Journalistic Writing: In depth news.pptx

This presentation is for journalism students

1. IN-DEPTH NEWS

2. WHAT IS IN-DEPTH NEWS? In-depth news is a type that explores one aspect of a news story, often focusing on the elements of “how” and “why,” and goes beyond a bare recital of facts to include extensive background information.

3. "In-depth news" is focused upon transmitting information about the subject of the article. It is essential to cover all six important categories of factual information, in as much detail as is available, when creating an in-depth news report.

4. Components of in –depth stories:

5.  A soft lead is a few sentences that grab the reader's attention, often emphasizing an anecdote or human interest.  A nut graph is a paragraph that describes the basic contents or situation of the story (the 5 Ws ).  The body contains detailed explanatory material based on interviews and research  Finally, the circle kicker is a short paragraph that returns to the material in the soft lead.

6. Ten hints for the In-depth News/Report Writer 1. Emphasize and translate figures into words or proportions. 3. Report discernible trends but emphasize the unusual. 5. Look for significant changes from one period to another.

7. 6. Report inferences accurately and objectively but report numbers as simply as possible. 8. Avoid a series of long paragraphs. 9. Use transitions, explanations, and commentaries to break up strings of numbers in order to retain the interest of readers. 10. Avoid previously formulated conclusions with slanted data to support them.

8. Significant Characteristics of an In-depth News Story

9. Five attribution rules that every reporter should follow 1.Concise and precise Within each paragraph, you must build the news carefully, using the most significant and important arguments first. Be clear and concise. Omit needless words and make each word count. Don’t go off at tangents – all the information must be relevant and add weight to the main argument or story. At the same time, don’t assume the reader knows the background to every story.

10. 2.Accuracy of fact and opinion The analysis must be wholly based on evidence. Every opinion expressed in the text should be based on the facts, every source attributed. There must be no personal opinion here. Rather, you should let your sources tell the story – a good variety of quotes shows that you have really done your job.

11. 3.Clear-cut attribution All news reports, with a few exceptions, must be sourced. The source can be identified as follows: individual, organization, name and designation.

12. Anonymous sources : There are occasions when a news source does not want his or her name to be used. In such cases, the reporter can attribute the story to informed sources or well-connected sources or official sources or sources who don’t wish to be named. Exceptions: The reporter need not worry about attribution in those cases that he has witnessed.

13. 4.Balance is essential As a reporter you must learn to get the other point of view. This is the best way to bring balance in the copy. Fairness requires that you don’t impute motives. One radical or controversial opinion should be balanced by an opposing one, giving the ‘right of reply’ to anyone who’s being criticized.

14. STEPS TO FOLLOW IN WRITING AN IN-DEPTH NEWS

15. 1.Story identification When selecting a topic to analyse in depth, the journalist has to take into account the essential values which make any story worth publishing. In order to be sure you have a real story, you should be able to describe in a few sentences:

16.  What the story is about; and what do you want to tell;  Why that is important to the target audience;  What are the implications or consequences of the issue;  What can be done about it; and which are the story’s possible sources?

17. 2) Researching When tackling an in-depth analysis, you will be required to do two types of research in two phases: A. Initial research, where you investigate a topic, in order to determine the general situation and find your point of focus; B. Story research, after you have decided what your focus is.

18. 3) Sourcing When doing in-depth analysis, the universal rules of sourcing apply. This means: A.Use of both primary and secondary sources Primary human sources can be defined as participants in, or eyewitnesses to, events which are tried and tested or proven to be bona fide, and with whom we have communicated directly.

19. 3) Sourcing When doing in-depth analysis, the universal rules of sourcing apply. This means: A.Use of both primary and secondary sources Primary human sources can be defined as participants in, or eyewitnesses to, events which are tried and tested or proven to be bona fide, and with whom we have communicated directly.

20. Thank you Brita Tamm 502-555-0152 [email protected] www.firstupconsultants.com