Whats a Good Idea A good idea is

What’s a Good Idea?

A good idea is: • Targeted to your particular publication. It must be something your reader wants. • Must have a news angle.

For ideas, ask yourself • What does my reader want? Why do my readers, viewers, listeners CARE about this topic? What’s in it for them? • Why this idea at this time?

“Give ideas away. Under every idea there's a new idea waiting to be born. ” --Diana Vreeland

Rule Number One for Ideas KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE and WHAT IT WANTS and Needs to Know!

WE ARE THE SPIRIT OF BLACK WOMEN ESSENCE inspires Black women of all shades and shapes to lead bold, fulfilling lives. We encourage their passions and dreams and celebrate their community. As a trusted friend, we reflect their best selves and motivate them to live without limits.

The SI franchise is anchored by Sports Illustrated, the most respected voice in sports journalism which reaches a weekly audience of nearly 21 million adults, and SI. com, the magazine's 24/7 sports news website that delivers more than 150 original stories to its users each week.

Our mission is to produce fairminded, enterprising, well-crafted journalism that helps readers to understand their world. From markets and business to the political, economic and cultural forces that shape our age, we tell readers much more than what happened yesterday – we tell them what it means and what’s likely to come next.

The more you know about your reader—the better to pitch article ideas! What’s the audience? Who is the reader? What do these readers want? What do these readers need to know?

The Reader City College students are young (mostly), diverse, smart, savvy, ambitious and hard-working. Most are commuters, strapped for time and cash. They want to know what’s going on on campus, in the community of Harlem, in the CUNY system and sometimes in the world, and most importantly, how it affects them and their education. They are interested in the most efficient, cost-effective ways to do well in school, have good relationships, feel good, and have fun—and be successful after graduation. They MUST know what’s going on on campus, within their college system across the state and country and around the world – as it affects them.

The Mission To provide the most up-to-date news, information and service to City College students about their campus and community. The goal is to be a smart, cutting-edge, relevant attractive, entertaining publication—both online and in print. We vow to always know what our reader wants, desires, expects, enjoys and needs to know.

Rule Two Rule for Ideas: News value Choose ideas that are timely, news, topical. Ask yourself— why this topic at this time?

So what’s a good idea? News + Audience = A newsy topic that your audience cares about

What stories does our audience want/need from us? . . . Which stories can only we tell?

Hurricane Sandy Batters the East Coast This is the news. What’s The Campus story?

Trump’s Immigration Ban Allows for Far More Expulsions

MTA Hikes Fare; Monthly and Weekly Increase on the Way

A new report shows stress at alltime high

New Report: growing numbers of Hispanic students attend college

How to add a news angle to your stories. Tie it to: • • • The season Something that happened very recently--news An anniversary A trend An event

Seasonal stories/related to time period Spring runway report 10 tips for graduates Get in shape for summer It’s allergy season: How to stay healthy!

How to find ideas: • Read the news—local, national, international. Think of how a current news story might be “spun” for our audience. • Look at ccny. cuny. edu and cuny. edu websites for news ideas. • Keep your ear to the ground. Listen to what other students and professors are talking about. • Think about how something’s changed. Best to prove it with stats. Use City Facts! • Consider what’s important to students RIGHT NOW.