Inside reporting ch3

lcome to the world of
urnalism, where
porters have been
gging dirt, raking muck,
king headlines and
adlines for centuries
w. It’s a history full of
bloid trash, of slimy
nsationalists, of
runkards, deadbeats and
mmers” (as a Harvard
iversity president once
scribed reporters).
But it’s a history full of
roes, too: men and
men risking their lives
tell stories of war and
agedy, risking
prisonment to defend
ee speech. And as you
n see here, reports have
come beloved characters
p culture, too, turning up
movies, comics and TV
ows as if guided by an
cult hand.
Every culture seeks
effective ways to spread
new information and gossip.
In ancient times, news was
written on clay tablets. In
Caesar’s age, Romans read
newsletters compiled by
correspondents and
handwritten by slaves.
Wandering minstrels spread
news (and the plague) in the
Middle Ages. Them came
ink on paper. Voices on
airwaves. Newsreels, Web
sites, And 24-hour cable
news networks.
Thus when scholars
3
analyze the rich history of
journalism, some view it in
terms of technological
progress—for example, the
dramatic impact of bigger,
faster printing presses.
Others see journalism as
a specialized form literary
expression, one that’s
constantly evolving,
reflecting and shaping its
culture.
Others see it as an
inspiring quest for free
speech, an endless power
struggle between Authority
(trying to control
information) and the People
(trying to learn the truth).
Which brings to mind the
words of A.J. Liefling:
“Freedom of the press is
guaranteed only to htose
who own one.”
In the pages ahead, we’ll
take a quick tour of 600
years of journalism history,
from hieroglyphics to
hypertext: the media, the
message and the politics.
Technical advances and
brilliant ideas forged a new
style of journalism. It was a
century of change, and
newspapers changed
dramatically. The typi
newspaper of 1800 wa
undisciplined mishma
legislative proceeding
long-winded essays a
secondhand gossip. B
1900, a new breed of
tor had emerged. Jour
had become big busin
Reporting was becom
disciplined craft. And
newspapers were bec
more entertaining and
essential than ever, w
most of the features w
expect today: Snappy
headlines, Ads, Comic
Sports pages. And an
“inverted pyramid” sty
writing that made stori
tighter and newsier.
Radio and television
brought an end to
newspapers’ media
monopoly. Why? Well
yourself: Which did yo
Inside Reporting
Tim Harrower
Newswriting basics
McGraw-Hill © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Newswriting basics
Just the facts
The five W’s
The inverted pyramid
Beyond the basic news lead
Leads that succeed
After the lead…what next?
McGraw-Hill
Slide 2
 (continued)
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Newswriting basics
(continued)
Story structure 
Rewriting 
Editing 
Newswriting style 
Making deadline 
66 essential tips 
McGraw-Hill
Slide 3

You must try to be objective.
Truthful. Fair.
 Good reporters
respect integrity
of facts.
 Facts tell the
story.
 Readers draw
their own
conclusions.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 4
Just the facts
Where do opinions
belong in a
newspaper?
• Most newspaper stories can
be placed on a continuum.
• Ranges from rigidly
objective (breaking news)
to rabidly opinionated
(movie reviews).

Facts usually fall into
McGraw-Hill
Slide 5
The five W’s

McGraw-Hill
Slide 6
The five W’s
The WHO
 Readers love
stories that focus
on people.
 WHO keeps it
real.
• Who’s involved?
• Who’s affected?
• Who’s going to
benefit?
• Who’s getting
screwed?
The WHAT
 WHAT gives news
its substance.
• Stories become dry
and dull if they focus
too much on WHAT.
• Need WHO.

The WHEN
 Timeliness essential
McGraw-Hill
Slide 7
The five W’s
to every story.
• When events
happened or will
happen.
• How long they lasted
or will last.
The WHERE
 The closer the
event, the more
relevant it is for
readers.
 Many stories
require
supplements.
•Map
• Diagram
• Photo

McGraw-Hill
Slide 8
The five W’s
The WHY
 Finding
explanations
difficult.
 The WHY is what
makes news
meaningful.
The HOW
 Often requires
detailed
explanation.
 Sometimes
omitted to save
space.
 Readers love
“how-to” stories.

