Week 9: Journalism 2001

1. Week 9: Journalism 2001 March 26, 2007

2. Announcements • Feels like spring today!

3. Review of last week’s news • Hard News: (murders, city council, government, etc.) • Major local stories • Major national/international stories • Major sports stories • Soft News: (retirements, school programs, human interest) • Local stories • National/international stories • Sports stories

4. Upcoming stories • Sports Reporting Assignment • Final article due: March 26 • Speech/news conference/multicultural reporting assignment • Final article due: April 9 • Feature Story Assignment • Story pitch due: April 4 • First draft due: April 16 • Final article due: April 23

5. Review of Hard News 2 • Overall good job! • Good use of quotes • Avoid opinion • Need names of sources, attribution • Beware of chronological stories • Focus on The News: What happened in lead • Attribution strongest after quote • Style errors: • Dates, months, toward, City of Duluth, numerals, spelling errors, City Hall

6. St. Louis County Board of Commissioners voted to research ways to ensure a future train connecting Duluth to the Twin Cities would be both comfortable and time-efficient for the public. The Waconia board of education voted 5-2 on Monday night in a meeting to approve a two-year contract extension with Supt. Jerry Kjergaard. The St. Louis County Board decided Tuesday to table the proposed smoking ordinance back to the committee stage to correct language and set dates for several public hearings to follow. The Duluth Commission on Disabilities met Wednesday for their monthly session with a new face at the table to discuss nomination requests, accessibility issues and committee reports.

7. Which is the correct way to punctuate a quote? • “Blah blah blah,” he said. • “Blah blah blah”, he said. • “Blah blah blah” he said.

8. Which is the correct dateline? • SUPERIOR, WI. - • Superior, WI - • SUPERIOR, Wis. -

9. The meeting is at _______. • 7 pm • 7 p.m. • 7 P.M.

10. The meeting was in Duluth _____. • City Hall • City hall • city hall

11. The meeting was held _______. • Mar. 30 • March 30 • 30 March

12. She lives in __________. • Cook, MN. • Cook, Minn. • Cook, Minnesota

13. ________ Jane Doe was charged with burglary. • 30-year-old • Thirty-year-old • 30 year old

14. The victory was number ______ for the coach. • 400 • four hundred • four hundred (300)

15. The new house is located at _____. • 505 N. Eighth Ave. W. • 505 N. 8th Ave. W. • 505 North 8th Avenue West

17. Chapter 9: Features • Hard news vs. soft news • Hard news: breaking stories • Soft news: looking at people, places and things that shape the world, nation, community • Feature stories often soft news • No firm line between news story/feature story • Many news events “featurized”

18. What are feature stories? • Profile people who made the news • Explain events that moved or shook the news • Analyze what is happening in the world, nation or community • Teach an audience how to do something • Suggest better ways to live in a complicated world • Examine trends in constantly changing societies • Take people someplace or let them see something new • Entertain or humor an audience

19. Watch out for “Jell-O Journalism” • Some editors decry emphasis on soft writing • If news story, give it a summary lead • Don’t make reader work to get to the news

20. Types of feature stories • Personality profiles • Bring audience closer to a person • Paint vivid picture of the person • Interviews, observations, creative writing • One of the most popular features • Buck • Human interest story • Show a subject’s oddity, or its practical, emotional or entertainment value • Travel writing

21. Trend stories • Examines people, things or organizations that are having an impact on society • In-depth stories • Detailed account beyond a basic news story or feature • Lengthy news feature • Investigative story • Backgrounder/analysis piece • Adds meaning to current issues in the news by providing more explanation

22. Feature story examples • Dartball a big hit • Whitewater rafting on the St. Louis River • Higher education in Duluth Superior • UMD Alumni Story • Buck profile • Sunday’s Duluth News-Tribune • Sam Cook articles on Global Warming 101 Expedition

23. Let’s brainstorm some ideas!

24. Organizing a feature story • Choose the theme • Do research, organize story around theme • Each section – beginning, body, end – revolve around theme • Narrow your theme • Has the story been done before? • The audience • Holding power • Worthiness

25. Write the lead • Usually avoid summary leads • Tough to summarize feature in opening paragraph • Lead possibilities endless: • Narrative, contract, staccato, direct address, etc. • Lead block: two or more paragraphs • Write the body • Vital information while educating, entertaining and emotionally tying reader to the subject • Provide background information

26. Use a thread • Can be single person, event or thing that highlights theme of the story • Use transitions • Transitions hold paragraphs together and helps writers move from one person or area to the next • Common transition words: meanwhile, therefore, sometimes, also, and, but, meantime, nevertheless, however

27. Use dialogue • Keeps readers attached to a story’s key players • Helps to introduce sources • Use voice • Subjective expression of writer • Writer’s signature or personal style • More license to reveal opinions, personality • Write the ending • Can trail off, or end with a climax • Often ends where the lead started • End with a quote

28. Rewriting and collaboration • First draft rarely makes it into print • Editor, reporter brainstorm ideas • Develop clear, narrow angle • Impact sources: • Real people who bring stories to life

29. Checklist for effective features • Know how to write news • Do your homework • Use observation • Use a tape recorder • Do not be afraid to ask questions • Maintain a relationship with every source • Transcribe handwritten notes as soon as possible

30. Write a rough outline first • Do not overwrite • Use lots of quotes! • Polish the story • Take criticism from an editor

31. Feature story assignment • Story Pitch Due: April 4 • No more than three paragraphs, 200 words • Include 5Ws and H • Possible sources • Story angle • Email to: lkragnes@d.umn.edu • First draft due: April 16 • Final story due: April 23

33. Out-of-Class Assignments • Due today: • Computer Assisted Reporting Assignment • Due April 2: • News Release rewrites

34. Tonight’s assignment • City Council Meeting • We’re going to watch the Duluth City Council meeting from last Monday night • Complete an article in class: • email by end of class to lkragnes@d.umn.edu • 350-400 words max • OK to use computer to take notes • Relax! All start with 10 points • Style errors will be deducted! • Who’s on the City Council: http://www.ci.duluth.mn.us/city/council/ccmembers.html

35. Portfolio • Store academic information on your Electronic Portfolio. Each student has 100 mb of storage. • Access Electronic Portfolio at: https://portfolio.umn.edu/portfolio/index.jsp

36. Egradebook • Doublecheck assignments correct in egradebook: • http://www.d.umn.edu/egradebook Late Assignments: If you haven’t made arrangements to complete late assignments, you receive no points.