Welles had caused the panic on purpose. The power of radio had fooled the listeners. They had become accustomed to believing everything they heard on the radio, without questioning it. Now they had learned - the hard way. The Job of a News Anchor At the networks the TV news anchors present the news. You know the people -- the ones sitting there behind a desk (or in the field) telling you whats happening in the world that day. Whether broadcasting from a small local station or manning one of the networks primetime broadcasts, TV news anchors compile news stories and deliver them. The Skills You Need Being a news anchor requires a number of skills, the first of which is a comfort in front of the camera. Theres an element of show business in the job of a news anchor -- not only do you need to be comfortable in front of the camera but you need to make people want to watch you. The latter may not be something you can learn but, certainly, gaining comfort speaking to the camera is a skill you can hone. A news anchor also needs to be able to think on his feet. While many anchors will read scripts -- off of a teleprompter or notes on their desk -- information can also be transmitted aurally. If news is breaking information may be fed to an anchor on the spur of the moment from a producer. The anchor needs to be able to listen to whats happening and then relay the information to the audience in a clear and concise manner. The News Gathering Part of the Job How much reporting is involved in an anchors job is dependent on where the anchor works and what type of broadcast they work on. Some anchors, especially at local news stations, will report their own stories (perhaps with help from a producer or other staffer), and write the scripts they then transmit on the air. In that sense, an anchor works very much like a reporter with the main difference being that they need to craft the story in a way that works for television. 55

Working With a Producer The stories that are often reported by anchors are ones from the field. (An example of this is when, say, Katie Couric or Charles Gibson isn't on the anchor desk but is instead reporting on a story from some a specific locale.) The general newscast delivered from behind a desk is usually not written by the anchor but, rather, a staff of writers who work for the show. But the stories reported from the field are often researched and worked on by the anchor. Anchors also work with producers who help conceive of stories and then help report those stories. How to Get a Job As an Anchor Anchors need to get time in front of the camera. Most jobs are gotten with a tape, or a sample of your work on-air. Before you look for a job as an anchor, you need to have done an internship at a local station (and gotten some time on-air), or studied communications in college. (A number of schools have programs, both grad and undergrad, for television journalism; you can find a comprehensive list of American journalism schools here.) Once you have a tape, you should start looking for jobs at local stations. Many anchors work their way up from small broadcasts to bigger ones. (There are local news broadcasts in many cities and, often, the bigger the city the more competitive the job.) There are also myriad opportunities on-air at the various cable news channels. A Day in the Life A good way to find out more about a job is to hear about it from someone in the field. This piece, from a CNN anchor, is good depiction of what its like to be an anchor and the various tasks of the job. This article also offers more scoop on the job of a TV news anchor. The Job of a TV News Producer TV news producers work for TV news shows, either on newscasts or shows like Dateline and Real Sports (on HBO). A TV news producer works very much like a journalist, finding stories and then reporting them. But unlike a straight-up print news reporter, a TV news producer needs to conceive a television news segment. This means a TV news producer must be able to oversee other employees and understand how to present a story visually. The Skills You Need A TV news producer needs to have strong journalistic skills. Not only does a TV news producer need to be able to identify and research a story, but he or she also needs to be able to work with a team of people -- writers and sometimes an anchor -- to put that story together. A producer may also need some technical knowledge and a background in production. 56

If you watch a news story on TV, either a segment on the evening news or on one of the aforementioned TV news shows, youll see that visual components mesh with an overarching story. A TV news producer needs to understand some of the technical aspects of putting a story together -- some jobs may require producers to have the technical skills to cut and piece together their own footage - along with the ability to craft accompanying commentary. In other words, a producer needs to be proficient in writing a script for a segment as well as cutting and piecing that segment together. How to Get a Job as a TV News Producer A TV news producer needs experience working for a show. Having a degree in communications or journalism can help but, ultimately, an internship at a news program or a TV station is the first way to get your foot in the door. From there one can work up to a full-time job writing news for TV and then segue into a job as a producer, which is a more senior position. What a Journalist Does Journalism is, in most respects, the backbone of the media industry. Therefore many media jobs require some aspect of journalism. The type of writing a journalist does depends largely on the subject they cover. Another thing which affects a journalist's job is the outlet they produce news for: TV, the Internet, a newspaper, etc. That being said, a traditional journalist reports the news. What does that mean? Well it can mean various things. The standard image of a journalist, and one often portrayed in movies, is of someone working a beat for a newspaper and finding stories. Which begs the question: What is a beat? Working a Beat A beat is a media term for the area, or topic, a journalist covers. So a beat could be anything from local crime, to national news to Hollywood movies. Beats can be very specific, or broader, depending on the kind of publication youre working for. A midsize daily newspaper, for example, will have reporters covering everything from local police goings-on to local sports. Why You Need a Beat A journalists job is to report the news. To find the news, you need to understand the subject matter and the people youre writing about. Lets say youre working a crime beat for a newspaper in Chicago. One morning the police report that theres been a murder in a posh neighborhood of the city. Now, in order to write about that murder, you need to know whats been going on in the city. Is this an isolated incident? Was there a similar crime two weeks ago? Two years ago? People always discuss the five pillars of journalism or the Five Ws -- who, what, where, when and why -- and, the why, section can only be filled out by someone with a 57

background and knowledge of their beat. If, for example, you were asked to write about the aforementioned murder in Chicago, and didnt know anything about the city or the recent criminal activity there, you wouldnt be able to cover the story in the best way. Because, lets face it, the story is very different if its a random act instead of a potential sign of a crime spree or, lets say, a serial murderer. Developing Sources The other big reason journalists work beats, aside from developing a deep knowledge of the subject theyre covering, is to develop sources. Sources are people you talk to report a story. Now some sources are obvious. If we continue with the example of working as a crime reporter in Chicago, you would have regular sources in the police department. Now some would be obvious -- you would likely speak to a spokesperson for the department whose job it is to handle reporters (a kind of publicist) -- but other contacts might be developed from relations you foster over years of covering a beat. A journalist often refers to their sources -- everyone knows the saying, I cant reveal my sources -- because these are people they turn to get inside information, or perspective, on a story. Now that bit about revealing sources points to an instance when a journalist gets an important piece of information from a person who does not want their identity revealed. If, for example, youre working on that story about the murder in Chicago and you get information from someone in the police department that the murder looks like it might be the work of a serial killer, that officer might not want his name given out. After all, hes giving you information that might get him in trouble. So, when you write the story about the murder, you wouldnt name your source or reveal his identity to anyone. (If you did reveal his identity, no one would ever want to give you secret information, or information that people in business refer to as stuff thats "off the record.") When a journalist works a beat over time they develop a multitude of sources. This means that they know who to call when something happens and they know the people who will talk to them. A good journalist establishes solid relationships with his sources so he can turn to them to get information. Although people dont always like talking to reporters -- especially when the story is about a scandal or something negative -- a good journalist will have sources who recognize that there is a positive in getting a story out, and getting it out correctly. In other words, a good journalist will develop a respectful relationship with his sources.

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