News Reporting & Writing Exam 2

Sections Technique is used often in nonfiction storytelling called "__________ _________"

"narrative writing."

What did Stephen Quinn, a mobile journalist and professor from Australia, call the smartphone concerning journalism? ("___ ____ ____ ______" of journalism)

"the Swiss army knife" of journalism. "They're compact, light and discreet. Take a mobile phone and a broadcast quality microphone and the world is your storybook,"

What was the deception in that case?

- ABC television network reporters lied on job applications to get hired by the Food Lion supermarket chain, - and they used hidden cameras and microphones to record employees processing food and discussing meat department practices. - The reporters for "Primetime Live" then produced a story accusing Food Lion of selling rotten meat, fish and cheese. - Food Lion didn't challenge the facts but instead sued for trespass and won a $5 million judgment. - But the trial judge said that was too much and cut the award to $315,000. - ABC appealed, and a federal court later reduced the award to just $2 — a dollar for trespassing and another dollar for breaching employees' legal duty of loyalty to an employer.

Name an Advantage and Disadvantage to using the Hourglass Structure.

- Advantage: Narrative storytelling in the chronological portion adds drama to the story. - Disadvantage: The chronological portion of the story may repeat some of the key information in the top of the story, making it longer than a basic inverted pyramid.

What is one way to determine if your story is suitable for sections?

- Envision subheads for it. - Then decide whether you have enough information in each subhead group to warrant a separate section.

What exactly goes in the "Burial" section?

- Name the place, and provide memorial information when available. - When the death occurred a week or more ago, it is customary to start with information about the service or a memorial if that has not yet been conducted.

What are Narrative Techniques?

- Narrative writing combines show-in-action description, dialogue, plot and reconstruction of an event as it occurred. - This type of writing requires a bond of faith with the reader because attribution is limited. - You need to make it clear where you got the information, but you don't need to attribute repeatedly. - You can also use an overview attribution for portions of the story and then attribute periodically, especially when you are quoting sources.

What are a few major differences between print and broadcast writing?

- Placement of Attribution - When to use Active voice - Present Tense usage - Update leads

What is meant by "Background?"

- Profiles should not be written in chronological order. - The subject's background should be inserted where it fits best, often in the middle of the story. - But in some cases, when the background is the most interesting or crucial element, it may be the lead or in the beginning of the story, as in this example about a New Orleans detective who overcame adversity to become a successful detective.

What are the names of the ways to form your endings? (

- Quote Kicker - Circle Kicker - Future-Action Kicker - Climaxes - Cliffhangers

When immediacy is not the primary factor, many of the reporting principles that you use for traditional print or broadcast news apply to mobile media.

- Research the background of the story. - Find sources online, in social media or on site. - Plan your questions. - Gather text, audio, video and photos (using personal interviews, email, social media or online sources). - Produce the story in one or several methods: print, audio, video or a combination of them. - Check and verify accuracy of your sources and information.

What is the Hourglass Structure?

- The hourglass form can start like the inverted pyramid, giving the most important hard-news information in the top of the story. - Then it contains chronological storytelling for a part or for the rest of the story.

Future-Action Kickers: what are some exceptions to consider when using this type of ending? (4)

- This technique only works if the story lends itself to a future element. - If the next step is crucial to the story, it should be higher in the body. - But if it works as a natural conclusion, then it can be the ending. - It can be in the form of a statement or a quote.

What are a differences between print and broadcast writing concerning Update Leads?

- Use the latest information. - This technique is recommended for all media, but especially for broadcast and the Web. + Old news: Eighteen eagles were flown to the bird rescue center Saturday. + Updated: Eighteen eagles are recovering at the bird rescue center, where they were flown Saturday.

What exactly goes in the "Survivors" section?

- Use the names of immediate family members (husband or wife, with her maiden name; children; brothers and sisters). - Grandchildren are usually mentioned only by number: "He is survived by five grandchildren." - New complications are arising these days because of changes in family relationships. - Many news publications now list unmarried partners as survivors. - In the future these relationships may also be a standard part of obituaries.

