1. Journalism 2001 Week 2: January 29, 2007

3. Announcements Job Fairs Job Fairs –http://careers.d.umn.edu/

4. Review of last week’s news Hard News: Hard News: (murder, City Council, government, etc.) –Major local stories –Major national/international stories –Major sports stories Soft News: Soft News: (retirements, school programs, human interest) –Local stories –National/International stories –Sports stories Statesman Statesman Today’s Front Pages Today’s Front Pages Today’s Front Pages Today’s Front Pages

5. On Tuesday, during a visit to Duluth, Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he is confident that state lawmakers will approve spending $37.9 million to help: 1. Build a new Duluth high school 2. Expand the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center 3. Build a new Duluth airport

6. Which city has passed Duluth as Minnesota’s second-busiest airport? 1. Rochester 2. St. Cloud 3. Flying Cloud

7. A proposal to build the world’s first commercial nugget plant is back on track. Where in Minnesota is it located? 1. Iron Range 2. Fridley 3. Rochester medical corridor

8. Which higher education institution suspended football for 2007? 1. Moorhead State University 2. North Hennepin Community College 3. Hibbing Community College

9. Plans to cut these at Duluth’s Sky Harbor Airport are on hold. 1. 10 full-time jobs 2. Old-growth pines 3. Hours for arriving flights

10. Elections are this Tuesday for the chair of this multimillion-dollar operation. 1. University of Minnesota Board of Regents 2. Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa 3. Duluth School District

11. This American won the 2007 Australian Open tennis match. 1. Venus Williams 2. Serena Williams 3. Lindsey Davenport

12. According to the British Medical Journal, what was the most important medical breakthrough of the past 167 years? 1. Antibiotics 2. Vaccines 3. Sewers

13. The UMD Women’s hockey team swept Ohio State last weekend. 1. True 2. False

14. Words matter!

15. Assignment due today: Using the Wednesday (1/24) Duluth News-Tribune, list the stories on the front page, local section and the sports section. Determine if the stories where selected on the traditional news elements of: Using the Wednesday (1/24) Duluth News-Tribune, list the stories on the front page, local section and the sports section. Determine if the stories where selected on the traditional news elements of: –Timeliness –Proximity/relevance –Conflict –Prominence –Consequence & impact –Human Interest Keep evaluations brief: no more than three sentences each. Email Microsoft Word attachment to: lkragnes@d.umn.edu

16. Journalism Case Studies Today: Today: Deciding which critically ill person gets coverage Go to: http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/gallery/ethics/illcover.html - Compiled by University of Indiana School of Journalism

17. Review: Last week’s assignment Common mistakes Common mistakes –Agreement –Possessives Let’s check AP Stylebook….

19. Chapter 4: Summary leads Summary lead literally sums up the story in the lead, giving the reader the most important information first Summary lead literally sums up the story in the lead, giving the reader the most important information first Developed in Civil War when stories sent by telegraph Developed in Civil War when stories sent by telegraph Continued into the 1970s with wire service telegraph machines Continued into the 1970s with wire service telegraph machines

20. Inverted pyramid Put the most important news first Put the most important news first Organize the rest of the paragraphs in descending order of importance Organize the rest of the paragraphs in descending order of importance Why? Lets readers quickly scan a newspaper story and decide whether to continue reading it Why? Lets readers quickly scan a newspaper story and decide whether to continue reading it Different from short stories, novels, most feature stories Different from short stories, novels, most feature stories Easy to cut stories as needed to fit news hole Easy to cut stories as needed to fit news hole

21. The 5 Ws and H! Who? Who? What? What? When? When? Where? Where? Why? Why? How? How? Focal point determines emphasis in lead

22. No two leads the same Reporters covering the same story will write different leads Reporters covering the same story will write different leads Examples from Duluth News-Tribune and Minneapolis Star Tribune about opening of Swenson Science Building Examples from Duluth News-Tribune and Minneapolis Star Tribune about opening of Swenson Science Building

23. How to write a summary lead Usually a single sentence Usually a single sentence No more than 35 words No more than 35 words Bottom line: –Use a single sentence of no more than 35 words in a summary lead

24. Identifying the focal point Which W or H is the focal point? Which W or H is the focal point? Let’s practice: Let’s practice: –The search for a new president for the university has been temporarily postponed.  Who:  What:  When:  Where:  Why:  How: Focal point?

25. Mayor Jane Doe announced today that she will not seek re-election next year. Mayor Jane Doe announced today that she will not seek re-election next year. –Who: –What: –When: –Where: –Why: –How: Focal point?

26. In an effort to increase awareness on campus, the UMD Kirby Program Board has appointed a new coordinator, and she plans to use more advertising to bring about change. In an effort to increase awareness on campus, the UMD Kirby Program Board has appointed a new coordinator, and she plans to use more advertising to bring about change. –Who: –What: –When: –Where: –Why: –How: Focal point?

