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How To Cover Speeches

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Global Business Journalism Program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China

The future of international business journalism starts with us. are you ready .

Jun 30, 2023

6 tips for covering press conferences or speeches, from AP veteran Patrick Casey

By GAO YIFAN

Global Business Journalism reporter

Attending news conferences is a regular part of a reporter’s life. Press conferences and public speeches are important sources of information for journalists to report on the latest news.

Despite the simplicity of the press conference format, these staged events can be difficult for beginners to cover because the lead often diverges from the talking points delivered at the podium. In a lecture for Global Journalism students at Tsinghua University, Patrick Casey, a longtime American journalist who worked for the Associated Press and CGTN for decades, shared reporting tips to help beginners and veteran journalists alike to cover live events like news conferences and public speeches.

Here are the six top tips from Casey.

1. Take great notes

Taking notes is the first essential skill for reporters, even in an era of digital recordings and artificial intelligence. To take notes fast, Casey advised using shorthand and not relying on your notes for verbatim quotes. He also suggested marking the most important information with symbols like “***” for emphasis.

As a reporter who always carries a notebook, Casey emphasized the importance of handwritten notes. Recorders should be used as “backups” to be referenced for precise quotations later on, said Casey. For example, you can note the time of quotes on the recorder to quickly find the direct quotes for the story.

2. Position yourself in front

Journalists need to stake out a space in the front. You need to “take your spot,” said Casey, and don’t let anyone push you around. When the speaker begins, make eye contact with them to let them know you’re there. Also, if there’s an advance copy of the speech or comments, you can read along and note any changes as you prepare for your story. Accuracy is essential. Recording the event can serve as a fact-checking backup.

3. Ask useful questions

Journalism is all about asking questions. Sometimes, the quality of the information you get depends on the questions you ask. Casey noted that you can first wait for others to ask the obvious questions and take down the information you need. When no one else asks the question you have in mind, it’s your opportunity to ask. It could be about something that doesn’t make sense or to seek unexplained details. Always remember to ask follow-up questions, he added.

“Annoy them a little if need be, especially if you won’t see them again,” said Casey.

4. Remember the “ABCs”

Now you’ve got all the information you want from the conference. The only thing left is writing. When writing a news story, you should pay attention to the “ABCs” of news writing — accuracy, brevity and clarity, Casey said.

“Accuracy always comes first,” said Casey.

It means checking everything that you write about, such as numbers and names. Brevity calls for avoiding redundant words. Clarity requires a complete and easy-to-read story that has no gaps or jargon.

5. Story organization: first things first

A common news story follows the inverted pyramid style, which begins with the most important facts telling “what happened” in the lead, followed by a “nut graf” explaining “why does it matter?” To ensure a well-written story, remember to include smooth transitions between paragraphs to make them flow naturally from one to another.

6. Add value with your quotations

Accuracy in your stories is vital, and reporters who make mistakes often lose their jobs, Casey said. Getting quotes right is essential for reporters who cover events that many other reporters are writing about.

What’s more, quotations make stories more engaging and insert additional voices into breaking news reports, he noted.

“Quotes bring a story to life. Let your sources tell the story,” Casey said.

You should always choose special quotes that tell things about the speaker and the story, and avoid weak ones that say nothing. Never use quotations simply to recite facts. Quotations should add value to your story, he said.

Also, make sure your quotes accurately reflect the speaker’s intended meaning, because quotes out of context will mislead your readers and can lead to legitimate complaints from the sources.

A guide to covering hate speech without amplifying it

Image of a microphone against a dark backdrop.

“Hate speech is not free speech.”

This cliche can be heard throughout public discourse, often in opposition to racist, bigoted or hateful speech. Those who propagate the idea have good intentions — but they are incorrect. Hate speech is protected by the First Amendment and the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that protection through years of American jurisprudence.

In his opinion in the 2017 case Matal v. Tam Justice Samuel Alito wrote , “Speech that demeans on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age, disability, or any other similar ground is hateful; but the proudest boast of our free speech jurisprudence is that we protect the freedom to express ‘the thought that we hate.’”

According to Caitlin Ring Carlson, associate professor of communication at Seattle University, those who support hate speech protection argue that hate speech functions as a bellwether for most forms of bigotry. The argument suggests that if bigots are prevented from publicly sharing hateful speech, society will have no idea of how racist, homophobic or hateful it is.

According to this logic, journalists must cover hateful speech so that it is exposed to public scrutiny. Society can then decide that hateful viewpoints are not socially acceptable.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant,” says journalism ethics specialist and Columbia University adjunct associate professor Thomas Kent, echoing the words of the late Justice Louis Brandeis. “So we really need to be spotlighting bigoted narratives and exposing them for what they are.”

But the realities of hate speech reporting are not always so simple. Socially conscious journalists are rightly concerned with how pervasive hateful speech is in social and political discourse. Less talked about is the line journalists must toe — alerting society to hateful speech without unduly amplifying the voices of hate propagandists. The task is not easy, and if done inadequately, can have harmful consequences. Here are a few guidelines to make sure it’s done right.

POWER FRAMEWORK

To fully understand hate speech protection, it is imperative to contextualize the First Amendment. Jasmine McNealy, associate professor of telecommunication at the University of Florida, says the U.S. Constitution needs to be understood within a power framework.

The Bill of Rights was inspired by Thomas Jefferson and drafted by James Madison, both of whom owned slaves. The signers of the Constitution, many of whom went on to serve in leadership positions, were all white male property owners. In early America, Native Americans and Black Americans were intentionally left out of the country’s decision-making processes because of power dynamics and racism. In modern America, these same communities suffer the brunt of hate speech and have the most to lose as a result of unethical hate speech reporting.

“If we’re going to be Constitutionalist, we have to take into account that our Constitution was created by humans, flawed humans, who have a certain ideology,” McNealy says. “And that comes through in the language that they use, in how these things are interpreted by the courts. It continues to come through even in how we think about [the First Amendment].”

The journalist must first acknowledge the power framework that allowed for hate speech protection and how that framework informs hate speech reporting and the field of journalism in general.

NEWSWORTHINESS

Those who hold and share hateful views are often adept at trapping journalists and the news media. They create discord, often in the form of protests or rallies, that support their prejudiced ideas and opinions and then rely on news media to cover their hateful views no matter how subversive they are. Those who disseminate hate gain their power from the media, so choosing whether to cover them, as well as how to cover them, is powerful within itself.

“Journalists have to decide if hate speech is really newsworthy to begin with,” Kent says. “Is it telling us anything we don’t know?”

Responsible reporters must examine the newsworthiness of the speech to make sure they do not draw undue attention to ignorant, hateful and unproductive expression. Similarly, the journalist should examine the position and reputation of the speaker. Is the speaker a prominent figure in society, government or industry? Does the speaker have a significant following, and how likely is that group to commit hateful or unlawful acts? These are all questions ethical journalists consider. Their answers help determine whether the journalist should cover the hate speech or simply leave it alone.

“But the responsibility of the journalist is not whether the people have the right to say what they say,” Kent says. “It’s whether the journalist chooses to include it, and in what detail and for what purpose.”

Hateful, outrageous speech may be protected by the Constitution, but just because the speech is protected does not make it news.

Information does not exist in a vacuum and understanding where hateful expression is coming from is essential for understanding its meaning and effects. Amy Eisman, assistant professor of communication at American University, stresses the importance of context when reporting on hate speech.

“You are not just a microphone under somebody talking. You are putting it in a context,” Eisman says. “The context might be historic, it might be social, it might be legal. It could be any number of those things. But you have to be a reporter, not a recorder, and you have to offer context to whatever it is you’re reporting.”

According to Carlson, by failing to contextualize hate speech, the journalist does not tell the full story and in turn, does a disservice to the audience. When a journalist fails to explain the context of the speech, the audience may not understand the gravity of the speech and its negative effects on marginalized communities.

“Failing to contextualize some of these issues might serve to normalize it or make it seem like some of these terms or images don’t carry the weight that they do,” Carlson says. “Making it look kind of pedestrian or everyday, I think, takes away some of the impacts that it has on the people who are targeted by it.”

This normalization creates hostile, unsafe environments for those affected by hate speech — most often, people of color, LGBT-identifying individuals and religious minorities, according to Whitney Phillips, assistant professor of communication and rhetorical studies at Syracuse University.

FAIRNESS AND FRAMING

Journalism students are often taught to cover all sides of a story. But when it comes to hate speech reporting, balancing hateful speech with opposing viewpoints is a nonstarter, Phillips says.

By equating hate speech with opposing views — the opposite of hate, whatever that looks like — the journalist essentially claims that hate speech is an acceptable mode of public discourse and belongs in the marketplace of ideas. Attempting to appear unbiased by showing opposing perspectives is a moot point, as there is no neutral stance to take, Phillips says.

“The both sides impulse when you are responding to hate speech, still it takes a stance. It makes a claim about the value of hearing this kind of speech,” Phillips says. “And that can really embolden and empower racists, even if that’s not the journalist’s intention, even if the journalist’s intention is to be really neutral. Neutrality isn’t neutral.”

Applying the “both sides” standard to hate speech reporting does nothing to help the public understand the root of this hatred and its effects on the communities targeted by hate. These stories should not be told through a point-counterpoint framework, Phillips says, but through a counter-frame.

In her report “ The Oxygen of Amplification: Better Practices for Reporting on Extremists,Antagonists, and Manipulators Online ,” Phillips says reporters should emphasize the perspectives of those harmed by hate speech instead of offering the aggressor an opportunity to justify their repugnant views. Reporters should also avoid framing bad actors as the center of the narrative, as this behavior amplifies hate speech even when it is meant to condemn it.

“By not just shining a light on the aggressor or the racist expression, you can tell a fuller story by panning out and seeing who else’s story you can tell,” Phillips says.

Another framing technique could be covering the reaction, not the speech. In 2010, when a Florida minister planned to burn copies of the Quran, several publications centered their coverage on the minister or the fringe congregation . But the Huffington Post and Mother Jones took a different approach, choosing instead to report on the Military Religious Freedom Foundation ’s campaign to donate to the Afghan National Army a copy of the Quran for every copy burned. By framing the story around the reaction, rather than the hate speech, those journalists alerted the public to harmful expression without amplifying the islamophobia of a fringe group.

“How we frame things translates to reality, or how people perceive reality,” McNealy says. The journalist must be aware of how their frame translates to reality, whether that be undue amplification or other effects.

BACK TO BASICS

Covering hate speech is a delicate business full of fine lines journalists must walk. When done correctly, hate speech reporting can fight the spread of prejudiced ideas and educate the public. When it misses the mark, reporting on hate speech can contribute to radicalization and amplify the hateful viewpoints it is meant to condemn. To avoid that, Carlson suggests journalists go back to the basics of journalism ethics.

“What I always think about is that the Society for Professional Journalists has that code of ethics. And it requires journalists to one, seek truth and report it and two, [minimize] harm,” Carlson says. “I think we’re doing harm to our audience when we don’t call out certain terms or actions as what they are.”

The Center for Journalism Ethics encourages the highest standards in journalism ethics worldwide. We foster vigorous debate about ethical practices in journalism and provide a resource for producers, consumers and students of journalism. Sign up for our quarterly newsletter here .

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Basic newswriting: Learn how to originate, research and write breaking-news stories

Syllabus for semester-long course on the fundamentals of covering and writing the news, including how identify a story, gather information efficiently and place it in a meaningful context.

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by The Journalist's Resource, The Journalist's Resource January 22, 2010

This <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org/home/syllabus-covering-the-news/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://journalistsresource.org">The Journalist's Resource</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://journalistsresource.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/cropped-jr-favicon-150x150.png" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;">

This course introduces tomorrow’s journalists to the fundamentals of covering and writing news. Mastering these skills is no simple task. In an Internet age of instantaneous access, demand for high-quality accounts of fast-breaking news has never been greater. Nor has the temptation to cut corners and deliver something less.

To resist this temptation, reporters must acquire skills to identify a story and its essential elements, gather information efficiently, place it in a meaningful context, and write concise and compelling accounts, sometimes at breathtaking speed. The readings, discussions, exercises and assignments of this course are designed to help students acquire such skills and understand how to exercise them wisely.

Photo: Memorial to four slain Lakewood, Wash., police officers. The Seattle Times earned the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for their coverage of the crime.

Course objective

To give students the background and skills needed to originate, research, focus and craft clear, compelling and contextual accounts of breaking news in a deadline environment.

Learning objectives

Build an understanding of the role news plays in American democracy.
Discuss basic journalistic principles such as accuracy, integrity and fairness.
Evaluate how practices such as rooting and stereotyping can undermine them.
Analyze what kinds of information make news and why.
Evaluate the elements of news by deconstructing award-winning stories.
Evaluate the sources and resources from which news content is drawn.
Analyze how information is attributed, quoted and paraphrased in news.
Gain competence in focusing a story’s dominant theme in a single sentence.
Introduce the structure, style and language of basic news writing.
Gain competence in building basic news stories, from lead through their close.
Gain confidence and competence in writing under deadline pressure.
Practice how to identify, background and contact appropriate sources.
Discuss and apply the skills needed to interview effectively.
Analyze data and how it is used and abused in news coverage.
Review basic math skills needed to evaluate and use statistics in news.
Report and write basic stories about news events on deadline.

Week 1: Why journalism matters

Previous week | Next week | Back to top

Class 1: The role of journalism in society

The word journalism elicits considerable confusion in contemporary American society. Citizens often confuse the role of reporting with that of advocacy. They mistake those who promote opinions or push their personal agendas on cable news or in the blogosphere for those who report. But reporters play a different role: that of gatherer of evidence, unbiased and unvarnished, placed in a context of past events that gives current events weight beyond the ways opinion leaders or propagandists might misinterpret or exploit them.

This session’s discussion will focus on the traditional role of journalism eloquently summarized by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel in The Elements of Journalism . The class will then examine whether they believe that the journalist’s role has changed or needs to change in today’s news environment. What is the reporter’s role in contemporary society? Is objectivity, sometimes called fairness, an antiquated concept or an essential one, as the authors argue, for maintaining a democratic society? How has the term been subverted? What are the reporter’s fundamental responsibilities? This discussion will touch on such fundamental issues as journalists’ obligation to the truth, their loyalty to the citizens who are their audience and the demands of their discipline to verify information, act independently, provide a forum for public discourse and seek not only competing viewpoints but carefully vetted facts that help establish which viewpoints are grounded in evidence.

Reading: Kovach and Rosenstiel, Chapter 1, and relevant pages of the course text

Assignments:

Students should compare the news reporting on a breaking political story in The Wall Street Journal , considered editorially conservative, and The New York Times , considered editorially liberal. They should write a two-page memo that considers the following questions: Do the stories emphasize the same information? Does either story appear to slant the news toward a particular perspective? How? Do the stories support the notion of fact-based journalism and unbiased reporting or do they appear to infuse opinion into news? Students should provide specific examples that support their conclusions.
Students should look for an example of reporting in any medium in which reporters appear have compromised the notion of fairness to intentionally or inadvertently espouse a point of view. What impact did the incorporation of such material have on the story? Did its inclusion have any effect on the reader’s perception of the story?

