This document discusses what constitutes news and the factors that make an event newsworthy. It states that news must be factual but not all facts are considered news. Several elements are described as making an event or story more newsworthy, including if it involves prominent people, has an impact on or close proximity to readers, creates conflict or appeals to human emotion. The document also differentiates between "hard news" which is important factual information, and "soft news" which is more entertaining. It outlines various types and styles of news stories and leads.

1. News is difficult to define
because it has many
variables.
News must be factual, yet
not all facts are news.

2. News is primarily
about people,
what they
say and
do.

3. A report of any event or situation.
A record of the most interesting,
important and accurate
information obtained about the
things man think and
says, sees and
describes, plans
and does.

4. “It is anything published in a
newspaper which interests
a large number of people”

5.  News is “any event, idea or
opinion that is timely, that interests
or affects a large number of
persons in a community, and that is
capable of being understood by
them.”
- Dean M. Lyle Spencer
Former Dean, School of Journalism
Syracuse University

6. According to Carl
Warren, Former
Radio News
Editor of New
York Times, “ all
news is intended
to interest, inform
or entertain
somebody
somewhere –
large sections of
the public.

8. If something is happening NOW, it
is more newsworthy than if it
happened yesterday or last week or
two weeks ago. Oftentimes the
most newsworthy element in the
story is the most recent happening,
the latest thing in
a series of happenings.

9. The news story must immediately tell the
impact of the event.
b. The value of the news depends upon the
newness of the happening.
c. It concerns not only of the recency
(time of occurrence) but also primacy
(you gasp with surprise when you first
hear or see it is news to you, regardless
of age)

11. How close to your readers is this
event taking place? All other things
being equal, something that is
happening in or near their location is
much more meaningful to them than
something taking place across town
or across the world.

12. Interests of the readers primarily
depends upon the closeness of their
own personal affairs.
Closeness not only place but
interest.

14. Is a well-known person part of the
story? Readers like to read about
people they know. If a person is
well-known, more readers will be
interested than if a person who is
mentioned is not known.

16. A good example is the
newsworthiness of the classic
remark made by Charles A. Dana,in
1882: “When a dog bites a man
that is not news, but when a man
bites a dog that is news.”

18. How will this event impact your
readers? How important is it?
Something that is more important
will be more newsworthy than
something that is of little
importance, all other things being
equal.

20. Is there a conflict between persons in the
story? A rivalry? A misunderstanding?
People are naturally drawn to conflict
and find it fascinating.
This element is essential in catching the
attention of the readers like the intense
conflicts of the different political groups
in the Philippines.

22. Anything that appeals
to the reader’s
emotions…makes
him laugh, cry, get
angry, feel sympathy,
etc….has the
potential for human
interest.

24. Another factor in stimulating the
appeal and interest of the readers.
The continuing suspense of day-to-day
news events will always attract
the attention of the reading public.

26. News story that
is appealing to
the readers,
irrespective of its
point of origin,
such as local,
community,
national and
international.

28. In order to avoid boredom on the
part of the readers, it is important
that the news writer must “pounce
with delight upon news that
usually titillates their bump
of credulity or make them smile”
once in a while.

29. Suggest the breadth and extension of
the news.

30. It adds color and vitality to the story.

31. • Mystery, suspense,
comedy, the unusual, the
bizarre are chief elements
of drama

33. It is present in stories of romance,
marriage, divorce and other
relationships.

34. Involves any significant change for
the betterment of mankind.

35. How will a particular event affect the
readers? Similar to consequence but
stronger and more personal.

36. Special Types of News Stories
A. According to style of presentation
1. Straight News- the data are
presented
in direct fashion using the summary
lead.
2. News Features – the data are
presented
indirectly through the use of novelty
lead.

37. B. According to place of occurrence
1. Local News – the event that happens
within the locality of the reader.
2. Foreign News – the events takes place
outside the country.

38. C. According to content
1. Science and Technology News
2. Developmental Communication
3. Sports News

39. D. According to sources
1. Action Story – the reporter himself is an
eyewitness of the event that happened.
2. Based on the record news
The information are gathered from the
records like the police stations, hospitals
and other agencies.
3. Based on interview -
Interviewing the persons
who know the event.

