Breaking News

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water.

Breaking News
Jack suffered a skull fracture and Jill is in serious condition after the pair tumbled down a hill during their ritual water-carrying chores yesterday.

Breaking News
Quintanilla sisters like bicol express.

Breaking News
Kris Aquino like bicol express.

Breaking News
Trillanes wins in Catanduanes.

Breaking News
Trillanes wins 10 million votes in Catanduanes.

ENG403: News and Editorial Writing Sat/Sun, 7:00-12:00 a.m. Rm 310

Prepared by: Reashiela L. Khan

Contents

 information. is what you read in the newspapers or hear from radio or television newscasts. a break from the normal flow of events, an interruption in the expected. (Melvin Mencher) tomorrows history done up in todays neat package (Mitchell Charnley) mirrors the concerns and interests of the society

What is News?

What is News?
any event, idea, or opinion that is timely, that interests and affects a large number of persons in the community, and that is capable of being understood by them. (M. Lyle Spencer)

Attributes of News
1) Timeliness 2) Proximity
immediacy nearness of the event to the intended readers 3) Prominence popularity of the people and places

4) Significance importance of the event and how it will

5) Oddity

affect the people anything that deviates from normal course of events is newsworthy

News Sources
Traditional
ex. government; the three branches i.e. the executive office, the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Supreme Court; the constitutional bodies like COMELEC; the LGU; etc.

Non-traditional
ex. cause oriented groups, youth groups, labor groups, the campuses and universities

News Gathering
1) Actual coverage 2) Interview with prominent personality 3) Writing from documents (i.e. policy statements, speeches, reports)

Types of News Stories

1) Action story
based on actual coverage presented as if the writer is an eyewitness to the event Culled from reports and documents. Abstract and static Also called substance story

2) Idea story

News Categories
1) Novelty anything new 2) Personal impact news with chain impact on the
masses

3) 4) 5) 6) 7)

Local news emphasizes proximity Money Crime and punishment Sex ex. love stories, breakups, love problems Conflicts war and revolution

News Categories
8) Disaster and tragedies 9) Humor 10) Human Interest 11) The underdog 12) Mystery 13) Health 14) Science

News Categories
15)Religion 16) Entertainment 17) Famous people 18) Weather 19) Food and Drinks 20) Group Stories ex. minorities

Contents

What is Journalism?
Journalism

is a form of writing, characterized by direct presentation of facts or descriptions of events without an attempt at interpretation and designed for publication in a newspaper or magazine. (Malinao, 1997)

Objective vs. Interpretative Journalism

journalism is reporting events that confines itself to the facts and answers the questions what, when, where, who, why, and howIf the journalist attempts to explain the significance of an event by expounding on the questions, how and why, then that is interpretative journalism (Malinao, 1997)
Objective

Development Journalism
called subservience journalism or mouthpiece writing or sunshine journalism because writers write in support of the government efforts to improve the quality of life of the people.
also

Yellow Journalism
It is a type of journalism that sensationalizes stories about crime and violence. Today , this includes publication of indecent photos. It is nowadays sometimes called cheese-cake journalism.

Journalists Role
1. Report or describe events 2. Explain and interpret events 3. Forecast the likely consequences of events

The Beat System

BEAT is a regular place of assignment given to a reporter by his editor.
Advantages: 1. Excellent Source 2. Expertise 3. Surveillance Disadvantages: 1. Cronyism 3. Myopia

2. Bias 4. Ego

Bad News vs. Good News

Good news is no news; bad news is good news.

Contents

1. Reaction Story
a. Reaction to Media Report b. Reaction to a Proposal c. Reaction to an Event

2. Follow-up Story
stories which continue to be published because of sustained public interest

3. Calendar Story
stories of predictable events

4. Jazzed-up Story 5. An Advancer

an old topic, given a new slant or angle to make it look fresh

6. Canned Story

a story written in advanced by a journalist who has access to sources a hand-out or a press-release, usually selfserving, given by an agency

Contents

1. 2. 3. 4.

Think first, then write. Get to the point. Use familiar words. Omit verbal deadwood. for that reason affixed his signature held a conference united in holy matrimony free gift fatal killing

at the present time told his listeners used for fuel purposes past history advance prediction for a period of 2 weeks

5. Keep your sentences short.

Should the gasoline sent to your establishment prove insufficient to meet the demand, application should be made to this office for additional quantity.

6. Shorten your paragraph. 7. Use specific, concrete language.

His head was injured by a blunt instrument. A large number assembled for the meeting.

8. Prefer the simple to the complex.

9. Be positive. 10. Use active voice. 11. Write as you talk. 12. Use adjectives sparingly. 13. Revise and sharpen. 14. Write to express, not to impress. 15. Odds and ends. Our greatest sin , very often, is lack of restraint in the use of words.

Contents

Hard News vs. Soft News The Inverted Pyramid The Lead Rules on paragraph construction

 Hard News vs. Soft News

HARD NEWS: Lead Paragraph - important facts Succeeding Paragraphs less important facts Ending Paragraph least important facts SOFT NEWS: Lead Paragraph least important facts Succeeding Paragraphs more interesting facts Ending Paragraph most interesting facts

 Hard News vs. Soft News

HARD NEWS: Headline: Jonas Burgos tops govt priority list of 101 cases, says De Lima Lead Paragraph: Yet another government body will take up the case of missing activist Jonas Burgos, son of the late press freedom icon Jose Burgos Jr. SOFT NEWS: Headline: Lose fat in 15 to 30 days. Lead Paragraph: Of course youve known for six months or even longer that the beach party is only a month away, and you are now in panic mode.

