UNIT-1:
REPORTER-ROLE AND QUALITIES
A reporter plays a crucial role in gathering, investigating, and disseminating news to the public. Responsibilities include researching and verifying information, conducting interviews, attending events, and writing articles or producing stories for various media outlets. Reporters need to adhere to ethical standards, maintain objectivity, and present information accurately and fairly. They often work under tight deadlines, staying informed about current events, and adapting to evolving news stories.
15 Qualities of a Reporter:
1. Curiosity:A relentless and insatiable desire to explore the unknown, question assumptions, and unearth the untold stories that lurk beneath the surface. It's the driving force that propels a reporter into the depths of an issue, seeking answers that others might overlook.
2. Research Skills: The profound capacity to delve deep into vast oceans of information, skillfully navigating through data to discern facts from noise. A skilled reporter employs meticulous research methods, ensuring the foundation of their narratives is built on a solid bedrock of verifiable and accurate information.
3. Communication Skills: A dual proficiency in both written and verbal expression, allowing a reporter to articulate complex information in a manner that is not only comprehensive but also accessible to a diverse audience. The art of storytelling becomes a powerful tool in their hands.
4. Adaptability: The inherent flexibility to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of news, responding adeptly to unforeseen challenges and dynamically adjusting their approach. It's the ability to remain unfazed amidst chaos, ensuring that the pursuit of truth is not hindered by external circumstances.
5. Integrity: A steadfast commitment to ethical conduct, wherein a reporter prioritizes the truth above all else. Upholding the principles of honesty and accountability, they serve as the unwavering guardians of journalistic integrity, fostering trust among their audience.
6. Objectivity: A disciplined approach to detach from personal biases, allowing a reporter to present a balanced and impartial narrative. Objectivity is the cornerstone that ensures the stories told are not colored by individual perspectives but grounded in a fair and unbiased portrayal of events.
7. Resourcefulness:A knack for making the most out of limited resources, showcasing ingenuity and adaptability in sourcing information and crafting stories. Resourcefulness becomes a valuable skill in situations where access to conventional channels might be restricted or challenging.
8. Resilience: The mental and emotional fortitude to endure tight deadlines, high-pressure situations, and setbacks without compromising the quality of their work. Resilience empowers a reporter to persevere in the face of adversity, emerging stronger from challenges.
9. Collaboration:The ability to work seamlessly within diverse teams, fostering effective partnerships with photographers, editors, and other collaborators. Collaboration enhances the breadth and depth of stories, ensuring a comprehensive and well-rounded presentation.
10. Empathy:A deep-seated capacity to understand and relate to the experiences of others, enabling a reporter to tell stories with a human touch. Empathy bridges the gap between the storyteller and the audience, creating narratives that resonate on a profound emotional level.
11. Attention to Detail:A meticulous and detail-oriented approach to fact-checking, ensuring accuracy in reporting and avoiding errors that could compromise the credibility of the information presented. Attention to detail is the safeguard against misinformation and inaccuracies.
12. Courage:The unwavering courage to tackle controversial subjects, confront uncomfortable truths, and speak truth to power. Courage empowers a reporter to go beyond the surface, delving into the heart of critical issues that might be shrouded in complexity or resistance.
13. Inquisitiveness:A perpetual commitment to learning and staying informed about a broad range of topics. Inquisitiveness drives a reporter to seek continuous improvement, adapting to the evolving landscape of knowledge and staying ahead in a rapidly changing world.
14. Time Management: The skillful organization of tasks and efficient allocation of time to meet deadlines. Effective time management ensures that a reporter can juggle multiple projects simultaneously without compromising the quality and thoroughness of their work.
15. Technological Proficiency:The adept use of digital tools and responsible leveraging of social media to enhance the reach and impact of stories. Technological proficiency enables a reporter to navigate the digital landscape effectively, ensuring their work resonates with diverse audiences across various platforms.
Conclusion:
In the fast-paced realm of journalism, a reporter's qualities serve as the linchpin for delivering stories that resonate with accuracy, depth, and societal impact. Each trait, from curiosity to technological proficiency, contributes to the journalist's ability to not only narrate events but to illuminate the world with truth and understanding. As guardians of information, reporters bear the responsibility of embodying these qualities to uphold the essence of journalism in our ever-evolving society.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF REPORTERS
Reporters gather news and information through multiple sources, verify the source for reliability and the information for accuracy, create a report and submit it to an editor or producer. They obtain information from their contacts, through personal interviews, press conferences and from other news agencies. They travel to relevant locations and verify information about events from official sources like police, public relations officials and government agents.
A media house can hold a reporter accountable for the information and reports they deliver. A media house may issue a corrigendum or retraction if they publish or broadcast false reports. Apart from sending accurate reports, reporters also have other responsibilities, including:
Taking responsibility for the information they share.
When a reporter submits an article to their editor or anchor, the responsibility is on the reporter to verify background information. If they report a crime, they talk to police officials and witnesses before writing a story. A reporter also has to fit the report within the word count and finish preparation within a timeframe that an editor or producer may stipulate. If a reporter's story could be sensitive, they may talk to an in-house legal team to check if they can publish it.
Performing investigative reporting
Editors assign important issues that concern the public, like corruption, to one or more reporters depending on the magnitude of the issue. The primary responsibility of investigating all facets of the issue lies with the reporter. Reporters talk to many people who may help them in recording evidence to support their stories. Media companies may not publish stories if reporters cannot support them with adequate evidence. Some reporters may also work with people or organisations as undercover reporters to get crucial evidence for their stories.
Complying with legal and regulatory parameters.
Organisations train and instruct reporters to follow legitimate procedures to obtain information for a story. If they are recording an interview, doing it without a person's consent could be illegal. It's essential for reporters to remember the privacy and the rights of individuals and institutions of which they write.
Addressing ethical responsibilities
Reporters constantly travel and investigate newsworthy items. They typically perform unbiased reporting, presenting the perspectives of all concerned parties. Obtaining information through ethical practices is very important to a reporter's work. Reporters usually avoid obtaining information through coercion, blackmail or bribery.
COVERING OF BEATS-CRIME,COURTS,CITY REPORTING,HEALTH,EDUCATION,SPORTS:
News beats, also known as reporting beats or coverage beats, refer to specific areas or topics that journalists specialize in covering. Reporters are assigned beats to focus on particular subject areas and become knowledgeable and experienced in those fields. This beat system helps news organizations provide comprehensive coverage across various topics. Here are some common news beats:
1. Politics and Government: Reporters covering politics and government focus on covering elections, legislative activities, political campaigns, policy decisions, government institutions, and the activities of political leaders and parties.
Business and Economy: Journalists on the business beat report on financial markets, companies, economic trends, corporate earnings, industry analysis, entrepreneurship, and economic policy.
3. Health and Science: Reporters covering the health and science beat report on medical research, public health issues, healthcare policies, breakthroughs in science, advancements in technology, and developments in the fields of biology, physics, and chemistry.
4. Education: Journalists covering the education beat report on schools, colleges, universities, educational policies, curriculum changes, student affairs, and educational trends and issues.
5. Environment and Sustainability: Reporters on the environment beat focus on issues related to climate change, environmental conservation, renewable energy, pollution, natural resources, and environmental policies and regulations.
6. Crime and Justice: Journalists covering the crime and justice beat report on criminal activities, law enforcement, court proceedings, legal issues, crime prevention, and the criminal justice system.
What is a Journalist’s Beat?
● Beat journalism is thematically dividing journalists based on specific subjects and topics that they cover.
● Beat reporting, also known as specialised reporting, is a genre of journalism focused on a particular issue, sector, organisation, or institution over time.
● It was invented at the end of the 19th century in the United States with the aim to increase the efficiency of journalistic work.
The Big Three:
A city newspaper that focuses exclusively on local stories will assign its best reporters to the following three beats:
● Crime
● Civic Affairs
● Court
Crime as news: There are various types of crime news including fires, accidents, robberies, burglaries, fraud, murders, blackmail, kidnapping and rape.
Crime reporting is a critical facet of journalism that involves covering criminal activities, law enforcement actions, legal proceedings, and their impact on society. This type of reporting serves several purposes, including informing the public, holding authorities accountable, and contributing to discussions on crime prevention and criminal justice reform. Here's a detailed note on crime reporting:
**1. Role and Importance:
Crime reporting plays a crucial role in keeping the public informed about incidents that may affect their safety and well-being. It serves as a watchdog function, holding law enforcement and the justice system accountable for their actions and decisions.
**2. Elements of Crime Reporting:
Breaking News: Crime reporters are often the first on the scene to cover breaking news related to criminal activities. This requires quick thinking, effective communication skills, and the ability to provide accurate information in a timely manner.
Investigative Reporting: Beyond immediate events, crime reporters engage in investigative journalism to uncover deeper issues, corruption, or flaws within the criminal justice system. This involves extensive research, interviews, and analysis.
Courtroom Coverage: Crime reporters attend court proceedings to provide detailed coverage of trials and legal developments. They must understand legal procedures, terminology, and convey complex information to the public.
**3. Challenges in Crime Reporting:
Sensitivity: Crime reporters must balance the need for information with sensitivity towards victims and their families. Handling traumatic events requires empathy and ethical considerations to avoid causing further harm.
Accuracy vs. Speed: Balancing the need for speed with the requirement for accuracy is a constant challenge. In the rush to report breaking news, ensuring the information is correct is paramount.
Ethical Dilemmas: Crime reporters often face ethical dilemmas, such as respecting the presumption of innocence, avoiding the sensationalization of crime, and deciding when to disclose information that may impact ongoing investigations.
**4. Impact on Communities:
Crime reporting has a direct impact on public perception, community safety, and policy discussions. Responsible reporting can contribute to informed discussions on crime prevention, community policing, and criminal justice reform.
It can also shed light on systemic issues, disparities, and challenges within the criminal justice system, prompting societal reflections and calls for change.
**5. Technological Advances:
Advancements in technology have transformed crime reporting, providing new tools for journalists. Social media, live streaming, and data analysis contribute to more comprehensive and real-time reporting.
Key Responsibilities
Reporting Breaking News:
Crime reporters often need to respond quickly to breaking news, covering crime scenes, and providing real-time updates. This requires the ability to gather accurate information under pressure while ensuring sensitivity to the victims and their families.
Building Relationships with Law Enforcement:
Developing sources within law enforcement agencies is essential for crime reporters. Building trust with police officers, detectives, and other officials can lead to exclusive information and insights into ongoing investigations.
Balancing Sensationalism and Sensitivity:
Crime reporting can be sensationalized, and journalists must strike a balance between grabbing the audience's attention and respecting the privacy and dignity of victims and their families. Ethical considerations are crucial in avoiding the exploitation of tragedy for the sake of headlines.
In conclusion, crime reporting is a dynamic and challenging field within journalism. It requires a combination of investigative skills, ethical considerations, and a commitment to serving the public interest. As technology and society continue to evolve, crime reporters play a vital role in shaping public discourse on crime and justice.
