News EditingSpring 2009

Today’s agenda—Jan. 30• Due to inclement weather on Wednesday

our agenda will include:– Discussing What Is News?– Holding an in-class Budget Meeting– Preparing for Quiz #1, scheduled for

Monday

What Is News?• If you had to judge what entails news

based on what you see in local newspapers, what would it be?

• Take a look at the newspaper you chose and come up with a couple of answers to the question

Qualities of News Stories• Timeliness or immediacy• Proximity or closeness• Unusualness• Celebrity or prominence of person• Human interest—special problems• Conflict with government, with people• Impact—more the better• Helpfulness—how to and consumer• Entertainment—features• Issues in the community• Trends—patterns or shifts

Two types of news1. Hard news

– Timely– Conflicts– Just happened– Answer these questions

• What happened• Why it happened• How readers are affected

– Examples: Crimes, fires, meetings, speeches, court testimony

Two types of news2. Soft news

– Entertains– Informs– Emphasizes human interest and novelty– Examples: profiles, features– Focus on

• People• Places • Issues • Things• Can be based on news

Four step process of a news story1. Conceive the idea—can come from

editor or reporter

2. Collect data—this is the reporting stage (reporter)

3. Construct—planning and writing stage (reporter)

4. Correct—read it and make any changes; editing stage (predominantly editor)

Mock budget meeting• http://www.iowastatedaily.com/our_newsp

aper/apply/• Here are the roles:

– Editor in chief– News editor– Sports editor– Opinion page editor– Features editor– Graphics editor

• You are planning next week’s paper. How would you do that?

Where do ideas come from?• Editor generated

– Press/news releases– Scanning previous papers– Scanning competitors papers– Commemorative days and holidays

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commemorative_days

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commemorative_months

Where do ideas come from?• Reporter generated

– Beats• http://headlinespot.com/for/journalists/

#beat• http://mindymcadams.com/tojou/2008/

reporting-beats-re-examined/• http://www.contentious.com/2009/01/15/

cloud-journalism-and-the-fate-of-beats/– Tips

• Generally from readers or viewers• “Axe to grind”

Samples for Quiz #1• Every reporter (was, were) asked to give

(his or her, their) assistance.• The students (has, have) lost (his or her,

their) books.• Each person should take care of (his or

her, their) business.• Each of the partygoers (was, were) asked

to bring (his or her, their) favorite wine.• Enrique is the (older, oldest) of the two

students.

Monday’s agenda• Quiz #1—10 questions• Review of Chapter 3 from your book,

The Editing Process