STUDY GUIDE

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

#FutureLeadersForSustainableWorld
“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold
opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media
and regardless of frontiers.” - Article 19, Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

WELCOME LETTER
Greetings Members of the International Press!

I welcome all members of International Press on board. It gives me immense pleasure to

introduce to you the INTERNATIONAL PRESS GUIDE; and be a part of the Delhi Public
School Model United Nations 2022. The whole idea of this brief is not to let those efforts go
waste that all Press Members put in.

The work of International Press, serves the memoir of all events and when it comes to the
conferences like MUNs. It gives a chance to delegates to get hold of the memories of the
days spent in the conference; also it gives budding Photographers and Journalists a chance
to bruise their skills and get a great experience.

The whole idea of International Press is about team work. All IP Members are expected to
collaborate and assist each other during the course of the conference, to put up truly complete
pieces. At the same time, as this is a competitive event I would like every member of
International Press to maintain a healthy competition and not involve yourselves in any kind
of demeaning activities.

Over to you, members of the International Press. Have the courage to venture beyond what is
directly stated, and resist being influenced by biases.

Good luck!

Sohom Bose
International Press Head sohomboseofficial@[Link]

Rajarshee Bose
Editor-in-Chief
rajbose6745@[Link]
 CONCEPT
We will be simulating a single press committee, where in the press members will be working
as team. No committees will be allotted to any press members. It’s a team project and hence
we will be co-ordinating amongst ourselves as to when do we need to switch between
committees. Also, this is done to ensure fair distribution of content among the press members.

We will be having Editors based on their experience and their pure interest. The Editors will
be co-ordinating with the journalists and will be collecting reports from the journalists. The
Editors will be taught, as to how to present and prioritise a news for smooth running of the
committee.

GUIDE FOR JOURNALISTS

INTRODUCTION:
While this guide covers a section of your research, please keep in mind that it’s not meant
to be exhaustive. Use it merely as a starting point to develop your own research. I also
encourage you to go through the background guides for the committees in order to help
you understand the agendas in greater depth. Keep in mind that content and style are both
equal and interdependent parts of a good article. Finally, don’t let a particular format
restrict your own creativity. The formats are simply meant as guides to which you can bring
your own personal style of reporting.

RESEARCH:
Many MUNers, delegates and press members alike, are often under the impression that
journalists do not have to do any research or preparation at all . Let’s make it clear that
this notion is absolutely false.

It is essential that journalists have an in - depth understanding of not only their allotted
committee and its agenda but also the knowledge of the identities and stances of the countries
or portfolios that have a key role to play in the conference. While it is perfectly okay to request
for clarifications from Executive Board members or IP heads in their free time or from
delegates via chit, under no circumstances should you reach your committee on the day of the
final conference absolutely clueless.
Press Conference:
This is your platform to flaunt your abilities and research on the agenda. The motive of
the press conference is to elicit information from diplomats that the press and the public
feels has not been explored or expanded upon adequately. It can be used to ensure the
committee considers the humanitarian aspect of the topic being discussed, hold delegates
accountable for their words and actions, and even demonstrate public opinion through the
mouthpiece of the press. Your goal is to ask hard - hitting questions to specific delegates,
or the committee in general, leaving anyone free to answer; questions that stump even the
brightest of them. You may quote a specific delegate, ask them or the committee to clear
their stance, and inquire about solution . A prerequisite for the same is, of course,
extensive research about the topic or sub - topic, and presence of mind.

The key to a great press conference is, undoubtedly, confidence, but ensure that you are in no
way rude to the delegates and especially not to the Executive Board members.

ACCURACY:
This section aims to describe the acceptable practices of journalism used in MUNs.
Accuracy is at the heart of what we do, and takes precedence over speed.

Sourcing: Accuracy entails honesty in sourcing. Journalists are expected to use sources
unaltered and avoid naming sources in the plural when only one is available. Named
sources are always better than unnamed ones, and anonymous sources are the weakest.
Cross-check and corroborate information wherever possible, and be honest while citing
them.