7. Sports: Sports reporters cover professional and amateur sports events, teams, athletes, sports-related controversies, game analysis, sports business, and sports culture.
INTRODUCTION
A sports beat refers to a specific area or topic within the field of sports journalism that a journalist or media outlet covers extensively. For example, someone might be assigned the "basketball beat" or the "football beat," meaning they focus primarily on reporting, analyzing, and writing about events and news related to that particular sport.
AREAS OF COVERAGE
Areas of coverage in a sports beat refer to specific aspects or categories within the realm of sports that a journalist or media outlet focuses on.
1) Games and Matches: Sports beat coverage includes in-depth analysis of games and matches. This involves previews, live play-by-play updates, post-game analysis, score reporting, highlight reels, player interviews, injury updates, controversies, fan reactions, team dynamics, statistics, historical context, upsets, global competitions, and individual player spotlights, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of sporting events.
2)Player Profiles: Sports beat coverage includes detailed player profiles, offering insights into athletes' backgrounds, achievements, challenges, and personal stories. Journalists delve into the lives and careers of players, providing fans with a comprehensive understanding of the individuals behind the sports performances and contributing to a richer narrative within the sporting world.
3) Team Updates: In sports beat coverage, team updates are crucial, tracking dynamic aspects such as transfers, injuries, and overall developments within sports teams. Journalists deliver timely and relevant information, keeping fans abreast of changes that influence team dynamics and performance, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the sporting landscape.
4) Injuries and Health Updates: Sports beat coverage includes meticulous reporting on injuries and health updates, providing insights into athletes' well-being. Journalists offer details on the nature, severity, and recovery processes, enabling fans to understand the impact on player performance and team dynamics. This coverage ensures a comprehensive view of the athletes' physical condition within the sporting context.
5)Off-field Stories: Sports beat coverage extends beyond the field, exploring off-field stories like controversies, disciplinary actions, and legal matters involving athletes or sports organizations. Journalists provide context, shedding light on the personal, social, and professional aspects that shape the broader narrative of the sports world, captivating fans with a holistic perspective.
6) Policy and Governance: Sports beat coverage delves into policy and governance, examining the political aspects within sports organizations. Journalists report on decision-making processes, governance structures, and international relations in sports. This coverage provides insight into the rules, regulations, and leadership shaping the sporting landscape, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the sports industry.
7) Fan Engagement: Reporting on fan experiences, reactions, and engagement with sports events.Fan engagement is the process of interacting with fans before, during and after events to encourage their active participation, using a variety of channels and methods, with a view to creating and strengthening an emotional, lasting bond.For example, in the sports industry, fans will often follow an athlete during their career. They'll purchase merchandise and watch games online or on TV. They'll attend events and follow them on social media.
8) Technology and Innovation: Covering advancements in sports technology, equipment, and training methods.Sports technology refers to technologies that are developed to optimize human interaction and athletic performance within the world of sportsThis could be anything from technical attempts to improve athlete training and performance to systems that help referees make more precise calls out on the field.Ultimately, technological advancements in sports are meant to push the sports tech industry further into optimization.
9) Major Sports Leagues: Covering professional leagues like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS.The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams. It is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier professional basketball league in the world.Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league. One of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, MLB comprises 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL).
10) Individual Sports: Reporting on events and athletes in sports such as tennis, golf, boxing, MMA, and auto racing.Individual sports are also known as solo sports. These are sports that one competes in by oneself. Individual sports are characterized by the fact that participants do not have teammates to rely on to achieve the main objective.
11) College Sports: Following collegiate athletics, including NCAA football and basketball, as well as other sports at the collegiate levelCollege sports or college athletics encompasses non-professional, collegiate and university-level competitive sports and games..
12) High School Sports: Covering local high school athletics, including football, basketball, baseball, soccer, and more.High school sports presents a competitive challenge on and off the field; student athletes typically practice every day while juggling homework for school at the same time. This challenge helps to build students’ characters and work ethics on and off the field.
13) International Competitions: Reporting on events like the Olympics, World Cup, World Championships, and other global sporting events.
Reporting on events like the Olympics, World Cup, and World Championships involves providing in-depth coverage of various sports on a global scale. For instance, analyzing the historic achievements of athletes like Usain Bolt in track and field at the Olympics or the intense rivalries and memorable moments in the FIFA World Cup adds depth to the reporting.
14) Emerging Sports: Covering new or less mainstream sports gaining popularity, such as esports, extreme sports, and niche competitions.
Covering esports involves reporting on the competitive scenes of video games like League of Legends or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
15) Sports Business: Reporting on the business side of sports, including contracts, sponsorships, team ownership, and financial aspects of the industry. Reporting on the business side could involve discussions on the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) and its impact on cricket economics. Examining sponsorships and endorsements of Indian athletes, such as Virat Kohli's association with brands like Puma and MRF, sheds light on the local sports business landscape.
16) Legal and Regulatory Issues: Covering legal matters in sports, such as player contracts, labor disputes, doping scandals, and regulatory changes. Covering legal matters in Indian sports might include cases like the spot-fixing scandal in the IPL, providing insights into match-fixing controversies. Analyzing regulatory changes, such as the implementation of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), showcases efforts to maintain fair play and integrity in Indian sports.
17) Health and Fitness: Reporting on topics related to sports science, athlete training, injury prevention, nutrition, and wellness.
Reporting on sports science in India could involve discussions on advancements in cricket training techniques, reflecting the emphasis on player development.
18) Social and Cultural Impact: Exploring the broader societal impact of sports, including issues related to race, gender, politics, and activism within the sports world. Reporting on gender issues might include the achievements of Indian women athletes like PV Sindhu in badminton or the success of the Indian women's cricket team. Additionally, examining the political and cultural significance of major events like the Commonwealth Games hosted in India in 2010 adds a local context to global sporting spectacles.
In conclusion, the diverse landscape of sports journalism, spanning international competitions, emerging sports, sports business, legal and regulatory issues, health and fitness, as well as social and cultural impact, underscores the rich tapestry that defines this journalistic beat. Sports journalists, akin to skilled storytellers, navigate through triumphs, controversies, and transformative moments, capturing the essence of athleticism and its profound influence on society.
This comprehensive coverage not only satisfies the hunger for thrilling sports narratives but also amplifies the broader societal conversations interwoven with these events. As the lens of sports journalism continues to evolve, its role extends beyond match results to explore the intricate connections between sports and the human experience, reflecting the values, challenges, and aspirations that resonate across diverse audiences worldwide. In embracing this multifaceted approach, sports journalism stands as a dynamic force in shaping the narratives that bind individuals to the universal language of sports.
Challenges of sports Journalism
In India, many people think that Sports Journalism tends to focus only on cricket, much to the detriment of other sports.
This assumption is not entirely true, and what they forget to keep in mind is the fact that media, like any other industry, works on the principle of Demand and Supply.
The editors and reporters provide the content that the audiences want, and the advertisers are willing to sponsor.
Even if the media houses want to give coverage to other sports, they will have to do it at their own costs, since the advertisers will only sponsor the sports which garner the highest TRPs and are therefore most profitable to them. Hence, more often than not, it is the sponsors and advertisers who decide which sport should get what amount of coverage. Going against their wishes can prove to be very costly for the media houses – both literally, and metaphorically.
The “experts”
Since the last twenty years or so, the field of sports journalism is slowly being invaded and taken over by the so called “experts” or recently retired sportspersons. Since these ex-players have a celebrity value, news organizations are more than willing to hire them at the cost of full time sports journalists.
Again, the logic here is profit maximization. More people would read the newspaper if a column is written by an ex-cricketer rather than a reporter.
Political Clouts in Sports Federations
There are many instances when leading media houses have taken on the corruption and mismanagement in Indian sports bodies and federations, but many times they are bound by certain restrictions.
Every sports federation in India has a coterie of the rich and powerful. They are run by politicians and businessmen, when in true essence they should be headed by sportspersons. It is harmful for any business to take on such a powerful clique.
The other problem with these bodies is that their meetings are not open to the press. This means that only a few journalists get the inside information from those members who are on good terms with them, and the rest of the reporters write reports on mere speculations and hearsay. This leads to confusion and even contradictions, when the official press releases are out.
AWARDS IN SPORTS BEATS
The Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, also known as the Khel Ratna: It stands as India’s prestigious sports recognition, honoring athletes who have brought immense glory to the nation through their exceptional performances in diverse sporting disciplines. Bestowed by the Indian government through the Department of Sport, is an annual recognition presented to outstanding athletes who have demonstrated exceptional performance in their respective sports over a four-year period. This prestigious award, administered by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, carries a substantial cash prize of Rs 25 lakh. It stands as the pinnacle of achievement in the realm of sports, a coveted honor that every athlete aspires to attain during their career.
The Arjuna Award:The Arjuna Award is a prestigious recognition bestowed upon athletes in India by the Government of India. Instituted in 1961, it is named after Arjuna, a revered character from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, known for his exceptional skill in archery. The award aims to honor athletes who have displayed outstanding performance and brought glory to the nation in their respective sports.Eligibility for the Arjuna Award is open to athletes from all recognized sports disciplines. To qualify, athletes must have consistently excelled at the international level for the past four years, demonstrating exceptional skill, consistency, and sportsmanship.
The Dronacharya Award: The Dronacharya Award is a prestigious recognition in Indian sports, named after the legendary guru Dronacharya from the Mahabharata. Established in 1985 by the Government of India, it honors coaches who have made significant contributions to the success of athletes at national and international levels. The award ceremony takes place annually on National Sports Day, August 29th.
The Major Dhyan Chand Award:The Major Dhyan Chand Award is named after the legendary Indian hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest field hockey players of all time. Instituted in 2002 by the Government of India, this award recognizes outstanding lifetime achievements in sports. It is conferred upon athletes who have contributed significantly to the promotion of sports even after their retirement from active play. The Major Dhyan Chand Award is one of the highest honors for lifetime achievement in sports in India, celebrating excellence, dedication, and sportsmanship.
Olympic Medals: The Olympic Games, held every four years, feature competitions in various sports, and athletes compete to win gold, silver, and bronze medals. These medals are awarded to the top three athletes or teams in each event, representing their achievement and excellence on the world stage.
FIFA Ballon d'Or: The FIFA Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by FIFA. It has been awarded since 2010, combining the former FIFA World Player of the Year award and the Ballon d'Or, which was previously presented by France Football magazine. It is awarded to the male player who has performed the best over the previous year, as voted on by international journalists and national team coaches and captains.
BBC Sports Personality of the Year: It is an annual awards ceremony that recognizes and celebrates the achievements of British sports personalities. This award includes three categories, Sports Personality of the Year, Team of the Year, and Coach of the Year. One distinctive feature of SPOTY is that the winners are determined by a public vote. Viewers and sports fans across the UK can vote for their favorite athletes and teams. It covers a wide range of sports from football to tennis, rugby, cycling, etc.