Class 2: Objectivity, fairness and contemporary confusion about both

In his book Discovering the News , Michael Schudson traced the roots of objectivity to the era following World War I and a desire by journalists to guard against the rapid growth of public relations practitioners intent on spinning the news. Objectivity was, and remains, an ideal, a method for guarding against spin and personal bias by examining all sides of a story and testing claims through a process of evidentiary verification. Practiced well, it attempts to find where something approaching truth lies in a sea of conflicting views. Today, objectivity often is mistaken for tit-for-tat journalism, in which the reporters only responsibility is to give equal weight to the conflicting views of different parties without regard for which, if any, are saying something approximating truth. This definition cedes the journalist’s responsibility to seek and verify evidence that informs the citizenry.

Focusing on the “Journalism of Verification” chapter in The Elements of Journalism , this class will review the evolution and transformation of concepts of objectivity and fairness and, using the homework assignment, consider how objectivity is being practiced and sometimes skewed in the contemporary new media.

Reading: Kovach and Rosenstiel, Chapter 4, and relevant pages of the course text.

Assignment: Students should evaluate stories on the front page and metro front of their daily newspaper. In a two-page memo, they should describe what elements of news judgment made the stories worthy of significant coverage and play. Finally, they should analyze whether, based on what else is in the paper, they believe the editors reached the right decision.

Week 2: Where news comes from

Class 1: News judgment

When editors sit down together to choose the top stories, they use experience and intuition. The beginner journalist, however, can acquire a sense of news judgment by evaluating news decisions through the filter of a variety of factors that influence news play. These factors range from traditional measures such as when the story took place and how close it was to the local readership area to more contemporary ones, such as the story’s educational value.

Using the assignment and the reading, students should evaluate what kinds of information make for interesting news stories and why.

In this session, instructors might consider discussing the layers of news from the simplest breaking news event to the purely enterprise investigative story.

Assignment: Students should read and deconstruct coverage of a major news event. One excellent source for quality examples is the site of the Pulitzer Prizes , which has a category for breaking news reporting. All students should read the same article (assigned by the instructor), and write a two- or three-page memo that describes how the story is organized, what information it contains and what sources of information it uses, both human and digital. Among the questions they should ask are:

Does the first (or lead) paragraph summarize the dominant point?
What specific information does the lead include?
What does it leave out?
How do the second and third paragraphs relate to the first paragraph and the information it contains? Do they give unrelated information, information that provides further details about what’s established in the lead paragraph or both?
Does the story at any time place the news into a broader context of similar events or past events? If so, when and how?
What information in the story is attributed , specifically tied to an individual or to documentary information from which it was taken? What information is not attributed? Where does the information appear in the sentence? Give examples of some of the ways the sources of information are identified? Give examples of the verbs of attribution that are chosen.
Where and how often in the story are people quoted, their exact words placed in quotation marks? What kind of information tends to be quoted — basic facts or more colorful commentary? What information that’s attributed is paraphrased , summing up what someone said but not in their exact words.
How is the story organized — by theme, by geography, by chronology (time) or by some other means?
What human sources are used in the story? Are some authorities? Are some experts? Are some ordinary people affected by the event? Who are some of the people in each category? What do they contribute to the story? Does the reporter (or reporters) rely on a single source or a wide range? Why do you think that’s the case?
What specific facts and details make the story more vivid to you? How do you think the reporter was able to gather those details?
What documents (paper or digital) are detailed in the story? Do they lend authority to the story? Why or why not?
Is any specific data (numbers, statistics) used in the story? What does it lend to the story? Would you be satisfied substituting words such as “many” or “few” for the specific numbers and statistics used? Why or why not?

Class 2: Deconstructing the story

By carefully deconstructing major news stories, students will begin to internalize some of the major principles of this course, from crafting and supporting the lead of a story to spreading a wide and authoritative net for information. This class will focus on the lessons of a Pulitzer Prize winner.

Reading: Clark/Scanlan, Pages 287-294

Assignment: Writers typically draft a focus statement after conceiving an idea and conducting preliminary research or reporting. This focus statement helps to set the direction of reporting and writing. Sometimes reporting dictates a change of direction. But the statement itself keeps the reporter from getting off course. Focus statements typically are 50 words or less and summarize the story’s central point. They work best when driven by a strong, active verb and written after preliminary reporting.

Students should write a focus statement that encapsulates the news of the Pulitzer Prize winning reporting the class critiqued.

Week 3: Finding the focus, building the lead

Class 1: News writing as a process

Student reporters often conceive of writing as something that begins only after all their reporting is finished. Such an approach often leaves gaps in information and leads the reporter to search broadly instead of with targeted depth. The best reporters begin thinking about story the minute they get an assignment. The approach they envision for telling the story informs their choice of whom they seek interviews with and what information they gather. This class will introduce students to writing as a process that begins with story concept and continues through initial research, focus, reporting, organizing and outlining, drafting and revising.

During this session, the class will review the focus statements written for homework in small breakout groups and then as a class. Professors are encouraged to draft and hand out a mock or real press release or hold a mock press conference from which students can draft a focus statement.

Reading: Zinsser, pages 1-45, Clark/Scanlan, pages 294-302, and relevant pages of the course text

Class 2: The language of news

Newswriting has its own sentence structure and syntax. Most sentences branch rightward, following a pattern of subject/active verb/object. Reporters choose simple, familiar words. They write spare, concise sentences. They try to make a single point in each. But journalistic writing is specific and concrete. While reporters generally avoid formal or fancy word choices and complex sentence structures, they do not write in generalities. They convey information. Each sentence builds on what came before. This class will center on the language of news, evaluating the language in selections from America’s Best Newspaper Writing , local newspapers or the Pulitzers.

Reading: Relevant pages of the course text

Assignment: Students should choose a traditional news lead they like and one they do not like from a local or national newspaper. In a one- or two-page memo, they should print the leads, summarize the stories and evaluate why they believe the leads were effective or not.

Week 4: Crafting the first sentence

Class 1: The lead

No sentence counts more than a story’s first sentence. In most direct news stories, it stands alone as the story’s lead. It must summarize the news, establish the storyline, convey specific information and do all this simply and succinctly. Readers confused or bored by the lead read no further. It takes practice to craft clear, concise and conversational leads. This week will be devoted to that practice.

Students should discuss the assigned leads in groups of three or four, with each group choosing one lead to read to the entire class. The class should then discuss the elements of effective leads (active voice; active verb; single, dominant theme; simple sentences) and write leads in practice exercises.

Assignment: Have students revise the leads they wrote in class and craft a second lead from fact patterns.

Class 2: The lead continued

Some leads snap or entice instead of summarize. When the news is neither urgent nor earnest, these can work well. Though this class will introduce students to other kinds of leads, instructors should continue to emphasize traditional leads, typically found atop breaking news stories.

Class time should largely be devoted to writing traditional news leads under a 15-minute deadline pressure. Students should then be encouraged to read their own leads aloud and critique classmates’ leads. At least one such exercise might focus on students writing a traditional lead and a less traditional lead from the same information.

Assignment: Students should find a political or international story that includes various types (direct and indirect) and levels (on-the-record, not for attribution and deep background) of attribution. They should write a one- or two-page memo describing and evaluating the attribution. Did the reporter make clear the affiliation of those who expressed opinions? Is information attributed to specific people by name? Are anonymous figures given the opportunity to criticize others by name? Is that fair?

Week 5: Establishing the credibility of news

Class 1: Attribution

All news is based on information, painstakingly gathered, verified and checked again. Even so, “truth” is an elusive concept. What reporters cobble together instead are facts and assertions drawn from interviews and documentary evidence.

To lend authority to this information and tell readers from where it comes, reporters attribute all information that is not established fact. It is neither necessary, for example, to attribute that Franklin Delano Roosevelt was first elected president in 1932 nor that he was elected four times. On the other hand, it would be necessary to attribute, at least indirectly, the claim that he was one of America’s best presidents. Why? Because that assertion is a matter of opinion.

In this session, students should learn about different levels of attribution, where attribution is best placed in a sentence, and why it can be crucial for the protection of the accused, the credibility of reporters and the authoritativeness of the story.

Assignment: Working from a fact pattern, students should write a lead that demands attribution.

Class 2: Quoting and paraphrasing

“Great quote,” ranks closely behind “great lead” in the pecking order of journalistic praise. Reporters listen for great quotes as intensely as piano tuners listen for the perfect pitch of middle C. But what makes a great quote? And when should reporters paraphrase instead?

This class should cover a range of issues surrounding the quoted word from what it is used to convey (color and emotion, not basic information) to how frequently quotes should be used and how long they should run on. Other issues include the use and abuse of partial quotes, when a quote is not a quote, and how to deal with rambling and ungrammatical subjects.

As an exercise, students might either interview the instructor or a classmate about an exciting personal experience. After their interviews, they should review their notes choose what they consider the three best quotes to include a story on the subject. They should then discuss why they chose them.

Assignment: After completing the reading, students should analyze a summary news story no more than 15 paragraphs long. In a two- or three-page memo, they should reprint the story and then evaluate whether the lead summarizes the news, whether the subsequent paragraphs elaborate on or “support” the lead, whether the story has a lead quote, whether it attributes effectively, whether it provides any context for the news and whether and how it incorporates secondary themes.

Week 6: The building blocks of basic stories

Class 1: Supporting the lead

Unlike stories told around a campfire or dinner table, news stories front load information. Such a structure delivers the most important information first and the least important last. If a news lead summarizes, the subsequent few paragraphs support or elaborate by providing details the lead may have merely suggested. So, for example, a story might lead with news that a 27-year-old unemployed chef has been arrested on charges of robbing the desk clerk of an upscale hotel near closing time. The second paragraph would “support” this lead with detail. It would name the arrested chef, identify the hotel and its address, elaborate on the charges and, perhaps, say exactly when the robbery took place and how. (It would not immediately name the desk clerk; too many specifics at once clutter the story.)

Wire service stories use a standard structure in building their stories. First comes the lead sentence. Then comes a sentence or two of lead support. Then comes a lead quote — spoken words that reinforce the story’s direction, emphasize the main theme and add color. During this class students should practice writing the lead through the lead quote on deadline. They should then read assignments aloud for critique by classmates and the professor.

Assignment: Using a fact pattern assigned by the instructor or taken from a text, students should write a story from the lead through the lead quote. They should determine whether the story needs context to support the lead and, if so, include it.

Class 2: When context matters

Sometimes a story’s importance rests on what came before. If one fancy restaurant closes its doors in the face of the faltering economy, it may warrant a few paragraphs mention. If it’s the fourth restaurant to close on the same block in the last two weeks, that’s likely front-page news. If two other restaurants closed last year, that might be worth noting in the story’s last sentence. It is far less important. Patterns provide context and, when significant, generally are mentioned either as part of the lead or in the support paragraph that immediately follows. This class will look at the difference between context — information needed near the top of a story to establish its significance as part of a broader pattern, and background — information that gives historical perspective but doesn’t define the news at hand.

Assignment: The course to this point has focused on writing the news. But reporters, of course, usually can’t write until they’ve reported. This typically starts with background research to establish what has come before, what hasn’t been covered well and who speaks with authority on an issue. Using databases such as Lexis/Nexis, students should background or read specific articles about an issue in science or policy that either is highlighted in the Policy Areas section of Journalist’s Resource website or is currently being researched on your campus. They should engage in this assignment knowing that a new development on the topic will be brought to light when they arrive at the next class.

Week 7: The reporter at work

Class 1: Research

Discuss the homework assignment. Where do reporters look to background an issue? How do they find documents, sources and resources that enable them to gather good information or identify key people who can help provide it? After the discussion, students should be given a study from the Policy Areas section of Journalist’s Resource website related to the subject they’ve been asked to explore.

The instructor should use this study to evaluate the nature structure of government/scientific reports. After giving students 15 minutes to scan the report, ask students to identify its most newsworthy point. Discuss what context might be needed to write a story about the study or report. Discuss what concepts or language students are having difficulty understanding.

Reading: Clark, Scanlan, pages 305-313, and relevant pages of the course text

Assignment: Students should (a) write a lead for a story based exclusively on the report (b) do additional background work related to the study in preparation for writing a full story on deadline. (c) translate at least one term used in the study that is not familiar to a lay audience.

Class 2: Writing the basic story on deadline

This class should begin with a discussion of the challenges of translating jargon and the importance of such translation in news reporting. Reporters translate by substituting a simple definition or, generally with the help of experts, comparing the unfamiliar to the familiar through use of analogy.

The remainder of the class should be devoted to writing a 15- to 20-line news report, based on the study, background research and, if one is available, a press release.

Reading: Pages 1-47 of Stein/Paterno, and relevant pages of the course text

Assignment: Prepare a list of questions that you would ask either the lead author of the study you wrote about on deadline or an expert who might offer an outside perspective.

Week 8: Effective interviewing

Class 1: Preparing and getting the interview

Successful interviews build from strong preparation. Reporters need to identify the right interview subjects, know what they’ve said before, interview them in a setting that makes them comfortable and ask questions that elicit interesting answers. Each step requires thought.

The professor should begin this class by critiquing some of the questions students drew up for homework. Are they open-ended or close-ended? Do they push beyond the obvious? Do they seek specific examples that explain the importance of the research or its applications? Do they probe the study’s potential weaknesses? Do they explore what directions the researcher might take next?

Discuss the readings and what steps reporters can take to background for an interview, track down a subject and prepare and rehearse questions in advance.

Reading: Stein/Paterno, pages 47-146, and relevant pages of the course text

Assignment: Students should prepare to interview their professor about his or her approach to and philosophy of teaching. Before crafting their questions, the students should background the instructor’s syllabi, public course evaluations and any pertinent writings.

Class 2: The interview and its aftermath

The interview, says Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jacqui Banaszynski, is a dance which the reporter leads but does so to music the interview subject chooses. Though reporters prepare and rehearse their interviews, they should never read the questions they’ve considered in advance and always be prepared to change directions. To hear the subject’s music, reporters must be more focused on the answers than their next question. Good listeners make good interviewers — good listeners, that is, who don’t forget that it is also their responsibility to also lead.

Divide the class. As a team, five students should interview the professor about his/her approach to teaching. Each of these five should build on the focus and question of the previous questioner. The rest of the class should critique the questions, their clarity and their focus. Are the questioners listening? Are they maintaining control? Are they following up? The class also should discuss the reading, paying particularly close attention to the dynamics of an interview, the pace of questions, the nature of questions, its close and the reporter’s responsibility once an interview ends.

Assignment: Students should be assigned to small groups and asked to critique the news stories classmates wrote on deadline during the previous class.

Week 9: Building the story

Class 1: Critiquing the story

The instructor should separate students into groups of two or three and tell them to read their news stories to one another aloud. After each reading, the listeners should discuss what they liked and struggled with as the story audience. The reader in each case should reflect on what he or she learned from the process of reading the story aloud.

The instructor then should distribute one or two of the class stories that provide good and bad examples of story structure, information selection, content, organization and writing. These should be critiqued as a class.

Assignment: Students, working in teams, should develop an angle for a news follow to the study or report they covered on deadline. Each team should write a focus statement for the story it is proposing.

Class 2: Following the news

The instructor should lead a discussion about how reporters “enterprise,” or find original angles or approaches, by looking to the corners of news, identifying patterns of news, establishing who is affected by news, investigating the “why” of news, and examining what comes next.

