Let’s talk about …
News Writing
News Writing …
gives the reader information that will
impact them in some way. It usually
flows from most important to least
important.
“What is news? It is information only.” -
Walter Cronkite, former CBS News
anchor
Checklist for News
Stories
Are the most important and recent facts first?
Is the story accurate? Are the sources identified
fully?
Are the paragraphs short?
Is the sentence structure varied in the story?
Is the story neat and double-spaced so that it is easy
to read?
Does your story flow? Did you use the
transition/quote formula?
Did you use active voice?
Pitfalls to Avoid
Editorializing - Keep your opinion out of the
story
Using first and second person - Keep yourself
out of the story. Common error “our school”
Missing the news peg
Messy handwriting, poor grammar and spelling
Paragraphs too long
Misspelling names in the story
Trying to use all of the information
Inverted Pyramid
The Inverted
Pyramid of news
suggests that news
be told in order of
most interesting or
important to least
interesting or
important
Jack and Jill went up
the hill to fetch a pail of
water.
vs.
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.
The ADMIRALS
basketball team played a
game yesterday
afternoon.
vs.
The ADMIRALS
basketball team beat
King’s College at home
yesterday in a thrilling
five-minute overtime
showdown between
neighboring rivals.
Let’s start
at the
beginning
with …
Let’s talk about
Lea
ds
Most journalists
think the news lead
is the most
important part of the
news story. It is an
art work of concise
information that
captures the gist of
a news story in one
or two sentences.
Lead
s Most straight news leads
should be summary leads.
That means they summarize
the 5 Ws and H of the story,
starting off with the most
important W or H.
Depending on the
nature of the story
and its driving
news elements, a
lead can focus on
one or a few of the
six question
words:
Who lead
Not so good…
Principal Jose Reyes announced Tuesday that
students will no longer be allowed to leave campus
for lunch due to excessive tardiness.
Better…
Governor Nestor Fongwan will make a brief
appearance at the CCDC junior high school
Thursday after giving a speech at the County Expo
Center.
When lead
Not so good…
On Tuesday Jose Reyes announced that students will no
longer be able to leave campus for lunch.
Better…
On Saturday Dr. Juan Cruz will speak to the junior high
school students about how important community organizing
and volunteering are to the country.
Where lead
Avoid where leads
At the school board meeting on Tuesday, Principal Jose
Reyes announced that he has ended the off-campus lunch
policy.
Maybe … probably yes.
In the principal’s office, the junior class dumped 30
kilos of sand to protest the cancellation of the senior trip
to Caramoan Island.
How lead
Through a grass roots voting effort, grade
10 Gilbert Castillo won the SSG election
to become the youngest governor in the
school’s history.
Why lead
Because they wanted to carry on the
tradition, four seniors streaked across the
basketball court during the homecoming
pep rally wearing their tapis and and
g-strings.
What lead
The Harry Potter series and Lord
of the Rings series will be removed
from all school libraries this school
year.
Hat Banning: One Story, Six Possible Leads
Who? — The CCDC Board of Education
members passed a resolution yesterday banning
the wearing of hats in all school buildings.
What? — Hat wearing was banned in all school
buildings after the CCDC Board of Education
passed a new resolution yesterday.
Where? — In When? —
CCDC yesterday, Yesterday, the
the board of CCDC Board of
education passed a Education passed a
resolution to ban the resolution banning
wearing of hats in all hat wearing in all
school buildings. school buildings.
How? — By a 6-1 margin last night, the CCDC
Board of Education passed a resolution banning
hat wearing in all school buildings.
Why? — Citing a pattern of early-onset
baldness among teenagers, the CCDC Board
of Education last night passed a resolution that
restricts hat wearing in all school buildings.
Let’s talk about
Direct
Quotes
Direct Quotes:
Should be linked to the transition/lead before them. The
quote should elaborate on the transition.
For example:
Governor Nestor Fongwan will make a brief
appearance to the Junior high school students
Thursday after giving a speech at the County Expo
Center.
“He is coming as a favor to me,” Principal Jose
Reyes said. “We worked together in La Trinidad as
community organizers. I hope he gets a chance to speak
to some juniors about what they can do for their
country.”
Direct Quotes:
Should not repeat the transition/lead before them.
For example:
Governor Nestor Fongwan will make a brief
appearance to junior high school students Thursday after
giving a speech at the County Expo Center.
“ After speaking at the Expo Center, the governor
will come to the high school for a short appearance,”
Principal Ike Sumter said.
