Extra, extra, read all about it

1. Extra, extra, read all about it Newspapers: technique and talent

2. What is news??? • Controversial developments in business, finance, society, etc. that are important to public life • Communication of newly received information about current events • Both opinion and fact based • Can be found in print, broadcast, etc. • Stories are selected for social importance, emotional appeal, timeline, and interest

3. Types of News: • -Hard News • Most stereotypical news article (chronicle of current events) • Summary lead • Information driven (fact based) • Up to the minute current events (politics, war, crime, etc.) • Answers the 5 W’s and How (written so that a reader can stop reading at any time, and still come away with the whole story. • -Soft News • Not time sensitive • Human interest stories (art, entertainment, etc.): includes profiles of people, programs, and organizations

4. Types of news, continued… • -Feature • One step under hard news. Explores one particular issue • Focuses on the struggles of a community • Great way to explore complex issues that can’t be covered quickly in a hard news article • Explores a topic by interviewing the people involved and drawing conclusions from that information. • Present the opinions of people on both sides of an issue and let the readers make their own decisions on who to believe. No personal opinions allowed. You are simply the narrator. • -Editorials • Expresses an opinion • Provides commentary on news issues • Represents the position of the newspaper as a whole • Meant to influence the reader

5. Features of newspapers: • There are a number of key distinguishing features that must be included in your article writing. For example: • Newspaper Title • Date • Price • Table of Contents • Headline • Byline • Photographs • Captions • Articles • Weather • Classifieds • Games/Horoscope • Obituaries

6. Types of articles: • -Articles • Local News • National News • International News • Features • Editorial • Advice Columns • Opinion Pieces

7. How to write a newspaper article: • Follow this step by step guide to a good article: • 1. Decide what your article will be about (pick something you are interested in) • 2. Research the topic of your article • 3. Write your article using the template below. • Para. 1: In the first few sentences, answer these questions: • Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? • Grab the reader’s attention by using an opening sentence which is a question or unexpected fact/statistic. • Para. 2: Give the details. It is always a good idea to include one or two quotes from people you interviewed. Write in the third person perspective (he, she, it, they). Be objective. Use active verbs so the reader feels things are really happening. • Para. 3: Last paragraph – conclude your article. Try ending with a quote or a catchy phrase. • 4. By-line: At the end, state who wrote the article • 5. Decide where appropriate illustrations/pictures will be placed. • 6. Proof-read your article and edit where needed.

8. How to write an Article: Structure • Newspaper articles are structured like this: • Nearly all of the important information is in • the opening paragraph (this is because most people do bot read an entire • article all the way through). • -Headline: A short attention-getting statement about the event • used to convey the general message in as many words as will fit • Informational and clever • -Byline: This tells who write the story • -Lead: The opening paragraph (functions to summarize the story and draw in the reader); must be kept brief and simple, because the purpose of the rest of the story is to elaborate on the lead. Try to compact as much info into the first sentence as possible to grab the reader’s attention. • -Body: It involves combining the opinions of the people you interview, some factual data, and a narrative which helps the story flow. Make sure that you don’t “editorialize” (state your own opinion) in any way. • Explanation: the writer must include enough information to answer any important questions the reader might have after reading the headline and the lead paragraph. • Additional Information: Only included if there is space (usually cut)

9. Newspaper activity: • All students are required to select 2 articles from today’s newspaper and find the following information for each article. You may work with a partner (each student is still responsible for 2 article analysis pieces). Attach your articles to your work before you hand them in. • Headline: • Byline: • Lead Paragraph: • Who: • What: • When: • Where: • Why: • How: • Explanation:

10. Quoting • There are two types of quoting. They are: • Direct Quoting • Direct wording as it comes from the person’s mouth. • Ex. Ms. Rose said that she had, “never seen so much carnage in her whole life.” • Paraphrasing • Using what someone else said, and putting it in your own words. • Ex. It was evident from her remarks that Ms. Rose was disgusted by the carnage she saw on stage.

11. Editorial pages: • There are 3 types of editorial writing: • Opinion pieces • Editorials • Letters to the Editor

12. Opinion Pieces: An opinion piece reflects the viewpoint of a particular individual. Opinion pieces present a personal perspective based on fact, and appeal to the reader’s logic and emotion (can be argumentative or persuasive in style). While they aim to voice a solid opinion, opinion pieces must acknowledge both sides of the argument to strengthen their stance on an issue. • 1stparagraph: should catch the reader’s eye. Indicate that you have an interesting topic. It should read more like a short story than an essay. • Structure: The reader needs to know in the 1stparagraph what your piece is about. • Humor: Opinion writing is half-entertaining, half-informing. • Disclosure: Reveal your personal interest or connection to the story to the reader • Length: Approx. 700 words is typical (we will be writing less), but is better to have between 500-700 because it makes your writing concise. • Byline: Article should conclude with a one sentence description of who you are. i.e. Ms. Jacinta Rose Teacher of English Language Arts.

13. Editorials: • A writing style used to express an opinion or reaction to a current event or an issue of concern to the public. • Represents the official stance of the newspaper; written by a staff editor and enhanced by the editorial board. • Used to influence readers to think or act the same way the writer does. • Purpose of editorials: 1. to inform (explain a complicated issue) • 2. to promote (to get the reader involved in a worthy activity) • 3. to praise (a person or an event) • 4. to entertain (encourage or entertains the reader about an issue) • Writing Your Editorial: • Step 1: choose an issue (of public importance) • Step 2: gather information (research quotes, pictures, stats, facts, authority, analogies) • Step 3: Connecting (write coherently and in a unified manner, finish with a call to action) • Step 4: Correcting (use an active voice, avoid attacking others or preaching, give examples)

14. Editorial Cartoons: • Editorial cartoons usually make a comment or express a particular point of view upon a current social issue. • The cartoon often conveys social trends, fears, hopes, or values. • Editorial cartoons often use exaggeration (caricature). Many are a form of satire – humorous on the surface, but having a serious message underneath. • Cartoons often use gestures – facial expressions and body language. • Text may include dialogue, captions, signs, or labels.

15. Letter to the editor: • Letters to the editor provide a forum for readers to respond to what they read. People can write letters to respond to headline news stories, editorials, editorial cartoons, and to letters to the editor written by other people. • Tips for writing a letter to the editor: • The letter should be short (100-300 words) • If responding to an article, give the title of the article, the writer, the date published, and the name of the newspaper. • Summarize the article, editorial, or letter, because readers may not have read the original, or may have forgotten the content. • Present your view in a logical, persuasive manner, and quote from the article as needed. • You may agree with some points but disagree with others – begin with the positive and proceed to the negative. • Be sure to provide support for any argument you raise.