Students should be asked to discuss the ideas they’ve developed to follow the news story. These can be assigned as longer-term team final projects for the semester. As part of this discussion, the instructor can help students map their next steps.

Reading: Wickham, Chapters 1-4 and 7, and relevant pages of the course text

Assignment: Students should find a news report that uses data to support or develop its main point. They should consider what and how much data is used, whether it is clear, whether it’s cluttered and whether it answers their questions. They should bring the article and a brief memo analyzing it to class.

Week 10: Making sense of data and statistics

Class 1: Basic math and the journalist’s job

Many reporters don’t like math. But in their jobs, it is everywhere. Reporters must interpret political polls, calculate percentage change in everything from property taxes to real estate values, make sense of municipal bids and municipal budgets, and divine data in government reports.

First discuss some of the examples of good and bad use of data that students found in their homework. Then, using examples from Journalist’s Resource website, discuss good and poor use of data in news reporting. (Reporters, for example, should not overwhelm readers with paragraphs stuffed with statistics.) Finally lead students through some of the basic skills sets outlined in Wickham’s book, using her exercises to practice everything from calculating percentage change to interpreting polls.

Assignment: Give students a report or study linked to the Journalist’s Resource website that requires some degree of statistical evaluation or interpretation. Have students read the report and compile a list of questions they would ask to help them understand and interpret this data.

Class 2: The use and abuse of statistics

Discuss the students’ questions. Then evaluate one or more articles drawn from the report they’ve analyzed that attempt to make sense of the data in the study. Discuss what these articles do well and what they do poorly.

Reading: Zinsser, Chapter 13, “Macabre Reminder: The Corpse on Union Street,” Dan Barry, The New York Times

Week 11: The reporter as observer

Class 1: Using the senses

Veteran reporters covering an event don’t only return with facts, quotes and documents that support them. They fill their notebooks with details that capture what they’ve witnessed. They use all their senses, listening for telling snippets of conversation and dialogue, watching for images, details and actions that help bring readers to the scene. Details that develop character and place breathe vitality into news. But description for description’s sake merely clutters and obscures the news. Using the senses takes practice.

The class should deconstruct “Macabre Reminder: The Corpse on Union Street,” a remarkable journey around New Orleans a few days after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005. The story starts with one corpse, left to rot on a once-busy street and then pans the city as a camera might. The dead body serves as a metaphor for the rotting city, largely abandoned and without order.

Assignment: This is an exercise in observation. Students may not ask questions. Their task is to observe, listen and describe a short scene, a serendipitous vignette of day-to-day life. They should take up a perch in a lively location of their choosing — a student dining hall or gym, a street corner, a pool hall or bus stop or beauty salon, to name a few — wait and watch. When a small scene unfolds, one with beginning, middle and end, students should record it. They then should write a brief story describing the scene that unfolded, taking care to leave themselves and their opinions out of the story. This is pure observation, designed to build the tools of observation and description. These stories should be no longer than 200 words.

Class 2: Sharpening the story

Students should read their observation pieces aloud to a classmate. Both students should consider these questions: Do the words describe or characterize? Which words show and which words tell? What words are extraneous? Does the piece convey character through action? Does it have a clear beginning, middle and end? Students then should revise, shortening the original scene to no longer than 150 words. After the revision, the instructor should critique some of the students’ efforts.

Assignment: Using campus, governmental or media calendars, students should identify, background and prepare to cover a speech, press conference or other news event, preferably on a topic related to one of the research-based areas covered in the Policy Areas section of Journalist’s Resource website. Students should write a focus statement (50 words or less) for their story and draw up a list of some of the questions they intend to ask.

Week 12: Reporting on deadline

Class 1: Coaching the story

Meetings, press conferences and speeches serve as a staple for much news reporting. Reporters should arrive at such events knowledgeable about the key players, their past positions or research, and the issues these sources are likely discuss. Reporters can discover this information in various ways. They can research topic and speaker online and in journalistic databases, peruse past correspondence sent to public offices, and review the writings and statements of key speakers with the help of their assistants or secretaries.

In this class, the instructor should discuss the nature of event coverage, review students’ focus statements and questions, and offer suggestions about how they cover the events.

Assignment: Cover the event proposed in the class above and draft a 600-word story, double-spaced, based on its news and any context needed to understand it.

Class 2: Critiquing and revising the story

Students should exchange story drafts and suggest changes. After students revise, the instructor should lead a discussion about the challenges of reporting and writing live on deadline. These likely will include issues of access and understanding and challenges of writing around and through gaps of information.

Weeks 13/14: Coaching the final project

Previous week | Back to top

The final week or two of the class is reserved for drill in areas needing further development and for coaching students through the final reporting, drafting and revision of the enterprise stories off the study or report they covered in class.

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About The Author

The Journalist's Resource

Melanie Sill

Editor's notes.

Journalism needs you: A speech to college journalists

When I was invited to deliver a keynote during the National College Journalism Convention in Los Angeles Feb. 28, I wanted most of all to encourage young people not to listen to dumb arguments against choosing journalism. We need good people in journalism. And while it’s not an easy business, there are jobs. In fact, it’s hard to fill some jobs in my newsroom and I hear the same from other news leaders. Instead of telling young people not to go into journalism, we should be telling them how to excel. Here’s the text of the speech.

Hello and thanks for inviting me to speak. I’m delighted to be here with people who’ll be running the news business in the years ahead. I’ll say I knew you when.

I’m not doing a slide presentation – just talking. But if you’re inclined I’d love for you to tweet responses or reactions to anything I say – I’m @melaniesill.

Like many of you I found my first formative newsroom experience in college. Mine was at The Daily Tar Heel in North Carolina, where I did reporting and editing and even got assigned to cover the 1980 presidential election in Washington.

I went up there with a colleague and we divvied up the election night celebrations. I got Ronald Reagan and John Anderson, who was an independent candidate. He got Jimmy Carter, who was the incumbent.

Reagan won, of course. I had a fantastic time shuttling between the two celebrations and got back at 2:30 am to my friend’s grandmother’s apartment. I shared a cab with a famous reporter from the Washington Post, and felt very big-time.

I was elated. But my colleague had left me a note about how sad he was that Carter had lost. I knew then I was bound to be a journalist and not a political partisan.

So yes, I’ve been at this work awhile. You’re just getting going. Yet we’re on the same quest.

We think journalism matters — and we’re seeking the path forward.

The fact that you’re here tells me that you’re optimists. You have to be, to tolerate all the people telling you to get out of the business before you’ve even gotten into it.

I can’t give you the magic vision for how this is going to work out financially.

But I want to seize this moment to cheer for your careers in journalism.

You’ll have other options, and good ones. These days, all kinds of people are looking for smart, hardworking people who know how to tell stories. Product companies. Health insurers. The government. Political campaigns. Public relations. Marketing.

So yes, your skills do transfer. You’re smart enough to go to law school or technology or politics and probably into many other fields as well.

But back to my message: Don’t do any of that, at least not right away. First, if you love it, choose journalism.

Journalism is a thing. It’s a thing worth doing. It’s a service that’s needed in our society and in our democracy.

For awhile a lot of people seemed to want to declare journalism irrelevant or even dead. I think this was because they confused journalism with newspapers or other traditional media that have had to downsize so drastically. Let’s be clear – what collapsed wasn’t the value of journalism. It was the advertising business, especially for print media.

That certainly crushed the financial support for a lot of journalism. It cut the supply. But it never affected the demand – the need – for the service that good journalism can provide.

Journalism exists because people fundamentally want to know what is true — what’s really going on. We may be awash in information these days but many of us hunger for help in knowing what’s true and what news means.

I think good journalism remains valuable for those reasons. And here are my arguments for why you should do it.

First, we can do journalism today better than it’s ever been done before. That’s because we have new tools and opportunities – thanks to technology and also because this revolution has created whole new ways of communicating.

We’re limited only by our imaginations in how we tap into the new social order – how we talk to people as we report and how go beyond simply pushing out stories. How we witness and find witnesses – how we do original reporting – how we check facts, answer questions and tell amazing stories. We have social platforms for quick connection and interaction and lots of choices on how to connect.

For instance, at my radio station we’ve been reporting on voter apathy around the LA city elections coming up Tuesday. But instead of just getting sound from people who lament low turnout, reporter Meghan McCarty has been on a campaign called #MakeAlCare. Yes that’s a hashtag – check it out now. She identified a restaurant owner named Al who exemplifies the kind of person who used to vote and doesn’t anymore – and she’s trying to get him to care enough to vote on Tuesday.

People in the community are tweeting to Al on why he should vote. Candidates are campaigning to him personally. A political scientist came to his restaurant to show him the issues that affect him personally – and that are in play in the election.

For every Al there are thousands of others in his district who might not vote. He is a character who takes people into an important story. And he’s fun.

This is a small example. But the great thing about journalism disrupted is that it can be journalism reinvented. Start with what we’re trying to do for people, then figure out how to do it. We can know a lot more about the audience that is coming to us – we can get feedback of all kinds – we can ask for input before we report – we can connect our reporting to other good resources.

At KPCC, we do journalism on the air, on the web and through social media and in person. We have live events of all kinds – deep discussions about issues like immigration, fun gatherings for trivia night, live tapings of radio programs. People respond with incredible enthusiasm. Journalism can bring people together to look for insight in times that often seem really fragmented.

Have you listened to Serial? How about a new NPR podcast called Invisibilia? In the past year, more and more people are thinking about audio again as a way to tell stories for all of us folks walking around wearing earbuds. We’ll also soon be streaming audio in our cars.

So creatively, this is indeed a golden age for journalism.

Second, there’s a lot that needs covering. Think about all the change around us. Big capital-I issues like poverty, climate change and war. Hackers who can get into nuclear power systems or financial systems or movie studio email almost at will. Ebola in Africa and measles in California.

Think about your parents’ generation – maybe half of them have saved enough for retirement? There are lots of public pension systems in trouble. So will we have a lot more poor people as the Baby Boomers retire? What does that mean for young people trying to get ahead?

I could spend all afternoon listing issues that need more coverage. What is really missing is independent reporting – and reporting that doesn’t just do one story today and a different story tomorrow, but reporting that sticks with issues and helps people really understand them. Reporting that is truly ACCURATE – as in, the facts are right and so is the framing.

Consider the town of Bell in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Times won a Pulitzer Prize a few years back for exposing corruption on a massive scale in this small community – the police chief and mayor and council members making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and paying themselves bonuses and much more. Thank goodness the Times picked up on talk about this situation and exposed it. But that said, it went on for years – and I suspect there is much more of this kind of abuse all over the country on a smaller scale – with no one watching or reporting.

We need more reporting with depth, especially in our towns and cities and at the state level. Across the country, for instance, governors and legislatures are thinking about cutting or eliminating social programs that have existed for decades. Good idea or bad? This needs reporting.

We need a much more diverse corps of journalists to cover these times than we’ve had in the past. We need people who understand the world in different ways, through different ethnic backgrounds and value sets. We need people who are expert in science, who can code, who speak multiple languages fluently. We need people who can explain well.

We need you.

Because without this kind of independent reporting, most consumers are simply getting the information that various special interests care to share. It’s the age of spin. Millions of press releases and announcements pour out each day through email and the web and an alarming number of them seem to turn into quote-unquote news stories – as do press conferences and product releases. Often it’s not clear at all who stands behind such information or whose interest is being promoted.

The FCC put out a huge report about four years ago – it was the size of a book – that raised alarm about the big loss of jobs in state and local journalism. As the report noted – when there’s not a good supply of independent reporting, power shifts away from citizens and toward government and powerful institutions. It’s a recipe for corruption and for breaches of the public trust.

Consider this scenario: There are two groups of people with an interest in some issue or dispute. One knows what’s happening and how things work. The other does not. Which group has the power?

So journalism in a sense is a mechanism for transferring power to people who are in the dark. We find things out. We tell people. By developing knowledge, they can access power – they can choose to act in their own interests.

Let me share a story that will always live with me. It’s the story of a young mother named Lorraine Hinton, who lay down for a nap with her 19-month-old son one day in their public housing apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina. They never woke up. I was an assistant metro editor at a newspaper called The News & Observer, and I worked with our police reporter on investigating the story. Turns out the boiler in their building was faulty and had leaked the carbon monoxide that killed them.

We asked for inspection records and the housing authority turned them over, surprisingly quickly. I’ll never forget the reporter coming back with big cardboard boxes full of records that we started going through. In them we found inspection reports warning of dire consequences if the boilers weren’t given more attention – even warning that people might die. We broke that story. It couldn’t bring Lorraine Hinton back, but it caused a public outcry, a special investigation, the departures of several people and the overhaul of the housing authority.

That kind of story should never be routine but it also can’t be taken for granted. It takes a certain mindset and commitment to asking questions and looking out for the interests of people who can’t always get information on their own.

Journalism’s role has shifted in the Internet age. We aren’t the gatekeepers any more or the only people generating news and information.

But we are just as essential as ever – and perhaps more so, given how hard it is to tell good information from bad. We provide a valuable role in organizing, assessing, verifying, following up, amplifying and so forth. And there are still vast areas where we can provide valuable original reporting. Because we’re the people whose JOB it is to make sure people get reliable, independent information. That’s our purpose.

And that’s what really sets us apart. Journalism is a thing. It’s skilled work. It’s specialized. It’s often done badly, and it’s far from perfect. But it is an essential ingredient in our democracy, one that has been badly undervalued lately.

Look, I’m not naïve. Good journalism is labor-intensive and expensive compared to other kinds of information. There is not yet any kind of proven financial model that can sustain the kind of journalism I’m endorsing today.

But I think that as the scarcity increases, a market can be found for the kind of independent reporting that people have always valued. Look at all the new entities and ways people are doing journalism. It’s exciting.

And here’s the money shot – There are jobs, not enough of them, but there are jobs for people who excel at finding things out and telling stories.

In my newsroom, it’s always hard to hire good editors, news producers, reporters who can tell compelling stories and explain complex issues. It’s hard across journalism to find skilled business reporters and investigators.

If you can put two and two together – see the forest for the trees – that’s an asset. In the age of personal brands, really being good at something – understanding a topic – helps you stand out.

It’s important to understand how people live and how they get information. It is indeed important to understand audiences – who needs what you’re reporting? How can you connect with them?

You also should understand how the organization that employs you makes its money. Whether you’re part of that or not, it is your business.

Yet it’s also important to just do great journalism. Get to the primary source, the scene. Answer the hard questions. Bring news alive. Be great.

Be good at finding things out – reporting and research. It’s surprising how many people who want to be reporters don’t nail this. Learn how to use documents and records. Learn how to use spreadsheets. Most of all, learn how to develop sources – find the people who know and who can help you learn and understand.

Tell stories that matter – and tell them well, whether that’s in a data visualization or a tweet or 20-minute audio story. Make people care.

Which gets to my last argument for choosing journalism: It’s fun.

You work with smart people on things that matter. You are challenged creatively and practically. Out in the field, it takes ingenuity to know how to get the information, reach the people, provide the eyewitness account and more.

Journalists have license to ask questions and talk to all kinds of people. You are in school every day, and there’s always more to learn.

As hard as it’s been at times in my career, I’ve found meaning and satisfaction in every day I’ve worked in journalism. I don’t think it’s more noble than other work. Yet it is a job with meaning.