Direct Quotes:
Can be longer than one sentence.
Should have attribution after the first sentence of
the quote.
Attribution should be: Noun then verb.
For example:
Correct - senior Bob Rodriguez said.
Incorrect - said senior Bob Rodriguez.
(unless you have an unusually long title)
Do not place two people’s direct quotes next to
each other without a transition.
Let’s talk about
Transitions
Transitions
VERY IMPORTANT. Hold the story together. Link
the paragraphs together.
Can be fact, indirect quote or a partial quote.
For example - FACT TRANSITION:
(lead) Veteran Conrad Belweg will speak to seniors
Friday about his experience as a prisoner of war.
(Direct Quote)“Seniors will learn a lot about duty
and commitment when they hear Mr. Belweg,” Principal
Jose Reyes said. “We are so excited that he agreed to come.”
(Fact Transition) During world war II, Mr. Belweg
was a prisoner of war for five years.
Transitions
Can be fact, indirect quote or a partial quote.
For example - INDIRECT QUOTE TRANSITION:
(lead) Veteran Conrad Belweg will speak to
seniors Friday about his experience as a prisoner of
war.
(Direct Quote)“Seniors will learn a lot about
duty and commitment when they hear Mr. Belweg,”
Principal Jose Reyes said. “We are so excited that
he agreed to come.”
(IQ Transition) Sumter said he was moved
after hearing Mr. Belweg speak about his
imprisonment.
Transitions
Can be fact, indirect quote or a partial quote.
For example - PARTIAL QUOTE TRANSITION:
(lead) Mr. Conrad Belweg will speak to seniors
Friday about his experience as a prisoner of war.
(Direct Quote)“Seniors will learn a lot about
duty and commitment when they hear Mr. Belweg,”
Principal Jose Reyes said. “We are so excited that he
agreed to come.”
(Partial Quote Transition) Reyes said he “had
tears in his eyes” when he heard Mr. Belweg speak
about his imprisonment.
Transition
sUse transitional words to help with the flow
(as needed): After all, Also, Finally, In
addition, However, Otherwise, Then
For example:
In addition to speaking about his
experience as a prisoner of war, Mr. Belweg
also plans to talk to students about the
importance of voting.
Let’s Review …
What types of Following a
leads should transition,
you use more? what should a
direct quote
Where do?
should you
place the What can a
attribution transition
for a direct be?
quote?
What is the
How many purpose of the
sentences transition?
can a
direct
quote be?
What went wrong?
During the 2010-11 school year, our school has reported
22 fights so far. Last year, the school had 18 total fights.
“One of my friends got in a fight, but he didn’t start it. He
was defending himself,” said freshman Andy Opel.
In response to the escalating fights, the school district
hired the Teen Conflict Resolution Team to help students
solve disagreements through non-violent solutions.
After March 23, any student caught fighting on campus
must complete a TCRT non-violence workshop, in addition
to normal disciplinary actions.
“Students have to learn how to solve life’s problems
without violence, and this program will teach our students
just that,” said Mr. Brown.
“Now students will get suspended and be forced to attend
this program,” Opal said. “That’s just too much.”
Prompt Activity
1. Read the entire prompt.
2. Review it again, looking for the newest information.
Underline that information.
3. Highlight or underline the 5Ws and H.
4. Highlight or underline the most important people
interviewed. Highlight or underline the most essential
quotes.
5. Scratch out stupid, inane quotes.
6. Pay attention to the “Additional Information.”
7. Write your lead. How, why or what lead.
Prompt Activity
8. Write an additional info. paragraph if needed.
9. Use a direct quote (more than one sentence is okay).
10. Write a transition about the next most important thing.
11. Use a direct quote directly related to the transition above.
If it’s an indirect quote transition, use a direct quote from
that same person.
12. Write another transition about the next most important
thing.
13. Another direct quote.
14. Keep going.
et’s practice!
• Follow the steps from “Prompt
Activity”
• Write as much as you can. Edit.
Write. Edit.
Senior Scholar Night at CCDC last night. About 250
people showed up. Seniors who applied for and won
scholarships were called up to the stage to accept their
awards. 7 seniors won scholarships of 17,000php or more
and 13 more earned scholarships of at least 10,000php.
Punch and cookies were served in the canteen after the
event, which lasted from 6 until 8:30 p.m. It is the third
straight year CCDC held such an event. “It’s become quite
a nice evening for parents and teachers and students to
get together to celebrate the accomplishments of our
young men and women.” That statement was taken from
Mr. Reyes, who is the senior high principal.