What kind of questions should you ask to write a narrative?

- What were you thinking at the time? - What were you feeling? - What did you say? - What were you wearing? - What were you doing? - You need to get details about colors, sounds, sights, smells, sizes, shapes, times and places.

Name some ways to organize section stories

- by points of view. For example, in a story about a controversial government issue, such as a new landfill, you could arrange the story in sections for each group affected by the proposal. - by time frames — starting with the present, moving to the past for background, then back to present developments and ending with the future.

What are a differences between print and broadcast writing concerning Active Voice?

Active voice is preferable for print but even more necessary for broadcast. - Active: Volunteers at the center washed the eagles with Dawn detergent. - Passive: The eagles were washed with Dawn detergent by the volunteers at the center.

Name an Advantage and Disadvantage to using the Inverted Pyramid

Advantage: the reader gets the crucial information quickly. Disadvantage: the reader may not read past the crucial information.

What are a differences between print and broadcast writing concerning Attribution?

Always first in broadcast: - The bird rescue center's director says one of the eagles died. First or last for print and the Web: - One of the eagles died last night, said the director of the bird rescue center.

How long are VO's and VOSOT's?

Both formats are usually brief — from 0:20 (20 seconds) to 0:45 (45 seconds).

How to make a successful narrative?

Create Tone & Seek Unusual Stories

What are the Basic Elements of Profiles?

Focus, Theme, & Background

What is a Cliffhanger?

Give the readers or viewers a mystery, and make them want to find out what happens next.

What exactly goes in the "Identification" section?

How do you describe a person's life in one brief phrase? That's not so easy to do, but most obituaries start with a lead that identifies the person and summarizes the main accomplishment of his life. Usually, people are identified by occupation or community service. Always try to find something special to use following the name, such as "John Doe, a retired salesman" or "Jane Doe, a homemaker who was active in her church."

What exactly goes in the "Age" section?

In some cases, a family will request that you withhold the age. You should confer with an editor about honoring this request.

What is the Inverted Pyramid?

It's a story structured with the most important information at the top of the story, followed by supporting points in descending order of importance. - It usually starts with a summary lead that gives some of the basics: who, what, when, where, why.

Obituary Guidelines: What must all obituaries contain? (9)

Name Age Date and Place of Death Cause of Death Address Background Survivors Services Burial

What exactly goes in the "Background" section?

Specify major accomplishments, organizations, educational background, military background and any other highlights. When people are very active in their church, mosque or synagogue, this fact should be mentioned in the obituary.

What exactly goes in the "Services" section?

Specify the time, date and location.

Which order summary leads are favored for broadcast writing? (Hint: _____-____-______)

Subject-Verb-Object Order Summary leads (who did what or what happened).

True or False: Point of Emphasis: Most of the time when you write a hard-news lead, you put the most important information first. Or you might want the point of emphasis at the end of the sentence.

TRUE

True or False? If the information is on public records, a statement without attribution is OK

TRUE

True or False? Passive voice explains what action is being done to whom.

TRUE

True or False? The structure in active voice is subject-verb-object: who is doing the action.

TRUE

True or False? Write a lead that will follow with your strongest quote. Start with the focus graph, and write the lead later.

TRUE

What exactly goes in the "Address" section?

Tell where the person lived when he died and previous areas of residence for any major length of time. Broadcast obituaries rarely use the specific address.

What exactly goes in the "Cause of death" section?

This fact is not required at all newspapers, especially if the cause of death was suicide or AIDS-related, or when the family requests that the cause be withheld. However, some news organizations require the cause of death, regardless of stigma or family wishes. So check your organization's policy before you gather the information. You may have to inform family members of the policy. If a suicide occurs on a college campus, the news spreads quickly. Should it be mentioned in a campus newspaper story or obituary? That's an ethical dilemma that campus news editors and directors have debated. If it is public and well known around the school, one approach is to do a general story about suicide, which is a significant issue on college campuses. In most cases, however, suicide is not mentioned in the obituary out of respect for the family.