40. E. According to page makeup
1. Single incident story – one event only.
2. Composite Feature – more than one
event that happened at the same time.
3. News Brief– news item usually not
more than two paragraphs.
4. Bulletin – important last minute news of
a running story printed on the front page
in boldfaced type and maybe boxed.

41. 5. Flash
It presents only the basic facts of a fresh
story that comes in too late to be printed
in full news item.
6. Side bar story
Brief news item on some
lighter aspects of an event
placed side by side to a
related significant news.

42. F. According to the sequence of
occurrence
1. Advance News
A report of expected event
2. Spot News
A report of event which the writer has
actually witnessed.
3. Coverage –based on given assignment
or beat like news gathered from hospitals
police stations, and other agencies.
4. Follow-up News – recent development
of reported event.

43. THE LEAD
 In writing the story, we are interested to
know the LEAD which is the
introductory sentence of the news story.
Classification of Leads
♦ According to purpose:
1. Conventional or Summary lead
2. Unconventional, unorthodox
or novelty lead

44. ♦ According to construction, leads maybe
classified into 3 groups:
1. Who-What-When-Where-Why-How
leads
This is the oldest type known to
journalists and has come to be known
as the 5W’s and an H
I have six honest serving men
(They taught me all I know)
Their names are What and Why
and When and How and Where
and Who

45. The Who lead
Names make news,
especially prominent
ones. It maybe one
person, several
persons, or an
organization.
However, the lead
should avoid
featuring more than
3 personal names.

46. The What lead (or event feature)
Most straight news leads play up
what the story is all about.
A struggle to protect or increase
respective numbers of congressmen on
opposing sides of the impeachment
fence began yesterday at the House of
Representatives.

47. The Why lead
To further streamline emergency hotline
services and strengthen anti crime efforts,
the Philippine National Police conferred
with respondents of emergency hotline
‘117’ in a top-level meeting at the Crown
Plaza Galleria.

48. The How lead – often used for unusual
happenings and action stories.
Staging a 48-hour walkout beginning
today, nearly 100 South Korean
journalists at a government controlled
television station demanded that the
government stop dictating how they
cover the news.

49. The When lead
It is used when an event takes place at
unconventional hour, or in making an
announcement where the time is
important to the reader.
Tomorrow, May 15, is the
last day for filing individual
tax returns.

50. The Where lead
Convalescent homes in Solano have
been the sites for beauty contests to
choose representatives to
the 7th Annual My Fair
Lady Pageant, where
Contestants are
mostly in their
70s and 80s.

51. Characteristics of a Good Lead
1.Includes only 5Ws and the H which are
important.
A small contingent of US developmental
gymnasts traveled to the Soviet Union last
June to take a closer look at Soviet
gymnasts.
What: travel
Who: US developmental gymnasts
Where: Soviet Union
When: June
Why: to take a closer look

52. 2. Starts with the feature of the story,
which may either be the most
important or most interesting fact or
both.
3. It must be short- usually 25-35
words if it is one paragraph.

53. 4. Begins with specific, interest
arousing words.
5. Avoid when possible, beginning
with such words and phrases as
a, an, the, at a meeting, yesterday,
last night, days of the week,
according to, it is, there is, etc.

54. 6. Suggests the source of the news when
necessary.
♦ in stories which foretell something not
generally known.
♦ about future events in order to protect
the paper if the event does not occur.
♦ in stories about important events that
the reporter failed to attend.
♦ to attribute an opinion,
thereby avoid editorializing.

55. 7. Avoid overloading the first sentence of
the lead.
8. Is written colorfully when possible.
9. Avoid citing the news source in stories
which readers would expect to be eye
witness accounts or in
stories in which citing
the source would be
unnecessary.

56. How to write a Summary Lead
1.First study carefully the notes that you
took for the story, selecting the 5Ws and
H. It is best for beginners to list the
5Ws and H on a sheet of paper, and
opposite each, write the appropriate
act.
2. Choose the feature on
the basis of news values
and your readers –
what will interest them.

57. 3. Arrange the remaining 5Ws and H, in
the order of decreasing importance.
4. Determine the best way to start the
lead sentence.
5. Keep in mind all the other
characteristics of a good
summary lead.
6. Test your lead.
7. Rewrite the lead if
you can improve it.