 The Inverted Pyramid

<<Primary or Main Lead <<Secondary or Support Lead <<Details or Particulars <<Background <<Illustration

 Other Formats
a) Champagne / Martini Glass Structure

b) The Kabob

 Advantages of the Inverted Pyramid

a) It facilitates reading. b) It facilitates makeup c) It facilitates headline writing

 The Lead
The Leads (slant, angle or simply or the first paragraph) in a news story tells the most important fact of the news story. Tips: a) It should attract the readers attention. b) Use short, simple declarative sentences c) Dont try to say everything in one sentence d) Avoid repetition of phrases, clauses, and similar grammatical constructions.

 The Lead
Types of Leads: a) Cartridge Lead - short, abrupt and definite. It tells the gist of the news in the fewest words. b) Punch Lead similar to cartridge lead but it surprises and intrigues the readers c) Picture Lead attempts to have a pictorial account of the event d) Contrast lead emphasizes the contrast. e) Question lead raises a query in a hope of inducing the readers to read on

 Types of Lead

f) Freak Lead throws caution to the air by trying to be different g) Sequence Lead a series of paragraphs, ususally arranged chronologically but with single effect h) Suspended interest lead i) Staccato Lead j) Figurative lead k) Epigram Lead l) Quotation lead m) Summary lead

Contents

 News Sense and Writing Skill Ambush Interview Pseudo-event Reporters Story No dull beat Covering the Police Beat Congress Beat

Pool Coverage
Media Accreditation Press Statement Press Materials Photo Opportunity

Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting Joint Press Statement Covering the Courts The Premier Beat

 News Sense and Writing Skill

The craft of writing as well as the theories in journalism can be studied in school, but news sense or the ability to smell news can only be learned through experience. (Malinao, 1997)

 News Sense and Writing Skill Reporters Story

A news story is what you make it. (Malinao, 1997)

 News Sense and Writing Skill Reporters Story Pseudo-event

an event that is staged-managed for the media in order to stress a point or influence public opinion. (Malinao, 1997)

News Sense and Writing Skill Reporters Story Pseudo-event No dull beat
There is never a dull day nor a dull beat a reporter worth his salt will always have a story to write if he is diligent and has enough news sense. (Malinao, 1997)

News Sense and Writing Skill Reporters Story Pseudo-event No dull beat Covering the Police Beat
Comments: a) Police story is stereotype. b) It often has no eyewitness. c) Reports often rely on police blotter. a) dig deeper b) be on the scene

Tips:

 Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting

a) Complaints filed with the police department and contained in the police blotter are uncorroborated complaints. Write objectively. b) Any conclusion of guilt or innocence should be strictly avoided. Use the word alleged when referring to an accused who has not yet been convicted. c) Never sensationalize or editorialize the report. Stick to facts. d) Never report lurid details of a crime. This is unethical. e) In a crime against chastity, never mention the name of a minor complainant

 Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting Covering the Courts

The court is complex. It is not the same as covering the police beat. RULES: a. Avoid the use of legal terms. Translate them into easier terms. b. Dont deviate from a decision on a case. Omission or commission makes one liable for contempt. c. Never comment on the guilt of the accused or lack of merit of the complaint. d. Remember balanced reporting. e. Comment on the justness or fairness of any decision only after the decision is final and unappealable..

 Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting Covering the Courts The Premier Beat
Malacanang Beat is culled from official statements, press releases, or press conferences reserved for experienced reporters. assured of space in the paper a round-the-clock affair an opportunity for reporters to travel

Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting Covering the Courts The Premier Beat Ambush Interview
It strikes fear in the heart of the strongest and most confident executive come around the corner and there they are media demons with smirking looks and evil grins, jamming cameras and microphones, pushing on your face, demanding answers to the hardest questions (Scudder, ___)

Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting Covering the Courts The Premier Beat Ambush Interview Congress Beat
Reporters should possess analytical mind master parliamentary rules avoid being used by publicity-hungry politicians get the other side to the official views be skeptical when dealing with politicians

 Pool Coverage
important event when only one reporter and one photographer are allowed to cover it. Then, the reporter and photographer share their materials with other newsmen. (_____, __)

 Pool Coverage Media Accreditation

International Press Center (IPC) accredits journalists to prevent pseudo journalists from covering important events, to secure the life of dignitaries, and/or to prevent sabotage of important meetings and events. IPC card is basically a passport for covering any event anywhere in the country.

 Pool Coverage Media Accreditation Press Statement

This is an official statement or press briefings given usually by the official spokesman or press secretary after closed door meetings.

Pool Coverage Media Accreditation Press Statement Joint Press Statement

Official statements or press briefings given by both or all the parties involved in a closed door meetings.

Pool Coverage Media Accreditation Press Statement Joint Press Statement Press Materials
- press kit that provides journalists with background information about special events or occasions.

Pool Coverage Media Accreditation Press Statement Joint Press Statement Press Materials Photo Opportunity
- Photo op is a brief period, normally at the beginning and closing of ceremonies, reserved for the press to photograph the participants in a newsworthy event.

 News Sense and Writing Skill Ambush Interview Pseudo-event Reporters Story Congress Beat

Pool Coverage
Media Accreditation Press Statement Press Materials Photo Opportunity

No dull beat
Covering the Police Beat Covering the Courts The Premier Beat

Dos and Donts in Crime Reporting Joint Press Statement

References
Malinao, Alito (1997) Journalism for Filipinos. Diliman Q.C: National Book Store Scudder & Scudder World Class Communication: How great CEO's win with the public, shareholders