Course Overview
This course is designed to give a
comprehensive all round introduction to news writing.
All the
essential aspects of news reporting are covered including how to find and
shape ideas for news stories; what to ask when an editor is briefing you;
how to make sure you get all the facts you need to write a fully-rounded
news report with no gaps or unanswered questions; how to interview
subjects, get the quotes you need and present them accurately - and how to
write to deadlines.
Course content
Introduction
What
makes a news story?
· The fundamental requirements for any story to be
classified as news
· Knowing your audience - what will be new and of
interest to them?
Developing a nose for finding news
· Learning
where news is to be found and how to get at it
· How to find an angle
that makes a story worth reporting
Researching a story
· The
internet, archives, published and unpublished sources
· Who to ask to
find out what will make your story new and fresh
Structuring a news
story
· The Inverted Triangle method
· Ensuring the six
essential elements are present high up in your news story
Finding news
in press releases, reports and meetings
· How to spot hidden angles and
stories in press releases and reports
· How to develop press releases
by gathering additional information and finding a better angle
·
Spotting a story in a dull meeting that other reporters might miss
Law
for journalists
· What journalists need to know about defamation,
contempt and privacy
How to interview
· How to win your
subject's confidence
· What questions to ask and the order in which to
ask them
· How to encourage them to say more than they intended
·
Getting the right quotes and using them effectively
How to keep to
deadlines
· Working against the clock
· How to save time by
drafting the bulk of a story before you know what the final outcome - or
your angle - will be
· Tips and tricks to make news editors happy
Questions
and answers