58. The Unconventional or NOVELTY lead
♦ It uses any device that will
attract attention, arouse curiosity,
or sustain interest. It adds vigor and
color to writing and does not
contain the gist of the story, but
merely serves as an introduction

59. The NOVELTY lead is used:
♣ When the facts are not entirely straight
news.
♣ When the facts maybe made much more
interesting by a novel way of presenting
them.
♣ When the purpose is
to arouse the reader’s
interest.

60. Types of Novelty leads:
1. Narrative Lead – It draws the reader
into the story by allowing him to relate
himself with the characters.
December 1999. With the Y2K scare and
end-of-the millennium jitters hovering in the
air, I found myself in a book store for some
last minute shopping. I was looking for the
abridged versions of the classic Heidi and
the Secret Garden to give to my nieces
when I saw a vaguely familiar title: The lady
or the Tiger. As I traced the embossed title,
a particular memory flooded my
consciousness.

61. 2. Descriptive lead
It illustrates a mental picture of the
subject to the reader. This is effective in
writing a personality sketch.
The night fell as we descended the summit
of Mt. Makiling. The cicadas were sending us
off with their choir. While walking, we couldn’t
stop imagining the possible appearance of
Maria Makiling, who according
to legend, is the goddess
of this mountain.

62. 3. Quotation lead
This statement is uttered by well-known
person or celebrity.
“You stole the presidency, not
only once but twice.” Shouted Susan
Roces, widow of Fernando Poe Jr., during
a gathering of the opposition, denouncing
Pres. Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo’s alleged vote
rigging during the
2004 election.

63. 4. Question lead
A thought provoking question to capture
the interest of reader and lead them to
find the answer provided by the
succeeding details of the article.
When was the last time I told my father
I loved him? I wish I could tell
him a thousand times how
much I love him now,
but he is already
heedless inside
his coffin.

64. 5. Teaser
A device to deceive the reader in a jesting
manner to arouse his curiosity and gently
lead him into the story. It is generally
short, crisp and witty. Mostly suggestive
and humorous.
Which comes first, the hen or the egg?
Well, egg could not be
made possible without
the hen. But where does
the hen come from?

65. 6. Punch lead
It is short, striking one-sentence lead.
Hungry farmers are selling not only
their carabaos but also their children.
7. Freak lead - it uses typographical
effects to enhance its appeal.
Wanted: Filipino doctors and nurses.
This is the appeal of several government-owned
hospitals which face closure due to the exodus
of many Pinoy doctors and nurses abroad.

66. 8. Astonisher lead
 It uses an exclamatory sentence.
NSPC 2006 Champion!
Bold red letters printed on a three-meter long
streamer was over the gate of the New Era
University when the Hudyat, Official Student
Publication of the Elementary
Department won as Best
School Paper during the
National Schools Press
Conference held in Kalibo,
Aklan, February 22-26.

67. 9. One word lead
•It uses a very significant word to capture
or arouse the interest of the reader.
Bang!
Sprinters from the different divisions of the
National Capital Region zoomed bullets to the
finishing line in a 100-meter dash
during the National Capital Region
Athletic Association (NCRAA)
Meet, Held at Amoranto
Stadium, Quezon City, April 1-6.

68. 10. Parody lead
It consists of a parody of a well-known
quotation, song, poem, book or movie film
title.
“You only live once, but if you live it
right, once is enough.” This familiar adage
proved true to Clarence Castillo,a young boy
who died while rescuing his younger brother at
the height of flooding in Infanta
town in Quezon last year for
he was posthumously
awarded for his bravery.

69. 11. Background lead
It describes an event in which the
background overshadows the individual
who participate in it; often use stories
about carnivals, festivals, dances and
others.
It was like the school was put in a time
machine and was led back to the past when
teachers and students who participated in the
Buwan ng Wika program, gathered in front of
the four-storey building garbed in old
Filipiniana costumes.

70. 12. Contrast lead
* it is used to point up opposites and
extremes.
Four years ago, she fought for the
installation of Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo
as President of the Philippines through
EDSA II Revolution. Today, former
President Corazon Aquino
is calling for GMA’s
resignation.

