3. AGENCY NEWS
A news agency is an organization (either public or
private) that gathers, writes and distributes
news from around the country and the world.
The three most prolific are Reuters News,
Associated Press (AP) and Agence France-Presse
(AFP).
The articles, that the agencies prepare, are
distributed to the subscribing media outlets.
Some of them simply re-publish the news, others
might adept headlines and leads to their format
and third will take only the news itself and
construct an article around it.
4. OBSERVATION:
Often, reporters witness an event as part of their
story coverage.
It’s good to be there and see it with your own eyes.
This allows reporters to gain a first-hand perspective
on the story.
NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES , ONLINE OUTLETS, RADIO NEWS,
TVNEWS, NEWSLETTER, PODCASTS, TWITTER LISTS, FORUMS
COMMENT SECTIONS, SUBREDDITS, BLOGS
5. CONTACTS
Many news companies also maintain a network of
“stringers” — freelance journalists or well-informed
citizens who provide information from smaller towns,
third countries or war zones.
Journalists are expected to develop and cultivate a
network of people they can tap into when needed. A
source might provide information ahead of public
announcements, an insider tip or a useful suggestion for
a story that is worth exploring further.
6. INTERVIEWING:
How can you learn about a topic, event, sport, or
issue before an interview
Yes, interviewing is a primary tool that you will
use to gather information. It’s a must for local
reporting.
But before you go out to interview people, you
need to know what to ask.
7. RESEARCH.
Reporters, even beginners, are expected to get
the facts and tell stories that are relevant,
timely, and accurate.
Some student journalists think they can skip the
research techniques that professionals use to
effectively report the news.
Not so.
8. WHY DO RESEARCH?
What research tools do you have available to
use?
Develop background knowledge on an assigned
story or topic.
Find reliable, expert sources.
Discover questions. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT
YOU DON’T KNOW.
Tell the story thoroughly, honestly, and
objectively.
9. RESEARCH TOOLS
Books and journals
Scholarly articles
Transcripts and other documents
Crowdsourcing and open-source journalism
Panel discussions
Press conferences
Press releases
Documentary films and videos
Polls and surveys
Interviewing is an important aspect of journalism, but
other research is needed before and after
interviewing.
Databases
Public Records
12. NEWS ARTICLES
News article: They give answers on what,
where, when, who and why. News articles are
often used, especially when reporting on
time-sensitive events.
Here is one of many examples from The
Guardian: Brazil’s former president Lula walks
free from prison after the supreme court
ruling.
13. EDITORIAL
Editorial: an opinionated article that you
typically find on the first pages of the
(online) newspaper. It is written by an editor
or journalist (or a group of them) and it
presents a newspaper’s opinion on a
current issue.
Example: The Unimaginable Has Happened
in Libya
14. FEATURE STORY
Feature story: unlike news articles, which have a
sense of urgency, features are not as time-
sensitive. They are usually longer and use
narrative, background information, and scene-
setting to develop the story.
The lead might not be as straightforward as
with “hard” news articles — it can start with a
quote or an anecdote. Features stories can be
divided further into different categories, such as
interview, profile, analysis, and review.
Example: BBC The Catch
16. PLAN
MAKEA
CLARIFYINTENT
Think who you are writing for and what
are you trying to achieve. Your intention
is to provide them with information.
BRAINSTORM
Try to think of questions that reflect
your intention.
17. PLAN
MAKEA
RESEARCH
The most common sources are already
written articles on the topic (local and
international), research, statistics, and
interviews with experts.
MAKEITMAKESENSE
Edit, reread, change things. Once you’re
done make sure it’s easy to read and
makes sense and is accurate!
18. KEY TERMS
Scrum: In journalism, a scrum refers to a group of reporters or journalists surrounding a newsmaker, often after a press conference or
event, to ask questions and gather information. It can be a competitive and chaotic environment.
Vox Pop (or Vox Populi): Short for "vox populi," which means "voice of the people" in Latin. A vox pop is a short segment or interview where
journalists ask random members of the public for their opinions on a specific issue or topic.
Byline: The byline is the name of the journalist who wrote the article, typically appearing at the beginning or end of the story. It gives credit
to the author.
Dateline: A dateline is a line at the beginning of a news article that indicates where and when the story was written or reported. It provides
context and location information.
Lead: The lead, or lede, is the first sentence or paragraph of a news story. It's designed to grab the reader's attention and convey the most
important information.
Angle: The angle is the specific perspective or approach a journalist takes when covering a story. It shapes how the story is presented and
what aspects are emphasized.
Exclusive: A story or interview that is given to one news organization exclusively, often as a strategic move to gain media coverage.
