1. Writing for the News - A Quick Primer
JOURNALISM
Writing for the News - A Quick Primer

2. Different types newspaper articles we will be talking about today:
News Articles
Feature Articles

3. News Articles
All we want are
the facts,
M’am.
Just the facts.
are news stories and focus only on the facts, just like Sergeant Joe Friday in Dragnet.

4. There are several types of news articles:
local news = what's going on in your neighbourhood.
national news = what's happening in the country.
international news = news that's happening outside the country.

5. Journalists today often refer to “hard” news and “soft” news.

6. What’s the difference? Hard news is
Soft news is
usually less important because it entertains, although it may also inform
often less timely than hard news
includes human interest and feature stories which may relate to hard news
appeals more to emotions than to the intellect or the desire to be informed
Hard news is
important to a large number of people.
timely
usually about events in government, politics, foreign affairs, education, labor, religion, courts, etc.

7. Hard News usually attracts fewer readers may not be as interesting
may be more difficult to understand.

8. Many stories are a combination of hard and soft news, and may present some of the information in sidebars and graphics.

10. Feature articles about "softer" news.
may be a profile of a person who does a lot of volunteer work in the community or a movie preview.
not considered news stories.

11. Feature vs. News Feature News Feature is more detailed and descriptive
Have more dialogue using quotations
Put more of self into story
News
Gives basic facts
No opinions
Direct Quotations

12. Writing tips
Although the articles differ in content, here are some basics in writing news.

13. The lead Every news article starts with a lead
first 1-2 sentences summarize the most interesting point of the article.
should be brief yet catchy,
gives the reader an instant sense of what the article is about
Makes reader want to read more.

14. The 5 Ws
News articles always include the essentials -- who, what, where, when and why.

15. Who is involved? made a scientific discovery? is speaking at a forum?
made the donation?
organized the new staff group?
(Not just names, but titles and brief backgrounds if necessary.)
Who

16. What is the nature of the news story or event?
Is it a scientific discovery, a student activity, an appointment to a professorship, an award, a talk given at MIT, a new employee benefit?
What

17. Where is the news or event taking place?
Is it a fair at the Pima Fairgrounds, a talk at the U of A, a theater production in the Little Theater at CFHS?
Is it taking place “in backyards around the country”?
Where

18. When will (or did) the event take place?
What time and date is the event, or
when will someone be available for an interview or to answer questions if needed?
Is it ongoing or something that happened in the past?
When

19. Why is the story newsworthy? why should the reader care?
why is this story or event different from others like it?
Why

20. Pop Quiz! Define each term: hard news, soft news
What are differences between a feature article and a news article?
Give an original example of each of the 5 W’s that might be used in a news story.