Quotes: Quotes are sacred, and must never be altered except to delete a redundant word
or phrase and that too only if the change doesn’t alter the sense of the quote in any way.
A quote should be representative of the speaker and elements such as sarcasm or revealing
body language (such as a wink to hint that it wasn’t meant seriously) must always be
reported as well. Quotes should be accompanied with the relevant context and
circumstances. If there is any doubt whether the quote can be run verbatim, the editor-
inchief must be consulted. Also, mention who you are quoting and make sure the spelling
is correct.
Reflecting Reality: Often, it can be tempting for journalists to hype or sensationalise
stories, skewing the reality of the situation and misleading the reader into assumptions
that are wrong or potentially harmful. For instance, a “flood” of immigrants may be a
small group of people in reality, or a “surge” in inflation may, in fact, be a modest rise.
Stopping to consider the words being used leads to more precise and accurate reporting.

“Take no side, tell all sides” Stories should reflect all sides of a conflict or dispute and a
single stance must not be taken (exception- Op-Eds). This objectivity doesn’t always come
down to giving equal space to all sides. For instance the perpetrator of an atrocity warrants
less space than the victims. However, we must strive to be scrupulously fair and balanced.
Allegations shouldn’t be portrayed as fact, nor charges as a sign of guilt. Words must also
be carefully considered- words like “rebut”, “refute” or “failed to comment” hint at an
editorial judgement and should best be avoided.

Opinion and Analysis: We maintain a clear distinction between our factual news and our
opinion pieces. Factual news reports or articles cannot show any bias or favour a particular side
of a dispute. They may showcase the opinion of others through quotes or paraphrasing, however
they cannot reflect the opinion of the journalist, or of the Fourth Estate. This also holds true for
analysis or feature articles, which offer in-depth explanations on particular issues without being
biased or compromising the standards of fairness. Opinion articles, on the other hand, provide
an insight into the journalist’s stance on the matter. These will naturally be biased, however,
they are vital for greater understanding of a single perspective on a certain issue.

Discriminatory Language and Stereotypes: We must avoid inappropriate references to

gender, culture, religion, ethnicity, appearance, age, or sexual orientation. Journalists
should be sensitive to unconscious stereotyping and dated assumptions and their language
should be neutral and natural. Moreover, journalists shouldn’t believe that their particular
cultural values, religious beliefs, or social practices are the norm. Remove yourself from
your mind and write as a third-person i.e. someone from the outside, where the reader
probably will be too.

Types of Articles
As you may already be aware, this year, we’ll be exploring the different types of articles
that you will be required. As this is a new concept to most, feel free to contact us anytime
for any queries regarding the same. We need you to follow the requirements below.

EB Member Profile: 300 - 350 words:

For this year’s MUN, we guarantee that this will be the most fun article you will write, in
spite of its slightly challenging nature.
An EB member profile is a fun-filled, mostly humorous, and light - hearted article,
whose purpose is to essentially be an entertaining read. It can include, but is not limited
to, the individual’s funny habits, how they handle committee, their general
disposition/demeanour, and his thoughts about himself.

Keys to a good EB profile:

•Research: Carry out informed interviews with your assigned EB members, their friends
on and off the Executive Board, their delegates and even their committee’s logistics
members. Ask interesting and funny questions to elicit the best possible answers, but be
mindful of the fact that these Q&As will have to be turned into comprehensive articles.
That is to say, they should not seem like a copy - pasted interview,

•Observe: Sure, interviews get you a ton of interesting facts about the EB member, but
it is your keen observational skills that really bring the article alive. You will have a lot
of opportunities to watch your EB members in action, so use them wisely.