Laureus World Sports Award: First held in 2000, the annual event honours the greatest and most inspirational sporting triumphs of the year and showcases the work of Laureus Sport for Good. Shortlists for seven categories (Sportswoman, Sportsman, Team, Breakthrough, Comeback, Action and Sport for Good) are created by votes from more than 1,000 sports media from over 70 countries. The Laureus World Sports Academy (a unique group of sporting legends) votes for the winners in each shortlisted category. Broadcast around the world, the Awards also provides a global platform for supporting Laureus Sport for Good, by showcasing the incredible work done to transform young lives around the world.
8. Entertainment and Culture: Reporters on the entertainment beat cover movies, music, television, theater, celebrity news, cultural events, art exhibitions, and trends in popular culture.
9. Technology: Journalists covering the technology beat report on advancements in technology, gadgets, internet trends, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the impact of technology on society and industries.
10. Local News: Local news reporters cover news and events specific to a particular region or community. They focus on local government, community issues, events, local businesses, and neighborhood developments.
These are just a few examples of news beats, and there can be many other specialized beats depending on the focus and scope of the news organization. Reporters may cover multiple beats throughout their careers or specialize in a specific area of expertise.
COVERING SPEECHES,MEETINGS AND PRESS CONFERENCE
Introduction: Speech
A speech is a formal address or presentation typically delivered by a single speaker to an audience. It can be done via different forms of media. Speakers are usually invited and sometimes paid to address an audience.
It is a structured and prepared communication designed to convey a specific message, share information, or persuade the audience. Speeches are often delivered on special occasions, events, or as part of a public speaking engagement
When covering a speech, journalists not only report on what was said, but also analyze the context, implications, potential impact, and newsworthiness of the speech.
The basics of covering and reporting on significant speeches are key journalism skills, requiring both transmission of the speaker's key messages as well as contextualization and evaluation of the speech.
Covering Speeches,
It is broadly classified into 3 phases
Phase 1: Pre-Event Preparation:
Events are usually announced in advance and often have time for thorough preparation.
Preparing for the speech story:
• Not every speech will demand a great deal of research. Many speeches will be dry and routine. The person giving the speech will be some influential person or someone who holds authority. At other times, you might get an assignment on short notice and be forced to find background information after hearing the speech. In either case, never take the speaker or the topic for granted. Not getting enough background on the speaker and the speech almost leads to failure to write a comprehensive speech story.
• If you haven’t covered the speaker before, the first step is to research and identify the person correctly. Get their middle name, their name initials, and the background information of that person so you don’t mix them with someone else who has a similar or same name.
• You may need to understand the topic and research the topic thoroughly so that you have a deep insight into the topic and can ask the questions relevant to the topic.
• Next, check your organization’s (news station’s) library to see if the reporters had interviewed the person previously and what they had to say about the speaker. If you have access to the national database of newspaper and magazine stories refer to it and use it.
• If the speech is important enough, you might want to contact the speaker beforehand for a brief interview. You might go ahead of time to interview the speaker after the speech. You might have questions or points to clarify.
• Not every speech demands this much effort. But even the most routine speech assignments require preparation. Doing a good job demands that you read the news and know what is going on. You must keep up with current events.
• If you don’t regularly listen to or read the news, subscribe to a feed from one of the major news organizations or like any of the big news organizations to get news from them.
It is important to confirm each detail, place, time, etc, and ensure that we have all the permission and permits to attend the same.
To set the stage for effective real-time reporting, arriving early is important. This allows you to secure a prime position and provides time for equipment setup and testing. Verify the functionality of your recording devices, cameras, and any other tools crucial for your coverage
Choosing your position at the venue is a critical aspect of successful real-time reporting. Choose the position with a clear line of sight and audibility. Depending on your role – whether a photographer, videographer, or journalist – consider how your position impacts the quality of your coverage.
Phase 2: During the Speech:
Preparing to cover an event is only the beginning. Knowing what to do when you get there is equally important.
You must cover the entire event, Be at the venue well before the speech begins to ensure you have ample time to set up your equipment and secure a good vantage. All the aspects should be well covered- the content of the speech, the number of people involved; and the possible consequences of what was said or the actions taken.
As the speaker takes the stage, your focus should shift to active listening. Capturing the essence of the speech involves not just noting the words spoken but understanding the key messages, anecdotes, and any statements that resonate. Your ability to discern the nuances of the speaker's tone and emotion contributes to the depth of your real-time coverage. A story about a speech often requires direct quotes. For example, if a speaker gives you supporting evidence for an argument, you would be unfair if you didn’t quote them. Quotes can be misleading if you carelessly or deliberately juxtapose them. Combining quotes with no indication that something was said in between them can lead to inaccuracies and to charge of unfairness.
The art of note-taking becomes paramount during real-time reporting. Armed with a notepad or recording device, record notable quotes, key points, and any visual aids or presentations used by the speaker. Effective note-taking ensures accuracy in your reporting and provides a foundation for your subsequent analysis.
social media engagement can be an important aspect in various cases as Leveraging social media during the speech allows for immediate audience engagement. Live-tweeting, sharing quotes, and posting highlights on platforms like Twitter can provide real-time updates to your audience. Use event-specific hashtags to maximize visibility and foster interaction.
Beyond the podium, the audience becomes a canvas of reactions that enrich your coverage. Observing audience responses – whether applause, laughter, or moments of silence – adds a layer of authenticity to your reporting. If time permits, consider engaging with attendees for their immediate reactions and perspectives.
Real-time reporting demands adaptability, especially in the face of unexpected events. Technical glitches, interruptions, or deviations from the prepared speech can occur. Being prepared to adjust your approach at the moment ensures your coverage remains agile and responsive.
Describing the ambiance is a skill that elevates your real-time reporting. Conveying the overall atmosphere – whether formal, casual, tense, or celebratory – allows your audience to vicariously experience the event. Your ability to encapsulate the mood contributes to the immersive nature of your coverage.
An audio recording does not capture a speaker’s facial expressions and gestures. These are sometimes more important than the words themselves. Simply reporting the words of a speaker does not indicate the volume and tone of voice, inflections, pauses, emphases and reactions to and from those in attendance, you mightn’t that a speaker deliberately winked while reading a sentence. Or you might notice unmistakable sarcasm in the speaker’s voice. Regardless of who the speaker is or where the speech is taking place, you should always note the speaker’s background. A person’s words must often be measured against that individual’s background. The speaker’s personal history.
In events featuring a question-and-answer session, your participation becomes a valuable asset. Pose questions that seek clarification and provide additional context or delve deeper into the key themes of the speech. Actively engaging in the Q&A session adds a participatory element to your reporting.
Medium should be kept in mind during the process
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Phase 3: Structuring and Writing Your Story
• Writing leads for these events is not very different from writing any other story. Leads are important aspects in reporting these events.
• You must be careful not to emphasize something about the event that is of great interest or curiosity but does not lead into the rest of the story.
• Because of the nature of the inverted pyramid news story, rarely but you should follow the chronology of the event you are covering. The flow of your story might demand some attention to chronology. If you pay no attention to chronology, your story might distort, or cause readers to misinterpret, the meaning of the event.
Writing the Speech Story
Enhance the depth of your article by integrating different content. include photos, videos, or audio clips captured during the speech. It elevates the visual appeal of your reporting and provides your audience with a holistic and immersive experience.
In real-time reporting, maintaining objectivity is non-negotiable. Differentiate between factual information and your analysis or interpretation. Ensure your reporting follows the principles of journalistic integrity and accuracy.
It is also a valuable opportunity to gather additional insights. Engage with other journalists, event organizers, or attendees to obtain diverse perspectives. Insights gathered through different networks contribute to a well-rounded and enriched narrative.
A trademark of effective real-time reporting is the ability to balance perspectives. It includes a diverse viewpoint in the coverage, offering your audience an overall and brief understanding of the speech and its impact.
Conclusion: The Art and Responsibility of Real-time Reporting
In conclusion, covering a speech in real-time as a journalist is an art that combines preparedness, active listening, and adaptability. From the early moments of arrival to the crafting of a comprehensive post-event article, your role is not just to report words but to encapsulate the essence of the moment. By mastering the dynamics of real-time reporting, you become the bridge that connects the speaker's words to the broader audience, ensuring that the impact of the speech resonates beyond the confines of the event venue.
NEWS AGENCY REPORTING:
MEANING AND DEFINITION
News agency, organization that gathers, writes, and distributes news from around a nation or the world to newspapers, periodicals, radio and television broadcasters, government agencies, and other users. It does not generally publish news itself but supplies news to its subscribers, who, by sharing costs, obtain services they could not otherwise afford. All the mass media depend upon the agencies for the bulk of the news, even including those few that have extensive news-gathering resources of their own.
It is considered to be the most neutral and unbiased entity in the journalistic world.
The news agency has a variety of forms. In some large cities, newspapers and radio and television stations have joined forces to obtain routine coverage of news about the police, courts, government offices, and the like. National agencies have extended the area of such coverage by gathering and distributing stock-market quotations, sports results, and election reports. A few agencies have extended their service to include worldwide news. The service has grown to include news interpretation, special columns, news photographs, audiotape recordings for radio broadcast, and often videotape or motion-picture film for television news reports. Many agencies are cooperatives, and the trend has been in that direction since World War 2. Under this form of organization, individual members provide news from their own circulation areas to an agency pool for general use. In major news centres the national and worldwide agencies have their own reporters to cover important events, and they maintain offices to facilitate distribution of their service.
In addition to general news agencies, several specialized services have developed. In the United States alone these number well over 100, including such major ones as Science Service, Religious News Service, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and News Election Service. Specialized services in other countries include the Swiss Katholische Internationale Presseagentur, which reports news of special interest to Roman Catholics, and the Star News Agency of Pakistan, which supplies news of Muslim interest in English and Urdu.
FEATURES OF NEWS AGENCIES
The news agencies have a very rigorous work ethic, and ensure that their reporters and editors follow the rules religiously simply because news agency reports are used by hundreds of subscribers across the world. They cannot make mistakes.
Unlike a newspaper where a correction can be carried the next morning, the news agencies have to send corrections to hundreds of subscribers. Therefore, there is a huge disruption rooting from one mistake. Hundreds of papers, radio stations and TV channels will be required to amend the error. They will surely not be kind to the news agency that has put them to such pain.
Speed: The news agencies work against the clock. Each minute is a deadline for them. Some newspaper somewhere in the world is being put to bed; some TV channel is getting ready to air its next bulletin. The news agencies can’t wait. They must transmit their report at the earliest.
Neutral and fact-based: The news agencies don’t take sides. Their reports are factual, and free of bias. Even the news analysis has to be based on concrete evidence. There is no kite flying, insinuations or ambiguities in their reports.
