Maria Normela A. Oliveros

Editor-in-Chief, The FlameThe Official Publication of the College of Education in URSM

News Writing

Let’s talk about …

Outline•What is news?•Elements of News•News Gathering•Writing the News•News Leads

News

•North, East, West, South•Contains 5 Ws and H•News is “tomorrow’s history unfolding today.”•A break from the normal flow of events, an interruption with the expected•A timely report of events, facts and views that concern a significant number of people• News is what is new; it’s what’s happening• News writing is the most basic skill that a journalist must possess

Characteristics of News1. Accurate2. Balanced and Fair3. Truthful4. Objective5. Concise6. Properly attributed7. Well-written

Elements of News1. Timeliness/Immediacy2. Proximity3. Prominence4. Oddity5. Conflict6. Suspense7. Human Interest8. Consequence9. Significance10.Development

News Gathering

Data gathering1. Actual coverage of events2. Interviewing an expert or

persons in authority3. Use of documents, such as

speeches, policy statements, research reports, press releases, and other important papers

Steps in Writing the News Story

• List down all data.

• Arrange facts in a descending order of importance.

• Make a lead play up the most interesting and important points.

• Present the other details of the news in the next paragraph to answer the questions not yet answered

The Lead

First paragraph of the news story that gives the reader the sense of the story to follow

An eye-catching sentence that stimulates the interest of the reader yet devoid of misleading information

Serves as bait to hook the reader

Gives direction as to how the story will be unfolded

Tells the most important facts of the news story.

Readers will decide whether the message is compelling, entertaining or informative enough to warrant their attention

What do my readers need to know most?

Which fact or facts shall appear in the lead?

Get to the point!

Don’t waste my time!

Tell me the story!

1. Direct/Summary LeadIt answers the five Ws and one H (What, Who, Where, When, Why and How).

2. Delayed/Novelty LeadIt attracts reader’s attention, arouses his curiosity and sustains his interest.

Classification of Lead

Direct/Summary Lead

Aiming to boost the morale of student athletes to have a chance at the city meet’s over-all crown, Mr. Bonnie Macario, principal of Gov. Pelaez Memorial National High School, announced yesterday that there would be equivalent incentives for won games and broken records.

Delayed/Novelty Lead

When athletes are loved, the championship is next!

Gov. Pelaez Memorial National High School thru its principal, Mr. Bonnie Macario, proclaimed yesterday its desire for the city meet’s over-all crown by giving equivalent incentives to its student athletes as morale-booster for every won games and broken records.

Direct/Summary Lead

Inaanyayahang dumalo ang mga alumni o nagtapos sa Mataas na Paaralan ng Talamitam mula Batch 1948 hanggang 2013 sa kauna-unahang Grand Alumni Homecoming na gaganapin sa TNHS gymnasium sa Okt. 25.

Delayed/Novelty Lead

May kilala ka bang alumni o nagtapos sa Mataas na Paaralan ng Talamitam mula Batch 1948-2013?

Kung mayroon, sila ay inaanyayahang dumalo sa kauna-unahang Grand Alumni Homecoming na gaganapin sa TNHS gymnasium sa Okt. 25.

T ypes of News Leads:Rarely use these...

“Who lead” - begins with a person. The personis usually not the most impor tant fact of the story.

“When lead” - begins with time. Rarely is thetime the most imporant factor .

“Where lead” - begins with the place. Hardlyever is where the most important factor.

T ypes of Ne ws Leads:Use these often...

“How lead” - begins with the how of the story.Used often.

“Why lead” - begins with the cause the story.Used often.

“What lead” - begins with the fact of the story.Used often.

Copyreading and Headline Writing

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is now organizing more than 200 job fairs across the country to help those set to graduate this school year, Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said.

