Community Journalism Writing Community News Writing Community News

Community Journalism Writing Community News

Writing Community News It's been said that the best thing about community journalism is that you get to write about people you know —and that the worst thing about it is that you get to write about people you know. Be ready to defend your work when that person meets you on the street or in the store or shows up at your desk. In community journalism, there is no place to hide. It is more difficult to be a good journalist in a small market than in a large one. You must be prepared to defend journalism as an institution—one that needs to act without fear or favor.

Relationship Journalism The job of building and maintaining personal relationships is essential to success. Community journalism is "relationship journalism. “ Community journalists necessarily have closer and more continuing relationships with subjects and sources, and with readers, listeners and viewers.

Preparing to Write A community journalist needs to go to fact finding mission. Since it is said to be a relationship journalism so it is easy to find facts as journalist know all the people in community. Writing down all the major points relating to story. In doing so, include all the information the public needs to know. Placing your points in descending order from most important to least important. Do the first few points clearly explain the basics of story, and are they attractive to the readers?

Preparing to Write Finding an angle or a point of difference to makes story more attractive. This is especially important if community is staging the same types of event or announcing the same types of news. An example of this is a group staging an annual festival. For the news, they need to think about: What is it that is different about this year's event? Has it been revamped? Is it "bigger and better" than ever before? What is planned that makes it unique from the previous one, and the one before that? Finding a human angle that makes the story warmer, or a "hook" that makes it more topical? Both of these points will make story more attractive to the readers.

The Headline Grab them Early On – the Headline There should be a bit of kick, and a bit of creativity, into the headline. Use a famous name, a bad pun, an attractive turn of phrase, a big funding figure. Half the battled is fought over the headline and opening paragraph. Keep it short and in active voice.

The Body Explain the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY and HOW of story, and do it early on. If it can't be done that then you need to go back to the beginning and refine the message. List the points of interest prepared earlier in descending order from the most interesting down. Make news active and upbeat. Keep the subject interesting – one way of doing this is by using quotes which make the story more human and also more relevant. Try and use quotes that add clarity or can sum up story in a concise, lively manner. Stick to the facts. Don't make outlandish claims that can't be backed up and don't oversell.

The Body Highlight the benefits/achievements/positives. Explain the fact in a way that people will benefit from it by going to any event, donating to any cause, working on particular community project, finding the solution of the problems. Remember the vital details. Ensure that the location, the date, and the time of event/announcement/media conference, etc. is included and highlighted. Check and re-check. Proofread news, read it aloud and then have a friend or colleague to do the same. There may be typos or other errors while doing so, or it could help edit like it sound more interesting.

The Body This is the example of news where inverted pyramid is used: “On May 1 st, a fruit vendor was caught stealing wallets in Cape Town. James Bristle, 35, says he became desperate after the drought caused fruit prices to skyrocket. Bristle, who is well-known in the area for his "Premium Plums and Peaches, " says he has been unable to sell even half of his wares during the last month. He began to pick pockets in order to buy medicine for his dying dog. "I had no choice, " he said. "Pete's the only friend I have. He'd have done the same for me. "

The Body Depending on what you deem to be most pertinent, the facts can be rearranged: On May 1 st, James Bristle, a Cape Town fruit vendor, began picking pockets in an attempt to save his dying dog. "I had no choice, " he said. "Pete's the only friend I have. " Bristle, 35, says he has been unable to sell even half of his wares during the last month because of the effects of the drought on the fruit market. He is well-known in Cape Town, the area in which he was caught, for his "Premium Plums and Peaches. "