Sourcing: The news agency reporter is taught from day one that every report must be sourced. The news must be attributed to an individual, an official or an organisation. Reports that are not sourced have to go through the wringer. Senior editors check and cross-check each point before they allow such reports to be transmitted.
DIFFERENCE FROM NEWSPAPERS
The news agency does not publish any newspaper of its own. Whatever its reporters structures and management of writers report, is transmitted to the newspapers and radio and television stations. It is then up mass media in India to the newspaper to use the news item sent by one news agency or that sent by another news agency, or use the report prepared by its own reporter. In fact, at times, a newspaper may even prepare an item quoting some paragraphs from one agency, and some from another agency. The choice of what item to use will depend on which agency sends its copy faster and which agency has sent a better written copy. Thus, there is a constant flow of news from the news agency 24 hours a day, whereas a newspaper 'goes to sleep' (the printing press) after midnight every night.
Every news agency report has to be attributed to a source, unlike a newspaper story.
There are no comments, editorializing or interpretation in a news agency report and it will be purely a factual report.
Advertisements, feature stories, creative pieces have no place in news agency report as they do not have the profit motive from increased readership.
Apart from these basic differences, news agencies differ from the newspapers in their working:-
The news agencies work round-the-clock. Whereas, a newspaper may "go to sleep" (go for printing) after midnight or soon afterwards, the news agencies are sending and receiving news twenty four hours a day. Thus, its sub- editors, and reporters, have to be alert all the time
For the news agencies, it is deadline every-minute. Since a newspaper goes to the press after midnight, a reporter knows that he has plenty of time to file his report. But a news agency reporter must file his report immediately, since he may have to catch a newspaper deadline, in India or abroad, a radio or a television bulletin and since there is keen competition, each agency tries to outdo the other, as we have already seen.
Accuracy and speed being very essential for a news agency, it becomes important that a news agency report should be crisp, precise, and to-the-point. In fact, news agencies apply the 'Inverted Triangle' principle. This means that the first paragraph gives the crux-the main gist-of a news story. The second paragraph will add more details and the third and subsequent paragraph will give details in order of diminishing importance. The aim is to answer the five W’s and the one H-what, where, when, who and why, and how-in the first two or three paragraphs.
Since there is no time for a news agency reporter to confirm or re-confirm facts, it is important that there is an eye on accuracy. The newspaper reporter gives a report in the morning, but has the whole day to correct any mistake. But a news agency reporter will not get another chance.
Because a news agency's news is considered the last word, it is necessary that every news item is attributed to a source. In other words, every news item has to be quoted from someone, unlike in a newspaper where a reporter can give his/her own version. Proper sourcing generally results in truthful reporting.
A news agency is not serving the city in which it works, but the whole nation and beyond. Therefore, its news will not be purely from a local perspective. What is more, it will often ignore a purely localised event and will prefer to report something which will be of interest to readers elsewhere. However, every newspaper devotes lots of space to local news stories, reporting the events in great detail.
A news agency generally avoids publicity of commercial units. Of course, this is only a general guideline, and the decision is taken on the merit of each situation. A newspaper of course may not mind publicising an individual.
A news agency always gives its news without any comment or personal opinion. This is unlike a newspaper which may be permitted not only to give a news item without a source, but also to put in reasonable comments. Objectivity is the buzz word for news agencies.
REVENUE MODEL
Today, the cost of news generation is prohibitive. News agencies need trained and experienced reporters in all state capitals and in several world capitals too. They have to pay small fortunes to telecom companies to transmit news. There are also overheads like rentals, calling costs and several other sundry expenses. So, how do they make money?
News agencies use two models to generate revenue.
Model 1: The subscription amount is based on the circulation of the newspaper. The subscription fee paid by small and medium newspapers is much less as compared to the subscription fee paid by large and multi-edition newspapers. This way the costs are spread, and the news agencies can build a large subscriber base.
Model 2: The news agencies have introduced several categories of news services. The base service is priced at a minimal rate. However, only a limited number of stories are sold under this head.
The full service is priced much higher but then the range of stories is much more. Separate fees is charged for photographs and infographics. Here too, the news agencies use slab rates. The more you pay the more photographs you get.
The arrival of news websites has opened one more revenue source for news services. They now charge a separate fee for use of wire service reports or photographs on the net. News services like AP, AFP, ANI and Reuters also have a multimedia service where news videos are also provided.
Despite the plethora of news services, most news printed and broadcast throughout the world each day comes from only a few major agencies, the three largest of which are the Associated Press in the United States, Reuters in Great Britain, and Agence France-Presse in France. Only these and a few others have the financial resources to station experienced reporters in all areas of the world where news develops regularly (in order to ensure access to well-organized transmission facilities) or to send them wherever news develops unexpectedly. These agencies are also equipped to distribute the service almost instantaneously.
REUTERS
Reuters is a global information and news provider headquartered in London, England, that serves professionals in the financial, media, and corporate markets. Reuters was standalone global news and financial information company until it was bought by Thomson Financial Corporation in 2008.
The parent company, now known as Thomson Reuters Corporation, is headquartered in New York City.
Paul Julius Reuter established Reuter's Telegram Company in London in 1851 with an emphasis on providing business news quickly via both telegraph and carrier pigeons.
The agency's first newspaper client was the London Morning Advertiser, and more followed. The company became known for its international reach, and it was reportedly the first European newsgroup to break the news of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865.
Reuters was a major international news agency by the mid-20th century.
The core strength of Thomson Reuters is in providing content, analytics, trading, and messaging capabilities needed by financial professionals via its Thomson Reuters Eikon system. The Reuters news agency offers text, graphics, video, and pictures to subscribers around the world, including general interest and business news. The company also offers both general and business news via its proprietary news website, reuters.com.
Reuters is part of the Thomson Reuters Corporation. It is both a global news agency and a major provider of financial markets trading and analytical software.
Today, Reuters is one of the world's largest international news agencies. It provides tailor-made broadcast news and print reports to media outlets worldwide on subjects ranging from terrorism and politics to entertainment and sports. It employs over 2,600 journalists in more than 200 locations worldwide and reports in 16 languages.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Associated Press (AP), cooperative 24-hour news agency (wire service), the oldest and largest of those in the United States and long the largest and one of the preeminent news agencies in the world. Headquarters are in New York CIty, N.Y.
Its beginnings can be traced to 1846, when four New York City daily newspapers joined a cooperative venture to provide news of the Mexican-American War. In 1848 six papers pooled their efforts to finance a telegraphic relay of foreign news brought by ships to Boston, the first U.S. port of call for westbound transatlantic ships. By 1856 the cooperative had taken the name New York Associated Press. It sold its service to various regional newspaper groups, and pressure from the regional customers forced changes in its control. Midwestern newspaper publishers formed the Western Associated Press in 1862, and in 1892 it broke from the New York Associated Press and was incorporated separately in Illinois as the Associated Press.
In 1900 the regional organizations merged, and the modern AP was incorporated. The Chicago Inter Ocean, a newspaper that did not have AP membership, had brought an antimonopoly suit, and the AP moved to New York state, where association laws permitted the group to continue its strict control of membership, including blackballing of applicants for membership by existing members. In the early 1940s Marshall Field III, who had established the Chicago Sun, fought his exclusion from the AP service. Prosecution under the federal antitrust powers ended the AP’s restrictive practices.
In 1967 the AP partnered with the U.S. financial information and publishing firm Dow Jones & Co., Inc., to launch the AP–Dow Jones Economic Report, which transmitted business, economic, and financial news across the globe. As computers began to replace typewriters for many tasks—including writing, editing, and archiving—the AP launched a series of new technological initiatives, including DataStream (1972), a high-speed news-transmission service; LaserPhoto (1976), which enabled transmission of the first laser-scanned photographs; the “electronic darkroom” (1979), which electronically cropped, formatted, and transmitted photos; and LaserPhoto II (1982), the first satellite colour-photograph network. For many years the AP had leased more than 400,000 miles (644,000 km) of telephone wire to carry its transmissions, but its use of radio teleprinters—begun in 1952—began mitigating the need for leased wires, a trend that increasing employment of satellite transmissions carried on as subscribers installed appropriate antennas.
In the early 1980s the AP’s staff was made up of some 2,500 reporters and correspondents, in bureaus in more than 100 U.S. and 50 other cities around the world, who collected and relayed to member papers news from about 100 countries. Staff efforts were augmented by those of more than 100,000 reporters of member papers. The agency had more than 6,500 newspaper clients in the early 1980s.
The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law, first published in 1977, became the standard style guide for newswriting in the United States. The AP continued to diversify, launching a series of new ventures including Associated Press Television (1994; later renamed Associated Press Television News), a london-based global video news service; AP All News Radio (1994), a 24-hour radio news network; and the WIRE (1996), an online news service providing continuously updated audio, photos, text, and video.
In the early 21st century the AP began focusing on various reader initiatives including an online blog; asap, a multimedia news service targeting younger subscribers and members; citizen journalism; and the Mobile News Network for mobile phone users. The AP employs some 4,100 administrative, communications, and editorial workers worldwide. Over the decades, the news agency has received more than four dozen Pulitzer prizes.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Agence France-Presse (AFP), French cooperative news agency, one of the world’s great wire news agency. It is based in Paris, where it was founded under its current name in 1944, but its roots go to the Bureau Havas, which was created in 1832 by Charles-Louis Havas, who translated reports from foreign papers and distributed them to Paris and provincial newspapers. In 1835 the Bureau Havas became the Agence Havas, the world’s first true news agency. Stressing rapid transmission of the news, Agence Havas established the first telegraph service in France in 1845. Between 1852 and 1919 the agency worked in close collaboration with an advertising firm, the Correspondance General Havas. Staff correspondents for the agency were stationed in many world capitals by the late 1800s.
The German occupation of France suppressed Agence Havas in 1940, and many of its personnel were active in the underground. After the liberation of Paris in 1944, underground journalists emerged to set up AFP as a wire-service voice for liberated France. The postwar French government gave AFP the assets of Agence Havas, including the Paris building that became its headquarters. AFP quickly joined Thompson Reuters (United Kingdom), TASS (U.S.S.R.; later, ITAR-TASS of Russia), and the U.S. agencies Associated Press (AP) and United Press International (UPI) as one of the world’s leading news agencies. In addition to having bureaus in major French cities, it has bureaus and correspondents in important world capitals. Besides having contracts with Associated Press, Reuters, and ITAR-TASS for exchange of news reports, it sells a domestic French news report to most of the world’s news agencies and provides its worldwide report to many of them. AFP also has a photo service and a number of specialized news reports, several concerned with African matters.
INDIAN NEWS AGENCIES
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA (PTI)
Press Trust of India (PTI), news agency cooperatively owned by Indian newspapers, which joined together to take over the management of the Associated Press of India and the Indian outlets of the Thomson-Reuters news agency of Great Britain. It began operating in February 1949 and is headquartered in Mumbai.
