JOURNALISM

-is the activity of gathering, assessing,

creating and presenting news and
information.
Journalistic Writing

-Is the style of writing used to report

news stories in newspapers, television
broadcast, on radio and on the
internet.
Types of Journalistic Writing

1. News Writing- current news (specific topic)

2. Feature Writing- story in a great detail
3. Opinion Article- reflects author’s opinion
4. Sports Writing- sports-related issue
News Writing
• The News Element
• Essential Qualities of News
• Kinds of News
• Structure of News
• Types of News Lead
• Sources of the News
• Pointers in News Gathering
What is News?
What is news?
“…report of any event or situation”
–a journalist

“…is any event, idea, or opinion that is timely,

that interests or affects a large number of
persons in a community, and that is capable of
being understood by them.”
–Dean M. Lyle Spencer
The Elements of the News

1.immediacy
2.proximity 1.suspense
3.prominence 2.emotion
4.oddity 3.consequence
5.conflict 4.significance
5.humor
The Elements of the News

1. Immediacy
The news story must immediately tell the impact of the
event.

The value of the events depend on their newness.

Immediacy concerns not only recency – the time of the

occurrence – but also primacy you gasp with surprise
when you first hear or see it is news to you.
The Elements of the News
2. Proximity
Newspaper Reader

The readers of newspapers are more

interested to know what is happening
around them.
The Elements of the News
3. Prominence
Newspaper readers are always interested to read
more about people, places, celebrities, stars,
personalities, and other things which are common
and very familiar to them.
The Elements of the News
4. Oddity
The news reporter is always in the “nose for news”
for events which are indeed rare, unusual, and
unique.

Classic remark given by Charles A. Dana in 1882:

“When a dog bites a man that is not news, but

when a man bites a dog, that is news.”
The Elements of the News

5. Conflict

Intense conflict of the things will catch the

attention of the readers.
The Elements of the News
6. Suspense

The continuing suspense of a day-to-day

news events will always attract the
attention of the reading public.
The Elements of the News
7. Human Interest or Emotions

This is the highlight of any human drama.

Anything that touches the very fibers and
senses of man and woman would surely be
given special front page space.
The Elements of the News
8. Consequence
Elements that shows progress of any
group or community.

Timely and informative news on

developments will always attract the
attention of the readers.
The Elements of the News
9. Significance
It includes background materials for a
current event.

Background and explanations may help

the readers have the whole truth about
the news.
The Elements of the News
10. Humor

In order to avoid boredom, skillful

reporter often writes news stories which
give spice or a new twist to something
commonplace in the hands of another.
Essential Qualities of News

1. Accuracy- correctness
2. Brevity- short
3. Clarity- clear
4. Directness- straightforward
Two Kinds of News

1. Straight News
-Consists of facts reported without
elaboration.
2. News Feature
-based on facts; writer may give impressions,
may describe and narrate without resorting
to biased opinion.
Types of News Lead

What is a News Lead?

-It is an introductory sentence of the

news story.
Types of News Lead
1. Punch Lead
-is a brief, concise and arresting
epigram

The president is dead.

Mahatma is no more.
Types of News Lead
2. Picture Lead
-this is a colorful and significant
description or sketch of an event.
• Standing tall and straight, easy to smile,
unfurrowed brow under glistening eyes, Mary
told of her dramatic attitude change, having
seen her business results turn around after
bringing in a consultant.
• The new principal although only on his early
thirties, is already silver-haired. He seldom
talks, but when he does, he talks with sense.
Types of News Lead
3. Freak Lead
-unique by using typographical effects
to enhance their appeal
• For sale: one elephant. The City Park
Commission are thinking about adding a
new member to the family.
• Wanted: Supporters from among the
opposition parties who can vote for the
NDA govt. to save it from a possible
defeat in coming election in Uttar
Types of News Lead
4. Contrast Lead
-compares two events
Four months before the beautification and
cleanup drive, zone 15 in Tondo, Manila
was the dirtiest district. Three months
after, it won first place in the CLEAN
contest sponsored by the Department of
Community and Local Government.
Types of News Lead
5. Quotation Lead
-a succinct statement or remark to be
quoted by the reporter on the opening
of the sentence of the lead of the story
Types of News Lead
6. Teaser Lead
-most popular type of lead. It uses
well-known phrase, quotation or
begins with verse or jingle or employs
literary allusion.
• Like father, like son. Ramon Garcia Jr.
graduated Valedictorian this year. Ten years
ago, his father, Mr. Ramon Garcia Sr. also
topped his class and delivered his valedictory
address on the same Rustum where the young
Garcia delivered his.
• Water, water everywhere, but no water to
drink. This was what the food victims found
in their dismay.
Types of News Lead
7. Descriptive Lead

