Multimedia Storytelling Final

news judgment

their ability to determine which stories are most interesting and important to readers

talker

something a lot of people are talking about and are probably going to want to read more about

refers

send readers to other parts of the paper for stories that might interest them

news values

values that qualify a story as 'news': impact, immediacy, proximity, prominence, novelty, conflict, and emotions

impact

the number of people whose lives will be influenced in some way by the subject of the story

immediacy

has the story just happened? Recent events have higher news values than earlier happenings

proximity

stories or events in one's home community

prominence

the more recognizable the name is, the more readers will be concerned, especially events involving public figures

conflict

public anger or bitter disagreement about fundamental issues

unusualness

intriguing or unexpected events, such as 'man bites dog, dog bites man'

currency

more value is attributed to stories about issues or topics that are in the spotlight of public concern

lede

the opening of a story answering 5W's and H questions with the most important takeaways

summary lede

a news article that provides the most critical information

hard lede

summarizes and gives the most amount of information in a direct & concise way

delayed lede

often used in feature stories to evoke mood with an incident or anecdote

byline

the reporter's name and credentials

dateline

the location in which a story takes place, usually in uppercase letters

quote

someone's exact words, usually spoken during an interview

attribution

a phrase that tells readers the source of a quote or the source of information used in the story

headline

the big type, written by copy editors, that summarizes the story

photo

photos are usually shot by staff photographers, free-lancers, or wire services like The Associated Press

photo credit

a line stating the photographer's name, often adding the organization he or she works for

liftout quote

a quotation from the story that's given special graphic emphasis

tagline

contact information for the reporter, enabling readers to provide feedback

Fact

A statement that can be proven true or false.

Opinion

A personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty.

Loaded Words

Words that carry strong emotional implications and can influence an audience's perception.

Speculation

The forming of a theory or conjecture without firm evidence.

The Five W's

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and often How; essential elements every news story must answer.

Inverted Pyramid

A writing structure where the most important information is presented first, followed by less important details.

Basic News Leads

Leads that are typically 25-30 words long, consist of one sentence, and summarize the most important W's.

Buried the Lead

To fail to present the most important information at the beginning of a story.

Anecdotal Lead

A lead that uses a mini-story with a beginning, middle, and end to draw readers into the larger story.

Scene-setter Lead

A lead that sets the scene and lacks the urgency of hard news leads, often used in feature stories.

Direct Address Lead

A lead that speaks directly to the reader using the second-person voice.

Wordplay Lead

Lead that uses puns or amusing language to engage the reader.

Startling Statement Lead

A lead that presents a shocking fact to capture the reader's attention.

Roundup Leads

Leads that impress the reader with a longer list rather than focusing on one subject.

Blind Leads

Leads that withhold key information to create suspense, revealing it later in the story.

Question Leads

Leads that pose a question to engage the reader's curiosity.

Quote Leads

Leads that begin with a direct quote, used sparingly in news writing.

Summary Lead

A lead that combines the most significant of the five W's into one sentence.

Delayed Identification Lead

A lead that withholds a significant piece of information, usually a person's name, until the second paragraph.

Immediate Identification Lead

A lead that names recognizable public figures or celebrities right away.

Nut Graf

A paragraph that explains why the story matters and what it is really about, appearing early in longer pieces.

Story Structure

The organization of a news story, which can follow various formats like inverted pyramid or martini glass.

Martini Glass

A story structure that begins with an inverted-pyramid summary and shifts into a chronological narrative.

Kabob

A storytelling structure that begins with an anecdote, broadens into a general discussion, and ends by returning to the anecdote.

A BRIEF

A standard news brief written using the inverted pyramid structure: a summary lead followed by additional details in descending order of importance.

A BRITE

A type of news brief that provides more personality and comic relief, with a lead that provokes interest and an ending that serves as a whimsical punch line.

AP Style

A style guide used in journalism that provides rules for writing and formatting news articles.