A national non-profit enterprise, PTI, which operates primarily in English, became one of the developing world’s largest cooperativenews agencies. In the 1980s PTI underwent a program of modernization and diversification; it computerized many of its operations, introduced services in Hindi language and other languages, and established a television facility (1986) as well as the country’s first wirephoto service (1987).
In 1976 the government declared a state of emergency and required PTI to merge with India’s other three major agencies, the English-language United News of India and the multilingual Hindustan Samachar and Samachar Bharati, but in 1978 the four agencies were allowed to start operating independently again.
5.INTERVIEWING: DOING THE RESEARCH, SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW,CONDUTING THE IINTERVIEW
Interviewing is the central Activity in modern journalism. It is now the main means by which reporters and feature writers gather their material. As the 20th century journalism developed, interviewing became increasingly important. The Journalist as observer and recorder, attending a political meeting to report the leader's speech in detail or describing daily life in town.
The interview can be defined as a prearranged face-to-face meeting of a journalist who asks questions and an intervieeee, who answers them. The interviewee is often notable (or notorious) and the questions usually focus on them, their life and opinion.
What is a journalist interview?
A journalist interview is a conversation between a journalist and a source that provides
information on a specific subject or topic. For example, as an environmental journalist, you may
interview ecologists and trained professionals to find information about upcoming projects and
initiatives. The point of an interview is to provide first-hand information about a particular subject
that journalists can use to write articles, create content or explore that subject further.
How to conduct an interview as a journalist?
When conducting an interview, it's vital to gain as much information from a source as possible
and build trust. Then the interview might be an effective and well-managed process. An
interviewee is more likely to talk freely if they feel comfortable and the conversation is flowing.
The interview takes place in three main stages. These are:
1.The Pre-interview stage
2.Interview stage
3.Post-Interview
The Pre-interview stage
1. Research the topic ahead of time
Understanding the fundamentals of a subject area is an excellent place to start when
interviewing specialists in a specific field. In-depth research using past articles, online resources
or existing media helps develop insight into a particular topic. For example, if you are
interviewing a financial expert about the state of cryptocurrency, you would research the
different types of cryptocurrencies and how they work ahead of time. This knowledge allows for
more accurate and focused interview questions relevant to that professional's area of
experience.
2. Decide on the interview format
Interviews can take different formats and styles that may affect which questions you ask and
how you ask them. For example, an interview for a light, five-minute online video feature differs
from an hour-long, in-depth interview covering complex theories and ideas for a serious article.
Understanding the audience of the interview and thinking about the most suitable format can
help you decide on the style of interview and the questions you could ask.
3. Arrange a time, date and place
Organizing a date, time and place for your interview is the next step. For example, if you're
filming an interview for use on social media, you may hire a studio and arrange for make-up and
a camera crew for your interview. Not every interview is in-person, with videoconferencing and
phone calls making it easy to speak to your source from a distance. The correct location for your
interview depends on how in-depth your interview is and the content you'd like to produce.
4. Determine your interview questions
Your interview questions provide the starting point for a conversation with an
interviewee. Writing down all of the questions that give the answers you require can
help you decide which are most important and the order in which to ask them. For
example, you can start with background questions to learn more about the source,
followed by in-depth questions about their work or specialization to gain further insight
into their area of expertise.
Interview stage
INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES
An American writer John Brady put it “No Talking journalist ever held a good interview”. The description of an interview as “a conversation with a purpose” is misleading, unless what’s in mind is a cleverly guided, very one-sided conversation.
Interviews need to master the non-questioning skills of eliciting information and quotes. These are to:
Listen and encourage
Use silence
Make statements requiring confirmation/denial
Summarize and move on.
LISTEN AND ENCOURAGE
Listening requires immense concentration and is exhausting. Anyone aiming for an interview longer than an hour is advised to take a break, for their own sake as well as the interviewee’s. Listening also requires empathy, discipline, understanding and patience. Being tense, indifferent, hostile, impatient or distracted won’t make you a good listener.
Listening is not the same as hearing. Good listening is hearing and understanding. In face-to-face interviews it means you are interested in what’s being said and show it clearly, so you should look at your interviewee.
Interviewees won’t maintain steady eye contact with you but they need to know when they check back- as they do at irregular intervals- that you’re concentrating on them. Celebrities often have a greater need than most to be looked at because they’re used to it.
Once you have got people talking, you need to encourage them to continue. This means using reassurance body language: mirroring their posture in the first place, using nods, head tilts, leaning forwards, smiling. Too many forced nods look ridiculous and inhibit rather than encourage your interviewee. Use of uh-huh, right, yes, I see, is that so also works.
USE SILENCE
Its’s difficult to be silent- again the nature for some journalists- but it’s one of the most valuable techniques. So get into the habit of not jumping in with another question or comment as soon as the interviewee has finished speaking
Don’t over-do it, though and use really long silences. They’re counter-productive, leading to short answers.
If you need extra persuasion to keep silent, bear in mind that the more you interrupt, the less you listen and the less they will talk. What to listen for?
Listening to precisely what is said is particularly important if the interviewee is well practiced in dealing with journalists. In these days of sophisticated news management, many interviewees are trained in how to respond to unwelcome questions. They know that the truth and nothing but the truth is easy but that the whole truth is killer. So given a choice between lying, fudging, evading or telling the truth, they will opt for a limited amount of truth because it’s easy to remember and a great protection. That’s why listening to exactly what they saw is essential.
Listening attentively is an obvious compliment to the interviewee. It also allows you to collect the information you’re after and ask intelligent supplementary questions.
MAKING STATEMENT REQUIRING CONFIRMATION/DENIAL
Questioning sits on the continuum that ranges from casual checking at one end to interrogating at the other. Considering the power of the press, it’s easy to understand why many people are apprehensive before being interviewed.
One way to put them at their ease is not ask questions but to seek confirmation.
Gathering information this way is a knack that can take some time to acquire. The tone is generally softer and friendlier.
Getting information confirmed usually reassure interviewees that you’re getting facts right, but if you are trying to get them to confirm something not to their advantage, then a question is often wiser.
Negative statements can often provoke a lively, vigorous denial but be sure of interviewee before you try this too often.
SUMMARISE AND MOVE ON
One last and valuable type of statement is the summary. Use this when your interviewee is over-talkative. Summarize what they have said, restate it and then you can move on.
QUESTIONS:
Lynn Barber Quotes “Clever Questions are a waste of time: the really clever question is the shortest one that will elicit the longest, most interesting answer- in practice usually “why”.
CATEGORIES AND CATEGORISING:
CLOSED
OPEN
LEADING
CLOSED
These are commonly defined as questions that can be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’ but more sensibly as questions about the fact or opinion that can be answered briefly. Closed questions are ideal for establishing essential statics, names, job titles, locations, once the interview is under way.
Using too many closed questions damps down the interest of the interviewee. They move into answering, not talking, mode. The more closed questions are asked, the shorter the answers to any open questions will be.
OPEN
Open questions require more than a few words for a satisfactory answer. Among variations of the open question is the echo, to be used when you sense that interviewee might like to saw more, but that direct probing might not draw it out.
Amplification: Used to elicit detailed extra information. The task here to get the4 person to give specific examples.
Clarification- The more you interview, the more you realize how important it is to che4ck you’ve understood what you’ve been told.
Good open questions catch the interviewee’s interest and unlock a wealth of information and opinion, encouraging them to talk freely because interviewer appears interested in their views.
LEADING
Because they can usually be answered shortly. Like “you’re a lib dem, aren’t you?” “How did you react? Were you furious?” Leading questions have a bad reputation, but they’re much used in everyday conversation and experience shows that if the interviewee like the questioner, they have little effect on the answers unless the suggested answer is way off beam
HOW QUESTIONS SHOULD BE?
SHORT,SIMPLE,CLEAR: since the first interview requirement is to communicate, common sense dictates that short questions are better than long ones, simple questions better complicated ones.
Examples: what do you think of Australia? Wonderful place. Loved it, especially crossing the nullabor plain…..
CUSTOMISE YOUR QUESTIONS: Make questions suit your interviewee. The creative, by contrast, welcome the “what would you do if…?” approach and will freewheel away into fantasy, which can make for good copy.
Example; “if you’re planning a gourmet vegetarian meal-who would you invite and what would you cook for them?”
AVOID INTERROGATION: DON’T. Always try to interview person to person, adult to adult, and eyeball to eyeball. Neither abuse nor elevate yourself up.
TELLING TRIO: Three questions. “When did this start? And then? What of the future?” These are,in effect questions to discover the beginning, the middle and the end of a story.
USEFUL QUESTIONS: Here, then, are questions that have worked for a variety of journalists. There’s no such thing as a never-fail question but there are some reliable. These include old faithful like: ‘what is the best/worst……? If you had 2 mins on national tv….?’
SOFTLY: Skillful interviewers can ask almost anybody and get a reasonable response. Approach and style are what counts. You can ask tough or rude questions if you ask in the right away. The really offensive questions are those that relate to what people can’t change- their height, color of their skin, physical attributions. Eg. SUE LAWLEY ON DESERT ISLOANDS DISCS questions people about the murders they’ve committed, suicide attempts and for Indian context simmi Grewal shows.
START NICE- If you want to ask important questions that you sense your interviewee will not wish to answer, approach gently and if you meet refusal, anger or aggression, quickly veer away- apologizing if that’s your style- returning to the subject later.
GOOD HUMOUR, HUMOUR AND CHEEK: Good Humor is an interviewer is a great plus unless your interviewee is pompously self-important. A cheerful approach helps interviewees relax. It also can prevent or defuse anger, deflect aggression and lighten intense situations.
PERSIST: If your interviewee doesn’t want to answer, you may decide to move on to the next subject. That is tantamount to admitting defeat unless you do so deliberately, intending to return to the subject later.
KEEP THEM TALKING: keep your cool, keep your head and keep them talking, the more they talk, the more noticeable refusals are.
QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK:
Don’t prove how stupid you are by asking smart-ass, clever questions. They infuriate interviewers. Because you’re showing off rather than trying to gather information and because it breaks they-are-the-star guidelines.
Don’t ask the first question that leaps to mind. It will have leapt to every mind too.
Don’t badge or hector. Its counter-productive.
Don’t ask what you should have known from research
Above all, don’t ask: “how do you feel?”
Post interview
1. Follow up and stay in touch
Following up with your source and keeping in touch helps establish a good relationship and
provides the opportunity for future interviews. For example, you may want to ask one or two
follow-up questions when writing your article. Following up with an interviewee can also be an
excellent way to alert them to the publication of an article or online content so they can share it
within their channels.
2. Ensure you attribute proper credit
When you publish an article online or upload content, it's crucial to attribute proper credit. For
example, including the social media channels or website of the person you are interviewing is
standard for many journalism interviews. You may also want to ensure the details of your
interviewee are correct, including the spelling of their name, their age and other important
information.