It’s dumb for people to say don’t go into journalism because you won’t make a lot of money. This is important work. It’s a profession – just like teaching, or firefighting or social work or academic research.

There are plenty of journalists who’ve made good money. There are plenty who’ve given it their all and have been pushed out because the business changed. It’s a profession – with winners and losers, heroes and failures.

I know that things are worse now for breaking in. There aren’t as many internships or entry level reporting jobs. There aren’t copy desks on newspapers and so forth. Yet there are a lot of jobs that never existed before – new digital news organizations and traditional ones with big digital arms.

You might not succeed. You might labor in obscurity. Or you might become the next Ezra Klein, who helped make Wonkbook a thing at the Washington Post and now helps run Vox.

So go ahead and try – choose journalism. Please do. The world needs journalism. And journalism needs you.

6 Tips for Reporters Covering Press Conferences

Be aggressive if needed

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Spend more than five minutes in the news business and you'll be asked to cover a press conference. They're a regular occurrence in the life of any reporter, so you need to be able to cover them - and cover them well.

But for the beginner, a press conference can be tough to cover. Press conferences tend to move quickly and often don't last very long, so you may have very little time to get the information you need. Another challenge for the beginning reporter is figuring out the lede of a press conference story. So here are six tips for covering press conferences.

1. Come Armed With Questions

As we said, press conferences move quickly, so you'll need to have your questions ready ahead of time. Arrive with some questions already prepared. And really listen to the answers.

2. Ask Your Best Questions

Once the speaker starts taking questions, it's often a free-for-all, with multiple reporters shouting out their queries. You may only get one or two of your questions into the mix, so pick your best ones and ask those. And be ready to ask tough follow-up questions.

3. Be Aggressive If Necessary

Any time you get a bunch of reporters in one room, all asking questions at the same time, it's bound to be a crazy scene. And reporters are by their nature competitive people.

So when you go to a press conference, be prepared to be a bit pushy in order to get your questions answered. Shout if you need to. Push your way to the front of the room if you must. Above all, remember - only the strong survive at a press conference.

4. Forget the PR Speak - Focus on the News

Corporations, politicians, sports teams and celebrities often try to use press conferences as public relations tools. In other words, they want reporters to put the most positive spin possible on what's being said at the press conference.

But it's the reporter's job to ignore the PR talk and get to the truth of the matter. So if the CEO announces that his company has just suffered its worst losses ever, but in the next breath says he thinks the future is bright, forget about the bright future - the real news is the huge losses, not the PR sugarcoating.

5. Press the Speaker

Don't let the speaker at a press conference get away with making broad generalizations that aren't supported by facts. Question the basis for the statements they make, and get specifics.

For instance, if the mayor of your town announces he plans to cut taxes while at the same time increasing municipal services, your first question should be: how can the town provide more services with less revenue?

Likewise, if that CEO whose company has just lost billions says he's upbeat about the future, ask him why - how can he expect that things will get better when the company is clearly in trouble? Again, get him to be specific.

6. Don't Be Intimidated

Whether you're covering a press conference with the mayor, the governor or the president, don't let yourself be intimidated by their power or stature. That's what they want. Once you're intimidated, you'll stop asking tough questions, and remember, it's your job to ask tough questions of the most powerful people in our society.

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from training.npr.org: https://training.npr.org/2020/03/13/the-haiku-of-radio-journalism-how-to-write-a-newscast-spot/

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The haiku of radio journalism: how to write a newscast spot

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(Halisia Hubbard/NPR)

Writing a spot may seem easy, because the script is short. “Just a spot” is how it’s sometimes described, as though it’s a throwaway bit of reporting.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

A spot is the haiku of news reporting. It’s a format that purports to tell a complete story — no matter how complex or involved — in under a minute. In fact, reporters often struggle to write spots.

At NPR Newscasts, good writing in a spot is paramount because upward of 28 million people listen weekly on the radio, with an estimated two million more on smart devices. That’s more than any other NPR show.

Wrap or voicer?

If you pitch a spot to NPR Newscasts, you’ll be asked whether you are offering a wrap or a voicer.

A voicer is a straight reporter spot without any ambi or actualities . Wraps are voiced spots with at least one short bit of tape “wrapped,” or embedded, in the story.

At NPR, spots run about 40 seconds. They have to be short because newscasts are only five minutes at the top of the hour and three minutes at the bottom of the hour. Anchors fill the rest of the newscast with shorter stories they voice themselves. The reporter spots give the newscast texture and create a dynamic listening experience that would be missing if the anchor read all the stories.

Write the intro first, to help you focus your spot. The intro should contain the newest information and tell the listener what the story is going to be about, in one or two sentences. Include only the most essential details required to understand the story.

Here are two examples:

THE U-S IS CALLING ON RUSSIA TO STOP AIRSTRIKES THAT HAVE FORCED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SYRIANS TO FLEE.

U-N HUMANITARIAN OFFICIALS DESCRIBE THE SITUATION AS INTOLERABLE AS FIGHTING INTENSIFIES IN NORTHWEST SYRIA.

N-P-R’S MICHELE KELEMEN REPORTS.

PRESIDENT HASSAN ROUHANI ADDRESSED A LARGE CROWD IN TEHRAN TODAY ON THE FORTY FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF IRAN’S ISLAMIC REVOLUTION.

N-P-R’S PETER KENYON HAS MORE.

An alternative format is the “informational intro,” which foreshadows what the reporter is going to say.

Here are two examples of this type of intro:

VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE IS PULLING THE STATE DEPARTMENT’S TOP AIDS OFFICIAL ABOARD TO JOIN HIS CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE TEAM.

AS N-P-R’S FRANCO ORDOÑEZ REPORTS, DEBORAH BIRX IS AN AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE WHO WORKS ON GLOBAL HEALTH DIPLOMACY ISSUES.

A BRITISH COURT HAS RULED THAT PLANS TO BUILD A THIRD RUNWAY AT HEATHROW AIRPORT ARE ILLEGAL BECAUSE THEY DON’T ADDRESS THE U-K GOVERNMENT’S CLIMATE CHANGE COMMITMENTS.

N-P-R’S FRANK LANGFITT HAS MORE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL RULING FROM LONDON.

Your intro should contain any numbers or details that may change as the story develops. This way, your spot will have the longest possible shelf life.

After telling the listener what the news is, you can begin your spot by setting the scene, fleshing out the details or offering context.

In Peter’s spot, he does all three.

IRANIANS TURNED OUT IN CHILLY WINTER CONDITIONS TO HEAR ROUHANI URGE THEM NOT TO BE PASSIVE — BUT TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT AND THE NATION AT A TIME OF HIGH TENSIONS WITH WASHINGTON.

His voicer continues with background.

ROUHANI’S CALL FOR SUPPORT COMES JUST MONTHS AFTER SECURITY FORCES WERE CALLED OUT — TO VIOLENTLY QUELL PROTESTS OVER DEPRESSED ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND RISING PRICES — AMID ONGOING AMERICAN SANCTIONS AND THE FALTERING 2015 NUCLEAR AGREEMENT.

This is a long sentence, but it efficiently gives the listener information that is crucial to understanding the story. It’s not a history lesson.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAID SOME 300 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE CRACKDOWN — A FIGURE TEHRAN DISPUTED WITHOUT PROVIDING ITS OWN TOLL.

After a little more background, Peter returns to the present moment and closes by mentioning something else that happened at the rally.

THE ANNIVERSARY ALSO MARKED THE KILLING OF IRAN’S TOP GENERAL QASSEM SOLEIMANI — IN A U-S DRONE STRIKE.

PETER KENYON, NPR NEWS, ISTANBUL

This is just one of many ways of structuring a spot.

Another way is how Ofeibea Quist-Arcton structured this wrap, which she filed in 2019 on the yellow vest protests in Paris:

SIXTY THOUSAND POLICE OFFICERS HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED ACROSS FRANCE — AUTHORITIES GUARDING AGAINST VIOLENCE AMID TODAY’S YELLOW VEST PROTESTS.

N-P-R’S OFEIBEA QUIST-ARCTON IS IN PARIS.

SHE REPORTS THAT YELLOW VEST PROTESTORS SAY THEY TOO REGRET MONDAY’S FIRE AT NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL — BUT THAT THEY REMAIN ANGRY AT PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON’S GOVERNMENT.

Ofeibea introduces her speaker right out of the gate:

LEADING FRENCH POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, CHRISTOPHE BARBIER, SAYS PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON’S MOMENT OF RESPITE — AFTER THE NOTRE DAME TRAGEDY AND FRANCE BRIEFLY UNITING AND FORGETTING POLITICAL DIVISIONS — IS OVER.

You’ll notice she is building toward the actuality by outlining the stakes:

HE SAYS THE FRENCH ARE DEMANDING SOLUTIONS TO PRESSING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC WOES.

<<PEOPLE SAY, WHAT ABOUT US? OF COURSE, NOTRE DAME IS VERY IMPORTANT, WE HAVE TO REBUILD. BUT WHAT ABOUT US? WHAT ABOUT THE END OF THE MONTH? WHAT ABOUT OUR DAILY PROBLEMS, NOT HISTORICAL PROBLEMS?>>

ANSWERS MACRON WILL HAVE TO DELIVER SOON.

That sentence fragment was Ofeibea writing out of the actuality by talking about the next step. She then considers what might come next:

INTERIOR MINISTER, CHRISTOPHE CASTANER, WARNS THAT THE ANARCHIST MOVEMENT BLAMED FOR VIOLENCE IN PAST DEMONSTRATIONS AND ACCUSED OF HIJACKING LEGITIMATE YELLOW VEST PROTESTS — IS AGAIN PLANNING UNREST.

OFEIBEA QUIST-ARCTON, NPR NEWS, PARIS

Whatever the format, sentences in a spot should almost always be in active voice: subject-verb-object. And while longer sentences help vary the flow, don’t entangle the listener in subordinate clauses and parenthetical observations. Limit the verbiage and cut unnecessary adjectives. And don’t editorialize.

For example, instead of writing what you think people are feeling:

A MASSIVE EARTHQUAKE SHOOK PUERTO RICO TODAY LEAVING RESIDENTS REELING.

Be specific and direct:

AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A MAGNITUDE OF 6-POINT-4 STRUCK PUERTO RICO TODAY. SO FAR AUTHORITIES ARE REPORTING NO DEATHS OR INJURIES.

The listener can draw their own conclusions based on the facts given in the story.

NPR’s newscasts also have a shortened type of spot called a Q. They serve to further vary the texture of the newscast and are generally 20 to 30 seconds long with no out cue. NPR reporters are often asked to do a Q for each spot they write; the reporter can use the same intro from the spot on the same topic.

The best way to do a Q is to focus on the nut of the story or one basic fact.

Here’s an example that runs 21 seconds (not including the intro):

TWENTY PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND ABOUT 200 ARE WOUNDED IN INDIA’S CAPITAL, NEW DELHI, ON THE THIRD DAY OF RIOTS OVER A NEW CITIZENSHIP LAW.

CRITICS SAY THE LAW IS DISCRIMINATORY BECAUSE IT EXCLUDES MUSLIM REFUGEES FROM GETTING FAST-TRACK CITIZENSHIP.

SUSHMITA PATHAK REPORTS FROM MUMBAI.

UNTIL NOW, PROTESTS OVER THE CITIZENSHIP LAW HAD BEEN MOSTLY PEACEFUL.

RIOTS BEGAN OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN HINDU SUPPORTERS OF THE LAW FACED OFF WITH ITS OPPONENTS.

HINDU MOBS TOSSED MOLOTOV COCKTAILS ON MUSLIM HOMES. IN ONE VIDEO, A MAN CLIMBS A MOSQUE’S MINARET AND PUTS A HINDU FLAG ON TOP.

THIS IS THE WORST SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IN THE INDIAN CAPITAL IN DECADES.

Don’t forget the Five Ws!

Whether you’re writing a voicer, a wrap or a Q, make sure you’re thinking about the five Ws of journalism — who, what, where, when and why. And steer clear of absolutes — the biggest, the oldest, the first — because they are easy to get wrong.

And remember, writing a spot is about delivering the basic facts of a story in a clear, concise manner that leaves no doubt or confusion in the listener’s mind.

Kathy Rushlow is a senior producer at NPR Newscasts.

Writing & Voice

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Presentation Guru

The 8-step guide to approaching presentations with a journalistic mindset.

In Gabby Reed’s first post for us she outlined the 5 Dos and Don’ts of Presentation Design . Here she details how to approach a presentation with a journalistic mindset. But what does that mean? Read on to find out…

My educational background is in journalism. And throughout my career – no matter what field I am in – and my personal life, I have found that thinking like a journalist has significantly improved my writing. Beyond the relentless pursuit of who, what, where, when, and why, various tenets of journalism have the ability to aid people in all disciplines and industries in creating compelling content.

It can include something as simple as asking clients or consumers if there is anything you didn’t ask about a particular area or topic that they believe you should know before leaving a meeting, starting a project, or conducting research. Not only does this simple journalistic tactic demonstrate your interest in the person and the project, but it also prompts the individual to reveal some aspect of their vision or desires that they may not have already divulged in previous conversations.

That’s why this detail-driven strategy is located at the top of the following list of 8 ways to present like a journalist.

1) Focus on details

In Journalism 101, the professor will tell you that one of the main qualities that will separate you from your fellow journalism peers is attention to detail. This means more than knowing an interview subject’s first and last name. It means knowing the color of their eyes, the type of shirt they were wearing, or the way they clutched a coffee cup when they talked about a certain person, place, or thing. It’s the tiny details that most people would miss that make a story unique. That makes it personal.

While I was reporting for a story during a local, downtown event in my small hometown in Indiana, I spent about an hour just observing passersby and writing notes about the environment, the people and the interactions between them. When I sat down to craft my notes into a compelling narrative, I incorporated details from my observations and produced a delayed lead with an anecdote of an interaction I witnessed. Although the story had roots in the news realm, I used these minute details to add some textual imagery.

For a presenter, focusing on the little details of your topic will not only add another level of description to enthrall your audience, but it will also enhance your credibility in the eyes of audience members. Projecting credibility is much more than touting your position status or yammering about your high-profile clients. Focus on the people-centric details of your presentation to form a stronger connection with your audience.

2) Understand your audience

Before a journalist even considers pitching a story to an editor, they identify the publication’s audience and determine what topic would be of interest to them. When working for the local paper, several story pitches came across my desk. But, I only selected those that would provide real value to our readership. That they couldn’t read about somewhere else, or that we could cover in a novel and intriguing way – standing out from competitors.

A presenter should always approach their presentation this way because if your audience isn’t going to care about it, then why should you talk about it?

3) Present timely content

In the same vein as understanding your audience is offering appropriate content to your audience. Today’s 24-hour news cycle has cultivated a culture that demands constant updates on the ever-changing social, political, environmental, national, and global landscapes. Whether you like it or not, event-goers will hold presenters to similar standards of precise and speedy distribution of content. As a weekly newspaper, cultivating timely content could prove a tricky task each week. Though challenging, this task pushed the publication staff to tackle new stories and to cover them in creative ways.

If you provide content that your audience craves, your presentation will be more effective and your audience will be more impressed.

