NEWS GATHERING BROADCAST I CH 2 NEWS GATHERING

NEWS GATHERING BROADCAST I

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Defining News Simply put, news is information about events, people, or issues that the public wants or needs to know. Reporters often refer to news as “stories. ” When you judge whether something is news, you’re determining whether it’s newsworthy. How can you tell if something is news?

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Elements of News • One way to judge whether something is newsworthy is to ask yourself if it contains the elements of news– the characteristics of a story that make it appeal to readers. If you answer yes to most of the questions below, you’ve got news. • • • Timeliness: Is it current or new? Human Interest: Is it about other people’s lives and emotions Proximity: Is it happening nearby? Prominence: Is it well known to your readers? Consequence: Will it affect your readers in an important way? Conflict: Does it involve tension, surprise, or suspense? Give it the “Who cares? ” test!

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Who Cares? • Most students will care about a story if it’s about someone they know, about themselves, or about something that matters to them personally. Avoid sensationalism, which is the tendency to broadcast information that causes an intense but brief interest or emotional reaction. It could be shocking, exciting, disgusting, or unusual, but it may not be newsworthy. Would using tax dollars to pay for a $16 muffin upset tax payers?

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Hard News and Soft News • Hard News, also called straight news, is strictly factual reporting of news that’s current and important. • Examples: A new administrator has been hired at KMS, revisions to the dress code, theft of sports equipment • News that entertains and informs, and is less current and important that hard news is known as soft news. • Examples: interview with student musician, survey on student’s favorite authors, movie reviews Because school newspapers publish less often, most of what they publish is soft news. A weekly broadcast, like K-Vision, is typically soft news.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Finding Stories and Sources As your “nose for news” develops, you’ll find stories almost anywhere you look. They may even find you… • Someone may give you a tip—information that leads you to a potential story. • Often, you can get a story idea directly from a source. A source provides reliable, truthful information on a topic. • Once you have found a story, you need to locate sources to give you enough useful FACTS to complete your story.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Types of Sources A primary source offers the best and most reliable information on a topic. • Examples: an expert on a particular topic, someone with firsthand information on a topic, an original document or an official report. Always find at least one primary source for your story.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Types of Sources A secondary source offers reliable second-hand information on a topic. • • Examples: reference books, reliable Web sites, or people with informed opinions on a topic. Use secondary sources to expand your information. Journalists sometimes quote an anonymous source to get “inside” information that the source might not otherwise offer. • Anonymous sources are generally frowned upon in journalism. If you have a doubt about any information from a source, double-check it with another source. Be especially cautious with Internet sources because anyone can publish information on the Internet. If you gather source material on the Internet, use web sites of well-known newspapers and magazines, government agencies, and high-profile public service organizations.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Places to Find Stores and Sources To find good stories and sources, you have to be active, curious, imaginative, and self-motivated. What are three most common places for you to find stories and sources for your school paper? • School: classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, school calendar • Local community: local media (newspapers, magazines, TV and radio) libraries, business and community organizations • Global community: national and international media, the Internet

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Beats vary from school to school. Although we won’t assign specific beats on The Prowler, here are some common beats for student journalists: • • • Academic beat: math department news, academic clubs (science club) Sports beat: official school teams, soccer club, coach interviews, pep squad, cheer Club beat: school clubs that are not academic or sports clubs Administration beat: principals and superintendents, teacher organizations, school board Staff beat: guidance counselors, librarians, janitors, and other adults who aren’t administrators or faculty. Community beat: community events and organizations with high student interest

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Brainstorming Some of the best story ideas and sources arise during a brainstorm with your K-Vision staff. • Mrs. Sims facilitates the brainstorming session • Appoint a scribe • Share ideas in an orderly manner (be respectful, all ideas accepted) • Vote to rank the ideas in order of interest and importance

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Future Books A future book is a listing of events, by date, that you may want to cover in future issues of your broadcast. Update your future book once a week.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Making Assignments and Choosing Angles An editor may assign a story on the basis of a reporter’s abilities, interest, or both. An angle is the approach you take to a story. For example, for the upcoming musical: • What is a typical rehearsal like? • How is this musical different than past productions? • Has this musical ever been performed at KMS before? A local angle is someone or something that connects the topic of your story to your local readers. Including a local angle is called localizing.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Interviewing is the most common way for reporters to get information. In an interview, a reporter asks a source questions and records the answers. Many stories can’t be reported without consulting human (real, live) sources. Knowing the proper way to prepare for, schedule, and conduct interviews is vital for covering these stories.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING RESEARCH AND REQUESTING AN INTERVIEW By doing research to answer general questions, you can save the really good questions for your interview. When you request an interview, you should introduce yourself to your source and explain your reason for wanting an interview. When requesting an interview, give the following information: • Your first and last name • The name of your school and newspaper • The topic of your story

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING REQUESTING AN INTERVIEW If it is an informal, on-the-spot interview, first ask if the source has time to answer a few questions. • Be gracious if your chosen source declines your request. Move on to someone else. Conduct interviews in person whenever possible. Some reporters conduct interviews over the phone, through e-mail, or by answering questions in writing.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING TIPS FOR SCHEDULING INTERVIEWS When scheduling formal interviews, make arrangements to meet at a time and place that is convenient for your source and for yourself. Keep your deadline in mind as you schedule your interview. If you plan to record the interview, ask if your source has any objections. Don’t schedule the interview for a time that you’ll be rushed.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING WRITING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Good stories come from good questions. Write and refine your questions before interviewing. Write questions that answer the journalist’s main questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how • These are known as the 5 W’s and H For an informal interview, you may write only a few questions. For a formal interview, be prepared with about 10 -15 questions.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING TIPS for writing Interview Questions • Write questions that are simple, clear, and get right to the point • Write open-ended questions that can’t be answered by one word, such as yes or no. • • Did you enjoy your lunch? What did you enjoy most about your lunch? Are you excited about your vacation? What sites to you expect to see while you are on vacation? Write questions to make your source think. If you can predict an answer, it’s probably not a good question. Write questions that reveal how the topic relates to your readers.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING Getting ready for the Interview When conducting an interview, make sure you have something to write with and that your questions are written on paper with space after each question to write the answers. Make sure you leave space on the paper to write follow up questions, which allows the source to further explain or expand upon a previous answer.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW • When conducting an interview, open by introducing yourself. Thank the source for taking the time for the interview. • • • Again, announce the purpose of your interview. • Let your source know you’re listening. Nod to show you understand summarize answers, allowing your source to add or correct information. • • • Never supply or suggest an answer. • Close your interview by thanking your source. Ask your questions in the order in which you have arranged them. If you don’t understand something, ask your source to explain it again in a different way. Listen for powerful or lively sentences that would make good quotes. When you’ve covered all of your questions, ask the source if he or she has anything to add.

CH 2: NEWS GATHERING AFTER THE INTERVIEW • Immediately after the interview, try to list the main points of the story and jot down ideas you have. • It is a good idea to rewrite your notes so they make sense to you. Use your recording (if applicable) to fill in any gaps in your notes. • Contact your source again to supply missing information or to check what remains confusing.

CH 2 VOCABULARY News Source localizing newsworthy Primary source 5 W’s and H Elements of News Secondary source Open-ended questions Hard News Future Book Follow up questions Soft News Angle Tip Local angle