The document discusses what constitutes news and how to identify news stories. It notes that news is about people, death, issues and controversy. While meetings and speeches can potentially be news, the key things to report on are the reasons for meetings, issues discussed, and what was said in prominent speeches. The document advises writing headlines that convey the essence of what someone said rather than just stating an event took place. It identifies focusing on quotes and issues as what to write about for news stories.
5. News is...
About issues (controversy)
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6. A meeting is not news...
...but the reason for the meeting, or issues
discussed at the meeting, could be news
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7. Ineffective headlines
“City council meets”
“Church board meeting a success”
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8. finding news at a meeting
What are the issues?
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9. A speech by a prominent person could be
news
What did they say?
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10. Bob
Woodward
(rockstar status among
young journalists)
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11. poor headline
“Watergate reporter Bob
Woodward speaks at UC Davis”
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12. more effective headlines:
Watergate reporter Woodward still
won’t reveal Deep Throat
Hillary now difficult to
pinpoint in White House race,
says Watergate reporter Woodward
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13. what to write about:
What did they say?
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14. Great resource:
Handbook of Independent Journalism
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