Newswriting format summarizes
most important facts at story’s start
McGraw-Hill
Slide 9
The inverted pyramid
This is the lead, which summarizes the
story’s most important facts
This paragraph adds more details or
background
This paragraph adds even
more details
This adds more
details
More
details

The typical news story uses the
inverted pyramid
 Summarize first.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 10
So should you
use this format
for every story?
• Gets repetitive.
• Doesn’t always
organize story
material
logically.
• Explain later.
 Resolve everything in
the beginning.
 Allows editors to trim
stories from bottom.

Why writing a good lead actually
matters to readers
 If a story takes too long
to make sense…
 Readers flee like rats
from a sinking ship.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 11

Writing basic news leads
How to write an effective news lead
 Collect all your
facts.
• Lead should
summarize.
• The more you
know, the easier it
is to summarize.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 12
 Sum it up. Boil it
down.
• List who, what,
when, where, why
of story.

 Prioritize the five
W’s.
• Lead contains the
most important
facts.
• Which of the key
facts deserves to
start the first
sentence?
McGraw-Hill
Slide 13
 Rethink. Revise.
Rewrite.
• Is it clear?
• Is it active?
• Is it wordy?
• Is it compelling?

 Writing leads
often a process of
trial and error.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 14
• Try different
approaches.
 Create different
leads using the…
• Who.
• What.
• When.
• Where.
• Why.

Not every story begins with a
roundup of essential facts
 Basic news leads
can be too dull
and dry.
 All good reporters
spend time
searching for the
perfect lead.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 15

Beyond the basic news lead
Story checklist
McGraw-Hill
Slide 16
 Be accurate.
 Remember what
day it is.
 Don’t name
names.
 Use strong verbs.
Ask “Why should I
care?”
Sell the story.
Don’t get hung up.
Move attributions to
the end of the
sentences.

A roundup of commonly used options
 Basic news leads
 Anecdotal/
narrative leads
 Scene-setter
leads
 Blind leads
 Roundup leads
McGraw-Hill
Slide 17
Leads that succeed
 Direct address leads
 The startling
statement
 Wordplay leads

Basic news leads
• Summary lead
– Combines five W’s
into one sentence.
• Delayed
identification lead
– Withholds the name
of the person in
question until the
second paragraph
McGraw-Hill
Slide 18
Leads that succeed
• Immediate
identification lead
– Uses a public figure or
celebrity in the
sentence.

 Anecdotal/
narrative leads
• Have a beginning,
middle and end.
• Will be mini-story
with symbolic
resonance for
bigger story.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 19
Leads that succeed
 Scene-setter leads
• Lack urgency of hard-news
leads.
• Borrowed from fiction.
 Blind leads
• Extreme delayed
information lead.
– Deliberately teases
reader.

 Roundup leads
• Rather than focus
on one person,
place or thing,
impress reader
with longer list.
 Direct address
leads
McGraw-Hill
Slide 20
Leads that succeed
• Use second-person
voice.
 The startling
statement
• Also called a
“zinger” or a
“Hey, Martha.”
 Wordplay leads
• Encompass wide
range of amusing
leads.

…and three lazy leads you should
usually reconsider
McGraw-Hill
Slide 21
Leads that succeed
 Topic leads
• Convey no actual news.
 Question leads
• Are irritating stalls.
 Quote leads
• Don’t fairly summarize
the story.

After the lead…what next?
Add another paragraph
 Know how long the
story should be.
Write the nut graf
 Paragraph that
condenses the story
idea into nutshell.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 22
Briefs and
brites:
•Brief – written
using the inverted
pyramid.
•Brite – written
with more
personality than a
brief.