•Flow: You’ve collected lots of information, full of little juicy tid-bits that you REALLY
want to include. Excitement aside, ensure that you do not place obscure, awkward
information in random, broken paragraphs. Instead, try to weave all your information
together, making sure the transition is not abrupt, and leave out unnecessary details that
don’t seem to work. Keep it quirky, if you’d like, but maintain a smooth flow.

•Subtlety: Yes, you do get that precious opportunity to point out an EB member’s funny
attributes, but ensure that you are not offensive, insulting, or blunt. You are free to use
satire, sarcasm and humour, but don’t make the article just a list of insults. While you are
not under any obligation to write what someone tells you to say about him, be mindful of
presenting your information in a refined, thoughtful manner.
Lastly, as the format of this article is moderately flexible, (the only restriction being that
it cannot be in a question - answer format), feel free to experiment and make it as
interesting as possible.

Beat - based Articles: 300 - 450 words

The purpose of a beat - based article is to inform someone who was not present in the
committee about the committee proceedings. That being said, it can be subtly and
slightly opinionated, but preferably keep it as neutral as possible.

Ideally, a beat based article is centred around a ‘beat’ or turning - point of the
committee, consisting of what led up to the beat, what it was, how it changed
committee, as well as its implications. This requires careful observation and attention.

You may choose to focus on one particular sub - topic in the discussion, but giving a
comprehensive overview of the proceedings is highly recommended. However, the core
idea of the article must be conveyed to reader clearly and concisely.

Examples of Beat-Based Articles:

[Link]
[Link]

Opposite– Editorials (Op-Ed): 400 - 500 words

Here, is where the point we’ve been emphasising since the orientation comes into play.
It’s natural to form opinions, on the agenda and the committee, and this is your chance
as independent journalists to express it.

Opinion - editorials are, simply put, opinionated articles that propose an idea, or more
accurately, a hypothesis about the agenda, and strive to prove it.

The first step to writing an Op-Ed is research. This does not include just verifying facts
but also examining and analysing different perspectives on the issue. Thoroughly read
the background guide, ask questions, research on your own, and, most importantly, listen
and take notes in committee. The most important aspect of an Op-Ed is analysis. Examine
an argument against different perspectives, and try to consider as many perspectives as
possible so as to generate the most holistic analysis.

Be precise and not vague. Since an Op-Ed is not just factual, you can’t beat around
the bush easily and so it is imperative that you have a thorough understanding of the
agenda, your argument and its implications, so as to tackle any loopholes
successfully.

Lastly, for the structure, begin by stating the agenda and your opinion, analyse it, and
present your arguments. A comprehensive Op-Ed addresses any counter arguments that
may occur, completely convincing the reader of the truth and validity of your stance, so
try to incorporate facts, information and ideas related to the same. Op–Ed s are not just
affirmations that the problem exists, and a reiteration of its gravity, but they also provide
viable solutions to whatever the conundrum may be. Additionally, you can also add some
lines analysing the committee’s proceedings and the proficiency of the committee in
addressing the agenda. Sum up by reiterating your stance with the problem at hand, really
driving the point home.

Examples of Op-Eds: [Link]

marijuanasafety/ [Link]
[Link]

Difference between Op-ed and Editorial.

The publisher and/or what is called an editorial board - which might include the publisher, one
or more editors formulate the newspaper’s “voice” by agreeing to take particular stands on
particular issues. Editorials are written by people on the paper’s payroll and they make a
persuasive case supporting the stand taken. They are typically grounded in moral, ethical,
and/or other concerns raised by issue at hand. The best editorials explore the potential
ramifications of the issue for the broader populace, and offer ideas for remedying particularly
egregious or dangerous outcomes likely to result if the issue goes unaddressed or is
inadequately addressed (the opioid crisis, for example).

Depending on the size of the paper and how it chooses to handle the function,
editorials might be written by the publisher her or himself; by an editor; or by one (or
a staff of) editorial writers—people particularly adept at persuasive writing rooted in
ethics and provable facts. The Opinion pages at larger metropolitan dailies typically
have a dedicated editor whose sole job is assuring that the Opinion section (two pages
most weekdays; sometimes more on Sundays) is balanced and properly paginated.

