Download - How to get start as an
How to get start as an
February 28, 2013By: Karen Spring
HSCI 825 Advocacy and Communication
Simon Fraser University
INDEPENDENT
JOURNALIST
Presentation Outline
✜ Why be a journalist?✜ Who can you write for?✜ Six steps to writing a journalistic piece:
Step 1: Planning a story Step 2: ResearchStep 3: Making contact Step 4: The interview Step 5: Writing the storyStep 6: Don’t get sued
** Tips along the way **
Why would you start writing as a journalist?
✜ Advocacy strategy ✜ A way to get your work, experiences and viewpoints out there
✜ A way to translate your research to the public
✜ A great skill set
For Who?Independent Media – “pitching” details on websites
Journalism skills is useful for many things: BlogsPamphletsNewslettersAgency websitesGovernmentNon-governmental organizations (NGOs)
Step 1: Planning a story✜ Finding a story:
Is it timely?Impactful?Relevant?Angle (community, local, national, etc)
relevant to publisher?What’s the major tension?
✜ Mapping the story
Step 2: Research
✜ Internet
✜ Government & corporate websites
✜ Advocacy groups
✜ Health related organization - WHO, PHAC, CDC, etc.
*** Make sure they are verifiable ***
SOME PLACES TO GET STARTED:
Canadian Think Tanks: - Canadian Centre for Policy AlternativesCouncil of Canadians – well-reviewed studiesGovernment websites: Statistics CanadaParliament of Canada: Info on MPs, sessions of the House of Commons, Hansard (Debates)
Step 3: Making Contact✜ Finding a voice(s)
Community or individual perspective: talk to those most affected
✜ Do a call out using your networks, your friends, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
✜ Allow for different points of view – diverging perspectives or the pros and cons
✜ Google the person’s name with first 3 digits of area code or location- Government – Database of experts
(http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Media-Media/Expert-Expert_eng.asp)
✜ Don’t leave a message until you’ve called at least 3 timesBe persistent & firmMention if you have deadlines
✜ Just show up
✜ Try, if possible, & if needed to avoid the ‘media rep’ (especially for investigative pieces)
Step 4: The Interview(s)
✜ Do your background research
✜ Questions: Easy, open-ended and one at a time
✜ How to end the interview – 5 major ending questions:
- How do you spell your name?- Do you have a specific title?- Is there anything else you’d like to add?- Are quotes attributed to you or your
organization?- Is there anyone else I should talk to about
this topic?
Step 5: Writing the story
Start: ✜ The “Lede”, a sentence or two that introduces your
article. Opening paragraph: ‘Who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ & ‘when’
Middle:✜ The ‘Why’ and ‘How’✜ Context and quotes
End:✜ Don’t summarize
Step 6: Don’t get sued!
✜ Libel – Printed defamation✜ Truth✜ Fair comment✜ Responsible Journalism
Doubtful? Consult a lawyer. Period.
Questions?
Thank you!
References
Paley, Dawn and Ling, Justin. (October 2011). So you want to write for the Media Coop? Vancouver Media Coop. Available at: http://www.mediacoop.ca/sites/mediacoop.ca/files2/mc/writers_guide.pdf
The Dominion. (no date). Write for the Dominion. Available at: http://www.dominionpaper.ca/write