1. Mid Term Exam
• Covers all material from course.
• Lecture and reading
• At least 1 sample script to correct or write.
3 Mysterious Symbols
L R
D C B A
Unit 5
Basic News Story
(Story Structure)
1
2. Unit 6 Questions
• How should a news story develop?
• How do you select and place
information in a story?
• What are the building blocks of a news
story?
How should a news story develop?
• Rich’s 4 C’s of Story Development
– Conceive the idea or main point.
– Collect the need info (facts, quotes, etc.)
– Construct (or organize the info)
– Correct and Correct Again
• (o.k., I added that “correct again” part)
See details on page 260
How do you select and place
information in a story?
• Key Questions
– What facts to include?
– What facts to throw out?
– How to arrange the facts?
Rich’s CONSTRUCT
2
3. How do you select and place
information in a story?
• Techniques/Skills
– Develop informed judgment. Be
knowledgeable.
– Talk through the story. Talk to the story.
• Be the audience. What do they want to know.
– Limit the information included.
– Emphasize the importance/impact.
– Fact selection, placement and structure are
strongly determined by the lead.
What are the building blocks
of a news story?
Building Blocks of Print News Story
• Headline (required)
• Lead (required)
• Backup for the Lead (required)
• Nut Graph (needed with soft leads)
• Lead Quote (optional, but helps)
• Impact (almost always, in some form)
• Attribution (required)
• Background (needed in most)
• Elaboration (required, if space allows)
• Ending (required)
• Graphics (helpful)
3
4. Headline
• What is the story about? The topic?
• Usually written by editor.
• Secondary headlines: Deck Heads and
Summary Blurbs.
Lead
• Entices reader
• Hard Leads
– 5 W’s & H
– AKA Summary Lead
• Soft Leads
4
5. Backup for Lead
• Lead should be
supported with
facts, quotes,
etc. that
substantiate the
lead.
Nut Graph
• Paragraph that
states the focus
or main point of
the story.
• If there, it is
usually the 3rd to
5th paragraph.
• Only with soft
leads. Why?
Lead Quote
• The first quote that
backs up the lead.
• Helps to use
strongest quote
available.
5
6. Impact
• How does this
affect readers?
• Sometimes in lead
or nut graph.
• Also as a separate
paragraph later.
Attribution
• Where did you get the information?
• Who told you the facts?
Attribution
6
8. Ending/Conclusion
• Further elaboration.
• Statement or quote that summarizes, but does
not repeat previous info.
• Future action.
Ending/Conclusion
Visuals
• Photographs, Pull Quotes, etc.
8
10. Building Blocks of TV News Story
• Teasers
• Lead-ins
• Beginning - Lead
• Body
• Ending
See pgs 260-268.
10
11. Building Blocks of TV News Story
• Teaser
– A few words or few sentences used to
get the reader return to next segment or
newscast.
– “When we come back…”
– “Just ahead…”
• Lead-in
– Right before reporter package. Like lead, but should
not repeat reporter’s lead.
– Usually ends with something like “Our reporter,
<insert name>, has more details.”
– Said by anchor, written by anchor or producer
Building Blocks of TV News Story
• Beginning – Lead (Hard or Soft)
– Soft
• May be used with feature stories.
– Hard
• Who? Where? What? When?
• Place time element after verb.
• “At least five people were arrested today in an anti-abortion
protest outside a Milwaukee clinic.”
• Write to the pictures/images
– You can use “you” – stress impact
• “You may be paying more for milk soon…”
Building Blocks of TV News Story
• Body
– Transitions
• Don’t get carried away here. Limit.
– Common Structures (Ways to Order)
• Problem/Solution
• Time Sequence
• Hourglass
• Circle
11
13. Building Blocks of TV News Story
• Common Endings
– Summary
• A fact that reinforces the main idea
without repeating previous points.
– Future
• Next step. Where we going from here.
– Consumer
• Helpful tip – maybe this is where you get in the impact.
– “Faux Ending”
• “Factual” – just another background fact
Building Blocks of Radio/Audio
News Story
• Lead-in: introductory copy
– Gives the basics
– Sets up the audio/package
• Example: Explain any references made in
Audio. If audio mentions “Bill HR-232”, then
explain “Bill HR-232”.
– Less need for explaining voicers and wraps, than
actualities. Why?
– Be careful with parroting
• Lead-in: Fire Chief Jones called it worst fire he has seen.
• Actuality: This is the worst fire I’ve seen.
13
14. Building Blocks of Radio/Audio
News Story
• Throws: last sentence in lead-in
just before person on recording.
• Throw lines…
– Mayor Lee says…
– The tax issue bothers Mayor Lee.
– Which is better and why? Technical problems?
Building Blocks of Radio/Audio
News Story
• Throws to Actualities
– Must mention the person speaking
– One option: News 3 talked with…
• Throws to Voicers and Wraps
– Our reporter Jan Glover…
– Some stations may not give the reporter’s name. Why?
Building Blocks of Radio/Audio
News Story
• Write-Out, Tag Line or Close
– After reporter “signs off,” the anchor does not return to
that story, but goes on with another.
– But, after an actuality…
– Remind listener again who the speaker is and end with
a “snapper” (mainly TV term)
• The other side: But, opponents say…
• The future: Next week the mayor…
• Additional fact: The mayor’s plan also…
• Summary: What it boils down to is…
• Last Building Block: Reporter’s story/package?
14
15. BUILDING BLOCKS OF STORY
HEADLINE LEAD-IN
THROW
SOFT LEAD LEAD
NUT GRAPH BODY
SNDBITE
BACK-
GROUND CLOSING
SNAPPER
ENDING
15