Sources of story ideas

Breaking news, scheduled events, news releases, reader/editor suggestions, and reporter-generated ideas.

Types of sources

News makers, experts, officials/documents, spokespeople, and ordinary people (man-on-the-street).

Best practices for using the Internet

Verify credibility, check official sources, use database tools, and avoid biased or unreliable sites.

Observation in reporting

Looking for atmosphere, sensory details, behavior, and emotions to create strong scenes.

Techniques for taking notes

Using short phrases, abbreviations, marking uncertain facts with circles or 'cq?', and immediately reviewing notes after interviews.

Interviewing process

Before: research and prepare questions; During: listen actively and ask follow-ups; After: check details and confirm spellings.

Use of quotations

Quotes should be lively, add emotion, or express opinions; avoid quoting mundane facts.

Attributions in journalism

Be clear about who said what and use 'said' as the most neutral verb.

Math for journalists

Basics include percentages, frequencies, averages, and poll interpretation.

Diversity in news coverage

Aim to represent community voices and provide accurate, fair coverage while avoiding stereotypes and tokenism.

Covering a Beat

Reporting consistently on a specific topic or institution, such as education, crime, housing, or politics.

Responsibilities of a Beat Reporter

Maintain regular contact with sources, monitor schedules, build trust, know background/history, and stay ahead of breaking news.

Tips for Beat Reporting

Introduce yourself to key players, keep a source list, stay organized, attend events, and always ask 'Who else should I talk to?'.

Key skills for beat reporting

Understanding the institution, scrutinizing documents, asking informed questions, being persistent, and maintaining objectivity.

Press Rights

Core protections include the First Amendment, the right to publish without government interference, and access to some public records and meetings.

Inaccurate reporting

Mistakes that cause legal trouble.

Fabrication

Mistakes that cause legal trouble.

Plagiarism

Mistakes that cause legal trouble.

Libel

Publishing false statements that harm reputation.

Publication

Element required to prove libel (2)

Identification

Element required to prove libel (1)

False information

Element required to prove libel (4)

Harm

Element required to prove libel (3)

Negligence

Elements required to prove libel, or actual malice if public figure (4)

Invasion of Privacy

Four categories include intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light, and appropriation.

Copyright Law

You cannot use others' creative work without permission.

Fair Use

Limited exceptions for commentary/education in copyright law.

Taste and Decency

Avoid graphic content (unless newsworthy), sensationalism, and offensive language.

The Seven Deadly Sins

Ethical mistakes include deception, conflict of interest, bias, fabrication, theft, burning sources, and plagiarism.

Journalistic Ethics

Core values include truth, accuracy, fairness, independence, and minimizing harm.

Immediacy / Timeliness

One of the seven values that make something news.

Novelty

One of the seven values that make something news.

Emotion

One of the seven values that make something news.

The 5 W's + H

Every news story must answer who, what, when, where, why, and how.

Basic News Lead

1 sentence, 25-30 words, most important information first.

Tips for Developing News Stories

Helpful story tips pop up everywhere: in meetings with editors, in phone calls from readers, in the pages of every magazine and website you browse.

Select Sources

To focus each story on what's most important.

Check Sources

To ensure all facts and statements are true.

Balance Sources

To represent all sides of every issue.

Cultivate Sources

For tips and story ideas in the future.

Depth in Reporting

Your story will offer more information and insight.

Context in Reporting

Readers broaden their understanding when you approach the topic from different points of view.

Reliability in Reporting

There's less chance of inaccuracy or bias when you gather facts from a variety of sources.

Interview Preparation - Before

Research background and prepare specific questions.

Interviewing - During

Listen more than you talk, ask follow-ups, verify names/titles, get contact info.

Interviewing - After

Organize notes, pull strongest quotes, fact-check.

Using Quotations

Use quotes when they show emotion, personality, or opinion.

Direct Quotes

State exactly, word for word, what someone said (or wrote) and always begin and end with quotation marks.

Indirect Quote

Summarize what a source told you without using the exact words or adding quotation marks.