Finding the News Writing

What is NEWS to you?

News is … Important Interesting Factual

It might be news if it … Just happened. Affects you, your family, your friends, or someone you know. Reflects a disagreement, argument or conflict. Is about somebody everybody knows. Makes you say, “whoa, that’s weird.” Is something everyone is talking about, even if trivial.

Can something be news for some people but not others?

Who is in your audience?

Where are their stories?

Where can you find news in your school? Where on the Internet? Where in the halls? What places in the school are most likely to have news? Who knows the most about what’s going on? Who are the newsmakers?

This is the end of the presentation for beginners This is the end of the presentation for beginners. At this point, beginners can do the four-corners activity described in the Finding the News lesson plan or move on to a real or virtual campus tour. What follows are directions for a story-finding activity for more advanced students who have already been on a school tour and are looking for more sophisticated story ideas.

The READER WHEEL Draw a circle in the middle of a page. Write an event or issue you would like to cover in the center of the circle. On the spokes attached to that hub, list the people or groups who might be interested in, involved in, affected by or curious about the event or issue. Don’t edit yourself. Write down as many as you can think of, even if their connection is remote. As presented by Professor Jacqui Banaszynski, Knight Chair in Journalism, University of Missouri

The READER WHEEL Each spoke may represent a story or an approach. Some of the best ideas for stories can come from thinking of an approach that might appeal to just one of those groups. Or think of an idea for one group, then rotate the same idea one spoke over. How would the story change if written for a different audience? A typical Reader Wheel for a high school publication should include students, teachers, parents, administrators, other school staff, coaches, maybe community members. You can go deeper and divide the students into different categories, based on the topic. Focus student journalists on the importance of coming up with news stories that appeal to these people. As presented by Professor Jacqui Banaszynski, Knight Chair in Journalism, University of Missouri

For each potential type of reader, ask yourself: What do they want to know? What do they NEED to know? What can your publication tell them that no one else can or will? Stop here for discussion. Students should be offering more specific ideas at this point, but encourage general topics, too.

Now try a PLACES WHEEL Write the name of your school in the a new circle on a new piece of paper. Take an imaginary tour of your school right now. On the spokes, write down all of the places in your school where you might find something worth writing about in a newspaper or yearbook or recording for a broadcast.

Pick at least one person you don’t know. SHARE Take a few minutes to share your wheels and “places” lists with two other people in the room. Pick at least one person you don’t know. Add any new ideas you get from them to your lists! Have students turn in their wheels as exit cards.