In addition to voicing its own stands on the editorial page, many newspapers accept
submissions from people with particular training or expertise for consideration as
opeds on given topics.

Interview: ideally one page long

While writing an interview, you are empowered with a considerable amount of freedom
concerning the style. You may choose to interview a delegate or an Executive Board
member to get more information about him/her as a person or MUNer, or to inquire about
their portfolio and seek clarifications on the same. Additionally, you may choose whether
to make the interview humorous or formal, or even a mix of both, but ensure that you don’t
ask redundant and random questions, while capturing the reader’s interest. A title and a by
- line are required, and a little introduction to the person/scenario is preferred.

Keys to a good interview:

Research: This is an obvious one. Be present in committee, decide your interviewee
beforehand, and pay extra attention to him/her. Formulate pertinent questions and try
to anticipate the kind of answers you will get.

Establish a rapport: Request politely, introduce yourself, and try to put your source at ease by
not ranting off your list of questions right away.

Keep it natural: An interview is not a press conference so the idea is not to ask hard -
hitting questions; don’t make the source uneasy. Try to maintain eye contact, and, if
needed, try to record their answers. (Inform the interviewee before doing so)

Pay attention to the answers: Don’t be afraid to question them on the basis of their answers
and deviate from your prepared list.
Wrapping up: At the end of the interview, ask your source if there is anything else
they’d like to add and double - check the meanings of any terms or any spellings you are
unsure of. Don’t forget to thank them

Feature Article: 200-350 words Message

A feature article is an article written to give more depth to topical events, people or issues.
Rhetoric and hypothetical questions can be used. It is all about the capacity of journalist to
engage and hook the readers with their writing. Features articles use a mix of first, second or
third person as appropriate. First person (I, me, my, we, us, our) can be used to establish a
relationship with the reader, a relationship with the person who has died and to possibly explain
anecdotes. Third person is used where the speaker is providing a personal history of the
deceased or an outline of their life.

Language & Grammar

• Language choice can be formal or informal depending on topic. The use of informal,
colloquial (slang) and first person narrative creates a personal tone to the piece.
• Uses mainly present tense.
• Variety of long and short sentences.

• Contractions are acceptable (didn’t, it’s, that’s, we’ll).

• Relevant jargon adds authenticity to information and opinions presented.
• Use of anecdotes or background information to maintain reader interest.
• Facts or evidence validates the writer's viewpoints.
• In humorous articles, exaggeration and generalisation are used to heighten humour.
• Rhetorical questions can be used to involve the reader.
• Emotive words are used to evoke a personal response in the reader.

• Figurative language may be used to engage the reader’s imagination (eg. imagery, simile,
description).
• Direct quotes can personalise the topic.

Structure of a feature:
• Headline: to identify the focus of the feature; attention grabbing
• Subheading: provides an angle or point of view
• By-line: to identify the expert or journalist writing the report

• Hook: An interesting first sentence to ‘hook’ readers’ attention and establish a point of view
through a direct statement, example or hypothetical question.
• Introductory paragraph: This paragraph expands on the hook and establishes the writer’s tone
and focus for the article.
• Paragraph 2: first main point. An explanation of how this person/issue has contributed to
society. This should be an interpretation of events in the author’s own words.
• Paragraph 3 onwards: further main points provided to explain interesting events or
achievements about the person/issue to inform the reader /delve into the issue further. Facts,
evidence, quotes, challenging questions to the reader, opinions are included in these
paragraphs Photographs, tables, diagrams and graphs are often used to accompany the text
in feature articles to provide facts or evidence to support the author’s explanation and
interpretation of the person/issue/events
• Can include highlighted pieces of text to emphasise specific events or quotes The concluding
paragraph should leave a lasting impression by:
• Reminding the reader of the article's main idea
• Suggesting an appropriate course of action
• Encouraging a change of attitude or opinion

Examples of Feature Articles:

[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]

Report: 100-250 words

Reports are completely factual in nature. The piece simply recounts the events of the
conference. The reader must get a view of the proceedings and understand what has been
accomplished by the delegates. Such pieces require attention to be completely focused on
the conference proceedings. These pieces have to be informative, the reader must be kept
up-todate with the conference. This does not mean that each and every detail has to be
reported verbatim or that a simple summary has to be narrated. Approach the Executive
Board, the Organising Committee or delegates for information.