Tips for journalist interviews
Research more than the basics
In subject areas that require in-depth understanding, such as mathematical theories or scientific
measures, ensuring you have researched the wording and type of language involved in this
subject is essential. More technical interviews, such as articles for scientific magazines or
content for university-level students, may require more insight than the basics. Making sure you
understand what an interviewee is talking about ahead of time can help you get the most out of
your interview.
Tailor your technique to your source
Letting your source lead the format and style of your conversation is valuable for helping them
feel at ease. For example, an interview with a child or teenager may look different to an
interview with a highly regarded professional. Adjusting your tone and language to suit the
people you're talking with can help build rapport and create better flow during the interview
process.
Don't be afraid to go off-list
As a conversation, it's natural that an interview won't always stick rigidly to the interview list you
create. Being flexible about where a conversation is going may provide unexpected information,
leading to a more interesting article. It's also essential to redirect an off-tangent conversation
back to relevant areas to cover all of your general topics while still allowing some freedom to
your source.
NEWS LEADS/INTROS, STRUCTURE OF THE NEWS STORY-LEADS,IMPORTANCE,TYPES OF LEADS
INTRODUCTION
Normally a news article/story is broken down into many segments which includes the
headline, the lead and the body of the story (including the tail). These segments are mostly
presented in an inverted pyramid style of writing, where the lead constitutes the most
important function.
A lead is composed of the opening sentences of a brief composition, or the first paragraph or
two of a longer article or essay. It performs the pivotal function of introducing the story to the
audience in an effectual and irresistible manner by condensing the important facts. The ideal
lead consists of 20–25 words.
SIGNIFICANCE
The significance of a lead lies in its ability to:
Capture Attention: In the age of information overload, a compelling lead is crucial for
attracting readers amid numerous competing stories. It serves as a hook, enticing the
audience to invest their time in the article.
Provide Essential Information: The lead should convey the most critical aspects of the story,
including the who, what, when, where, why, and how. This ensures that even if readers don't
delve deeper into the article, they still gain a basic understanding of the subject.
Set the Tone and Context: The lead establishes the mood and context of the story, guiding
readers on how to interpret the subsequent information. It helps shape the narrative and
prepares the audience for the themes and perspectives explored in the article.
Create Curiosity and Interest: A well-crafted lead sparks curiosity, prompting readers to want
to know more. It poses questions, introduces conflicts, or presents intriguing scenarios,
encouraging the audience to continue reading for answers and insights.
Convey the News Value: Journalistic leads often encapsulate the news value of a story,
highlighting its relevance, impact, or timeliness. This ensures that readers quickly grasp why
the information is significant and how it may affect them or society.
TYPES
1.Direct Address Lead: The Direct Address lead is aimed directly at the readers and makes
them relate to the facts in the story. It usually employs the pronouns “you” and “your“.
EXAMPLE: “You might not get relief from the harsh winds as the weather is going to be the
same for the next 10 days or more.”
2.The Circumstantial Lead: This type of lead stresses on the circumstances under which the
story occurred. It usually is used in human interest stories.
EXAMPLE: A 60–year old retired bank employee raised the alarms when two unidentified
persons entered her house with the intention to steal his most valuable and prized positions.
3.The Statement or Quotation Lead: Statement or quotation lead clutches the attention by
stating the words said by a person, usually presented in quotation marks. It helps in
understanding what exactly the speaker wanted to convey.
EXAMPLE: “I’d like to jail parents themselves who are so lax their kids are boosting the
crime rate!” This statement came from Juvenile Court Judge Warren Jones, in releasing a
report on the rapid rise in juvenile crime rate in this city.
4.The Descriptive Lead: Descriptive lead focuses on describing a person, place, or event in
vivid detail. They aim on tapping into the five senses of the readers, in order to paint a
life-like picture. Descriptive lead is used in both traditional and feature news stories.
EXAMPLE: Thousands dressed in scarlet and grey T–shirts eagerly shuffled into the football
stadium as the university fight song blared.
5.The Summary Lead: Summary lead aims at providing the readers with the major facts
about the article in a compacted form. This usually includes what? why? where? when?
who? and how of a story.This helps in saving time and efforts of the reader.
EXAMPLE: Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress yesterday that U.S.
economic growth appeared to be slowing, heading off for the moment any need to raise
interest rates. Wall Street responded with a cheer, sending stocks and bonds soaring.
6.Contrast Lead: The contrast lead grabs the attention of the audience by presenting
extreme ends relating to a situation – tragedy with comedy, past with present, age with
youth, beauty with ugly.
EXAMPLE–Less than 3 years ago, two college friends decided to build a website to
exchange their favourite videos. Today Your Tube is owned by Google and gets over 25
million unique visitors to the site each month.
7.Anecdotal Lead: The anecdotal lead uses a short but fitting story to excite the audience.
The anecdote presented must help in enhancing the understanding of the article, and it must
explain the relevance and connection to that point in the first few sentences.
EXAMPLE: Sharon Jackson was sitting at the table reading an old magazine when the
phone rang. It was a reporter asking to set up an interview to discuss a social media
controversy involving Jackson and another young woman. “Sorry,” she said. “I’ve already
spoken to several reporters about the incident and do not wish to make any further
comments.”
8.Question lead: Question lead seizes the attention by asking the readers opposite query,
which ignites curiosity in them, they feel obligated to find answers in the forthcoming text.
The question asked rhetorically which cannot be answered by a “yes” or “no”.
ARTICLES,FEATURES, TYPES OF FEATURE AND HUMAN INTEREST STORIES.
Article
An article is brief write up those reports on a current event, which as per the media
standards is of contemporary importance. It could be about local news, business event, current public concerns, a road accident or some mishaps and so on. It is usually filed in by a reporter or correspondent working with the media house.
Feature
The feature, on the other hand is a more elaborate report, that besides having a core
story, also calls for a fair amount of detailed reporting. By virtue of that features are
longish in nature compared to an article. To illustrate, if there is lot of illegal sand
mining in a region, it would call for a lot of investigation, and details. Similarly, it can be a topic from any genre. Features are usually filed in by more experienced journalists.
Here are the critical differences between a feature story and a news article-
1. Timing-
The major difference between a news article and a feature story is that a news article is time-sensitive and of immediate interest. The election results, an accident, a robbery
report, a product launch, a court verdict, a medical report release, a set of basketball
game scores are examples of a news article. Media outlets want to publish news stories
as quickly as possible after an event occurs. Feature stories, however, are not as
time-dependent and contain no urgent content. You can write one anytime after an
event occurs. Its content is often evergreen or at least lasting.
2. Style-
The writing styles of a news story and a feature are different. In a news story, the
emphasis is on content rather than form. News articles go straight to the point, using
simple and effective words to deliver the facts quickly. Feature stories are often more
wordy and they have a creative structure. News articles answer who, what, when, where, why and how. This means that the article answers the question: What happened, when the event occurred, where the event happened, why the event happened, how the event occurred, and who was involved. A feature article is a human interest story about a person, event, or place. Rather than simply summarizing the subject, a feature article
highlights one aspect or significance of the story. Its less formal style may take an odd
twist or heartwarming angle. The feature article focuses on particular people, places,
and events.
3. Beginning and ending-
A news article and a feature story have different types of beginnings and endings. News articles tell what the news is upfront and then give the most important details in the first paragraph or two. The beginning – or lead – of a feature story, on the other hand,doesn’t give the news straightaway. Instead, it hooks readers and keeps them reading until the end. A news article can end anywhere after you’ve described the most important facts, whereas a feature story ends with readers feeling satisfied that they gained some value from reading the story.
4. Language-
Feature articles can be about anything. They can have a narrower target audience than newspaper articles. Feature articles are often emotive and subjective. They can entertain and persuade as well as inform. They can go beyond the information provided by newspaper articles and take on a particular side. Feature articles don't go out of date as quickly as most newspaper articles. Newspaper articles serve the purpose of informing the audience of a particular event or issue. Yes, the language is often formal, simple and factual.
5. Content-
A newspaper article is where you discuss about what happened and what people said and then you add a conclusion, while a feature article has a cover story and then follows on in the magazine. It has quotes and endures picture and a big heading, so get artistic and make it flashy and noticeable. A news reporter lays out the facts of what happened and sometimes includes reactions from affected parties.
The feature writer is more forensic in nature. They probe deeper, spending more time on the 'how' and 'why' of what happened. If they fail to go beyond the facts reported in news (and sometimes this is very difficult) they probably haven't succeeded and probably
won't be published.
6. Length-
News articles are short, averaging 100-400 words depending upon the type of news and where it is placed in the publication. They are meant to be digested quickly. Feature stories are longer and dig more deeply into the topic. Length varies for each publication, but a typical feature word count runs between 1,000 – 2,000 words.
7. Structure-
A news story is structured in the inverted pyramid format with key facts at the beginning of the article. This way the reader can get basic information in the first sentence or two. A feature story allows the subject matter to determine its format, whether in a standard
outline form (such as a list, sequence, or comparison) or one of the other main story
formats. As for subject matter, features cover endless topics from profiles to narratives,interviews, essays, exposes, how-to's, columns, and reviews.
Feature Writing
DEFINITION
The feature is extended form of the news story, which gives more depth and breadth to events that occur.
Okoye define feature as an in-depth and factual write up on a topical issue which seeks to give comprehensive information in a more captivating and relaxed style than straight news.
Okenwa (1990) observed that while a news writer will normally stick to facts and report
them as a matter of fact, without embellishment or comments of any kind, the feature writer offers more than bare facts, background them, entertain comments…and interpret them. He uses anecdotes, descriptions, and humor. He uses more factual and imaginative language. It is worth mentioning here that feature writing is not fictitious story writing. Rather, it is a balanced report reflecting all the angles of the story.
A feature story aims to educate and entertain the readers. It reflects the best in a writer.It can be personal, colorful, and opinionated, but without deviating from the facts. It may be longer and in-depth compared to a straightforward news story. It carries feelings and impressions. It should be able to grab the reader’s attention instantly and hold that
attention.
Feature stories are created to inform, entertain, persuade, or simply satisfy the
audience’s curiosity about a certain topic. It may provide additional information that may not be found on the news story, give an opinion about a trending topic, or offer an
entertaining personal perspective on a certain topic.
TYPES OF FEATURES
Personality profiles: A personality profile is written to bring an audience closer to a
person in or out of the news. Interviews and observations, as well as creative writing, are used to paint a vivid picture of the person. The CBC’s recent profile of Pierre Elliot Trudeau is a classic example of the genre and makes use of archival film footage, interviews, testimonials, and fair degree of editorializing by the voice-over commentary.
● Human interest stories: A human interest story is written to show a
subject’s oddity or its practical, emotional, or entertainment value.