71. 13. Staccato lead
Usually consists of series of words or
phrases, punctuated by periods,
commas or dashes.
Neglected. Denuded. Abused. and
Abandoned. This is the real picture of our
forest today.

72. HARD News & SOFT News
♦ Journalists today often refer to “hard”
news and “soft” news.
HARD News
• is important to large numbers of
people.
• is timely
• usually about events in government,
politics, education, foreign affairs,
labor, religion, courts, etc.

73. SOFT News
• usually less important because it
entertains, although it may also
inform
• often less timely than hard news
• includes human interests and
feature stories which may relate to
hard news.
• appeals more to emotions than to
the intellect or the desire to be
informed.

74. ♦ HARD News
Despite its importance, usually
attracts fewer readers because it
may not be as interesting as
soft news or
maybe more
difficult
to understand.

75. 3 Factors Essential to News
Facts
Interest
Readers

76. ♦The basis of all news is
FACT.
♦The job of the reporter is to
make facts INTERESTING to
a particular group of
READERS

77. ♦ News must be factual
• News is based on actual
occurrences, situations,
thoughts and ideas.
• Yet, not all facts are news

78. ♦ News must be interesting.
•But not all facts are interesting.
•Different facts
will be interesting
to different
readers.

79. ♦ Qualities that distinguish news from
other forms of writing:
1. Must be ACCURATE
•Reporters must work hard
to achieve accuracy.
•They must check, double-check,
and re-check every
fact.

80. ♦ Reporters must question
their sources carefully.
•Informants
sometimes
misinform although
rarely on purpose.

81. 2. It is BALANCED.
Balanced in a news story is
a matter of emphasis and
completeness.

82. ♦ News is considered balanced
and complete when all
significant details are included
and have proper relationship
with each other.
•The purpose of balance is to give the
reader a fair understanding of the
event, not a detailed account of every
fact.

83. 3. It is OBJECTIVE
•News is a factual report, not
a report of how the reporter
thought something should
have been.
•A reporter must report news
as impartially and honestly
as possible.

84. • Objectivity is difficult to
achieve because a
reporter’s own opinions and
feelings can easily interfere
with factual presentation in
stories.

85. 4. It is CONCISE and CLEAR
•Hard news stories almost
always follow the inverted
pyramid and are written
concisely and clearly so that
the meaning is clear to an
average reader.

86. Guidelines of the Inverted Pyramid
LEAD SENTENCE : 5 Ws
Use catchy statements (clever,
funny, surprising, provocative)
DETAILS
Use quotes from
interviewees
Wrap up
Use a quote or
catchy
phrase

87. 5. It is RECENT
Timeliness is of major
importance in this era of fast
communication.
Reporters emphasize
The newest angle
of the story.

88. How to write an Effective Lead
1. Use a simple sentence.
2. Do not overload the beginning paragraph
with the answer of 5Ws and H. Remember
that the second paragraph is a secondary
lead too.
3.Do not use an important or unusual word
twice in the same sentence.
4. Avoid, when possible the use of
articles such as a, an, the – as
the beginning word of the lead.

89. Rules in Paragraph Construction
1. A paragraph of the news should not
exceed 75 words.
2. Important facts should be placed at the
beginning of the paragraph.
3. Avoid repetition of clauses, phrases
and other similar grammatical construction
at the beginning of each paragraph.
4. Do not put direct quotation and
indirect quotation in the same
paragraph.

90. 5. One sentence paragraph is preferred in
writing news. But if it cannot be avoided it
should not exceed three sentences
6. For easy reading, average number of
words per sentence should be between 15
to 20. A sentence longer than 30 words
may be hard to understand.
7. Arrange paragraph in the descending
order of importance so that the lay-out
editor can delete the last least
important ones for lack of space.

91. Qualities of a News Writer
1. Has nose for news
♦ knows where to get the data
♦ knows what angle of the event
should be highlighted in the news
♦can easily identify event, which
is worth publishing as news.

92. Qualities of a News Writer
2. Inquisitive
3. Patient
4. Fair
5. Interested with people
6. Always seeks for truth
7. Resourceful
8. Reliable
9. Has wide vocabulary
10. Wide reader

93. “When love and skill work together,
expect a masterpiece.” John Ruskin