What is the Sections Technique?

This technique involves dividing a story into sections, like book chapters, and separating them by a graphic device such as a large dot or a large capital letter.

True of False: Climaxes are more suited to features in narrative style or short news stories that tease the reader in the beginning and compel the reader to find out what happens.

True

True or False? A version of The Wall Street Journal formula also works well for some broadcast stories, especially when you want the lead to focus on a person in order to explain a larger issue, a program, a trend or a study.

True

True or False? Another version of the inverted pyramid format for broadcast is chronological storytelling. After the hard-news lead, the story may be told from beginning to end. If the story starts with a soft lead, such as a focus on a person, the structure resembles The Wall Street Journal formula.

True

True or False? Before you can do narrative writing, you need to do thorough reporting.

True

True or False? Before you use anything from a website for background research, make sure that you check it for accuracy.

True

True or False? Cliffhangers are excellent devices for stories on the Web.

True

True or False? Deception remains controversial in ethical terms.

True

True or False? Don't use the ending to summarize information as you might in a term paper. Instead of repeating information, cut the story to the last important point or last good quote.

True

True or False? For columnists, the ending is more important than the beginning. The twist or main point the writer is trying to make is at the end of the column. In many cases the lead could be an ending.

True

True or False? However, it is not always possible to time the visuals exactly to the text the anchor is reading, so it is best not to say "as on your screen" or to use other direct reference to the video.

True

True or False? Narrative writing is not fiction. You must stick to the facts even though the story may read like a novel.

True

True or False? Returning to your lead as a way to find your ending is an excellent technique.

True

True or False? The Hourglass Structure also works for broadcast news.

True

True or False? The ending should give a summary feeling to your story without repeating any information you have stated previously.

True

True or False? The inverted pyramid is the most common form used for print, broadcast and online news as well as news releases in public relations.

True

True or False? These two formats (VO and VOSOT) often comprise a majority of the stories on a broadcast. Because TV depends on images, both VOs and VOSOTs feature images while the anchor is reading the story.

True

What exactly goes in the "Name" section?

Use full name, middle initial and nickname if it was commonly used. Enclose the nickname in quotation marks.

What exactly goes in the "Date and Place of death" section?

Use the day of the week if the death occurred that week, the date if it was more than a week prior to the obituary. State the name of a hospital, if applicable, or other location where the death occurred.

What are a differences between print and broadcast writing concerning Present Tense?

Use when possible for broadcast; past tense is more common in print and the Web. - Present: One eagle remains in critical condition. - Past: One eagle remained in critical condition.

But you may need to use passive voice when the emphasis is on...?

WHAT happened instead of WHO caused it to happen, especially in police or court stories.

What is meant by "Themes?"

What is the difference between a nut graph and a theme? The nut graph is the reason for the story, but the theme is an angle or recurring idea that weaves throughout the story. Some general themes for profiles might be overcoming adversity; succeeding against odds; or coping with failure, illness or serious problems.

What is meant by "Focus?"

What is the main idea of the profile? What makes this person newsworthy? Why are you writing about this person now? Those questions should be answered in the nut graph.

What are Future-Action Kickers

When stories end with the next step in the development of an issue.

Circle Kickers: what does that mean?

When you return to your lead for an idea to end your story in a full circle.

What does it mean to use an Out-of-Gas Ending?

You can always just end when you have no more to say.

Quote Kickers, how do they work?

You look for a quote that sums up the mood or main idea of the story.

The VO and VO-SOT differ from a "package," what does that mean?

a "package" is a story that includes an introduction by the anchor to the story that a reporter narrates with sound bites and pictures and sometimes a "stand-up," which features the reporter on camera. It usually ends with a "standard outcue," which is the reporter sign-off, such as "This is Jennifer Zilko for KTUU."