4) Avoid jargon

The average American reads at an eighth grade level . According to a recent study, businessman turned presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks below a sixth grade level , which could explain why he continues to perform well in primary elections across the country, recently snatching another victory in New York.

Another study by Contently’s Shane Snow found that a Buzzfeed article written at a third grade reading level was shared more than more taxing reads from the Huffington Post, New York Times, and Economist.

Another component of the infamous jargon community is the abbreviation – a useful internal tool, but potentially confusing external communication device. Both the AP and APA Stylebooks – the journalism content creation bibles – discourage the frequent and abusive use of abbreviations, primarily due to their reputation for confusing audiences.

When I was writing a story about a local government or state government agency, I made sure to spell out the entire name of said organizational body and then include the abbreviation in parentheses next to it. Although it was referenced with the abbreviation for the remainder of the article, it was spelled out in its entirety in the first paragraph so readers to refer back to it.

This all goes to show that, when possible, limit the use of technical terms and abbreviations in a presentation, especially if the goal is audience comprehension.

5) Craft captivating leads

The average individual’s attention span has dropped from 12 seconds to 8 in the past decade with the increasing popularity of social media sites and quick reference resources. Journalists have understood this well before this recent decrease in attention. During the Civil War era , journalists encountered issues of telegraph lines falling down. To ensure the meat of their story would make it through, they developed a method of writing the most important information first. Nowadays, however, this strategy has become less and less necessary – allowing for more creativity in story openings.

Presenters don’t have to worry about this either, but they do have to worry about audience attention spans. It is paramount that presenters craft a compelling presentation opening .

6) Incorporate supporting visuals

In nearly every newsroom, a journalist cannot simply get away with merely writing a story. Most every editor will expect a visual component – like a graph, poll, map, infographic, photo, etc. – in conjunction with the text. With approximately three out of every four people identifying as visual learners, it’s no mystery why this would be a requirement.

During my days as a reporter, I did everything from interviewing sources, taking notes, and compiling research to writing stories, shooting video, and providing photography options. A well-rounded and deep understanding of a story is a vital part of the journalism field and individuals must be capable of structuring a narrative with text and visuals.

As a presenter, simply telling your audience a piece of information will only garner 10% recall three days after your presentation. But, if you place a relevant, supporting image on your slide, your audience will remember 65% of the content a few days later. Bottom line: include visuals.

7) Embrace a storytelling narrative

If you have ever perused our blog before, you probably know that bullet points break our hearts . It also breaks the hearts of many researchers, with studies indicating that 10-15% of audience members will remember particular bullet pointed information a few minutes after a presentation, compared to the 80% who will recall story-driven, narrative elements and supporting images.

Researchers have discovered that character-focused narratives elevate empathy in listeners as a result of increased oxytocin levels , which rise when people feel like they are bonding socially. Sam Sanders of NPR asks himself how he feels about certain moments during an interview to capture the emotion in a scene so that he can accurately relay it to listeners.

8) Complete thorough research

Perhaps the most crucial lesson my journalism studies taught me was the constant pursuit of accuracy in everything you do – from writing an article to participating in an interview and even giving a presentation. Never purposely mislead your audiences. Always conduct enough research to support your insights and utilize reputable sources to increase trust between you and others. I would spend a large chunk of time just researching a topic, event, or person to inform my question-creation responsibilities and to establish my credibility as a reporter.

The more a journalist knows about a topic, the better and more comprehensive questions he or she can ask. The more a presenter knows about a topic, the better and more comprehensive content he or she can provide to any audience.

Check out this lengthy list of research resources for presenters so you can approach the stage with full confidence in your product.

Pair these tactics with an intense passion for your topic and boundless curiosity and you will have the perfect combination for a powerful presentation. To learn more about a journalist’s mindset and how presenters can harness it, read the following articles and resources:

Storytelling Tactics for Presentations: Creating the Right Villain

7 Ways to think like a journalist when creating content

NPR Editorial Training

Latest Posts

Gabrielle Reed

+gabrielle reed, latest posts by gabrielle reed ( see all ).

The 8-Step Guide to Approaching Presentations with a Journalistic Mindset - 21st June 2016
5 Dos and Don’ts of Presentation Design - 12th May 2016

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Cover it live: 20 tips for reporting from the scene

By steve buttry oct 30, 2018 in digital journalism.

Continuing my series on live coverage as one of the most important steps in unbolting from the processes and culture of a print newsroom , here are 20 tips on live coverage:

If an event is worth sending a journalist to cover in person, it’s worth covering live.

The best way to cover events live is usually to set up a liveblog event on your website, autofeed the journalist’s tweets and livetweet the event.

Cover live events for people with high interest, rather than for the “average reader” who is often the target of newspaper stories. The high-interest reader wants more volume, detail and analysis.

Use a hashtag so someone following on Twitter can click it and see the stream of your tweets. You can add the hashtag to your liveblog autofeed if you want to add public tweets as well (liveblogging tools offer filters to help keep out vulgar language, but people can be creative in their vulgarity).

If the pace of the event and your multi-tasking ability allow it, try to engage the public, responding to questions and comments from Twitter and on the liveblog.

Assign multiple people to cover a big event. Possible roles, varying by the event and number of journalists: Shooting video to stream live; shooting photos and videos to post into the liveblog; one journalist provides straight coverage while another provides commentary (like play-by-play and color commentators on TV sports coverage); fact-checking; curating tweets from the public to add to liveblog; handling engagement; writing post-event story or column without joining live coverage (or without specific live responsibility).

Consider whether the event merits live video. If you can’t stream video live yourself, explore whether some other media outlet or the agency you cover will stream live video. See whether you can pick up an embed code and anchor the video at the top of your liveblog.

Set context at the start, explaining what the event is and why it’s important, providing link(s) to earlier coverage, explaining where you are (on sideline, in press box, watching on TV, curating tweets from your desk or home). Reset some of the context occasionally for people who join during the event.

Before the event, announce on Twitter that you’re going to be livetweeting, with an apology to those who don’t care about the event. You can suggest that they mute you for a while, using the “mute” option if they click the ellipsis at the lower right corner of a tweet.

You’re not providing a transcript of a meeting or a log of every play in a game. You’re reporting. Use news judgment. Provide description, explanation and analysis.

If someone mentions a report, video or statistic that you can find online, do some quick research (as the flow of the event allows) and post the link.

Explain notable breaks in the liveblog, saying that it’s halftime, lunchtime or just that the court is taking a 15-minute break (or that they’re getting bogged down in a tedious procedural discussion that you think merits a pause).

Consider whether you’re likely to be providing a second-screen experience for people watching on TV. If so, you should provide less detail on what happened and more analysis and explanation. If people can’t watch on TV, your reporting of what happened is more important.

If you have strong viewership in an event, and a topic where people might have varying views, consider a poll to deepen engagement (Do you favor or oppose the legislation? Should the coach change quarterbacks?).

Don’t feel chained to your seat. Get up to shoot some video or photos (and post them to the liveblog). If you didn’t catch a speaker’s name, get up to ask her how she spells it. If you need to step away for a quick interview, do it. You’re a reporter, not a transcriber.

Post a link to the liveblog prominently on your home page, including the word “live,” which should be in the headline, too.

Do the livetweeting from the journalist’s account, but promote the liveblog on branded social media accounts before and during the event. Retweet some key tweets from the branded Twitter account (an important vote in a meeting, a lead change, when the top-billed performer takes the stage in a concert). It’s a good idea to add a liveblog link to these retweets.

If someone at an event says something that you think might be inaccurate, report what they say (if their saying it is newsworthy), but note that you will attempt to verify the accuracy. You can ask the public to help you check the accuracy of the statement. You might not be able to verify or refute the statement immediately, but report what you find, either during the event or afterward. If you make an error yourself or report someone else’s error, correct it quickly.

Use the liveblog as your primary notebook for a post-event story. But keep a notebook handy (or an app you can take notes in) for story ideas to check out later, facts you need to verify, etc.

Experiment with new techniques for reporting and engaging the community. Learn something from each experiment.

What other tips would you like to add?

This post originally appeared on The Buttry Diary . It is republished on IJNet with permission.

Steve Buttry , a veteran editor and journalism trainer, is the inaugural Lamar Visiting Scholar at Louisiana State University’s Manship School of Journalism and Communication . He was previously the Digital Transformation Editor at Digital First Media.

Image CC-licensed on Flickr via Trey Ratcliff .

IJNet provides the latest tips, trends and training opportunities in eight languages . Sign up here for our weekly newsletter:

Quotes and Attribution

Introduction.

Good quotes are essential to turning a story from being good to being great . They play an important role in breaking up the journalist’s writing, transitioning from one fact or sub-issue to the next, giving authoritative heft to a story, and conveying the richness of the human experience. Put another way, quotes are useful in both substantive and stylistic ways.

However, quotes are also a representation of the individuals featured in a story. They must thus be conveyed accurately and clearly. This can present a challenge as journalists simply lack the space to fully quote everything their sources said during the course of interviewing several people. And, even if they had the space, fully quoting everyone would surely result in a story that is an incoherent mess.

Quoting sources in a story thus involves a process of selection and placement , and often requires journalists to move between direct quotes and paraphrased statements .

Below are some tips to help you choose who and what to quote, and to successfully employ quoting and attribution styles that are commonly used in U.S. journalism.

Direct Quotes

Direct quotes are statements that reflect the exact words used by the source . They are always placed in between quotation marks to make clear that they are the source’s words, and not the journalist’s.

Direct quotes are most useful for conveying emotions, opinions, and personal experiences. Quoting dry, basic facts (or descriptions that you can easily observe with your own eyes) is generally neither interesting nor a good use of space (as you can typically convey those facts more succinctly yourself). Instead, listen for quotes that tell you how people feel or think about the subject . An ideal quote will exemplify or elaborate upon a fact.

When using direct quotes, it is important that you change things as little as possible. Most interviewees are able to express themselves coherently — especially since many public figures and experts now receive media training — so you typically only have to ‘tidy up’ a quote.

Tidying up typically involves largely mechanical tasks like removing ‘ums’ and ‘ers’ or correcting a tense (e.g., using “have” when the correct syntax calls for “had”). However, you should never change the meaning of a quote. It is not your job as a journalist to make an interviewee sound “smarter” — nor should you try to make them sound “dumber.” Your job as a journalist is to accurately convey the source’s intended meaning (as best you can).

What journalists can do, however, is patch quotes. Patching allows you to link one sentence from an interview with another sentence from earlier or later on in that interview. This is particularly useful if you have an inexperienced interviewee or a fast thinker who jumps around a lot during an interview. For example, consider the following portion of a hypothetical interview: “Arsenal are one of the most storied clubs in England. I mean, last weekend was a pretty poor showing, but they’re typically quite good. Still, they remain the only English team to complete a top-flight season undefeated. And, they have won 13 top-flight titles, which is pretty darn impressive.”

We could easily patch that interview segment by writing: “Arsenal are one of the most storied clubs in England,” Zamith said. “They remain the only English team to complete a top-flight season undefeated.”

Patching is critical for ensuring good flow for a story, and journalists therefore frequently use that technique. Direct quotes are typically between one and three sentences in length. Unless they are particularly compelling, longer quotes will often slow down a story.

Here are a few other things to keep in mind when quoting a source:

Every quote should be clearly attributed so audiences know exactly who said what.

When you quote a person for the first time, introduce them. The introduction typically includes the person’s full name and title. For example, in the aforementioned quote, you might write: “said Rodrigo Zamith, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.”

With subsequent quotes, use the source’s last name. If there are two sources with the same last name in the story, use their full name.

If there are several paragraphs between a source’s previous quote and their next one, remind the audience of the source’s qualifications. For example, you might later write, “said Zamith, the journalism professor.”

It is perfectly fine to use the word “said” repeatedly in your story to transition between the quote and the attribution. This is a neutral term that does not ascribe motivations that you cannot ascertain to your source. Most publications will stick to the past tense (as the interview already took place), though “says” is permissible at some outlets.

You should typically use the “[NAME] said” construction when quoting sources. However, you may invert this when an explanatory clause (or attribution) is added. Here’s an example of such an inversion: “said Zamith, who has watched nearly every game over the past decade.”

Single or multi-sentence quotes are usually given their own paragraph in a story. This helps draw attention to the quote. Partial quotes (i.e., a sentence fragment) or short quotes may be incorporated into a paragraph containing the journalist’s own words.

When using multi-sentence quotes, insert the attribution after the first sentence. Do not add it to the very end of a multi-sentence quote.

In feature writing , you may break up a single sentence into multiple segments for effect. For example: “Last weekend was a poor showing,” Zamith said, shaking his head. “They’re typically quite good.”

In the United States, punctuation (e.g., commas and periods) typically appears within the quotation marks.

Paraphrased Statements

Journalistic stories also make frequent use of paraphrased statements, which are sometimes also called indirect quotes. These refer to statements attributed to a source that are conveyed through the journalist’s choice of words .

For example, rather dedicating space to an extended quote, you might simply write: According to Zamith, Arsenal have won 13 top-flight titles in England.

Paraphrased statements are important for adding authority and connective tissue to a story. They allow you to attribute a range of information — which adds heft to your story by highlighting that the information is not just your opinion or feeling — and make it easier to introduce transitions to the story by interchanging your words with those of your sources. They are also useful when a source clearly intends to express a specific idea but does so in a clumsy way. In such an instance, you are not simply helping the source look “smarter”; you are helping the audience more easily understand the point.

Paraphrased statements are particularly useful for conveying purely factual information since facts, in isolation, are typically not very exciting and can be conveyed succinctly. If there’s nothing unusual, interesting, or newsworthy about the exact wording of a statement, it is typically better expressed via paraphrasing.

For example, consider the following quote: “The new Journalism building will house eight lab spaces and two lecture halls,” Zamith said. “These classrooms will offer seating capacity for 480 students. It will open next fall.”

There is nothing particularly interesting about that expression. Instead, it would be better to paraphrase it as: Zamith said the new building, due to open next fall, will seat up to 480 students across eight lab spaces and two lecture halls.

Because the journalist has greater control over the word choice of a paraphrased statement, it is even more crucial that they take care to accurately capture the source’s meaning and intent. For example, a source may intentionally use the word “good” to refer to an above-average instance of something. By using the word “great” or “outstanding” in the paraphrasing, the journalist may end up conveying a greater sense of pleasure than the source actually feels. It is thus wise to stick closely to the source’s language, even when paraphrasing.

Similarly, journalists should be careful with the attribution terms they use. For example, the word “claims” can raise undue skepticism about a statement. Instead, it is best to use the following neutral descriptors: “said,” “stated,” “according to,” and “added.”

The LQTQ Format

One structural approach to newswriting that highlights the value of quotes is the LQTQ Format , with the acronym standing for Lead-Quote-Transition-Quote.

The approach begins with a strong lead (e.g., an anecdotal lead or a summary lead) that conveys the essence of the story or hooks audiences in.

Then, in the second full paragraph, important information not found in the lead is offered to help further contextualize the story (i.e., the nut graf). This second paragraph ends with a transition or set-up for the first extended quote in the story.

The third paragraph consists of a direct quote that helps to illustrate or elaborate upon the information provided in that second paragraph. As this is the generally the first direct quote, it typically includes complete attribution information for the source.

