Chapter 2

Finding the Focus Information is everywhere

▪ News stories are developed around one main point▪ Readers want to know the point of the story quickly

▪ Headline▪ Lead▪ 1st 2-3 paragraphs

?’s to help find the focus▪ What’s the story about?▪ How are the readers or viewers affected?▪ How would you tell the story to a friend?

These questions will help identify the focus/angle

Nut Graph 1-2 sentences used to identify the focus

▪ Not needed if focus is in the lead

Basic questions News stories answer the 5 W’s Which are…..?

All day coverage in broadcast & online▪ Have led editors to explore another question

▪ Anybody want to guess what it is…?

SO WHAT??? What is the significance to readers? How can you make readers care?

Write a vivid & compelling story▪ Put the reader there▪ Make them “see” the story

Elements of the Basic News Story Include

▪ The Headline Plus Three general parts

▪ A beginning– The “Lead” ▪ A middle – The “Body”▪ An ending

Inverted Pyramid Writing

The Headline

Left-handers have shorter life span, research shows

The Lead

Left-handed people don’t live as long as right-handers,according to research by a professor at California

State University, San Bernardino.

Body/Middle Provides support for lead

▪ Facts▪ Statistics▪ Quotes▪ Background▪ Details▪ Fairness & Accuracy

▪ (For controversial/two sided issues)

Endings Common types of endings

▪ Future Action▪ Statement/Quote that summarizes previous info

▪ (Should not repeat it)

▪ More elaboration

Visuals Crucial to news presentations in print &

online▪ Photographs▪ Charts▪ Graphic illustrations▪ Highlight/Fact box▪ Pull quotes

▪ Link

Quotes and Attribution

When to use direct quotes▪ Interesting & informative▪ Backs up the lead or a point made in story▪ If it is memorable▪ Advances the story

▪ Adds emotion, interest, new information

When to avoid quotes▪ If they are boring▪ Indisputable/factual quotes▪ Not clearly worded▪ Accusatory quotes

▪ (ie, from politicians, crime witnesses, etc)

▪ Don’t relate to the focus

Plagiarism▪ Copying the words of other writers▪ Even if you paraphrase

▪ Information from other publications

Unless you attribute it▪ Say where it came from & it’s not plagiarism

Rules How to write quotes When to use attribution Wording of attribution

There are rules that apply at different times

▪ Review pgs 51-54 in the text book