What is a VOSOT (pronounced "VOH-SOT")?

a voice-over the anchor reads PLUS a sound bite — also called sound on tape.

What is a VO?

a voice-over, a story that the anchor reads over pictures but without any audio sound bites.

Between active and passive voice, which is preferable for all media but more essential for broadcast because it conveys more immediacy?

active voice

Delayed Identification: When the who in your lead is not a well-known person in your community or in the nation, you can identify the person by...?

age, location, occupation or another modifier in the first paragraph.

In The Wall Street Journal Formula, the lead can be... (3)

anecdotal, descriptive or narrative.

Where should you put the attribution in broadcast writing?

at the beginning of the sentence. Broadcast: Fire officials say the blaze started in the basement.

The Wall Street Journal Formula: After the nut graph, the story then presents...

backup for the lead and supporting points.

Quote Kickers: When you end with a quote, put the attribution _______ the quote OR, in a two-quote ending, ______ the first sentence.

before; after

The Wall Street Journal Formula: The ending usually ______ ____ ______ by using a quote or anecdote from the person in the lead or a future development of something mentioned in the beginning of the story.

comes full circle

Quote Kickers are the most...

common type of ending is the quote kicker. - Do not let the last words the reader remembers be "he said."

The Hourglass Structure should be used when the story has...

dramatic action that lends itself to chronological order for part of the story. - The technique is useful in crime or disaster stories to recount the event.

Where should the nut graph go?

early in the story — usually by the third to fifth paragraph.

The Wall Street Journal Formula: After the lead, it is followed by a...

focus graph — nut graph — that gives the main point of the story. - This paragraph should explain what the story is about and why it is important (the "so what" factor).

The idea of The Wall Street Journal Formula is to...

go from the specific to the general, starting with a paragraph or two about a person, place or event that illustrates the main point of the story.

What is one of the most important qualities of mobile journalism?

immediacy

Louis Hodges, professor emeritus of ethics at Washington and Lee University, suggests that you apply three tests: (I.A.S)

importance, accuracy and safety.

When is it appropriate to use Out-of-Gas Endings?

in hard-news stories, particularly those structured with a summary lead and arranged with supporting points in descending order of importance. - You can end on a quote, future action or another fact in the story.

What type of writing does the Sections Technique word best for?

in-depth stories such as investigations or long features.

what is a soft lead?

it delays telling the reader what the story is about by teasing the reader with a description or a storytelling approach before the focus is stated in a separate paragraph called the "nut graph."

What is The Wall Street Journal Formula?

it is a format that starts with a soft lead, focusing on a person, scene or event.

In print and Web writing, where should the attribution be placed?

it may come at the end of the sentence. Print: The blaze started in the basement, fire officials say.

*The Sections Technique lends itself to cliffhanger endings for each section or for each day's installment if the story is presented as a series. Think of the sections as separate chapters, complete in themselves but tied together by the overall focus and story plot.

just know the front

The ending also is called the "______." Think of it as a clincher.

kicker

Delayed Identification: After identifying a person by another modifier in the first paragraph, you then identify the person by ______ in the second paragraph.

name. When you use delayed identification, even if your story involves several people, the first name you use should be the one you referred to in your lead.

Cliffhangers are much more conductive to what kind of story telling?

narrative storytelling - especially in a long feature, but it can be applied to hard news if the story stops at a crucial point.

Just as immediacy is crucial for mobile media, it is also a major factor for _____ _______________ that publish websites.

news organizations Even if you are reporting a breaking news story for a newspaper, plan to report it first on the Web. The days of waiting until the next publication cycle for a breaking news story in a newspaper are over. What is happening now? What are the latest developments? How can you update the story, giving it a "forward spin" to tell what will happen next?

Where to Say When: The time element can be confusing in a lead. In breaking news, when something happened yesterday, the time element usually placed...

not first in the sentence. But you need to place it where it is accurate, even if it sounds awkward.

