This lecture focuses on reporting developments and speeches, news conferences and meetings.

1. Speeches, News Conferences
and Meetings
Presented by
Brett Atwood

2. Preparation
• It is not uncommon to be assigned a speech or
meeting covering a topic that is unfamiliar to
you
• If this happens, you will need to prepare so
that you know what is “news” and what isn’t

3. Preparation
• Your employer/publication may have an
existing archive of news coverage on the
topic…use it!
• This media archive may be referred to as a
morgue

4. Preparation
• You may also use the Internet – but be careful as
misinformation is rampant
• Your publication/employer may also subscribe to a
legitimate news database, such as Lexis/Nexis

5. Speeches
• When you are assigned to cover a public
speech, there are some things you can do to
prepare
– Get advance transcript, if available
– Pre-interview the speaker, if possible
– Bring a tape/video recorder to document exact
words/events

6. Speeches
• Be aware that when you cover a public
speech, there is heightened scrutiny on what
you quote and report on

7. News Conferences
• Unlike a speech, a news conference will likely
contain a public question and answer forum
for reporters
• If you ask a question publicly, then other
reporters are subject to using the response
– Strategically you might save your best question for
a private interview

8. News Conferences
• Always held for a reason
– News announcement
– Public statement
• Attempt to get advance news of the
announcement from the public relations
representative
– If you can’t get it, try alternative sources that
might give you info on the announcement

9. Example
• My first public event:
– Richard Branson, CEO
Virgin Media

10. Covering Meetings
• Examples:
– City council meetings
– School board meetings
• These can be very long and boring
• Extracting news value can be difficult
• Conflict and public decision making or votes
are usually newsworthy

11. Tips for Public Forums
• Use a recorder or smartphone recording app –
but make sure that it works
• Even if you are recording, take written notes!

12. My First Assignment
• My first music article was a disaster due to a recorder
malfunction!

13. Writing the Story
• For stories that are covering a speech, your
lead will summarize the main theme
• This gives a good overview of the content of
the entire speech
• Most of the article will paraphrase the
speaker, but make sure to quote the strongest
statements
• The best quote is placed highest in the text

14. Writing the Story
• Use the inverted-pyramid format
• Use a summary lede
• Second paragraph usually contains the
strongest quote
– Make sure to identify where and when the speech
occurred
• Continue to develop the lead and introduce
key points of the speech

15. Writing the Story
• For a news conference, it is likely that each
reporter attending will have a different spin
on the subject
• You do not need to write your article based on
the chronological order of the conference –
lede with the most “newsworthy”
development

16. Writing the Story
• In covering public meetings, it is likely that a
large part of the story is the reaction from the
public or those impacted by the meeting (but
not part of the board or council)
• Make sure to interview key participants and
the public
• The “news” isn’t the meeting itself…it is what
happens as a result of it