Giving an overall shape to writing
 No one-size-fits-all
solution.
 Every story
unfolds in a
different way.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 23
Story structure

Organizing your story
McGraw-Hill
Slide 24
Story structure
 The inverted
pyramid
• Use for:
– News briefs.
– Breaking news.
Most important facts
Additional facts
More facts
Etc., Etc.
Etc.

 The martini glass
McGraw-Hill
Slide 25
The lead
Story structure
Key facts in inverted-pyramid
form
Chronology of events
Kicker
• Use for:
– Crimes.
– Disasters.
– Dramatic
stories.

McGraw-Hill
Slide 26
Story structure
 The kabob
• Also called Wall Street
Journal formula or the
Circle.
• Use for:
– Trends.
– Events where you want
to show actual people.
Anecdote
Nut graf
Meat
Meat
Meat
Anecdote

Keeping readers from getting bored
 Modern journalist’s
job basically boils
down to
McGraw-Hill
Slide 27
Story structure
• Teaching.
• Storytelling.
 Use narratives
when you can.
 Think like a
teacher.

Writing tips as you move from
paragraph to paragraph
 Keep paragraphs
short.
 Write one idea per
paragraph.
 Add transitions.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 28
Story structure
Alternatives to
long, gray news
stories
•Bullet items
•Sidebars
•Subheads
•Other storytelling
alternatives

McGraw-Hill
Slide 29
Story structure
The big finish
 Good writers
agonize over the
kicker as much as
the lead.
•Plan ahead.
• Don’t end with a
summary.
•Avoid clichés.
•End with a bang.

Good story. Now make it better.
 Writing is rewriting.
• Make things a little
better.
• Few stories arrive fully
formed and perfectly
phrased.
• Most require rethinking,
restructuring and
rewording.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 30
Rewriting

5Reasons to hit the delete key
McGraw-Hill
Slide 31
Rewriting
 Passive verbs
• Start sentences
with their
subjects.
• Replace to be with
stronger verbs.
 Redundancy
• Avoid unnecessary
modifiers.
 Wordy sentences
 Jargon &
journalese
• Filter out jargon
and officialese.
 Clichés
• Lower the IQ of
your writing.

The Fog Index – a readability gauge
 Find typical
example.
 Average number
of words per
sentence.
 Number of “hard”
words with 3 or
more syllables (no
proper names).
McGraw-Hill
Slide 32
Rewriting
 Add average
number of words
to number of
“hard” words.
 Multiply the sum
by 0.4.

The Fog Index – a readability gauge
 Most Americans
read at or about
9th-grade level.
• Aim for Fog Index
of 7 to 8.
• Bible, Mark Twain,
TV Guide have Fog
Index around 6.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 33
Rewriting

The role editors play in your stories
 Before you write
• Assigning story.
• Planning angle.
• Estimating scope.
• Anticipating
packaging.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 34
Editing
 While you write
• Adding details.
• Monitoring speed.
• Fine-tuning.
• Layout changes.

The role editors play in your stories
 After you write
• Editing content.
• Copy editing.
• Cutting or padding.
• Assigning follow-up
stories.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 35
Editing

 Every news outlet
customizes
guidelines.
 Copy desk’s job to
standardize style.
 Know AP and your
news outlet’s
style.
McGraw-Hill
Slide 36
Newswriting style
Who’s right?

McGraw-Hill
Slide 37
AP Style Highlights
 Numbers
 Titles
 Capitalization
 Abbreviations
 Addresses
 The Internet
 Parentheses
 Possessives
 Prefixes
 And others…

Live by the clock
McGraw-Hill
Slide 38
Making deadline
 Deadlines are
mandatory.
 Pass the deadline
checklist.
• Accuracy.
• Fairness and
balance.
•Writing style.

 Writing leads
 The rest of the
story
 Editing and style
 Rules of grammar
McGraw-Hill
Slide 39
66 newswriting tips
 Word choices
• Nonsexist,
nonageist,
nondiscriminatory
 Punctuation

Inside reporting ch3

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