Example of Report: [Link]

GRAMMAR

The newsletter follows Oxford English and so should your writing.

Re-read each line. Each word must have a purpose. Edit and re-edit.

Capitalise the beginning of sentences, names, places and so on.

Mention the full form of the abbreviation followed by the abbreviation in brackets. For example
- Republic of Korea (RoK); The MUN and its committees are accepted
abbreviations hence don’t require this rule.

Pay attention to punctuation. The Oxford comma is to be followed.

Use different paragraphs for marking a change in thought, context or event.

Focus on syntax and avoid long sentences. Try using and/or only once in a sentence. It makes
the text easily comprehensible to the reader.

GENERAL INFORMATION

All articles must be accompanied by a title, the name of the journalist, and the date

All articles should have the filename “Committee Name-Type of Article-Journalist Name”

Rules that apply to all articles: (exceptions have

been mentioned)

Title: Every article must have a title. The title decides whether your piece will be read,
so spend some time to make this as
eyecatching/interesting/humorous/dramatic/attractive/controversial/intriguing as
possible. While puns and playing on words are encouraged, avoid making your titles
‘click - bait - y’

Bylines: An integral, yet often overlooked part of your article is the by - line. It is simply a
line inserted right after the title, indicating who has written the article and what the article
wishes to convey. This device can even be used to add a touch of humour to your more
serious articles.

British spellings: Quite self - explanatory, yet again, often overlooked. Eg. The delegate did
not realise the implications of his suggestion.

Originality: We simply cannot emphasise the importance of this point enough. While you
are allowed to research and take inspiration from various sources (songs, nooks, etc),
ONLY original pieces will be accepted. Plagiarism can result in debarment from awards.

Accuracy: Accuracy of facts, stats and quotes is of immense importance.. Like in some
committees, if you are not permitted to access the Internet, do seek out one of the heads
for any clarification you may require.. Ensure that you do not misquote anybody and
employ chits for the same.

Filter: Most writers absolutely detest that dreaded word limit; all of us just have so much
to say. While we understand that, we too, are under certain restraints and it is imperative
that we keep the reader and his/her attention span in mind. Expression is important, but
so is concision and crispness. Don’t spew all the information you have onto your
laptops; instead, take some time to select the key points from all the details you have
jotted down and weave it into a cohesive piece.

Flow: Often, while trying to keep the point above in mind, we tend to put in disjointed
ideas together with foggy connections. Read and re-read to ensure you have expressed your
thoughts in a cohesive manner that is not awkward and broken by any means.

Spell check: Those squiggly lines aren’t just for decoration. Use them to your advantage!
Third person : Please do not use ‘I’, ‘my’ and such words to refer to yourself, in beat -
based articles specifically. You are allowed to use ‘the International Press’ and ‘the
reporter’. Exception: Op-Eds

Less is more : ‘If you can’t convince them, confuse them.’ This saying may be one most
delegates use when they are out of ideas, but it is definitely not one we can use. While we
love complicated, mellifluous, and straight - up fancy words, do think of the poor reader
while writing your articles. Be creative, by all means, and don’t compromise on expressing
your gift of the gab, but avoid overindulging in unnecessarily extravagant and profligate
vocabulary to make your treatise surfeit with extraneous utterances.