In print publications, ________ and _________ enhance a story. In television news the _________ elements are crucial.

photos and graphics visuals

The Wall Street Journal Formula: This technique is also effective for broadcast news because viewers...

relate to people, so starting the story by focusing on a person affected by a problem is a good way to hook viewers

When you attribute information in broadcast writing, "_____" gives more immediacy than "_____."

says; said However, if it is awkward to use the present tense, use "said."

Cliffhangers are usually reserved for the endings of stories arranged in...

sections or series that will continue on another day. - But it also can be used in the middle of stories to compel the reader to continue.

Also called "feature leads," "delayed leads" or "indirect leads," _____ ______

soft leads

If the subject is serious — death, disaster, a major change in the law — consider a ___________-lead approach. Breaking news that happened yesterday or today also lends itself to a hard-news lead.

summary

What is an example of a case of deception that generated considerable media discussion in the 1990s?

the Food Lion/ABC-TV case.

When you are writing a story for print, broadcast and online publication, you will probably rely on the two most common formats:

the Inverted Pyramid and a version of The Wall Street Journal formula.

Hard-News Leads How do you decide whether to use a direct or indirect lead? The choice depends on several factors: (4 factors)

the significance of the news, the timing, proximity (interest to your local readers or viewers) or subject matter.

Sections Technique is also useful for the Web because...

the story can be divided into several Web pages — one section with audio and video per page. - It may also work for small-screen mobile media devices if the story is compelling enough to entice readers to click into the next section.

Climaxes work for what kind of writing?

this type of ending works on stories written like fiction, where the reader is kept in suspense until the end.

Passive voice stresses...?

those to whom the action is done.

The Wall Street Journal Formula: The body of the story is arranged...

topically, with one point leading to another.

The Wall Street Journal Formula: This structure is useful for stories about...

trends, major issues, features, news sidebars and news events that lend themselves to a feature approach.

To set up the chronological narrative, you can...

use an overview attribution such as "Police gave the following account" or "Witnesses described the accident this way," followed by a colon. - However, this type of attribution should be used only for a few paragraphs, so the reader does not forget who is speaking.

Active voice stresses...?

who is doing the action

Elements of Summary Leads A summary lead should answer several, but not all, of the basic questions:

who, what, when, where and why, plus how and so what. - Choose the most important factors for the lead. Save the others for the second or third paragraph.

At the end of a cliffhanger online in the middle of a story, what can you do to entice the readers to continue reading?

you could place a hyperlink to entice readers to click to the next section.

Before using any form of deception, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the information of such overriding public importance that it can help people avoid harm? • Is there any way you could obtain the information through conventional reporting methods, such as standard interviews or public records? • Are you placing innocent people at risk? For example, you should not pose as a nurse, law enforcement officer or employee in a job for which you might not be trained. Deceptive reporting techniques are fraught with risks, such as lawsuits for invasion of privacy. On the other hand, deception may be the only way to reveal matters of great public concern. Even with such reasoning, using deception may still be unethical.

As with a print story, the story is organized from the specific to the general information. It still follows a sequence developed around a basic chronology:

• Lead-in focuses on a person who exemplifies the problem • General idea: statement of the problem or situation (equivalent to the nut graph in print writing) • Background or past issues that led to the current situation • Return to current or future developments

The broadcast story structure may be interpreted as sequences developed around a chronology:

• Lead-in tells who or what happened • Current situation • Background • Ending with current or future developments

How do print and broadcast style differ?

• Print: What happened or who did what? Past tense. • Broadcast and the Web: What is happening now or who is doing what now. Present tense is preferable.

How do you decide what information should be arranged from most to least importance? Use your judgment. Some questions to ask are... (4)

• What will affect the reader most? • What questions does the lead raise that need to be answered immediately? • What supporting quotes are strongest? • How does the story affect readers?

To find your lead, ask yourself these questions:

• What will hook the reader's or viewer's attention? • What does the reader or viewer need to know first or most to understand the story? • What is the story about?