1. THINGS I LIKE
NEWS PRESENTED
WITH A SENSE OF
URGENCY
PRESENT TENSE
LEADS
Write in “active” voice
ADVANCING THE
STORY
TOP THE PAPER
No stories from this
morning’s paper airing
this afternoon
NATURAL SOUND
REPORTERS WHO
WALK UP WITH TAPE
ROLLING
SAYING “KXXX
NEWS HAS
LEARNED”
Only when we really
did the work
THINGS I CAN FIX
REPORTERS WHO
THINK NEWS IS
JUST WORDS &
TAPE, WITHOUT
SELLING THE STORY
REPORTERS WHO
TELL ME WHAT THEY
DON’T KNOW
First on the scene of
spot news, be
descriptive until
qualified source arrives
REPORTERS WHO
TRY TO IMPRESS
THE “OTHER GUYS”
WITH HOW MUCH
THEY KNOW
My job is not to create
a sound bite for
tonight’s TV news
TAKING FACTS FROM
COMPETING MEDIA
WITHOUT CHECKING
THEM OUT