Subsequent paragraphs follow the Transition-Quote model. For example, the fourth and fifth paragraphs become linked thusly: The fourth paragraph introduces the next major fact or important piece of information, all the while transitioning the previous direct quote to the next direct quote — which comprises the fifth paragraph. That subsequent quote should elaborate on the transition, offer an expert opinion, or illustrate the issue via an individual’s experience or emotion. Transitions may include paraphrased statements (by the same source or a different one), original facts uncovered by the journalist, or contextual information.

A transition does not have to be a single paragraph in length; it can cover two and even three paragraphs. The idea is that direct quotes are appearing frequently in the story, ensuring that audiences are able to regularly hear from someone other than the journalist.

This process continues until the end, with the story concluding with a kicker quote that aptly encapsulates the story, points to what is to come, or otherwise leaves the audience with a satisfying conclusion. (Don’t just summarize the story in the concluding paragraph. Your audience will have just consumed the story, so they don’t need to be reminded of it. Try to end it with something interesting instead.)

Choosing Who and What to Quote

Journalists will frequently speak with far more sources than they end up quoting or paraphrasing. Put another way, it is perfectly fine to speak with a source and not quote them in the story . If another source is able to express something in a more informative or compelling way, refer only to that other source. (However, it can be helpful to include multiple sources to illustrate that a particular opinion or belief is shared.) Similarly, if your source says something that is inaccurate or offensive, you can choose to omit that information or exclude the source altogether (so as to not misinform your audience). In short, be selective with what and who you quote .

You should also be mindful of the source’s authoritativeness on a particular subject matter. For example, a quote from a company’s CEO will typically carry more weight than a quote from that company’s media spokesperson. (Keep in mind, though, that many quotes in press releases are effectively written by spokespeople.) In general, you should seek to attribute information to the most authoritative sources you were able to interview.

Moreover, if your story angle changes over the course of reporting it, you should simply drop the now-superfluous material. While quotes can be highly useful, they can also be detrimental when used improperly (or overused). There are better uses for space than a tangential quote. (Journalists are often temped to include a particularly juicy quote in a story even though there’s no apparent place for it. Resist that temptation and keep your story focused.)

Finally, as a rule of thumb, journalists should paraphrase dry facts, but directly quote emotions, opinions, and newsworthy expressions voiced by sources . As suggested by the LQTQ Format, direct quotes should be placed throughout the story — generally, at least after every few paragraphs — regardless of the story structure.

Key Takeaways

Quoting sources in a story involves a process of selection and placement, and often requires journalists to move between direct quotes and paraphrased statements.

Direct quotes are statements that reflect the exact words used by the source. Paraphrased statements are those that are attributed to a source but are conveyed through the journalist’s choice of words. Try to include a direct quote after every few paragraphs, and use paraphrasing to help with transitions.

It is perfectly fine to speak with a source and not quote them in the story. Try to attribute information to the most authoritative and interesting sources you interviewed.

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The Journalistic Style: How to Use It in Your Content

For firms in the government contracting or B2B sectors, a journalistic approach to written communications can inspire confidence in your expertise and industry leadership, and position you as a credible authority in your field. This style of writing is also ideal for webpages and other forms of online content, where users often quickly scan rather than read in depth.

But what exactly do we mean by a journalistic style, and how can you incorporate it consistently into your company’s written content?

Defining the Journalistic Style

The journalistic style has traditionally meant streamlined, factual writing. Here are some hallmarks of this style and tips on how to apply them.

The 5Ws of journalism traditionally referred to the five questions that a reporter should answer in the lead paragraph of a news story: When, What, Where, Why and Who. Addressing the 5Ws helps you focus on informative content—no reader should come away with unanswered questions.
Brevity . Eliminate roundabout phrases for cleaner, uncluttered writing. For example, you can easily replace “due to the fact that” with “because.”
Straightforward , fact-based writing, free of overly opinionated or emotional language, persuades readers by presenting yourself as a trustworthy source of information.
Active voice. Whenever possible, rephrase sentences to be active, not passive. “We developed the software” appears stronger and more assured than “The software was developed by the company.” A stronger phrasing reinforces credibility in what you are saying.

And here a few things to avoid.

Informal or chatty tone. An informal writing style has its place, depending on the audience. B2C (business to consumer) content, for example, can strike a less formal tone. However, if you strive for a professional, journalistic tone, err on the side of formality.
Over-reliance on jargon. Your level of technical terminology needs to be appropriate for your audience.
Clichés or slang. Next time you’re tempted to think outside the box, build from the ground up, or stay on fleek, reconsider. Tired clichés make your content sound tired; expired slang makes your content sound dated and strained.

Storytelling: The Secret to Journalism

Journalism does not mean dry, uninteresting writing, however. What interesting or intriguing stories have you read in the news lately? Why did they stick with you? The answer is storytelling.

Storytelling is a critical part of effective online content today. At first glance, the term “storytelling” seems to apply to creative writing more than your company’s public-facing written content. However, storytelling is a critical component to branding in today’s environment, and your written content should always support your brand. Journalists are trained to craft facts into compelling stories; similarly, your content should tell a story.

How can you use this concept? Think about telling your clients’ stories, not your own. For example, how have your products or services solved their problems?

Maintaining a Consistent Style

Developing and applying consistent guidelines for grammar, spelling and punctuation can help maintain your journalistic style across the board. This takes a commitment to detail, but the effort is well worth the time. Well-edited, polished writing builds credibility; inconsistent, mistake-ridden copy does the opposite.

Some large companies may have the staff and time to develop an internal style guide of their own. Most businesses, however, can use the leading industry standard styles. The AP Style Guide is the well-known “bible” for journalists and editors in the United States; for those in the government contracting sector, the U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual is appropriate.

Using the Journalistic Style in Your Content

Once you have established your journalistic tone, the next critical step is to include it in your public-facing content.

Press releases. The 5Ws are crucial here for reaching out with newsworthy information. Again, no question should be left unanswered.
Website content and blog posts. Website content should be brief, clear, informative, and above all, easy to read. Your blog needs to follow the same rules. Also, keep in mind that much of today’s online content is accessed on mobile devices; a concise style is more mobile-friendly.
Email campaigns or newsletters. Emails, like website content, need to be quickly scanned. Succinct content with a snappy headline (your subject line) is mobile-friendly and is more likely to be opened and read.
Brochures and other printed marketing collateral. Keep your journalistic voice consistent in all of your public-facing materials: factual, accurate and readable.
Other long-form content. This includes white papers, case studies and ebooks, all useful content that positions your company’s expertise and brand.

Thinking about your company’s content in terms of journalism helps you maintain a consistent focus on excellent writing in all of your content. By applying the concepts of the journalistic style, you ensure that your target audience will never lose sight of your company’s 5Ws.

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How to Write a News Story on a Speech

Instructions

Do your homework

Before you go to cover the speech, you must do your homework. Try to accumulate as much information as you can about the topic of the speech and the person who is going to deliver it. You should go through the background of the speaker and the reason for the speech. Homework will go a long way in helping you write a brilliant news story on a speech.

Some editors like to have the background copy, which includes the above mentioned information. Write the background copy even before the speech begins to save yourself some time.

When the speech begins, you should turn on your sound recorder, if you have one, and keep a pen and a paper handy. Take notes of the speech. Keep in mind that the more thorough your notes are, the greater chance you have to file a good news story. You should also have the sense to identify a good quote. An experienced reporter comes up with a headline as he/she makes notes.

While covering a speech, you must not forget the audience. Watch out for important personalities in the crowd. Once the speech is finished, you should meet the audience and get a little feedback on the event.

Be objective and avoid your personal opinion

A journalist cannot afford to be biased, especially while writing a news story. Be objective and neutral. You must remember that there is no room for opinion in a news story. You should focus only on covering the facts and delivering them to your readers.

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Speech: “A Foundation for the Future of Journalism and Communities”

By Alberto Ibargüen

Thank you, Brandy, and thank you for inviting me to deliver the 2006 Harry M. and Edel Ayers Lecture that honors the memory of your parents, both publishers of The Anniston Star and stalwarts of distinguished journalism.

Last Sunday’s New York Times Book Review carried a piece about Malcolm Gladwell, the author of The Tipping Point and Blink . The article began with a quote that I want to take as my text for today. In it, Gladwell said, “People are experience-rich and theory-poor. People who are busy doing things … don’t have opportunities to … collect and organize their experiences and make sense of them.”

People who are busy doing things don’t have opportunities to collect and organize their experiences and make sense of them. So Gladwell does that for us in his books on a macro level … and on a micro level, day-to-day, the best of our newspapers and broadcast programs or Internet news sites, do just that, too: they organize experiences and make sense of them so we can go about our lives.

I was standing in the parking lot of the Biloxi Sun Herald on Labor Day last year, a week to the day after Hurricane Katrina. Those were heady days for the newspaper in a region with no power … which meant no television or Internet … and you would have had to be crazy to use scarce gasoline or waste batteries listening to the radio. So news and connectivity came by way of 19 th Century technology on what we now call an “information platform” and used to just call a newspaper.

The Sun Herald didn’t miss a day of publication. They printed in Columbus, Ga., for a week before getting their own presses in working order, but during all that time, they were the glue for that community. That bright and sunny Labor Day morning I saw executive editor Stan Tyner walking through a parking lot already full of RVs with many sheaves of paper in his hands and he said something like, “I’ve got 40 or 50 stories here and I could do any one of them. My job is to figure out which ones to do so that our paper tomorrow gives a complete report that make sense out of all of them.” I was stunned by the simplicity and clarity of the mission. His job, the newspaper’s job, was to “make sense out of all of this.”

The Sun Herald provided those South Mississippi communities around Biloxi and Gulfport with information they needed about what had happened, about what to do and about what was going to happen. And more: the Sun Herald provided hope. It was a thrill to see folks from all over come to the paper to get a free copy and find out what was going on in their community, a community defined by the events reported in the paper, a community whose future rested on a base that was being built right before my eyes and held together by a bond called information.

I remembered all of that on Sunday when I read Malcolm Gladwell saying that people who are busy doing things don’t have opportunities to collect and organize their experiences and make sense of them. But organizing and making sense of information is exactly what great news organizations do. And it matters because, whether we’re conscious of it or not, we depend on them to do that to make sense of how we lead our lives. That’s just one reason why it is such an honor to lead the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the country’s — and probably the world’s — leading supporter of journalism programs that help journalism in America figure out how to train news people to help readers, viewers, listeners and browsers to make sense of things.

I am early in my tenure as president of Knight Foundation. I succeeded Hodding Carter III, scion of another great Southern newspaper family and a former Ayers lecturer. It is a singular honor to follow in the footsteps of the journalism greats who have been Ayers lecturers, including Harrison Salisbury, Gene Roberts and my good friend Judy Woodruff.

Now, some of you may be thinking, ‘We know those bylines – but who’s Alberto Ibargüen?’ Brandy told you something about me in his introduction, but let me tell you some things you may not know about how I came to be here today to talk about community journalism, about a sense of place and about the role of information as an essential bond in the building of community.

I had a life and a career as a lawyer before joining the Hartford Courant more than 20 years ago. When Times Mirror bought the Hartford Courant, they formed a local foundation and, after a while, I was named to the board. There, I met David Laventhol, publisher of Newsday who was then hatching a wonderful idea called New York Newsday. As part of his Times Mirror duties, he oversaw The Courant. I didn’t like what they were doing to my paper … I thought they were trying to make it too regional, too much like a minor-league L. A. Times or a lite Boston Globe and too little like Hartford, Conn. I told Dave so and I told him so repeatedly until one day he caused me to join the staff of the paper, making me both shut my mouth and start to do something about my complaints.

Another fact: I am a prisoner of hope. That’s a phrase I love and first heard used by Cornell West of Princeton University. An optimist is one who weighs the odds and thinks we’ll come out all right. A prisoner of hope is one who knows the odds are stacked against you and still believes we’ll persevere. That’s a good trait for someone who was a kid who spoke no English when he moved to Philadelphia in grammar school … I know how daunting it is to be the only one in the room not to understand what is being said. But I also know the power of language to open doors.

Being a prisoner of hope is a good thing, too, for a man whose touchstone moment as a business executive would come when I stood in the newsroom at Newsday, giving the news in the Long Island newsroom that our parent company had decided to kill New York Newsday.

That experience made me a much tougher and better executive. It helped give me the strength to make tough day-to-day and long-range business decisions and the courage to split the newspapers in Miami. We split the papers and made The Miami Herald’s Spanish language insert an entirely independent and different community newspaper that, within three years of its reinvention, had won the Ortega y Gasset prize, a kind of Spanish Pulitzer Prize judged by the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language and editors of Spain’s great newspaper, El Pais in Madrid.

I knew the importance and reach of Knight Foundation long before I became its president — especially from its sponsorship of the Inter American Press Association and its campaign to stop the killing of journalists across Latin America — a campaign that I was privileged to lead. Freedom of the press is not something I take for granted – not in Latin America, and not in the United States. It requires courage and constancy – even in this great country of ours.

I share with you those bits of emotional knowledge so you know why I feel so passionately about community, about community journalism and about the role of Knight Foundation in both.

Knight Foundation is in the business of seeding and inspiring great journalism, and of building strong communities in the 26 cities and towns where Jack and Jim Knight ran newspapers. We make grants totaling about $100 million each year, seeking transformational change in communities and in journalism, with roughly $25 million of that going into journalism, free speech/free press programs and initiatives.

My friend and predecessor, Hodding Carter, is fond of saying that “This is an explosively creative time to be in journalism… if you are not in search of the past.”

If the reach of newspapers in our markets is, indeed, shrinking, that only creates opportunity for those who can figure out how to do the community journalism of the 21 st Century.

The core mission of informing our communities is still there for the doing. It is still needed to create a sense of place and an understanding of who we are and where we live … to make sense of things.

As we think about how to do that at Knight Foundation, we’re instructed by Vartan Gregorian’s take on philanthropy. Vartan Gregorian is a brilliant man. He is the former president of the New York Public Library and of Brown University, and is now president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, one of the country’s leading foundations. The other day at a meeting of the Carnegie-Knight initiative in teaching investigative journalism, he remarked with profound simplicity that “Everyone has needs; but it’s ideas that we need to fund.”

To find a need and fund a possible solution is good, charitable work. But for those of us who are neither God, who has the power to fix human ills, or government, which has the resources to alleviate them, need should be no more than a threshold or an indicator.

Effective philanthropy is more than charity. It is the support of ideas that will reduce need or eliminate need or create the opportunity to avoid it.

Nothing big happens without a big idea; nothing new without a new idea, nothing real without first the discovery of reality. The idea comes first.

Ideas fail if they come without passion. Someone must believe – really believe. Someone must have the courage and the tenacity to see it all the way through.

And every execution of a great idea must come with know-how or the capacity to learn it.

In every project that we fund — in every initiative that we launch or sustain — we are looking for big ideas and to be open to new ways to accomplish our twin missions of promoting strong communities and strong journalism. We do not chase fads, but neither are we beholden to old ways of doing business.

There are five elements found in virtually every successful grant we’ve ever made at Knight Foundation:

Know-how and …

Let me quickly run down how we’re thinking about these as we consider the future of our journalism program.