- kind of lead which describe the subject

of the news story.
Types of News Lead
8. Summary Lead
- The most common lead in the news
writing.
- The general summary of what
happened or what is going to happen
- Tries to answer the five W’s and H
Types of News Lead
9. Exclamatory Lead or Astonisher Lead

- Type of lead which calls for an

exclamatory remark or arouses surprise or
astonishment.
Types of News Lead
10. Cartridge Lead

- Very explosive lead and shortest

way of telling a bit of news.
Types of News Lead
11. Question Lead

- Kind of lead that tries to answer

the question raised in the story.
Sources
Of
News
● The Beat Reporters

● The Assignment
Reporters or General
Reporters

● From Outside Sources

The Beat Reporters
● always cover their
respective beats such as :
- police headquarters
- foreign affairs
- office of the president
- industry
Assignment or General Reporters

● gather their stories by interviewing their

“Sources of information”

● rewrite news stories submitted by

government press relations officers or
from the private sector
From Outside Sources
● The press relations officers or
government public information of the
different offices, both public and private
send their prepared press releases to the
desks of the news sections of the different
daily newspaper.
● News releases coming from various
sources are also printed in the
newspapers in the basis of their
newsworthiness.

● Unprinted news stories will be

thrown into the “Junkyard” or
“wastebasket”
● the news agencies or wire services
- major sources of local and
foreign news stories.

● Each of the news services has its own

facilities for gathering and distributing
foreign news stories for the consumption
of the local newspapers.
Major Wire Services and Agencies

● United Press International (UPI)

● Associated Press
● Agence France Presse
● Reuters
● TASS (USSR)
● Antara (Indonesia News Agency)
● The China News Agency of the People’s
Republic
● The Philippine News Agency (PNA)
Pointers in News Gathering

1. See for your self.

- If possible, go to the scene of an event and

witness it first-hand so that you know you
are not writing hearsay, guesses and surmises
but that what you write is true.
Pointers in News Gathering

2. Find the person who knows.

- If you must report something that

happened out of you presence go directly to
the most responsible person concerned and
ask him or her for information. Usually a line
from the manager is worth a column from
the janitor.
Pointers in News Gathering

3. Compare all versions.

- Tests prove the fallibility of the

untrained human eye and ear. The average
person is a poor observer – a careless and
faulty recorder of what he sees or hears. Get
as many versions as you can. Check one
against the other. Question inconsistencies.
Single out and verify the facts.
Pointers in News Gathering

4. Get both sides.

- Much news is sharply controversial. Make
every effort to get the pro and con, the
affirmative and the negative, the right and
the left, the charge of the accuser and the
reply of the accused. If only one side is
available say so in your story. Present the
other side as soon as you can get it.
Pointers in News Gathering

5. Don’t give up too easily.

Accept “ no “ as the final word only if you

must. Hunting news can be discouraging
business. Patience and stick-to-inquisitiveness
will pay off. Keep on working on a story until
you bring it back alive.
Pointers in News Gathering

6. Be tactful and courteous.

- Never impose on a busy man’s time. Get
the facts quickly and leave. Guide a
conversation; Don’t force it. Sometimes, you
need to be tough but nine times, out ten good
manners are better than bullying. Use threats
to expose only if the information you want to
outweighs the loss of your news source.
Pointers in News Gathering

7. Make and keep friends.

- Dependable informants are your most

valued assets, especially if you are on a beat. If
possible, give them favorable mention on your
stories. Never break confidence for the sake of
a scoop and thereby seal up a source of
information.
Pointers in News Gathering

8. Get it into print.

This point is the most significant of all. A

reporter is not hired to entertain or educate
himself. He has an unwritten contract to bring
in news and any effort not pointed to that
end is energy squandered. News not printed is
wasted.
ACTIVITY TIME!

Choose two kinds of lead. Based on the

definition and example, create two
new leads. Refer to the news article
that you got from your assignment.
Direction : Identify the
following sentences.
It is an introductory sentence
of a news story.
It is a kind of lead that answers
five W’s and H’s.
It is a report of any event or
situation.
It is a kind of lead that
compares two events.
It is a kind of news that is
based on facts but the writer
may give impressions, may
describe and narrate without
resorting to biased opinion.
It is a kind of news that
consists of facts reported
without elaboration.
Give the four essential qualities
of news.
ASSIGNMENT:

Get a copy of a feature article

and paste it on your notebook.