News Writing

1. NewsWriting

2. Prewriting Any activity used to generate writing ideas.

3. Watching the News Bolder in CA blocks a road after a mud slide. Roofer goes to Doctor with a tooth ache only to find out he has a nail in his head. Sports is always news. Search crew looks for missing person after avalanche. Our country’s current events are of great interest. Celebrity Lives are of interest to some.

4. Types of News • Natural Disasters/Emergency • Unusual or wacky • Famous People • Sporting Events • Politics • Crime/Safety

5. Internet Another way of watching the news is the Internet. I provides an outlet for News Sources to feature, longer, unusual, or special interest stories because they are not confined by time.

6. Brainstorming Everyone contributes ideas on a topic. The list is then categorized, prioritized and defended.

7. Brainstorming Exercise • Brainstorm ideas for news stories. • Make a list of 3 ideas. • Write the web address of the story • For each idea answer • Why it’s a good idea • What pictures & or graphics can be found or made to go with it • Your ideas on how to shoot it

8. The 5 W’s When reporters start writing a news story, they look for the answer to Five simple questions – known as “The Five W’s”. The answers to these questions are the basis for every story. • Who? – Who is involved? Who did what? To who? Who is affected? • What? – What happened? • When? When did it happen? In what order did events take place? • Where? – Where did this happen? Did the location change? • Why? – Why did it happen? What caused it?

9. “The 5 W’s” • The reporter will often try to include all or most of the answers in the first line or paragraph of the news story. That opening section is often called “the lede” or “the lead”. • The opening lines give the viewers a good idea of what happened as soon a the news story starts.

10. 2 Types of Leads • Introductory – gives us an “appetizer” before the story, designed to perk our interest • Informational – summarizes the entire story, designed to give us all the facts in one brief statement

11. The Inverted Pyramid • This is the style of writing used for television and radio reporting as well as, for newspapers and magazines. • The inverted pyramid means that stories should be written with the most important information first and the least important last. • EXAMPLE: 150,000 people are confirmed dead, thousands missing after Tsunami hits Asia.

12. Breakdown of the Story • PART 1 – The Beginning • In your first one or two sentences tell most important part of who, what, when, where, and why. • Try to hook the viewer by beginning with a funny, clever, or surprising statement. • Go for variety: try beginning your article with a question or a provocative statement.

13. Breakdown of the Story • Part 2 – The Middle • Give the viewer the details. Include one or two quotes from people you interviewed or will interview. • Write in the third person (he, she, it, they) • Be objective (never state your opinion unless it is an opinion piece) • Use quotes to express others’ opinions!

14. Breakdown of the Story • Part 3 – The End • Wrap it up somehow (don’t leave the viewer hanging) • Please don’t say...”In conclusion” or “To finish…” (yawn!) • Try ending with a quote or a catchy phrase. • Use active words (verbs that show what’s really happening.)

15. ASSIGNMENT Using the information from the previous slides write a news story that would interest a Middle School audience. Make sure your story has factual information and contains a beginning, middle, and end using the Inverted pyramid format. You can search for ideas and information on the internet but DO NOT plagiarize. You are not allowed to work together on this assignment, you must write this story ON YOUR OWN. Be prepared to read your story to the class when we return from Spring Break and use it for an upcoming project.