● Trend stories: A trend story examines people, things or organizations that
are having an impact on society. Trend stories are popular because people are
excited to read or hear about the latest fads.
● In-depth stories: Through extensive research and interviews, in-depth
stories provide a detailed account well beyond a basic news story or feature.
● Backgrounders: A backgrounder–also called an analysis piec–adds
meaning to current issues in the news by explaining them further. These
articles bring an audience up-to-date, explaining how this country, this
organization, this person happens to be where it is now.
Reviews: Writing great reviews is a real art, one that many have tried but only a few
have mastered. Read great critics and you’ll notice something they all have in common –strong opinions. But newbies who aren’t quite confident in their opinions often write
wishy-washy reviews.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FEATURE
● Imperishable
This is a very important feature of feature articles. This simply means that a feature
article does not perish, unlike the story which becomes stale the next day. This is
because there is usually a time-frame on the news story which makes the story lose value if not published within the time-frame. The feature story is not attached to such time-frames since it is usually carefully selected and created at the feature writer’s
convenience.
● Cannot be scooped: This means that someone’s particular feature article cannot be published in its
originality before hand, by another writer. This is simply because the choice of topics for
future stories is simply is the prerogative of the feature writer.
● Can be created from mundane ideas or issues
There is actually no rigidity in the selection of a feature topic. Hence, any topic or issue
can be featured. In the past, certain topics or issues were considered too trivial to be
published. However, with the development of the press, ideas and topics which
previously would have been considered inconsequential became the toast of feature
writer. In other words, the choice of topics for features includes both the serious and
trivial.
● Give in-depth information on topical issues . Feature articles give in depth information to the audience about a particular topic. This is because the writer must have investigated the topic before presenting the different angles to the audience. Hence, features are written under very relaxed atmosphere. This
gives room for adequate survey of facts and information on the topic to be “featurised”.
● Selection of topic is rigorous
Feature articles are rigorously selected because the feature writer has to present
something (topic) that is usually captivating; colourfully and stylishly presented in a unique manner.
● Delayed and more complete
Feature stories are not as timely as straight news because time is required for the
indepth investigation of the topic. Hence, delay in feature is pardonable, moreso, when it is justified with a balanced report. Features are complete because they give all the sides to the story and present a rounded perspective of it, thereby satisfying the curiosity built up by the skeletal nature of straight news.
● Fleshy and Colourful
The feature writer adds more flesh to the straight news to make it a feature story.
However, “fleshiness” does not mean undue padding and stuffing of the material. The language of the feature is supposed to be colourful, having been written in figurative and in flowery constructions. This colourful language appeals to the sensory aspects of readers. This kind of language is quite different from the formal language of straight news. It is really more picturesque, informal and humorous. Hence, it is more attractive to read. Suggestively, good feature articles are read for pleasure. So it is a major challenge of feature writers to make their stories pleasurable to the reader.
● Stylish
This means a unique or peculiar way of doing something which is equally attractive in nature. Stylistic therefore, permits the feature writer to use his own peculiar approach to writing which could be in form of his own word-coinages, romantic expressions,captivating images or use of language. Style differentiates one writer from another and it professionally allows the writer to shift his mode of writing. The stylistic language of feature entrenches the readers and thus distracts the attention of the readers from the bulkiness of the piece which naturally, would have made the story boring.
STEPS IN FEATURE WRITING
● Brainstorming
● Finding the angle
● Creating an outline
● 1.Researching
● Going through the facts to produce an enticing story
● Creating a punch line to leave an impression
TIPS ON WRITING THE FEATURE STORY
● Creating the title/headline
● Hook the reader
● Highlight the main idea of the story
● Use important keywords
SPECIFIC VARIATIONS OF FEATURE STORIES
● Process “how-to-do-it” feature: This kind of feature is educational because it teaches readers how to do things. In a simple playful and funny manner, the audience is informed and educated on certain issues. A lot of readers want to learn certain skills e.g. how to cook certain dishes, keep a
garden, drive cars etc. A good example of this type of feature is “Ten ways to
drive a car”.
● Personal Experience Stories: This type of feature is based on the personal
experience or eye witness account of the reporter. A reporter on duty may
suddenly find himself in an unexpected circumstance; e.g. beaten up by a
mob. He may want to narrate his ordeal to the public. He may want to
recreate this gory experience. Some newspapers have columns called the
“Reporters Notebook” where journalists recount their personal experiences in
form of features. Personal experience stories could also be a form of features
based on participant observation.
● Personality Profiles: This is a kind of human interest feature. It is actually
a close look at the personality of a prominent person in the society. It involves
achievers( but not necessarily) i.e., people who have made name and are
newsworthy. The space allotted to a person’s profile depends on his
prominence. For instance, an obituary profile could take the whole of a
paper’s front page, depending on the person’s prominence.
● General profiles could be written also on organizations and places. After
reading a profile, one feels that one has got an intimate knowledge about the
subject matter discussed.● Commemorative Features: These are features written to commemorate
important events in a nation or in the world. For instance, a beautiful piece
can be written on the Nigeria’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day. Equally, a
beautiful feature can be done on the commemoration of the 60 years of World
War II.
● Historical, Hobbyist and Odd Occupation: Feature stories can equally
be written on: Historical events such as; “the Ikeja Cantoment Bomb blast or
the Nigeria civil war.
● Hobby: A person’s unique hobby could be quite newsworthy and so be
featurised.
● Odd Occupation: Odd Occupations such as “reverse driving” can make very
interesting feature stories. All these depend on the feature writer’s ability to
embellish and present the stylistically. Participatory feature: This is quite
similar to experience feature. It involves a recount of one’s experience on an
event he participated in.
● The Capsule feature or features: This is a short snappy, compact feature
about people in the news. Some magazines call it newsmakers e.g. Newsweek.
Some call it “in the news” as in Newswatch. The focus is usually on celebrities
and newsworthy people making news in light-hearted manner.
● The Travelogue: This is an account of a trip to a place of interest. It informs
the readers about life in other places and draws lessons by comparing life in
those places with the situation at home. Travelogues are written by journalists
who travel to far places in the course of official duties or holidays. Examples of
travelogues are profiles of these places visited by the journalist blended with
anecdotes of his experiences while there.
● The Exposee or Alarmer: Is the type of feature that exposes or identifies
something wrong in the society. Examples are: Certificate Racketeering in
Nigerian Universities, Female Genital mutilation (FGM), Advanced Fee Fraud
(419), Child-Trafficking, Brain -Drain To obtain authentic information for this
kind of features, Okoye (1998), recommends the following:- Participant
observation Find a participant who is ready to “spill all the beans” Use records
of tribunals and/or investigative panels.
● Human Interest Features: This is the type of features that shed light on
issues in that area of general interest to people. Essentially, the features are
about human beings. So, they quickly appeal to the emotions of the readers by
stimulating and captivating the readers to put them into the character’s
position. Features on children and old people are very effective world- wide
because people sympathize with these two categories of people since they are
considered helpless.
● Seasonal Features: Are those features that are tied to the calendar. They
deal with different seasons such as Easter, Christmas, Ramadan, Valentine,Children’s day, Worker’s day Independence etc. These are regular features
and so, have to be very entertaining. Examples are:- “A Devotion to Nigeria’s
Golden Jubilee Independence”
● Specialized Features: These are features that focus on special areas such
as: Science, Farming, Leisure Traveling, Botany etc. Example: A feature on the
use of bamboo for furniture and crafts.
SOURCES OF FEATURE STORIES
These are some of the ways in which you could get feature story ideas:
● Through your editor
● From writing off the news/spin offs/follow ups.
● Odd occupations angle
● Good listener and avid reader
● Sociological approach
● Topical or controversial issues
● Diaries and calendars
● Cable satellite stations
● Internet
● Inspiration
● Interviews
FUNCTIONS OF FEATURES
From the on-going, it is clear that features and straight news play complementary roles.
While the straight news informs the audience about the occurrences of the day, the
feature helps the readers to understand better what took place. There are various other
functions of features which include:
● They summarize the important news of the week. For instance, on
Sunday, 22nd October 2005, Channels TV broke the sad news of the death of
the first lady- Mrs. Stella Obasanjo. Later in the week up to 2 months
afterwards, features were written on her tragic death giving further
information on the cause, date and circumstances surrounding her death, as
well as the glamorous life she lived.
● They break the boredom of the formal and rigid nature of straight
news. Because features are written in a more relaxed atmosphere, they are
more detailed and so provide enough information for those who read for
pleasure. So, features can be substituted for novels. After all, the only
difference between novels and features is that while novels are fiction,
features are factual.
● They educate, inform and entertain. In this way, they perform the basic
functions of communication to mankind.● Features enrich the hard (straight) news and they beautify the
newspaper or magazines that use them. The pictures, illustrate, charts,
diagrams etc. used to embellish the features stories enhance the entire make
up of the newspaper and magazines. When a hard news story breaks–for
example, the sinking of a ferry in the Greek islands–it should be reported with
a hard news lead. Soft leads and stories are more appropriate when a major
news event is not being reported for the first time.
● Feature writing is a crucial part of the news papering business
especially in this age when cable transmissions are discouraging a lot of
people from reading newspapers. The broadcast media, especially the
television, is capitalizing on its strength of immediacy, impact, price and
credibility. This means that you can get the information live, immediately it
happens and this makes an impact on you especially if it comes with vivid and
colorful pictures. The credibility is also not in doubt because it becomes a
matter of “what you see is what it is”.
● Features are not meant to deliver the news firsthand. They do
contain elements of news, but their main function is to humanize, to add
colour, to educate, to entertain, to illuminate. They often recap major news
that was reported in a previous news cycle. Features often:
«Profile people who make the news
«Explain events that move or shape the news
«Analyze what is happening in the world, nation or community
«Teach an audience how to do something
«Suggest better ways to live
«Examine trends
WHAT MAKES A FEATURE WORK?
"Easy" writing makes for easy reading. That means short sentences, simple words, active
verbs, personal words and transitions to keep the article moving forward,
interest-building devices, and a "kicker" that ends the feature with some punch.
Short sentences
For today's mass audiences, news stories averaging between 15 and 20 words per
sentence are easy reading. Sentences longer than 30 words may be hard to
understand.Short paragraphs
Keep paragraphs short. And vary them — from one word to five average sentences.
Remember, a 100-word paragraph looks mighty long in a narrow newspaper
column. Editors don't like them. Neither do readers.
Easy words
Use short, simple words in place of longer, multi-syllable words with the same
meaning. When a technical or difficult word must be used, explain it as simply as
possible.
**Personal words
Words like "you," "we," a person's name, direct quote, etc., give your copy more
human interest. Admittedly, this kind of personalization is more often used in
"feature" rather than in "hard news" stories. But it is still a good technique for
holding reader interest.
Active verbs
Action verbs keep a story moving and grab the reader more than "to be" verbs that
show little action.
