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The Basic News Story

The Basic News Story. Hofstra JRNL 10 * Prof. Vaccaro. Today’s Roadmap. AP Style Practice Quiz Review quiz structure answers after 20 min Lecture on The Basic News Story Talk about next class. Finding the focus. Determine the focus of a news story: What’s this story really about?

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The Basic News Story

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  1. The Basic News Story Hofstra JRNL 10 * Prof. Vaccaro

  2. Today’s Roadmap • AP Style Practice Quiz • Review quiz structure answers after 20 min • Lecture on The Basic News Story • Talk about next class

  3. Finding the focus • Determine the focus of a news story: What’s this story really about? • How are the readers or viewers affected? Does anyone really care? • How would you tell the story to a friend?

  4. Elements of a basic news story • Headline: line at the top of a story • Lead: The hook that tells the reader what the story is about • Nut graph: Sentence or paragraph that states the focus – the main point • The rest … context, quotes, research and all other material you need to fit in

  5. Elements: The Headline • Headline should tell the reader what it’s about • Identifies the main idea of the story • Should draw people in. People will decided if they want to read based on the headline • Some platforms off decks or secondary headlines • Online headers focus on SEO … Search Engine Optimization.

  6. Elements: The Lead • Good lead entices reader to keep reading • If it’s boring, bland or lacking info, they will turn the page • Hard news, lead is usually one sentence – the first sentence of the story • Some stories, however, have a soft lead or feature lead • Summary lead: Summarizes the main points about what happened. Answers who, what, where, when, why and how • Usually 35 words or less are preferable (only a guideline) • Brief, to the point (remember people have limited time and limited attention spans!) • Feature lead: for profiles, feature stories … longer, more creative, less strict on requirements. For this class, we’re focused on Summery Leads.

  7. Elements: The Nut Graph • Could be crucial if a story starts with feature lead … because it leaves out info you need in the nut. • Should be placed high in the story, generally third or fourth graph. • Example • Anecdotal ldea: Until Hollywood calls, film major Wesley Adkins said he’s okay with being a struggling artist. But by the time he graduates, the junior may wish he was a business major. Already his student loans total $25,000. • Nut graph: As the cost of attending UC Santa Cruz, or for that matter most any university, has skyrocketed over the past three years, mounting debt from student aid has kept pace. More and more students are leaving school, including many at this weekend’s UCSC graduation ceremonies, with huge financial burdens.

  8. Elements: Quotes • After lead, body of the story should support the focus with info from sources. • Lead quote isn’t required, but helps get your point across and makes the info credible. • Example • Lead: Soon-to-be graduate Michael Kearney hasn’t chosen a major yet – but give him time, he’s only 11. • Nut: Michael will begin tackling graduate studies at the University of West Florida this summer. • Quote: “We don’t push him,” said his mother, Cassidy Kearney. “He pushes us. We just try and keep up with him.”

  9. Elements: Other items • Impact: When possible, explain how the news affects the reader. Timeliness, proximity, how-to? • Context: All info after lead/nut/quotes • Fairness: Getting quotes from both sides • Ending: Trickle down to least important info • Attribution: Where did you get this info? • Credit all sources • Ask yourself: “According to who?” • You need to attribute all quotes!

  10. The Inverted Pyramid

  11. Research the news • Everyone find a story on NYTimes.com … any story, and copy and paste the following into a Word Doc: • The lead • The Nut • The Quote • One piece of context from rest of story • The final sentence

  12. Research the news • Let’s take a look at the top story on the following sites to analyze story structure: • The New York Times • Newsday • CNN • NBC • Huffington Post

  13. Remember this … • ABC’s of a news story • Accuracy of face and language • Brevity in making the point succinctly • Clarity so there is no doubt about what happened.

  14. Key takeaways • State the focus, the main idea, of your story in one sentence. • To find your lead, as yourself: What is important or most interesting? • Write the story in a conversational tone as though you were telling a friend. • Consider how your story will affect readers. • Consider what photographs, graphics or multimedia you need for print or online. • Consider how your story could be promoted or discussed on social media platforms. • Consider what the next story is, the follow up and beyond.

  15. Next Class • REMINDER: NO CLASS Sept. 18 (as per HU) • Slight chance no class on Sept. 22, will keep you posted on this. • QUIZ: First real News Quiz • LECTURE: Quotes, attribution • In-class work/assignments on leads/nuts/story structure, combining info on quotes!

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