News and reporting. What is it and how do you find it?

1. News and reporting. What is it and how do you find it?

2. What is news? • News is an event, story or piece of information that readers are or would be interested in. • Review of Moneyball • Missing person • Rise in tuition

3. What makes it news? • Impact • Immediacy • Proximity • Prominence • Novelty • Conflict • Emotion

4. Who is your audience • Let’s assume it’s the CCC community: • Students • Staff • Community around here • Taxpayers who support the college • Businesses nearby • Alumni

5. Impact • Tuition going up at CCC vs. PSU • Tuition going up at PSU vs. NYU

6. Immediacy • Movie review about Moneyball • Movie review about Toy Story 3

7. Proximity • Missing Clackamas student • Missing UCLA student

8. Prominence • Random student collapsing in community center • College president collapsing in community center

9. Novelty • Biggest Sitka Spruce tree falls over in storm • Iguana gets pulled over for DUI • Ramones street sign gets stolen in NYC

10. Conflict • Teachers strike • Sports rivalry • Big guy vs. little guy

11. Emotions/Ethics • People who leave children in cars • Violin player in DC subway

12. How do you find news? • Press releases • Department heads, secretaries, instructors • Student government • Tips / leads • Public relations • Talking to people! • Don’t forget the little people, not just higher-ups!

13. Research • Before scheduling interviews it is always a good idea to Google your topic. • Other coverage in media? • Search engines, archives, informational interviews, etc. • Ask around

14. Interview types and pros/cons • There are three common types of interviews: • Email: • Allows for flexible interview schedules. • However it allows for prepared responses. • Phone: • Answers are unprepared. • You don’t get to gauge their reactions. • In person: • “In the moment.” Reactions, unpreparedness, etc. • You have to work around both schedules.

15. Interviewing tips • Audio recorder or no? • Allows for accurate information but going over the tape can be tedious and boring. • Start with small talk. • Try not to ask closed-ended questions. • When closing the interview ask if you can contact them again if you need more, who else to talk to and if they would like to add more.

16. Sources • In journalism, sources are usually people, not memos, data sheets or presentations (although those are used.) • Develop a relationship with sources that you will use often • This allows for a smooth relationship and trust.

17. Sources II. • If you have a source that is not getting back to you on a timely basis then find another source that can provide the same level of information. • Don’t promise anonymity to sources. • If you cannot get a source to go on the record or print his real name, then talk to your editor and find a different source.

18. How do you write a news story? • Stay out of it. • You are not the news • You are the reporter

19. Every story should should answer • W • W • W • W • W • H

20. 5 W’s and an H • Who • What • Where • When • Why • How

21. How that you have information: • How do you write a news story?

22. Come up with a lead • The first sentence or paragraph in a story.

23. Nut graph • An explanatory paragraph near the top of the story that summarizes what the story will be about. • It tells readers why they should care. • It’s kind of like your thesis statement.

24. News peg • Why you’re writing it now. • Story on all-weather tires: • Summer or fall?

25. Types of leads • Basic news • Anecdotal/narrative • Scene-setter • Direct address • Blind • Startling statement • Roundup • Wordplay

26. Inverted pyramid • Most important facts first • Followed by other key facts