Discovery . Our reality is that the media world is changing faster than we can adapt newsrooms. Just as the medium became the message in a generation past, the platform deeply affects the nature and impact of the message today. And, in the words of John Carroll, the former editor of the Los Angeles Times and now Knight Senior Fellow at Harvard, “All across America, there are offices that resemble newsrooms and in those offices are people who resemble journalists, but they are not engaged in journalism.” This is a threat to our credibility, and an opportunity if we can somehow turn those people who resemble journalists into the real thing.

Vision . Knight Foundation has been the leading supporter of the best training of the best journalists at the best places for traditional journalism jobs. We will become the leading supporter of training programs that will train journalists for the future, both in content and in form. We’ve already engaged in fruitful discussions about this future with the Berkeley, University of Southern California and University of Maryland schools of journalism. We plan to see the day – and very soon – when the best new journalism courses include, in the same classroom, editors and reporters from newspapers, magazines, broadcast, radio and Google, Yahoo and AOL, for starters.

Since the medium matters, we intend to act something like a venture capitalist and will seek to fund ideas that will do what Knight newspapers were intended to do: to connect community, to make sense of things in our physical geography. We want to fund ideas that will share information and make what happens in my part of town something that happened in your town because we learned it from the same source. Whereas the beauty of newspapers was precisely its mile-wide, inch-deep capacity to bond and broadcasts capacity to blanket, the Internet’s great talent is the capacity to drill a mile deep an inch wide at a time. We’d like to fund ideas that will turn it on its head and help create not virtual community, but geographic community, where, after all, we all still live.

Courage : It always takes some courage to leave the tried and true; it will take more to fund projects that require leaps of faith into an unknowable world of consumer and reader reaction, of citizen interaction.

Know-how : We are blessed with talented staff; we will seek the most insightful partners and we will cast the widest net possible.

Tenacity : The proof will be in the pudding, of course, but nothing supports us in this more than the very history of Knight Foundation’s support of journalism in a changing world. Jack Knight’s exhortation, spoken in Akron, Ohio, some 40 years ago, still rings true for us today. Describing the role of newspapers, he said then and we hold now that “We seek to bestir the people into an awareness of their own condition, provide inspiration for their thoughts and rouse them to pursue their true interests.”

We hope to live up to that passion!

We are wedded to excellence in journalism, though not to newspapers, however important a role they play and will continue to play. The world is agnostic as to platform and we need to reflect that, while transferring the values inherent in verification journalism.

As noted, we’ll seek to fund programs that will recruit journalists from online operations as much as from traditional newsrooms. And we need to connect with young journalists who don’t even talk about something as old fashioned as “emails” but “text message” on cell phones instead. How do we reach them and, once we get there, how do we engage in a discussion about journalistic principles?

I spent a lot of years in Jack Knight’s old office on the fifth floor of the Miami Herald Building overlooking Biscayne Bay and thought a lot about how they organized their newspapers. It resonates with me as I think about community newspapers.

Knight newspapers had no publishers. Each general manager reported directly to Jim Knight, who ran the business and assured quality and transparency in the company’s business practices.

Every editor reported directly to Jack Knight and his approach was the opposite of central control. Jack not only encouraged but required his editors to put out distinctly different newspapers – newspapers that bore the imprint and reflection of the community they covered. Their first paper, the Akron Beacon Journal was not the same as their flagship, The Miami Herald because Akron is not Miami … and neither was meant to be like The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Macon Telegraph or the Tallahassee Democrat. Jack wanted each of those papers to give its hometown a sense of itself, a sense of its borders and of its possibilities. He wanted them to reflect the language and even the sense of humor of that community, so that the people who read it shared a common language and a common experience, all of which helped to give that community a better sense of self.

We are just beginning to understand the power of the Internet to create a sense of community and shared interests. What we know is that people remain hungry for information and to make sense of the information they have – and that’s true of people in Calhoun County in northeast Alabama and in Miami and people in Guangdong province in southeast China – we all want help to make sense of our experience.

We view the best of community journalism – as practiced and exemplified here in Anniston by The Star – as a way to further both of Knight Foundation’s abiding interests in improving journalism and bolstering communities.

Under the stewardship of the Ayers family, The Star has stood in the front ranks of America’s most admired newspapers. In an article for the Columbia Journalism Review three years ago, Liz Cox captured the essence of how The Star gained its reputation, from its stance as a crusader for civil rights in the 1960s to its coverage of what to do with stocks of chemical weapons stored at the Anniston Army Depot. She described the guiding precepts at the paper: “think reader” and “think big,” make even stories from afar have local import.

There is some irony in a former newspaper executive at Times Mirror, which was swallowed up by Tribune Company, and a former publisher at Knight Ridder, which is currently for sale under pressure from shareholders who’ve shown no interest in news or in community … some irony in such a person standing here before you touting the value of an Anniston Star model of family ownership. Yet, but for that structure, I don’t know whether what we’re trying to do together would be possible.

The Ayers Family Institute for Community Journalism will preserve the newspaper as a community institution, owned and published locally, while serving as a laboratory to educate a new generation of editors and reporters. Knight Foundation and Consolidated Publishing in September 2004 announced grants of $1.5 million and $750,000 to get this visionary initiative started with the help and expertise of faculty from the University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences. It will start this fall, with six graduate students receiving full scholarships to earn master’s degrees in community journalism while they work and study at the Star , taught by University of Alabama faculty and adjuncts from the Star’s own staff of experienced editors and reporters. Chris Waddle, the former executive editor of the Star , returned to Anniston from a Neiman Fellowship at Harvard just in time to run the show as director of the Knight Community Journalism Fellows and head of the Ayers Family Institute for Community Journalism.

So, if we’re so interested in new media, why is Knight Foundation doing this? Because we are as interested in new ways of teaching and in new ways of disseminating the information our communities need.

My colleague Eric Newton and I were in Chicago last Saturday talking about these issues with some 200 journalism school deans because we want their input. He and I and Bud Meyer and Denise Tom from Knight Foundation are all here in Anniston this week because we need your ideas. We seek to find ways to unite our passion for journalism and community. And we seek to be responsive and nimble, as befits the newspaper origins of our founders.

I started this talk with references to the Biloxi Sun Herald and I’d like to close with a story about what we’ve done and how we’ve done it in Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to illustrate how we intend to work in all of our programs. When we saw New Orleans flooding, we realized that most of the national attention was going to focus on them. But our Knight community on the Gulf Coast is Biloxi and neighboring Gulfport. We know the people there. We’ve worked with them for years. We will continue to work with them for years. It is our community.

So that Tuesday after the Sunday/Monday storm, we sent a million dollars, earmarked for South Mississippi, half to the Salvation Army and half to the Red Cross. Good neighbors help each other in a crisis and that’s what we did.

But we wanted to do more. We wanted to find a way of helping our friends there lift their sights from the immediacy of the devastation and begin to build for the future.

In the newspaper business, when things happen, you go see them … you talk to the people and you then write your story … or think about things and figure out what your editorial ought to say. So with Mike Maidenberg, Knight Foundation’s vice president and also a former publisher, we got on a plane a few days later, landed in Mobile and drove to Biloxi.

It is not an exaggeration to say that what we saw was beyond imagining … at least beyond my power to describe. Sun Herald publisher Ricky Mathews had some sort of civil defense pass, so we got into parts of Biloxi that were still off limits. We saw slabs of concrete where block after block of houses had stood and where the so-called barges that bore the three- and four-storied casinos had been largely washed ashore, wrecking everything in their path and were themselves in shambles.

But it wasn’t until we saw Gulfport that I had a true measure of the devastation. The publisher couldn’t get us into Gulfport because it was off limits … and, as anyone who hangs around newspapers knows, if you want to get into someplace where others don’t want you, go to the circulation guy. So we went to Ricky Cunningham, the Sun Herald’s circulation manager. If anybody could get into Gulfport, it would be the guy who knows how to work single copy deliveries.

I was right. He got us in and at twilight we witnessed the utter devastation in Gulfport that only grew worse as you neared the beach: street-long sewer pipes upended, leafless oaks ribboned with debris, casino barges smashed and dumped hundreds of yards inland. Most of all what I remember was the suffocating stench all around us – rotting food, rotting animals, even rotting newsprint.

Standing there, you knew that the casinos would be back because the drove the economy … but, this time they’d be rebuilt on land, since FEMA wouldn’t allow barges again, no banks would lend on them and no insurer would take on the liability. That was – and is – a beautiful shoreline, and it was clear to me that if we didn’t act fast, key decisions about the rebuilding of those towns would be done in the corporate boardrooms of casino operators. Someone had to act fast in order to preserve a hometown voice in the rebuilding and re-imagining of the area.

Ricky Mathews and others already had discussed this with Gov. Haley Barbour. Mike and I talked with Ricky about how Knight Foundation might support a strategic planning process. I told him we’d be interested, and I mentioned that we’d supported projects in Miami, Macon, Duluth and San Jose that used the architect and urban planner Andres Duany from Miami.

A couple of days later I was in New York in a cab on the way to the airport when I got a call from Governor Barbour. He said he was thinking of having Jim Barksdale, the philanthropist and former head of Netscape and chairman of Federal Express, chair a recovery commission. Now I knew Jim Barksdale from the board of PBS, which I used to chair. I knew he was both brilliant – and a big thinker. Governor Barbour also told me he was thinking of bringing in Andres Duany and I said, “Governor, you get Barksdale and you get Duany and we’ll pay for it.”

I have to tell you that I swallowed hard when I heard myself say that, but that’s what I said and that’s what we did. We put up another million dollars and Jim Barksdale put up a million and within three weeks we had 200 architects, engineers, lawyers, regional planners, health experts, FEMA, bankers and the rest … all working feverishly for seven days on charrettes to design – to re-imagine – 11 different communities in South Mississippi.

After the plans were drafted, they were vetted by countless community meetings in every Gulf town affected. And by December, Jim handed Haley Barbour a printed blueprint for the reconstruction of the Mississippi Gulf coast … not just with plans, but with designs and maps and actual proposed ordinances and suggested language for enabling legislation.

You can read its reports and recommendations on the web. They are detailed and ambitious – and every step of the way they are concerned with how to rebuild the lives and the dreams of ordinary people along the Gulf Coast.

I don’t want to exaggerate the small part Knight Foundation has played in this. But it illustrates our expertise, which is figuring out who can get the job done and then helping make it possible. This was, Discovery, Vision, Courage, Know-How and Tenacity rolled up into just a few weeks … and a very big bet on leadership – not just Haley Barbour’s leadership or Jim Barksdale’s leadership, but the local leadership with whom we have always worked in Biloxi.

So, too, in journalism.

Journalism is changing, and we intend to do our part to change it for the better. And now the Anniston Star, with Knight Foundation’s strong and enthusiastic backing, is writing a new chapter in its distinguished history, taking on the challenge of educating a new generation of reporters and editors in what it means to be a great community newspaper.

The Star and the University of Alabama must capitalize on the extraordinary history of this newspaper and its ability to “think big” by becoming an effective hub of teaching and training. Find ways to network with other campuses and other newsrooms committed to community journalism. And remember the importance of finding and cultivating talent that reflects the diversity of the communities these reporters will be covering.

These are challenging times, but so it was for Col. Harry Ayers when he purchased the Hot Blast and the Evening Star in 1911 and when he went off to fight in World War I. They were challenging times for Jim and Jack Knight when they moved their operation from Akron to Miami and during World War II and when television first assaulted their hold on news. Or when Eugene Meyer held on for years to a money-losing proposition called The Washington Post because he wanted a voice and he believed in the mission of his newspaper.

Good journalism and good journalists do not shrink from a challenge. Knight Foundation proudly stands ready to help those who are willing to cover their communities in ways that help people hear one another, discover shared interests and connect those civic dots … to make sense of things.

And by this work in community and journalism, we remain true to our founder, seeking “… to bestir the people into an awareness of their own condition, provide inspiration for their thoughts and rouse them to pursue their true interests.”

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Opinion | How journalists can include more vulnerable voices in their reporting this year

Treating vulnerable sources with care and transparency is vital in healthy newsrooms..

Here’s a New Year’s resolution for American journalism in 2024: more stories featuring the voices of people with something to lose.

The most pressing issues of the upcoming year — immigration, economic opportunity, racial disparities, abortion, public education, gun violence, the United States’ role in foreign wars — will be in the spotlight more than ever during the election cycle.

Our audiences need deeply reported, insightful stories to make these big issues resonate. Focusing on vulnerable voices should be the status quo for any story that attempts to get at the heart of an issue. This is how underreported issues can be illuminated, and institutions held accountable. Treating vulnerable sources with respect and integrity is a reporting skill that can be developed intentionally in a newsroom as part of its duty and commitment to serving its audience.

Newsroom leaders commonly ask reporters to get out in the field and “personalize” their stories, to find people who are living the issue at hand and willing to open up and share their story with the audience. But reporters aren’t consistently offered training on how to navigate these interviews and stories in their newsrooms.

A vulnerable source has less power than the reporter, and should be interviewed with clarity and care. Here’s how two journalists gained the trust of vulnerable sources while telling their stories.

Start ‘off the record’

Shoshana Walter, an investigative reporter with The Marshall Project, was working on a book about the U.S. addiction treatment system. She interviewed many mothers who were the subjects of child welfare investigations. She learned that some women who were taking Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid addiction, were reported to Child Protective Services and investigated, even if they were currently sober.

“I had become a member in all these Facebook groups, like support groups of moms in medication and treatments,” Walter said. “And I was searching those groups just to see if anyone had been reported to CPS due to the prescribed medication. And that’s how I found Jade.”

Walter learned that while Suboxone patients are most commonly white, people of color more often faced scrutiny, including drug tests at birth. Walter took care when working with Jade Dass, whose story she told in her investigation.

“When we first started talking, the understanding I had with her was that our conversation was off the record,” Walter said. “And then I asked her to think about whether or not she wanted to go on record and told her a little bit about what that would entail.”

Shoshana’s reporting exposed a systemic problem and painted a well-researched, complex picture of her vulnerable source. The ability to tap into the most personal areas of Dass’ life story was a key to the piece.

“I knew that I wanted to write a more narrative story. And I knew that with CPS cases, it’s never a black and white story,” Walter said.

Walter said she spoke to Dass about the risks associated with being interviewed about her CPS case and her daughter. In some states, sharing confidential information from a CPS file can result in criminal charges or extra scrutiny from caseworkers and judges.

“And so we talked about that, the potential risks in talking and also the potential risks of retaliation involving her CPS case.”

Walter explained the potential ramifications of the article. Dass took that information and made an informed decision, ultimately agreeing to participate in Walter’s reporting.

More sources may need anonymity

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, María Méndez, then a reporter with The Dallas Morning News, wrote about unauthorized workers who were omitted from government aid programs due to their legal status. Méndez found Juan, who only wanted to use his first name in the story and was initially hesitant to talk at all. She spent time with Juan to make him more at ease.

“I ended up sharing how I knew this was a big issue affecting people. I listened to his concerns and told him that ‘I understood why you’re concerned, and I’m going to do everything possible to convey that to my editors,’” Méndez said. “‘I’m going to try to make the best case possible for you. I’ll try to protect your identity and safety.’”

She reassured him multiple times and was transparent about the reporting process. She wrote the story, and it was an example of both caring for a source and the power of diversity within the newsroom itself.

