Writing the news

1. Writing the news 3 C’s Clear - simple language Concise - short Correct - uses facts and be objective ,

2. Kiss and Tell: Writing hard news • KISS (Keep It Short and Simple) never use more than one word, when one will do. • Don’t use too many adjectives (describing words) or adverbs usually have (LY) in it are used rarely in hard news. [1] Mary sings beautifully Examples [2] David is extremely clever   [3] This car goes incredibly fast  Keep it simple: Mary sings or the car is fast TELL: Use simple language and short sentences.

3. When asked to write a news story containing 300 words, every word counts.Journalism is a completely different style of writing, here are some tips to keep your writing Clear, Concise and Correct: • Avoid first and second person writing — we, our, you, your, I, me — except in quotes should not be used (it should be third person and be objective) You should not be using I think, or passing comment. • Words need to be concrete not abstract • PEOPLE, PLACES and THINGS should be capitalised i.e. Bognor Regis, David Beckham. If you are unsure check other newspapers for guidance. • Words to avoid: rather, quiet, very, really, I feel, you, think, as, sort of or kind of, a lot and just. Remember these words don’t add to anything if something is great it is just great, really great doesn't add to anything. • Editors look for these sentences so you should try and avoid them. • When shortening sentences down the word “that” can often be taken out of a sentence i.e.: The defendant admitted that he was guilt; should be the defendant admitted he was guilty” • Words to avoid where possible “a, an, the, that” • Further, the use of look at rewriting text to make it shorter i.e using of “in the southern part of England” could be simplified to “in southern England”.

4. Example Lichfield Mercury • PUPILS and staff at both of Rugeley's high schools had fun raising money for Children In Need last week. • At Fair Oak Business and Enterprise Collegeon Penkridge Bank Road, students donated £1 to wear non-uniforms with some not bothering to get dressed at all, arriving in nightwear! • The sum of £800 was generated for the charity. • A group of Year 8 students separately raised almost £200 after being sponsored by family and friends • How many avoided words are in here i.e. a, an, the, that or adjectives and adverbs: rather, quiet, very, really, I feel, you, think, as, sort of or kind of, a lot and just?

5. Words to watch out for • Remember words can sound the same, but mean different things i.e.: • Weather or whether • There or their • Draws or drawers • Affect or effect • It and It’s

6. The intro The intro is the opening paragraph and the most important as it draws the audience in. Intros are different in redtops, broadsheets and local newspapers rough guide: Red top: 20 max, Broadsheet 40, and local newspapers 16-22 in the intro and all will contain the 5ws. • Who • What • Where • When • Why

7. Example • LICHFIELD Cathedral has launched a toy appeal to help support the Pathway Project, which works with women and children who suffer domestic abuse ( Source: Lichfield Mercury). • Who? • What? • Where? • When? • Why? • (what is the human interest angle of this?)

8. Inverted Pyramid

9. Using the 5ws in the intro and beyond • When: Hard news stories need to be up to date, it would not be necessary to say at 3.pm today, it would be better to say earlier today or last night. • Where: local papers focus on the ‘where’ because of the local human angle. National papers would leave the where to later in the story. • Why: remember there is not always a why. • Use positive language and active verbs and strong nouns, but be true to the story • Intro’s for hard news story never start with quotes.

10. AA: Angle and Audience • When structuring a story remember, news stories will always focus on the human angle, remember we should always focus on the human element in the story. The angle should focus on the people i.e • ‘The London Underground grew to a standstill when 300 people were injured.’ • Should be: ‘300 people were injured after a bomb exploded in the London Underground.’

11. Active / Passive words • Active words • In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active. • [Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action] • Michael drives the car • Subject verb objective receiving the action • Passive • In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence • Passive (The car is driven by Michael) • Keep it ACTIVE

12. Lichfield Mercury example • Rail campaigners step up fight MORE than 200 residents attended a meeting to discuss controversial high speed rail plans. The tail end of published plans for HS2 suggest the line cuts into the county as far as Lichfield, where it joins the existing West Coast Main Line. Last month, the Government announced a new "Y" shaped taking the line further north than previously planned. That adjusted route is expected to be released before Christmas. In the meantime, hundreds of residents flocked to Whittington Village Hall on Friday – donating £113 in aid of Children in Need despite the pressing concerns. "Well over 200 very concerned local people attended Friday's meeting to discuss the highly controversial plans for a high speed rail line," said county councillor Robert Marshall, cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure.

13. Interviewing people • A tape recorder would be best or learning shorthand. • Remember when quoting people you must write down their names and ages, and where they are from i.e. Lichfield, Birmingham and check and double check with them that these spellings are correct. • Further, do not change what they have said directly quote what they have said.

14. Using Quotes • When reporting speech in hard news stories speech is always reported in the past tense i.e. she said. • Said is the word most used when attributing quotes, however this can become boring throughout the article so other words you could use include: commented, pointed out, replied, claimed or alleged. • Claimed and alleged would only be used for controversial statements, you MUST not use these. • Admitted: again would be used to admit guilt. • Added: should only be used after a interviewee has been quotes i.e. he added.

15. Quotes • Katie Price, 22, and her husband Alex Reid. Here after would be Mrs Price and Mr Reid. Here after Miss Price and Mr Reid. • When using quotations marks remember that a (,) oe (.) should come inside the quotation mark not outside i.e: • “I’ve had enough of him,” she said. • “I really loved Peter, what else can I say.” • Reporting ages will depend on the newspaper’s house style i,e (22) or , 22.

16. Leicester Mercury example • Debt collector mugged as she left man's home • A robber who mugged a female debt collector for a handbag containing £400 has been jailed. • Dean Randle, who has 54 previous convictions, carried out the attack from behind so that the woman would not recognise him as a customer, Leicester Crown Court heard yesterday. • The victim, who is employed by Provident Personal Credit, had been to his home to collect £100 from his partner, who was also a client. • Randle (27) lay in wait with an unknown accomplice outside his house in Larch Street, near Humberstone Road, in the city, and pounced as she walked to her car. • Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said that Randle made a grab for the victim's bag, which had a shoulder strap across her body. • She put up a determined struggle and, although she could not see Randle, she recognised his voice when he said, "Give me the bag," the court heard. • The bag ripped but the victim refused to let go of it. • The accomplice then approached with a raised fist and, fearing she would be hit, she let it go. • Leicester Crown Court was told the bag contained a total of £400 in cash and a mobile phone worth £200. • The victim suffered a grazed neck caused by the shoulder strap being tightened during the struggle. Witnesses at the scene recognised Randle as one of the muggers. • He admitted the robbery on July 19 this year, as well as breaching a one-year suspended jail sentence for an earlier offence of theft of charity money from a pub. • The suspended sentence was activated, and he was jailed for five years in total, with an extended two-year licence period. • Ms Rose said that Randle had 54 previous offences on his record, including robberies.