Feature Writing Styles

Episode # 111

This episode is dedicated to defining the feature story and describing its the various forms, as well as to highlighting the techniques used by journalists when writing a feature. The host talks with several about how they discriminate between a hard news story and a feature. Reporters and editors describe feature news as the background to hard news and the story behind the headline or breaking news story. Among the other topics discussed are: What makes an interesting feature story? Does writing feature news require more or less research than a hard news story? Should the reporters opinion surface in the feature piece? Is feature writing the same as advocacy journalism? How does it differ? The second half of the program contains an in-depth look at the craft of feature writing for broadcast journalism, specifically for the television magazine genre. ABC News correspondent, Sam Donaldon, takes the student through the making of a feature news piece on the 1993 New York City commuter train shootings. In the piece, Donaldson describes how he uses drama, story telling, video effects and a chronological sequence of events to recount the tragedy and engage viewers in the story. Finally, the host includes a description of a human interest story about a pumpkin farm featured on a local television newscast.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Beyond The Summary Lead

Episode # 110

This program explores a variety of non-traditional leads used by journalists to attract readers and maintain a reader throughout the story. Some of the alternatives to the summary lead discussed in the program are the anecdotal lead, the question lead, the scene-setting lead, the narrative lead, and the contrast lead. What are the benefits and shortcomings of these types of leads? The last half of the program includes interviews with two reporters from the Sacramento Bee as they write a series of stories about the economy and ecology of wildfires. To attract readers, these writers use a variety of leads from the summary lead to the scene setting lead.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Length : 27 min
MPT2

Public Relations Writing

Episode # 109

Public relations professionals and journalists depend on each other for access to both people and information. Yet there exists a lack of trust between the two professions. This program focuses on the relationship between news and public relations writers, particularly emphasizing the critical need for each to understand the other's profession. Several journalists describe their perceptions of the public relations officers both as sources of and barriers to information. This lack of trust stems from the journalists' understanding that the role of the public relations professional is to package material in the most positive light even to the point of misinformation. In spite of the antagonism that exists between the two professions, the skills necessary for someone studying to become either a journalist or public relations officers are similar: typing skills; the ability to summarize information; write a lead; and use the inverted pyramid. For this reason, it is not uncommon for public relations professionals to begin their careers as journalists. David Hatfield, a public relations officer for the Golden State Warriors' Media Relations office, discusses his main tasks: interviewing players; setting up media rooms during sporting events; facilitating media requests; and promoting community and media relations events. Finally, the episode includes a discussion of the video press release and the reasons for the media's reluctance to make use of it.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Broadcast News Writing

Episode # 108

Compared to the traditions of newspaper journalism, broadcast news writing is a relatively new field. This program focuses on television and radio broadcast journalism and how these mediums are like and different from the print medium. Several broadcast journalists share their ideas and strategies for successful news writing. They describe how their task changes when accompanied by video or audio, as well as the limits and challenges they face in their craft. Does the lead change when writing for broadcast? Are broadcast journalists wed to the inverted pyramid to the degree of many newspaper journalists? How is "written to be said" different from "written to be read"? The remainder of the program is dedicated to an explanation of many of the terms used in television news, such as "voice over," "head bite," "reader" and "package. " Finally, several professionals with points of view critical of broadcast journalism give their assessment of the limitations of television news.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Beat Reporting

Episode # 107

This program is dedicated to a look at various specialties within the journalism field usually referred to as beat reporting. The majority of the episode is dedicated to interviews with two reporters at a mid-size daily newspaper, The Redding Record-Searchlight. Adrienne Packer is a reporter who covers the crime beat. John Katsilometes covers sports. Among the various topics covered are: how different beats appeal to different personality types; the types of stories typical in a particular beat; use of the summary lead; finding sources and doing interviews; using the A.P. Stylebook; and writing feature stories. The remainder of the program gives the viewer a glimpse at the other types of beats in a newsroom: science, humor, health, environment, education, city government, politics, and the arts.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Good Writing Vs. Good Reporting

Episode # 106

This episode focuses on the differences between getting the story and crafting the story. Several journalists discuss the skills needed to be a good writer versus those that make a good reporter. While the journalists are split about whether it is possible to be both, most agree that some people are born with a talent in one area and focus on developing their skills where they are weakest. All agree that a good story cannot be written without the reporter first providing a wealth of information based on a strong foundation of facts. Writers then make the hard decisions about selecting the best material to use to write the story. Bobby Calvan, a news writer in Northern California known for his aggressive reporting, illustrates the techniques of a strong writing style. The viewer follows Calvan as he covers a poisonous chemical spill in a Northern California river. Calvan, as well as several other award-winning journalists, stresses the use of concrete nouns and action verbs uncluttered by too many adjectives and adverbs. The remainder of the program is dedicated to interviews with two investigative reporters as they gather information for their prospective news stories. Both men agree that their largest challenge is researching and gaining the necessary information.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Dealing with Sources

Episode # 105

This program helps the journalism student begin to master the techniques used in the interviewing process -- a must for any good journalist. Included are interviews with top journalists from both the broadcast and print. Tips include: knowing your subject before going into the interview; preparing (not over-preparing) questions; using the why question; taking good notes; allowing the interview to flow naturally; the importance of listening; how to handle adversarial situations; and framing the interview with the story in mind. When it comes to writing the story, experts agree that ove-ruse of quotations is a sign of inexperience. As a journalist perfects their craft, they develop the skill of paraphrasing and a sense for the good quote. Several journalists discuss the use of anonymous sources . What about the term "off the record?" What does it mean and how should the professional handle it in the interview and the story? Experienced professionals discuss their strategies.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Development & Organization of a Story

