Introduction to media - news and journalism

Every news outlet chooses stories that suit its target audience.

For example, a weekly local newspaper will focus on stories that are relevant to its local audience and will not include international stories.

A national newspaper has a much broader readership and will cover both national and international news.

If you get your news from a variety of different media, you will notice that same story can be told in lots of different ways, even if the same key ingredients – the facts – are the same.

Some stories have a broad reach and are covered by different types of media. A national newspaper may include the same story as a local one, if it is a big or important story, but it will broaden the angle to cater to its national, UK-wide, audience.

Or a local newspaper may take a national story and put it in a local context.

For example, a national story about NHS funding cuts will often be covered by local newspapers in of what it will mean for specific local or regional hospitals.

Tabloid newspapers are different in content, style and language from quality newspapers - sometimes known as ‘broadsheets’.

Different news outlets may choose different ways to report on the same story. Some media present stories in a way that they believe will appeal to their target audience. This is sometimes called the news angle.

For example, some newspapers certain political parties or political values, and they may choose to report the news in a way that s that party.

However, all good news stories provide some balance and look at a subject from different points of view.

When writing a news story, you need to reveal what the story is about right at the beginning.

When writing a headline, the most important thing is to make sure it is clear and can be read and understood in a single glance.

The trick is to interest, intrigue and give a real sense of the story to the widest possible audience - without being sensational. Headlines are often short, active sentences, such as the improbable old journalistic favourite: MAN BITES DOG

Headlines can be creative with witty references and wordplay. ‘Super Caley go ballistic, Celtic are atrocious’ was a headline used by The Sun in 2000 when underdogs Inverness Caledonian Thistle beat giants Celtic in the third round of the Scottish Cup. Alliteration can also be used.

News journalists call the first sentence of a story the ‘intro’, or introduction. The first sentence should summarise the story ‘in a nutshell’ and cover key information.

At least three of the six classic questions (5 Ws and 1 H) - Who, What, Where, When, Why and How – should be answered in the intro.

Intros should attract the reader’s attention. News reporters don’t try to build suspense - they do the opposite and give it all away in the first sentence. It can almost seem like starting at the end of the story, rather than the beginning.

Example

Think of an incident where staff in a petrol station are robbed at gunpoint.

You wouldn’t write:

‘It had been a quiet day in Mill Road petrol station in Co. Down and the two staff were preparing to lock up and go home. Then, at 5.20pm, three masked men arrived and demanded the contents of the till. One assistant ran into the back room to phone for help. The other assistant initially refused to open the till but finally did so when one of the armed men produced a gun.’

Instead, you would write:

‘Armed robbers raided a Co. Down petrol station and stole £10,000 after threatening staff with a gun this afternoon.’

A news story will cover all of the 5 Ws and 1 H: Who What Where When Why How.

News stories tell the reader what they need to know in the shortest possible way. When writing your news story, be as brief, clear and precise as possible. When including sources, pick those that are most trustworthy: official sources and eye-witnesses.

Use the upside down pyramid to structure your story. This means placing all the important information first and making sure the less significant aspects of the story are ‘down the page’ or towards the end.

This structure has been used in newspapers for many years as it makes editing stories easier: if a story is too long to fit on the page, the sub-editor simply chops it from the bottom, knowing that less important details are being cut out.

The structure is helpful as it allows busy readers to skim the beginnings of stories and find out the core information without having to read the whole story.

Quotations

Quotations are very important in news stories as they add authenticity and credibility. Quotations capture human responses and add colour and atmosphere to stories. Make sure you attribute them. If you shorten quotations, add ellipsis points (…) to show that words have been left out.

Balance

It is always best to find several sources for a story, and to ensure all views are represented, particularly if you are covering a contentious issue.

Language

Keep your language as simple as possible. Don’t use long or complicated words or sentences. Short words in short sentences are best because they are quick to read and more easily understood.

Whether you are writing a newspaper story, an online feature or a radio script, keep it clear and simple.

Things to avoid

• Bad grammar.
• Sensationalist language. Keep it factual and accurate.
• Speculation. Don’t speculate how someone might be feeling if you don’t know.
• Slang words.
• Clichés. Don’t say ‘piping hot’ when you just mean ‘hot’.
• Jargon or technical language.
• Americanisms e.g. say ‘car’ not ‘automobile’.
• Acronyms - write them out in full.
• Misspelling people’s names, or getting their names wrong.

Top Tips

If you want to be a good writer, then you have to be a reader. Regularly reading good quality books or newspapers - whether in print or online - will improve your writing skills.

If you want your story to be the best it can be, then re-write it. Write, re-write and re-write again. Each time, simplify it. Cut out any unnecessary adjectives or phrases.

A feature is a longer piece of writing than a news story. Features come in many different types and are widely used in magazines, newspapers and online.

A feature will often cover an issue in greater depth than a news story would do; or it might look at an ongoing story from a different angle.

This table compares some of the characteristics of news stories and features. that these are not hard and fast rules. There can be overlap between the two genres.

Reviews are important in journalism. Almost anything can be reviewed: music concerts, films, video games, products, books or restaurants.

The aim is to offer an honest critique of the object under review, and to make a recommendation to your audience.

Writing a review demands a different skill from writing a news story. Whereas in a news story, you must be objective and balanced, in a review you can be subjective, giving your opinion.

Your tone can also be more personal and informal.

Your role as a reviewer is to

• inform
• describe
• analyse
• advise

A press release is a communication announcing a story to the public which is deliberately sent to journalists or media publishers in the hope they will publish the news contained in them.

They can come from organisations such as businesses or charities or from people like politicians or celebrities.

Press releases are often written by press officers working in the communications or public relations (PR) industry.Their aim is to get their clients’ message across or to protect their reputation. Equally, they may want to promote a product or raise awareness about an issue.

Press releases are shorter than news stories, often taking up half a page, or around 120 words.

Some press releases have an embargo, which means the content of the press release must not be published before a certain date and time. For example, a politician may send out a press release containing the speech they are due to make so that the newspapers can report about it first.