forming the beat around our school. objectives be able to define what a beat is and why it is...
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FORMIN
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OBJECTIVES
Be able to define what a beat is and why it is important to the function of a school newspaper/publication
Explore how to cover a beat and develop a timeline for regular beat coverage
Practice questioning skill through brainstorming and mock interviewing
Be able to speak and respond effectively to their sources in order to build relationships
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
What is a beat?
Why is a beat essential to the role of a journalist?
What is a source?
Who can be a source?
How do you cover a beat?
What questions do I ask my source?
How do students develop confidence to speak to sources?
How so students know if they have a story?
ACTIVITY I
Review School Coverage and define what a beat is in journalism (slides to follow)
Groups of three (in your beat groups)
Groups come up with a list using the internet, school directory, phone book, etc. of people and places you could cover for a beat under your chosen category (have at least 10-15 names to hand in)
Develop a master list for the class and students (kept in a binder)- hand out
Review and finalize master list
ACTIVITY II
In your same groups, develop 5 reader questions that people might ask about your subject/topic
Once the groups have their questions, one person will act as a “source” and the others as reporters. Take turns asking questions to the “source.” The source will respond as best as they can based on what they know.
Groups reconvene to share what they thought about the experience. Using the Human Sources guide, discuss what makes a good source.
Finally, choose which beats you would like to cover and come up with a timeline for the semester. Be sure to take a beat sheet for clubs and academic beats.
ACTIVITY III
Contact beat sources to ask reader questions
Using the 12 Factors of Newsworthiness rubric, individually decide whether the information they gathered would be a story for them and their school publication.
After…present as a class to choose story ideas for website.
SCHOOL COVERAGE: GETTING ON THE BEAT One of the best ways to insure that your paper
doesn’t miss important stories is to make each reporter responsible for covering assigned beats. Through beat coverage, faculty and students also become more aware of the paper’s active interest in gathering all the news, not just feeding on its interest and ideas. The awareness encourages potential news sources to think, “This might be something for the paper” and tip off a reporter or the adviser.
AROUND THE SCHOOL
**As soon as possible, obtain a list of clubs and activities around the school.
Clubs First step- each club reporter should see assigned club advisers to
ask for the yearly schedule of meetings, current list of officers and planned or proposed events for the coming year.
Before writing a story, check listings, then interview advisers or presidents of clubs on their beats to gather information about meetings and other story possibilities.
Regular meetings should be written as news briefs or included in the paper’s club calendar
AROUND THE SCHOOL
Faculty Department Chairpersons (Academics) Beat reporters should contact the buildings dept chair people at the
beginning of the school year and before stories. Departments include (English, SS, Science, Math, Career Tech, Fine Arts,
PE/Health, Foreign Language)Reporters should determine plans of the dept on initial interview (see
forms) Stories generated from tips by dept chairpersons include: prizes won by
students, unusual class activities, faculty accomplishments, profiles of students with unique stories to tell, etc.
Student CouncilA major beat! Can generate a variety of stories throughout the yearReporters should plan to attend council meetings, as well as interview
officers, committee chairpersons and adviser, depending upon the story
AROUND THE SCHOOL
Sports Sports are usually covered as individuals reporter’s beats; because
of their seasonal nature, they are usually assigned by time periods and writer’s interests
At the beginning of the school year, the sports beat reporter should obtain the schedules of all school sports (which I have). Games are slated in calendars.
Be aware of games and tournaments not previously scheduled During each team’s season, the reporter should also obtain a roster
of players and their positions
BUILDING ON BEATS
In all areas of reporting, it is vital to spell peoples names correctly.
Try to obtain printout of entire student body (which I have)
The goal of beat reporting is to cover the news, not manufacture it, but they should always be aware that a show of genuine interest in a contact may elicit an unexpected lead.
Essential to broaden and deepen school coverage
OTHER NEWS SOURCES
Hard news
Once a year activities
Human interest
Casting for ideas?