Episode # 104

This program focuses on various development styles that journalists use to write stories, from the most basic and classic inverted pyramid style, to alternative development styles such as the anecdotal, the hour glass and the list approach. In use for over 100 years, the inverted pyramid is a journalistic term for organizing information with the most important information at the top of the story. This method allows readers to gain the most interesting information quickly (in anticipation that they may not read the entire piece). In addition, the inverted pyramid allows editors to delete information from the end of the story without cutting critical material. The program includes a case study in which the viewer watches as Bobby Calvan, reporter for the Redding-Record-Searchlight, organizes the information for a story using this traditional style. Alternative approaches are also discussed in the episode. The anecdotal lead was made famous by writers for the Wall Street Journal and is often used in feature stories. The hour glass style puts the most important information in the first paragraphs, a slight twist in the middle and concludes with a fairly substantial ending. The list technique is often used in stories that cover state and local legislatures. It allows the writer to briefly and succinctly include various related bits of information that may not warrant separate and distinct stories of their own. Finally, the program describes the importance of smooth transitions, allowing for rewrites, using the ending, and an explanation of the nut graph.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

News Writing Language & Style

Episode # 103

The A.P. Stylebook is a standard writing tool for most journalists. Mastery of the Stylebook enables inexperienced writers to focus on crafting the story rather than dwell on the mechanics of writing. In this episode, experts in the field instruct students on the importance of style and the distinction between style and grammar. Throughout the program, host Peter Berkow gives examples of mistakes commonly made by journalism students as well as the correct style and usage notations drawn from the A.P. Stylebook. Common references in the Stylebook include: the differences between "effect" and "affect" and "ensure" and "insure"; correct usage of crime terms such as "homicide," "murder," "manslaughter," "burglary", "robbery," "larceny" and "theft"; correct use of prefixes and suffixes; accurate and ethical use of direct quotes; references to the race, sex, religion, disability, and/or ethnic origin of a newsmaker; use of first names and titles; and capitalization and punctuation. Finally, the program specifically focuses on the importance of using correct style to avert a possible lawsuit.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Hard News Leads

Episode # 102

This episode focuses on the importance of the lead in a news story. Expert journalists discuss the value of the tradition summary lead: the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the news story. Is it essential to have all of these elements in the first sentence? Or, should the writer pick a couple for the lead sentence and focus on the rest within the first paragraph? Is there a limit to the length of the sentence lead? Is the summary lead becoming obsolete or more important in a world filled with multiple stimuli? Should the way the lead is written depend on the medium for which it is intended? Can a writer use the summary lead without being boring? What are some of the other more creative approaches to the lead in the story? Some professionals support using the summary lead to organize your thoughts, particularly in the beginning stages of the writing process. Terms such as the focus sentence and nut graph are explained.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

What Is News?

Episode # 101

This program begins with an exploration of the idea of news itself. What is news? Several journalists from various news organizations give a brief explanation of their understanding of the concept of news. Most agree that news is a combination of information people are or should be interested in. This episode explores the differences between covering news in a small versus a large media market. In a visit to Chico, California, the viewer is shown the various steps in the decision making processes of both the local television station and the local newspaper. How do editors decide what is newsworthy? What should be the lead (or front page) story? Next, host Peter Berkow takes the viewer to a meeting of the editorial staff at the Chicago Tribune, where professionals discuss what makes one story more newsworthy than another in a large metropolitan area. Several professionals from off-beat and more alternative news sources discuss what constitutes news for them. Finally, journalism teachers talk about what makes a good lead and why it is such an important element of the story.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Media Law

Episode # 115

This program focuses on reporters rights and defenses for potential libel or privacy lawsuits as well as concepts like open meeting, shield and freedom of information laws. Jane Kirtley, of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, helps introduce the laws and principles that guarantee reporters rights and privileges, while Mark Goodman, attorney for the Student Press Law Center, and author John Zelezny discuss legal issues that may confront students working for a school newspaper of other publication.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

The Ethics of Journalism

Episode # 114

This episode introduces on-the-job ethical challenges as journalists from a variety of beats discuss issues such as conflict of interest, honesty, throughness, objectivity, privacy and balance. Reporter Monica Davey for the St. Petersburg Times demonstrates real-life ethical decision making and reviews the ethical concepts introduced throughout the program as she covers a controversial story about the city councils battle to close down a local x-rates entertainment spots.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2

Covering Disasters

Episode # 113

This episode focuses on the strategies and techniques used when covering disasters such as earthquakes, floods, fires and airplane crashes. Host Peter Berkow spends much of the program talking with two television and one newspaper reporter as they cover a wildfire burning in Northern California. Writing a summary lead, using the A.P. Stylebook and utilizing the inverted pyramid style are the foundation for writing all breaking news stories. Professionals provide tips ranging from how to find your focus within the chaos, to finding accurate and up-to-date information, to gathering quotes from victims and people impacted by the disaster without invading their privacy. Karen Reuter, anchor/KOLO-TV, takes the student through the process as she writes a feature story on the behind-the-scenes work involved in fighting a forest fire. While much of the program deals specifically with strategies for covering fires, there are significant similarities between the tips provided in this example and those used when reporting on other types of disasters. The final few minutes includes interviews with other journalists talking about their experiences other disaster situations.
Rebroadcast

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
Length : 28 min
MPT2