27. What to avoid Clutter leads: Clutter leads: –Too much information overwhelms readers Buried leads: Buried leads: –Don’t make the reader work too hard

28. Billings Gazette Examples Stuck gas pedal puts automobile in bank office Stuck gas pedal puts automobile in bank office Blizzard leaves ‘nothing to feed’ Blizzard leaves ‘nothing to feed’ Flash flood leaves mess in Buffalo Flash flood leaves mess in Buffalo Buffalo flash flood leaves silt layer, ‘incredible mess’ Buffalo flash flood leaves silt layer, ‘incredible mess’ Subdivision wants county to take over private road Subdivision wants county to take over private road

29. How I write a lead When starting to write a story, I often write out all of my notes, including the direct quotes When starting to write a story, I often write out all of my notes, including the direct quotes Lead often becomes clear in the second graph Lead often becomes clear in the second graph When leaving a meeting, speech, etc., ask myself: What would I tell my friend, husband, person passing in the street? When leaving a meeting, speech, etc., ask myself: What would I tell my friend, husband, person passing in the street? What happened? What happened? Who cares? Who cares?

30. Active voice Write in active/rather than passive voice Write in active/rather than passive voice What’s the difference? What’s the difference? –In active voice, the subject performs the action expressed in the verb; the subject acts –In passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed in the verb; the subject is acted upon Active voice doesn’t mean present tense Active voice doesn’t mean present tense

31. Huh? Active voice: Subject acts Active voice: Subject acts –The dog bit the boy. –Mary will present her research at the conference. –Scientists have conducted experiments to test the hypothesis. Passive voice: Subject acted upon Passive voice: Subject acted upon –The boy was bitten by the dog. –Research will be presented by Mary at the conference. –Experiments have been conducted to test the hypothesis.

32. Summary of summary leads Don’t go with the first lead Don’t go with the first lead Avoid unnecessary words Avoid unnecessary words Avoid gobbledygook Avoid gobbledygook –Government jargon Write clearly, concisely Write clearly, concisely Use vivid verbs Use vivid verbs Use colorful words Use colorful words

33. Chapter 3: Qualities of good writing Poynter Institute for Media Studies Poynter Institute for Media Studies http://www.poynter.org http://www.poynter.org http://www.poynter.org

34. Robert Gunning: 10 Principles of Clear Writing Keep sentences short, on the average Keep sentences short, on the average Prefer the simple to the complex Prefer the simple to the complex –KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid! Use familiar words Use familiar words –10 th grader Avoid unnecessary words Avoid unnecessary words Use active verbs Use active verbs Write the way you talk Write the way you talk Use terms your reader can picture Use terms your reader can picture Tie in with your reader’s experience Tie in with your reader’s experience Use a variety of words Use a variety of words Write to express, not impress Write to express, not impress –Communicate!

35. Words matter!

36. Chapter 5: Organizing a news story Inverted pyramid style Inverted pyramid style –Write a terse lead of no more than 35 words –Provide background  From source or previous story –Present news in order of descending importance  Seldom chronologically –Use quotations early and throughout  After the news, separated by news and paraphrases –Use transitions  Numerically, by time, geographically, with words (also, but, once) –Do not editorialize! –Avoid “the end”  Report news until the end; often end with direct quote

37. Hourglass Style Hourglass Style –Same as inverted pyramid until the turn, a transitional paragraph to introduce a chronology of events –Used when reporting trials, police, fire news Circle Style Circle Style –Mainly for feature stories –Reporter sets scene, returns to it Block Style Block Style –News or feature stories –Often broader story, introduces many sources

38. What about the end? Don’t end with “the end” Don’t end with “the end” No editorial comment to wrap it up No editorial comment to wrap it up Just quit, or use a direct quote Just quit, or use a direct quote

39. Story Pitches for Hard News, Sports Story Assignments Length of story pitch: three paragraphs, about 200 words Length of story pitch: three paragraphs, about 200 words Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy Include the 5 Ws and H: what makes this story newsworthy

40. In-class assignment for 2/5 To help you prepare for the guest speakers, during next week’s class you will be interviewing Lucy Kragness. She will review her background, and each student will ask at least one question. –Assume story assignment for the Statesman –To prepare, review website, write out questions in advance.  http://www.d.umn.edu/~lkragnes http://www.d.umn.edu/~lkragnes

41. Assignment for 2/5 Summary lead exercises Summary lead exercises –Steps to help you:  Identify the five Ws and H –Who? –What? –When? –Where? –Why? –How?  What’s the focal point? –Determine what’s the most important to include –Reminder: Summary lead contains no more than 35 words –Email assignment, written in Microsoft Word, as an attachment to lkragnes@d.umn.edu lkragnes@d.umn.edu

42. Today’s assignment AP Stylebook editing practice AP Stylebook editing practice Summary lead exercise Summary lead exercise –Steps to help you:  Identify the five Ws and H –Who? –What? –When? –Where? –Why? –How?  What’s the focal point? –Determine what’s the most important to include –Reminder: Summary lead contains no more than 35 words –Email assignment, written in Microsoft Word, as an attachment to lkragnes@d.umn.edu lkragnes@d.umn.edu