Grammar : refer to the grammar section above

Punctuality : We know, at this point, being punctual and it sounds like too much to ask, but
this is the very role of a press member! While we just might understand a 5minute delay,
due to annoying pen drives and what not, punctuality is absolutely essential. Just one
delayed article can leave us with no newsletter at all. All heads are no strangers to panicking
over submissions, but it does get easier, and the satisfaction of submitting something right
on time is irreplaceable. Think of yourself as a juggler, and if you can’t juggle, well, learn!

Read, re-read, and then re-read again: A helpful tip that was given to me : I know that
one gets tired after finishing the article and just want to be done with it and submit, but
it really helps to just shut your laptop (after saving it, of course), give yourself a break
for 5 minutes, and then re-read it like you are someone who has never seen it before.

Works every time.

MARKING SCHEME
1. Content /Essence

2. Creativity

3. Vocabulary/Use of language

4. Flow of language/Paragraph structure

5. Mood and tone

 6. Grammar/Punctuations

7. Punctuality and Instructions adhered (includes adherence to deadlines and word limits,
paying attention to the requirements of the types of articles) Sample
Articles

Keep in mind that some of these articles were written in view of requirements that
slightly differ from those above , but you are expected to adhere to the rules that
have been mentioned..

Sample articles:
[Link] H-
ByRFY/edit?usp=sharing

GUIDE FOR EDITORS:

The editors need to write an editorial. Include pictures of the stories they are going to
include in the final format of the print media. The Editors will be taught about how to
prioritise a news along-side some other skills to eye and present a news. We will be
selecting a maximum of two-three editors to edit the articles. The rest will be communicated
on the day prior/the day of the conference.

GUIDE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS:

Types of Submission

General Submissions of Photographs. There must be at least 15 photographs per committee

showing all members of that particular committee, with different perspectives. At least
three of them should be at the time of a moderated caucus or a procedural vote when
placards are raised showing maximum participation. You should also include photos of
each of the Chairs and Delegates. Unmoderated caucus should also be covered.
Investigative Photo Journalism. Apart from this, you will also have to look for a story in
your committee each day. It may be anything: a romance brewing up, a new pact of
diplomacy, unusual policy deviation. You then call on one of the Journalists in your
committee and make a story out of photos and captions. Each story should not exceed 50
words. Maximum number of photos you can use per story is 4.

Story telling. You need to convey a story through a maximum of a series of 10

photographs. It is not necessary that the story that you are trying to tell is legit/actually
happening in the committee. The story can be a hypothetical story. Use your creativity/
imagination power to create the story in your mind and then actually click the pictures that
would fit the best in your story.

*Please NOTE: You all will be briefed in details about what do you have to do, on the day of
the conference.*

Rules of Submission:

The photographs shall be judged primarily on:

> Composition,

> Lighting,

> Meaning and the overall impact that it has.

> Framing.

> Quality.

Deadlines:
The deadlines for the submissions can be expected somewhere between 3pm to 4pm for
all the days, however it would be clarified earlier the same day. Exceeding these deadliness
is unacceptable and may lead to disqualification.

Format:
Your submissions will be named in the following manner: your name, committee
followed, the type of submission (General/Investigative) and the day, all separated by an
underscore. Submit your photographs in a folder titled in the manner:

“Sohom Bose_HRC_General_day1”.

Editing:
You are not allowed to edit your photographs before submitting them. All photographs
must follow the Rule of Thirds wherever possible, and should not be clicked in
Monochrome or Sepia. Editing will be subject to the decision of the editorial board in case
they deem it necessary.

Somethings to keep in mind:

Try to carry your own laptops, as it will be used for sorting the pictures.

Please ensure that your batteries are fully charged, and you have spare memory card
in case you face any problem with your primary storage.

Stick to your deadlines!

I hope this guide has been informative and helpful. However, you
can approach any of us whenever you wish to. Lastly, enjoy this
conference and learn as much as you can!
THANK YOU!

-TEAM DPSSMUN'22