The News Story Deconstructed

What is the goal of a news story?

GIVES READERS, VIEWERS, LISTENERS, USERS THE

INFORMATION, NEWS, FACTS, IN A SUCCINCT, CLEAR,

COHERENT WAY.

A news story:

What’s the difference between a news story

and feature story?

(news story)Oscar Pistorius Guilty, But Not of Murder

Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of culpable homicide, after yesterday being cleared of murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.

(feature story)

Reeva Steenkamp’s Mother Speaks Out in Wake of Oscar Pistorius

Murder Trial

The manslaughter conviction of Oscar Pistorius Friday did nothing to ease the seething anger of his victim’s

parents who raged at his acquittal on murder charges a day earlier. Reeva Steenkamp ripped into the judge for buying the South African sprinter’s argument that he

thought a burglar had hidden in his master bathroom.

(news story)

California wildfires prompt more than 1,000 residents to evacuate

About 1,000 California residents and visitors were evacuated from the path of a raging wildfire on Sunday, just weeks after an earlier blaze destroyed eight homes in the area.

(feature story)

Mega fires are wake-up call to prep your

wildfire plan

• Stop, drop, and roll. People in the West will become more familiar with these three fire safety directives as drought and development put more of us in harm's way. The recent wildfire in California is just the latest mega fire to raise awareness of the dangerous climate conditions and what to do to stay safe.

The vast majority of news stories use this structure:

Inverted pyramid

• The most important information--who, what, where, when, why and how--goes at the top.

• Less important details go at the bottom.

Inverted Pyramid

What are the parts of a news story?

Parts of a story…

• Headline

• Lede

• Body

• Kicker

Headline

• The headline is at the top of the story.• Tells the reader or user what the story is about. • It’s brief; a quick summary of what’s to come.• Written after the story.

Some famous, memorable headlines:

Lead or Lede

• Generally the first paragraph of the story.

• The hook that tells you what the story is about.

• Think of it like the marquee of a theater or a billboard.

• Has the facts--the “w”s.

Examples

• A 53-year old Westchester man died on Saturday after the motorcycle he was riding struck a deer, the Dutchess County Police said.

• Police arrested a New York couple on Tuesday after they allegedly photographed their two young boys posing with guns, authorities say.

Body

Contains the rest of the story.Explains the “why” if knownStates the rest of the facts.Generally one point per paragraphContains quotes.If there’s controversy, goes back and forth.

Ending or Kicker

• Wraps up the story without being repetitive.

• May point toward the future

• Sometimes witty or cute.

• Often a quote—a good quote.

Who: A nunWhat: Arrested by police for driving drunkWhere: Long IslandWhen: SundaySource: witnesses

Write a headline and lede with these facts….

Headline: Oh Lord! Cops Pick

Up Drunk Nun on Long Island

Lede: Police arrested a nun for drunk driving on Long Island on Sunday, witnesses said.

Write a headline and lede• Who: Cheerleader, Cami Collins, 16

• What: used a pistol to shoot a 10-foot long, 350 pound alligator

• Where: Miami

• When: over the weekend

• Why: it attacked her in a swampy area near her high school

• Quote: “It was self defense. I did what I had to to save my life.”

Teen Cheerleader Shoots Big

GatorA Miami cheerleader killed a 10-foot long alligator after it attacked her over the weekend. Cami Collins, 16, shot the 350-pound gator with a pistol in a swampy area near her high school.

“It was self defense,” said Collins. “I did what I had to to save my life.”

Tips for better ledes• Prioritize what’s most important in your story. • Be economical with your language. Edit out extra

words. Short, tight, straight to the point is generally best.

• Don’t either embellish--or leave out details like the size of the alligator and age of student.

• Don’t repeat words unless absolutely necessary; never say them more than twice. (Alligator the first time then gator, for example.)

One more lede• Who: Two bystanders injured

• What: student protest turns ugly

• Where: at City College

• When: yesterday

• Why: angry over problems with the CUNYfirst system

• Source: local police

• What else: bystanders treated at Harlem Hospital; they are in stable condition

CCNY Demo Takes Violent

Turn

A student protest at City College over problems with the CUNYfirst system turned violent yesterday. Two bystanders were injured and taken to Harlem Hospital. They remain in stable condition, local police said.

Assignment due Thursday!

• Find 2 recent news stories. (Not more than a week old.)

• Print them out.

• Identify the headline, lede, body and kicker—and a source.

• Write your name on them; you’ll turn them in.