Writing for The Media (quiz prep)

There are seven mass media’s !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Print Media

  • Recordings

  • Cinema

  • Radio

  • Television

  • Internet

  • Mobile

TRIC PRM

What makes something newsworthy? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1. Timeliness = It happened recently.

  2. Proximity = It happened nearby.

  3. Impact = It affects a lot of people.

  4. Prominence = It involves a well-known person or organization.

  5. Conflict = It involves some kind of disagreement between two or more people.

  6. Novelty = It involves something unusual or strange

  7. Currency = It is related to some general topic a lot of people are already talking about.

What is a Hard News story? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Journalistic style and genre that focuses on events or incidents that are considered to be timely and consequential to people locally, regionally, or internationally.

Hard news covers topics such as:

  • Politics

  • International affairs

  • Economics

  • Science

5W’s and H !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • WHO said it?

  • WHAT happened

  • WHERE did it happen?

  • WHEN did it happen?

  • WHY is it important/did it happen?

  • HOW did it happen?

INVERTED PYRAMID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  1. The lead

    Contains the 5 W’s and H

  1. The body

    Contains facts and further info, most of which is necessary, revealed in order of importance.

  1. Fluffy stuff of little importance, fading into oblivion.

HEADLINES

  • Catch the reader’s attention.

  • Include most important details

  • Words must be used precisely

Dual function:

  • Informing and attracting the reader

  • Every word must create understanding and interest

Accuracy:

  • A headline must be accurate

Logic:

  • They should make sense.

Specificity:

  • Headline should be as specific as possible

    (Avoid general headlines or words with general meaning)

Fact:

  • Not opinion. Headlines should not express opinions.

Word precision:

  • Use words for their exact and most common meaning.

Double meaning:

  • Can your headline mean more than one thing?

    If yes, then it needs to be rewritten.

GUIDELINES:

Headline = Main idea of the story

  • Avoid repetition

  • Use present tense

    (House catches fire)

  • Future tense - infinitive form

    (To go, to drive, to play)

  • Omit ‘to be’ verbs

    (is, are, was, were)

  • Avoid articles

(a, an, the)

LEADS

The first couple of sentences

Answers the 5 W’s and H

OBJECTIVES/GOALS

A news article tells the truth.

Journalists write facts that are, to the best of their knowledge.

A careful journalist will state things that they can prove.

Will cite the sources of any uncertain info.

FACTS ONLY

News is factual. Something that is factual can be proved or disproved.

OBJECTIVITY

News articles do not reflect the journalist’s opinion.

Quotes and opinions of witnesses and observers to events may be included in an article as long as they are cited.

LANGUAGE AND STYLE

Style of writing is impersonal

Vocab is often more formal

AUDIENCE AND CONTEXT

Who is the audience and what do they already know?

Do you need to repeat the main points of the story?

What details do they expect in a later story?

PRINCIPLES OF MW

  • Identify central points of story

  • Prepare outline

  • Use short words

  • Prefer familiar words

  • Be precise

  • Use strong verbs

  • Prefer active over passive

  • Use short sentences (20 words)

  • Vary sentence length

  • Be straightforward

  • Avoid wordiness

  • KISS

  • Use restraint

  • Revise

  • Use transitions (make it flow)

  • Avoid statements of opinion

  • Avoid stereotyping

    3 C’s

  • Clarity

  • Concise

  • Correct