“I think part of the issue is sometimes we only go to reporters of color or from vulnerable communities whenever there’s a problem,” Méndez said. “Whereas, if you allow a reporter to report on other stories they care about — not like a sad or tragic story but like an interesting story about the community — I think allowing them to do that story helps because then they feel like, ‘oh, I can cover my community If I want to and I can contribute.’”

A fully developed ethical approach

Here’s how news organizations can lay the groundwork when speaking to vulnerable sources:

Recognize the power imbalance: A vulnerable source has far less power than the reporter. That could stem from a source’s economic, legal or social status, and age, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion and other factors.
Assume the responsibility of describing the reporting process: A reporter not communicating with a source about how to request talking off-the-record, or not noting that they will want to speak to many other people with different perspectives, puts that source at a disadvantage. It’s on the journalist to describe every step of the process.
Give sources time to decide: If they might face retribution for speaking publicly, or are asked to recount traumatic experiences during an interview, sources may need time to decide how they want to proceed.
Continually discuss how sources will be identified: If a source has a lot to lose and little to gain in publicly telling their story, they are likely to need some degree of anonymity. In addition to asking to use their full names, offer a range of newsroom-approved alternatives — whether that’s using initials, first or middle names, or no names if necessary.
Alert sources to the publication schedule: As a story is prepared for publication, journalists often stop talking to sources and focus on production. That lack of communication leaves a source feeling even more vulnerable.

Poynter has developed a course to assist newsroom leaders and reporters with developing an ethical approach to working with vulnerable sources. Highlights include a process for ethical decision-making, interviewing techniques and case studies to serve as guides. Reach out via email to request more information.

Opinion | O.J. Simpson, whose murder trial reshaped the media, dies at 76

Simpson’s trial lured a nation to its TVs, launched a network, created enduring ethics case studies and led to numerous career breakouts.

A fact-checker’s guide to Trump’s first criminal trial: business records, hush money and a gag order

Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels.

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Opinion | Republican lawmaker crushes Tucker Carlson with surprisingly legitimate commentary

Texas Congressman Dan Crenshaw blasted the former Fox News host for being a ‘click-chaser’ in a capable rant on X.

Donald Trump said all legal scholars, ‘on both sides,’ wanted federal abortion law overturned. That’s wrong.

Roe v. Wade inspired legions of supporters and opponents. Before the 2022 ruling, numerous legal scholars urged the Supreme Court to uphold it.

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Reported speech in journalistic discourse: The relation of function and text

French and Italian

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

There is agreement among many linguists that we should study all linguistic categories in real discourse usage. But what has not received as much theoretical attention, and what will be addressed here, is the fact that general discourse types (genres) set a frame which determines the functional nature of the categories which are used within that frame. This will be exemplified with reported speech in journalistic discourse (using examples from the French newspaper Le Monde). In news reporting, reported speech functions differently from the way in which it functions in, for example, fictional narrative and conversation. This is due to the fact that news reporting is focused on conveying information and concerned with issues of referentiality, truth, reliability and accountability—none of which are the main concerns of fiction and conversation. The functional nature of all linguistic categories used in journalistic articles, including reported speech, is skewed by this particular kind of focus on the real world outside of the text. In particular, journalistic use of reported speech is based, as elsewhere, on the relation between a reporting speech event and a reported speech event, but in addition, contrary to other uses of reported speech, it claims that it represents a really existing, original text outside of the quoting text. The major division of reported speech in journalism, as elsewhere, is into direct speech vs. indirect speech. By convention, direct speech is interpreted by the reader as being an authentic, accurate, verbatim replication of what was originally said, whereas indirect speech is interpreted as a paraphrase. This division is categorical in the orthography and prototypical in its gram-matical-syntactic-discursive correlates (with respect to the behavior of deictic terms and the syntactic nature of the reported speech clause). The third type of reported speech usually discussed, free indirect style, is a cover term for many different types of reported speech, only some of which occur in journalism. Semantic-pragmatically, direct speech is image iconic, isomorphic and replicative with respect to the original utterance, whereas instances of indirect speech are indeterminate with respect to how much rewording, condensing and inferencing has been done. We can conclude that the general functional nature of the discourse type in which linguistic categories occur influences the functional nature of those categories.

direct speech
free indirect style
indirect speech
journalistic discourse
reported speech

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Language and Linguistics
Linguistics and Language
Literature and Literary Theory

Access to Document

10.1515/text.1.1995.15.1.129

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Journalistic Discourse Arts & Humanities 100%
Reported Speech Arts & Humanities 91%
discourse Social Sciences 35%
Indirect Speech Arts & Humanities 28%
Direct Speech Arts & Humanities 26%
Speech Events Arts & Humanities 18%
Journalism Arts & Humanities 17%
Discourse Types Arts & Humanities 17%

T1 - Reported speech in journalistic discourse

T2 - The relation of function and text

AU - Waugh, Linda R

N2 - There is agreement among many linguists that we should study all linguistic categories in real discourse usage. But what has not received as much theoretical attention, and what will be addressed here, is the fact that general discourse types (genres) set a frame which determines the functional nature of the categories which are used within that frame. This will be exemplified with reported speech in journalistic discourse (using examples from the French newspaper Le Monde). In news reporting, reported speech functions differently from the way in which it functions in, for example, fictional narrative and conversation. This is due to the fact that news reporting is focused on conveying information and concerned with issues of referentiality, truth, reliability and accountability—none of which are the main concerns of fiction and conversation. The functional nature of all linguistic categories used in journalistic articles, including reported speech, is skewed by this particular kind of focus on the real world outside of the text. In particular, journalistic use of reported speech is based, as elsewhere, on the relation between a reporting speech event and a reported speech event, but in addition, contrary to other uses of reported speech, it claims that it represents a really existing, original text outside of the quoting text. The major division of reported speech in journalism, as elsewhere, is into direct speech vs. indirect speech. By convention, direct speech is interpreted by the reader as being an authentic, accurate, verbatim replication of what was originally said, whereas indirect speech is interpreted as a paraphrase. This division is categorical in the orthography and prototypical in its gram-matical-syntactic-discursive correlates (with respect to the behavior of deictic terms and the syntactic nature of the reported speech clause). The third type of reported speech usually discussed, free indirect style, is a cover term for many different types of reported speech, only some of which occur in journalism. Semantic-pragmatically, direct speech is image iconic, isomorphic and replicative with respect to the original utterance, whereas instances of indirect speech are indeterminate with respect to how much rewording, condensing and inferencing has been done. We can conclude that the general functional nature of the discourse type in which linguistic categories occur influences the functional nature of those categories.

AB - There is agreement among many linguists that we should study all linguistic categories in real discourse usage. But what has not received as much theoretical attention, and what will be addressed here, is the fact that general discourse types (genres) set a frame which determines the functional nature of the categories which are used within that frame. This will be exemplified with reported speech in journalistic discourse (using examples from the French newspaper Le Monde). In news reporting, reported speech functions differently from the way in which it functions in, for example, fictional narrative and conversation. This is due to the fact that news reporting is focused on conveying information and concerned with issues of referentiality, truth, reliability and accountability—none of which are the main concerns of fiction and conversation. The functional nature of all linguistic categories used in journalistic articles, including reported speech, is skewed by this particular kind of focus on the real world outside of the text. In particular, journalistic use of reported speech is based, as elsewhere, on the relation between a reporting speech event and a reported speech event, but in addition, contrary to other uses of reported speech, it claims that it represents a really existing, original text outside of the quoting text. The major division of reported speech in journalism, as elsewhere, is into direct speech vs. indirect speech. By convention, direct speech is interpreted by the reader as being an authentic, accurate, verbatim replication of what was originally said, whereas indirect speech is interpreted as a paraphrase. This division is categorical in the orthography and prototypical in its gram-matical-syntactic-discursive correlates (with respect to the behavior of deictic terms and the syntactic nature of the reported speech clause). The third type of reported speech usually discussed, free indirect style, is a cover term for many different types of reported speech, only some of which occur in journalism. Semantic-pragmatically, direct speech is image iconic, isomorphic and replicative with respect to the original utterance, whereas instances of indirect speech are indeterminate with respect to how much rewording, condensing and inferencing has been done. We can conclude that the general functional nature of the discourse type in which linguistic categories occur influences the functional nature of those categories.

KW - direct speech

KW - free indirect style

KW - indirect speech

KW - journalistic discourse

KW - reported speech

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84937294691&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84937294691&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1515/text.1.1995.15.1.129

DO - 10.1515/text.1.1995.15.1.129

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84937294691

SN - 0165-4888

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NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

David Folkenflik

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

NPR is defending its journalism and integrity after a senior editor wrote an essay accusing it of losing the public's trust.

NPR's top news executive defended its journalism and its commitment to reflecting a diverse array of views on Tuesday after a senior NPR editor wrote a broad critique of how the network has covered some of the most important stories of the age.

"An open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and now, predictably, we don't have an audience that reflects America," writes Uri Berliner.

A strategic emphasis on diversity and inclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation, promoted by NPR's former CEO, John Lansing, has fed "the absence of viewpoint diversity," Berliner writes.

NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, wrote in a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon that she and the news leadership team strongly reject Berliner's assessment.

"We're proud to stand behind the exceptional work that our desks and shows do to cover a wide range of challenging stories," she wrote. "We believe that inclusion — among our staff, with our sourcing, and in our overall coverage — is critical to telling the nuanced stories of this country and our world."

NPR names tech executive Katherine Maher to lead in turbulent era

She added, "None of our work is above scrutiny or critique. We must have vigorous discussions in the newsroom about how we serve the public as a whole."

A spokesperson for NPR said Chapin, who also serves as the network's chief content officer, would have no further comment.

Praised by NPR's critics

Berliner is a senior editor on NPR's Business Desk. (Disclosure: I, too, am part of the Business Desk, and Berliner has edited many of my past stories. He did not see any version of this article or participate in its preparation before it was posted publicly.)

Berliner's essay , titled "I've Been at NPR for 25 years. Here's How We Lost America's Trust," was published by The Free Press, a website that has welcomed journalists who have concluded that mainstream news outlets have become reflexively liberal.

Berliner writes that as a Subaru-driving, Sarah Lawrence College graduate who "was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother ," he fits the mold of a loyal NPR fan.

Yet Berliner says NPR's news coverage has fallen short on some of the most controversial stories of recent years, from the question of whether former President Donald Trump colluded with Russia in the 2016 election, to the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19, to the significance and provenance of emails leaked from a laptop owned by Hunter Biden weeks before the 2020 election. In addition, he blasted NPR's coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

On each of these stories, Berliner asserts, NPR has suffered from groupthink due to too little diversity of viewpoints in the newsroom.

The essay ricocheted Tuesday around conservative media , with some labeling Berliner a whistleblower . Others picked it up on social media, including Elon Musk, who has lambasted NPR for leaving his social media site, X. (Musk emailed another NPR reporter a link to Berliner's article with a gibe that the reporter was a "quisling" — a World War II reference to someone who collaborates with the enemy.)

When asked for further comment late Tuesday, Berliner declined, saying the essay spoke for itself.

The arguments he raises — and counters — have percolated across U.S. newsrooms in recent years. The #MeToo sexual harassment scandals of 2016 and 2017 forced newsrooms to listen to and heed more junior colleagues. The social justice movement prompted by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 inspired a reckoning in many places. Newsroom leaders often appeared to stand on shaky ground.

Leaders at many newsrooms, including top editors at The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times , lost their jobs. Legendary Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron wrote in his memoir that he feared his bonds with the staff were "frayed beyond repair," especially over the degree of self-expression his journalists expected to exert on social media, before he decided to step down in early 2021.

Since then, Baron and others — including leaders of some of these newsrooms — have suggested that the pendulum has swung too far.

Author Interviews

Legendary editor marty baron describes his 'collision of power' with trump and bezos.

New York Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned last year against journalists embracing a stance of what he calls "one-side-ism": "where journalists are demonstrating that they're on the side of the righteous."

"I really think that that can create blind spots and echo chambers," he said.

Internal arguments at The Times over the strength of its reporting on accusations that Hamas engaged in sexual assaults as part of a strategy for its Oct. 7 attack on Israel erupted publicly . The paper conducted an investigation to determine the source of a leak over a planned episode of the paper's podcast The Daily on the subject, which months later has not been released. The newsroom guild accused the paper of "targeted interrogation" of journalists of Middle Eastern descent.

Heated pushback in NPR's newsroom

Given Berliner's account of private conversations, several NPR journalists question whether they can now trust him with unguarded assessments about stories in real time. Others express frustration that he had not sought out comment in advance of publication. Berliner acknowledged to me that for this story, he did not seek NPR's approval to publish the piece, nor did he give the network advance notice.

Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues are responding heatedly. Fernando Alfonso, a senior supervising editor for digital news, wrote that he wholeheartedly rejected Berliner's critique of the coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict, for which NPR's journalists, like their peers, periodically put themselves at risk.

Alfonso also took issue with Berliner's concern over the focus on diversity at NPR.

"As a person of color who has often worked in newsrooms with little to no people who look like me, the efforts NPR has made to diversify its workforce and its sources are unique and appropriate given the news industry's long-standing lack of diversity," Alfonso says. "These efforts should be celebrated and not denigrated as Uri has done."

After this story was first published, Berliner contested Alfonso's characterization, saying his criticism of NPR is about the lack of diversity of viewpoints, not its diversity itself.

"I never criticized NPR's priority of achieving a more diverse workforce in terms of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. I have not 'denigrated' NPR's newsroom diversity goals," Berliner said. "That's wrong."

Questions of diversity

Under former CEO John Lansing, NPR made increasing diversity, both of its staff and its audience, its "North Star" mission. Berliner says in the essay that NPR failed to consider broader diversity of viewpoint, noting, "In D.C., where NPR is headquartered and many of us live, I found 87 registered Democrats working in editorial positions and zero Republicans."

Berliner cited audience estimates that suggested a concurrent falloff in listening by Republicans. (The number of people listening to NPR broadcasts and terrestrial radio broadly has declined since the start of the pandemic.)

Former NPR vice president for news and ombudsman Jeffrey Dvorkin tweeted , "I know Uri. He's not wrong."

Others questioned Berliner's logic. "This probably gets causality somewhat backward," tweeted Semafor Washington editor Jordan Weissmann . "I'd guess that a lot of NPR listeners who voted for [Mitt] Romney have changed how they identify politically."

Similarly, Nieman Lab founder Joshua Benton suggested the rise of Trump alienated many NPR-appreciating Republicans from the GOP.

In recent years, NPR has greatly enhanced the percentage of people of color in its workforce and its executive ranks. Four out of 10 staffers are people of color; nearly half of NPR's leadership team identifies as Black, Asian or Latino.

"The philosophy is: Do you want to serve all of America and make sure it sounds like all of America, or not?" Lansing, who stepped down last month, says in response to Berliner's piece. "I'd welcome the argument against that."

"On radio, we were really lagging in our representation of an audience that makes us look like what America looks like today," Lansing says. The U.S. looks and sounds a lot different than it did in 1971, when NPR's first show was broadcast, Lansing says.

A network spokesperson says new NPR CEO Katherine Maher supports Chapin and her response to Berliner's critique.

The spokesperson says that Maher "believes that it's a healthy thing for a public service newsroom to engage in rigorous consideration of the needs of our audiences, including where we serve our mission well and where we can serve it better."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

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