Transitions are used to add to, illustrate or extend a point. They usually begin with
words like "and," "furthermore," "also," "or," "nor," "moreover," "along with," etc.
They summarize: "at last," "so," "finally," "all in all," etc.
They link cause and effect: "as a result," "that produced," "consequently," etc.
They refer back: "they," "those," "these," "that," "few," "who," "whom," "except for," etc.
They restrict and qualify: "provided," "but," "however," "in case," "unless," "only if," etc.
Interest building
Personalize the people you are writing about and what they are doing; provide
quotes, human interest.
"Kicker"
While the lead or grabber at the beginning gets the reader into a story, the kicker at the
end of a feature should have a punch line that helps the reader remember the story.
Think of the whole story.When approaching a new story, look beyond the newsworthy item that led you there. It’s
easy to be distracted by what’s happening on the surface. But think about all that might
have led to that moment. What might seem to you like a boring ribbon-cutting
ceremony for a new business may really be the culmination of a lifelong dream for the
owner.
● Listen … to everyone.
When reporting, don’t just listen for people to confirm what you already think the story
is. Seek to be surprised. Probe into people’s lives and listen to the small details. Let them
jabber away. If the tension is not obvious from the start, it often shows itself through an
offhand comment or some seemingly trivial fact. Uncovering those means talking not
just to the big players in the story, but to everyone you can.
Find the scenes.
Once you’ve established the tension that drives the story, it’s your job to explore the
telling moments and turning points in the story, bringing them to life for your
reader. Stories are told through scenes, and it’s through scenes that tension
emerges, grows and is resolved.
Ask the most important question.
Everyone has a story. Everyone wonders what will happen next in their lives and how it all will turn out. In fiction, editors often ask, “What’s at stake?” That’s the
question that drives the best factual reporting, too. Think: What will happen or
would have happened if? Ask people about it. Ask what they think about and
what they’re worried about. Often, those answers—and not all the surface facts so
many reporters are obsessed with—are your stories. They are the core your facts
stick to, your editor’s reason to take interest in acquiring your piece, your reader’s reason to care.
Development
Once you’ve convinced your readers to hang around, they’re ready for the rest of the story. The best devices to keep them interested are all those scenes you found in
your reporting. Scenes, however, can still drive the way the story unfolds. Look
for the different milestones in your own story, the highs and lows the key players
go through that define their journeys. Let those moments, those key scenes, drive
the story forward, and your reader along with it. Payoff Stories have endings. They’re the answer to that what if question implied by the tension.
BASIC STRUCTURE:
CREATING THE INTRODUCTION
**lead**Set the scene. Bring it to life. You might start with a question, a narrative or a
description, but however you do it, you need to seduce readers into your story via the first paragraph. A quick tip here is that it’s often a good idea to write the opening
paragraph last of all, once you’ve written everything else. Or write it and then go back to it when you’ve finished the rest of the feature. A lot of the time, the first paragraph that we write will turn out to be drivel, and either we’ll look at it in horror and cut it
ourselves, or the editor will do it for us. Your first or in most cases, second, paragraph will ideally explain the feature in a nutshell, so that the reader knows what they are reading about and why they are reading it.
● The introduction sets the tone of the whole story
● It can have an unusual statement to keep the reader’s attention
● It can invite the reader to take a stand especially if it is a controversial topic
● It should have the important background information
● It should intensify the appeal to keep the reader hooked
CREATING THE BODY
Having got your readers hooked at the start, keep them reading. This is where your writer’s skill in creating a logically progressed narrative comes into play. Each
paragraph will move your story along, and add to the reader’s information. Embed fact into scenes, so that something new is revealed with each paragraph.
If you have interviewed people, let them reveal their parts of the story via direct quotes
– you are telling a story with characters in it so let them speak. Their voices will bring
your feature story to life.
Don’t info-dump. Space out your information so that everything necessary is included without disrupting your narrative flow. If you haven’t enough space to get in all the facts, cut your prose rather than sacrifice
information that will add to a reader’s knowledge.
● It should have additional facts and statistics
● It can have opinions from authorities
● It can have sound bites from interviews
● It can have personal opinions
● It can be visual using photos, diagrams, and graphs
PUTTING A CONCLUSION
Create a satisfactory ending so that the reader understands that the story has reached a conclusion. Don’t spoil a good feature by letting it tail off, or make it bottom-heavy by cramming in information that should have been woven in higher up. Be careful too not to sound pat or – heaven forbid – press-releasey.Feature writing is about real life stories, and real life is complex, and does not always wrap up into a neat conclusion. One-liners can be a nice way to end a piece, or if you have it, a good quote that underlines everything that you’ve been saying throughout the feature.
● The conclusion leaves the impression to reader
● It should remind the reader what the story is about
● It can suggest a course of action and/or change of attitude or views.
Neutrality in journalism:
Neutrality is a fundamental principle in journalism that emphasizes presenting information without taking sides or expressing personal opinions. The goal is to provide a fair and balanced representation of different perspectives, allowing the audience to form their own opinions based on the facts presented. Several features characterize neutrality in journalism:
1. Impartiality: Neutrality demands impartial reporting, where journalists avoid favoring one side of an issue over another. This requires presenting multiple viewpoints without endorsing or promoting a specific stance.
*Example: A news article covering a political debate provides equal coverage to each candidate's arguments without showing favoritism.*
2. Objective Language: Neutral reporting uses objective language that is free from emotional or sensationalized elements. Journalists strive to convey information in a straightforward manner, minimizing the use of subjective language.
*Example: Reporting on an economic indicator uses factual terms without conveying positive or negative emotions.*
3. Balanced Coverage: Neutral reporting seeks to offer balanced coverage by presenting a comprehensive view of a story. This involves including diverse perspectives, relevant facts, and context to provide a well-rounded understanding.
*Example: In reporting a contentious community issue, a journalist interviews members from various groups to represent different viewpoints.*
4. Source Diversity:Neutrality involves seeking information from diverse sources to avoid any single perspective dominating the narrative. Journalists strive to include a range of voices to present a more complete picture.
*Example: Covering an environmental issue, a journalist consults scientists, activists, industry representatives, and policymakers to provide a comprehensive overview.*
5. Transparency: Neutral reporting values transparency by making the journalistic process clear to the audience. This includes disclosing sources, acknowledging potential conflicts of interest, and explaining the reasoning behind editorial decisions.
*Example: A news outlet provides a statement explaining their approach to covering a controversial topic, ensuring transparency in their reporting.*
**Biases in Journalism:**
Biases in journalism occur when there is a partiality or prejudice in the reporting that influences how information is presented. Bias can manifest in various forms, including political, ideological, cultural, or economic biases. Several features characterize biases in journalism:
1. Subjectivity: Biased reporting introduces subjectivity by favoring one perspective over others. This can result in a skewed portrayal of events or issues.
*Example: A news story on an environmental policy predominantly quotes critics, creating a negative bias against the policy.*
2. Language Choices: Biases may be reflected in the language used in reporting. This can include the selection of words with positive or negative connotations that influence the audience's perception.
*Example: Describing a protest as a "riot" can introduce a negative bias, while calling it a "demonstration" may have a more neutral connotation.*
3. Source Selection: Bias can emerge in the choice of sources. Focusing on one group or perspective while excluding others can lead to an imbalanced representation of the issue.
*Example: A news report on healthcare reform predominantly features opinions from a specific political party, omitting views from other stakeholders.*
4. Omission of Information: Biased reporting may involve omitting certain facts or perspectives that do not align with the reporter's or outlet's viewpoint, resulting in an incomplete narrative.
*Example: A news story on an economic policy fails to mention its positive impact on job creation, creating a biased perspective.*
5. Stereotyping:Biases can manifest through the use of stereotypes, perpetuating preconceived notions about certain groups or individuals.
*Example: Describing a crime suspect with specific demographic characteristics without relevance to the crime can perpetuate stereotypes.*
Conclusion:
While neutrality in journalism strives to uphold the principles of fairness and objectivity, biases can inadvertently seep into reporting. Recognizing and addressing biases is essential for maintaining the credibility and trustworthiness of news coverage. Media consumers play a crucial role in promoting a balanced understanding by seeking information from diverse sources and cultivating critical awareness of potential biases in the news. Ultimately, a commitment to ethical journalism involves constant vigilance to ensure that reporting remains true to the principles of neutrality and unbiased information dissemination.
What is Media Bias?
Media bias is the journalists and news producers being biased in the news media while reporting the news. The news is perceived as being reported in a partial and prejudiced way. Media bias usually takes place when the media seems to be pushing a specific viewpoint, instead of reporting news in an objective manner. Bias in the media also occurs when the news media seems to be ignoring a significant aspect of the story.
What are the types of Media Bias?
Bias by omission: omission means leaving out. This type of bias happens when over a period of time, one side of an article, or a series of articles are left out of the story. Facts which disprove the liberal or conservative claims, or those which support liberal or conservative credence are some examples of this bias. Bias by omission can happen within a story, as well as over the long term when a certain news outlet reports a set of events, but not ignores the other. In order to point out instances of bias by omission, one needs to be aware of the conservative and liberal perspectives regarding the current issues. In case both the conservative and liberal perspectives have been included in stories on a particular event, there is no bias by omission.
Bias by selection of sources: this includes having more sources which support one viewpoint over another. This type of bias can also be observed when a news reporter makes use of phrases such as experts believe, observers say, most people believe etc. Experts that are mentioned in news stories are similar to the expert witnesses in trials. Also, when a news story only shows one side of the event, it is obvious which side the reporter supports. There are often instances where journalists go looking for quotes that fit their favoured argument into a news story. If one wants to find bias by the use of experts or sources, one needs to stay alert to the affiliations as well as the political perspectives of those who are quoted as experts or authorities in the news stories. Not all news stories include experts, but in those which do, see to it that an equal number of conservatives and liberals have been quoted. If a story contains quotes from non-experts, such as those portrayed as general citizens, make sure that an equal amount comes from both sides of the issue that is in question. Bias by story selection: a pattern where news stories that coincide with the agenda of either the Left or the Right are highlighted. Stories which coincide with the opposite view are ignored or left out. This also includes publishing stories or studies released by a liberal or conservative group but choosing to ignore the studies conducted on the same or similar subjects which are released by the opposing group. In order to identify bias by story selection, one needs to be aware of the conservative and liberal sides of the issue. Observe how much coverage the conservative issues are given, compared to issues related to the liberal agenda, or liberals compared to conservatives.
Bias by placement: the placement of a story is a measure by which we can know how important the news editor thinks the story is. In the case of an average newspaper reader and an average news story, a majority of the people read only the headline. Bias by placement is when in the paper or in an article a story or event is printed, following a way of placing news stories in order to downplay information that is supportive of either conservative views or liberal views. To find examples of bias by placement, see where a newspaper places stories on politics. Or whenever you are reading a news story, observe how far into the story each viewpoint first shows up.