Subject + action verb + object

DOLE conducts nationwide job fairs

The Body

Amplifies, gives examples and explains the beginning or the lead

Must include the chronology of the issue

Contains background and secondary details

Must cite sources of information

Must use primary sources for crucial data

Write in the third person

Use “said” for attribution

Make use of transitions

One sentence, one idea, one paragraph

Dagdag diskwento sa senior citizen, isinulong

Iminungkahi ng isang mambabatas na bigyan pa ng karagdagang diskwento ang mga senior citizen. Sa kanyang panukala, nais ni Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Godofredo Arquiza na mabigyan ng 20 porsyento na diskwento sa lahat ng bibilhin ng mga senior citizen. Kabilang sa mga iminumungkahi sa House Bill 6681 na mapatawan ng 20 porsyento na diskuwento para sa mga senior citizen ang professional license at driver’s license fees, business license at permit fees. Aniya, layunin ng panukala na makilala ang karapatan ng mga nakakatanda alinsunod sa Saligang Batas, kung saan nakasaad na dapat bigyang prayoridad ang pangangailangan ng mga nakatatanda.

“Article 15, Section 4 declares that it is the duty of the family to take care of its elderly members while the State may design programs of social security for them,” pahayag ni Arquiza. Sinabi pa ng kinatawan ng mga matatanda na layunin din ng panukalang batas na mabigyan ang matatanda ng suporta sa ikakaayos ng kanilang buhay at kanilang sektor sa lipunan. Sa panukala, inuutusan ang Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Finance, Department of Interior and Local Government na gumawa ng mga palatuntunan at regulation upang maramdaman ang layunin ng panukala. “It is the Supreme Court that shall promulgate the appropriate guidelines in the implementation of this Act in respect of the docket fees,” ani Arquiza.

DepED IV-A pioneers good governance

The Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON thru the leadership of Regional Director Dr. Diosdado M. San Antonio gathered educational administrators, leaders and managers in a forum on transparent, ethical and accountable (TEA) governance with the theme, “Pamamahalang Tapat Para Sa Edukasyong Sapat.”

TEA governance, San Antonio’s advocacy in upright leadership, aims to heighten the awareness on the need to realize the DepEd Vision and Mission through good governance among school frontliners including superintendents, supervisors, principals and unit heads.

“Let us make DepEd CALABARZON the leading region not only in academic excellence, but more of honesty and integrity,” San Antonio said.

Education Sec. Br. Armin Luistro graced the event and shared some measures of righteous service.

Luistro urged schools not to compete with each other; rather, compete against self by comparing the school’s previous result with the present.

The secretary also reminded the leaders on the proper use of government funds.

“Transparency board of all school income should be seen by the public,” he said.

The event also featured inspirational speaker Ferdinand “Chinkee” Tan who talked about financial management and Francis Kong who underlined how perspective determines outcomes.

Through this forum, the DepEd believes educational leaders would manifest commitment to adopt the best leadership and management practices that will strengthen TEA governance in CALABARZON.

The forum was held on Feb. 27 at the Ynares Sports Complex, Antipolo City.

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Tips in Writing the News Effectively• Write the news as soon as you have gathered the facts.• List facts according to their descending importance.• Highlight the most important data as your lead.• Be accurate in presenting facts.• Omit verbal deadwood and redundanciesFor the reason that becauseAt the present time nowTender his resignation resignedTold his listeners saidHeld a conference met

Past history, dead corpse, final conclusion, fatal killing,other alternatives, free gift,advance prediction,

Tips in Writing the News Effectively

•Avoid editorializing.•Be objective.•Make short paragraphs. •One sentence one paragraph.•Use simple and familiar words.•Never use the first person.•Prefer active than passive voice. (English)•Never start the sentence with numerical figure.•Think before you write

Advance Techniques• Requires ability to be not dependent on technology. • Demands flexibility• Entails continuous writing to be acclimatized to the habit of beating deadlines•Have a nose for news• Writing fast is as important as writing well

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Thank you! God bless!

“Love what you are doing and it will love you in return.”