This presentation offers 11 places to look for good ideas for news stories. It also encourages journalism students to always be on the hunt for story ideas and to ask "why?" and "who benefits?" It goes with Chapter 2 of Reporting and Writing News: A Basic Handbook by Peter Eng and Jeff Hodson. Professor Linda Austin prepared it for her JNL-1102 reporting students at the National Management College in Yangon, Myanmar, in July 2015.

1. TOP 11 PLACES
TO FIND GOOD
STORY IDEAS
Identify where to find story ideas
Always be on the hunt for stories
Ask “why?” and “who benefits?”
Professor Linda Austin
National Management College

2. ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT
By tinyfroglet

3. ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT

4. ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT
By tinyfroglet
WHY?

5. WHY?
WHY?
WHY?
WHY?

6. WHY?
June 8, 2015

7. WHO BENEFITS?
July 2, 2015
Number of registered vehicles in Myanmar
4.4
million

8. WHY?
June 8 2015
July 7, 2015

9. 8 Qs TO ASK IN SEARCH OF NEWS
1. Is it unusual?
2. Does it impact many
people?
3. Are prominent people
involved?
4. Is it timely?
5. Is it about a conflict?
6. Is it local?
7. Is it useful?
8. Is it interesting or
entertaining?
Photo by sskennel
From page 18 of textbook

10. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
1. What are you curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

11. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

12. ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT
By tinyfroglet
WHY?

13. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
1. What are you curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

14. 1. WHAT ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT?
WHY?

15. 1. WHAT ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT?
Gilbert M. Gaul

16. 1. WHAT ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT?
WHY?

17. 1. WHAT ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT?
WHY?

18. AUDIENCE

19. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
1. What are you curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

20. 2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

21. 2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

22. 2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?
WHY?

23. 2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?
July 1, 2015

24. 2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?
WHY?

25. 2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?
July 8, 2015

26. 2. GO A DIFFERENT WAY

27. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
1. What are you curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

28. 3. WHAT ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT?
WHY?

29. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
1. What are you curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

30. 4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?
Walt Bogdanich
Read the BRIEFS,
or short items.
ByNCDOTcommunications
WHY?

31. 4. WHAT’S IN THE BRIEFS?
DEFINITION: Follow-ups
• stories that report more
on a story than what has
already been published.
WHY do follow-ups?
• answer unanswered
questions
• provide balance and
reaction
• catch up on missed
stories
From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/

32. 4. WHAT’S IN THE BRIEFS?
DEFINITION: Follow-ups
• stories that report more
on a story than what has
already been published.
WHY do follow-ups?
• provide balance and
reaction
• catch up on missed
stories
• answer unanswered
questions
From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/

33. 4. WHAT’S IN THE BRIEFS?
WHO:
Names? Ages? Parents’ names?
WHAT:
What happened? Where were the parents?
WHEN:
What day and time?
WHERE:
What street? Any problems there before?
WHY:
Why are there so many open drains?
HOW:
How often does it happen? What can be done about it?

34. 4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?
DEFINITION: Localize
• Reporting stories about
whether news from
elsewhere is happening or
affecting things here
Are there bowling alleys in
Yangon?
• Asia Point Bowling Alley on
Yamonnar Road, Tharkayta
• Right Track Bowling Centre
in Tamwe
WHY?

35. 4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?
DEFINITION: Follow-ups
• stories that report more
on a story than what has
already been published.
WHY do follow-ups?
• provide balance and
reaction
• catch up on missed
stories
• answer unanswered
questions
From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/

36. 4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?
DEFINITION: Follow-ups
• stories that report more
on a story than what has
already been published.
WHY do follow-ups?
• provide balance and
reaction
• catch up on missed
stories
• answer unanswered
questions
From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/
WHY?

37. 4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?
DEFINITION: Follow-ups
• stories that report more
on a story than what has
already been published.
WHY do follow-ups?
• provide balance and
reaction
• catch up on missed
stories
• answer unanswered
questions
From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/

38. 4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?
DEFINITION: Follow-ups
• stories that report more
on a story than what has
already been published.
WHY do follow-ups?
• provide balance and
reaction
• catch up on missed
stories
• answer unanswered
questions
From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/
WHY?

39. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
1. What are you curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

40. 5. WHAT’S IN THE ADS?

41. 5. WHAT’S IN THE ADS?
WHY?

42. 5. WHAT’S IN THE ADS?
Section on coping with the monsoon from myanmar times
HOW to attract customers?

43. 5. WHAT’S
IN THE
ADS?
WHY?

44. 5. WHAT’S IN THE ADS?
Doctors without Borders Int’l Rescue Committee
WHY?

45. 5. WHAT’S THE STORY HERE?
WHO:
Wants to rent a factory building?
WHAT:
Do they plan to make?
WHEN:
When will they open?
WHERE:
Would they like to be? Why?
WHY:
Are they opening now?
HOW:
Many will they employ? How can I get a
job? How much are they investing?
Who are their backers? How many
factories open annually in Yangon?
How many succeed?

46. 5. DON’T
OVERLOOK
LEGAL ADS
“Invitation to
interested parties
regarding a Joint
Venture for the
Importation, Storage
and Distribution of
Petroleum Products”

47. 5. DON’T OVERLOOK LEGAL ADS
July 15, 2015

48. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

49. 6. WHAT’S IN YOUR NEWS FEED?
WHY?

50. 6. WHAT’S IN YOUR NEWS FEED?
WHY?
June 8, 2015

51. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

52. 7. TALK TO SOMEONE NEW DAILY

53. • "There are eight million
stories in the naked city. This
has been one of them."

54. “8 MILLION STORIES”
Rapper Kurtis Blow
ByMadWraith

55. “8 MILLION STORIES”
“There are 8 million stories in the naked city
Some ice cold and told without pity
About the mean streets and the ghetto culture
The pimps the pushers the sharks and vultures
Things that happen when it reaches dark
And all the things you hear about Central Park
You got to be down, you got to have strength
If you're gonna survive past 110th
Well it ain't no thing when blood is spilled
The emergency ward is capacity filled
And nothin' ever comes as a big surprise
And the naked city never closes its eyes
A new story every day
Told a thousand different ways
That's how it is and that's how it goes
The city with the 8 and six big O's”

56. There are five million stories
in the naked city.
By Soe Lin

57. “EVERYBODY HAS A STORY”
WHY?

58. FINDING STORIES BY
DRIVING A CAB IN CHINA
WHY?

59. QUESTIONS TO ASK PEOPLE
• What’s going on in their neighborhood? What are
people talking about?
• What’s the best story they know of that hasn’t been
covered yet?
• What’s missing in the local news? What would they
like to know more about?
• What worries them? What keeps them up at night?
• What do they do they for a living? What’s do they like
and what’s challenging about that job?
• What do they do for fun outside of work?
• Who are the most interesting and colorful people they
know?
• Anything else going on?

60. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

61. 8. WHAT’S IN REPORTS, RELEASES?
Use
as a tipsheet
WHY?

62. 8. WHAT’S IN REPORTS, RELEASES?
WHY?

63. 8. BRAINSTORM 5 Ws and H
A University of Yangon student with a passion for physics on
Thursday became the latest Myanmar recipient of the prestigious
Singapore Scholarship, and will begin full-time studies at Singapore’s
Nanyang Technological University next month.
Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo, 18, is a second-year student at YU. She will
leave for Singapore on 27 July to study toward a Bachelor of
Science, majoring in Physics/Applied Physics.
“I want to be a professor specialized in physics and wish to share my
knowledge with local young people, as Myanmar’s science sector is
still weak,” she said.
Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo became the 24th scholar from Myanmar to be
awarded the Singapore Scholarship.

64. A University of Yangon student with a
passion for physics on Thursday became
the latest Myanmar recipient of the
prestigious Singapore Scholarship, and
will begin full-time studies at Singapore’s
Nanyang Technological University next
month.
Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo, 18, is a second-
year student at YU. She will leave for
Singapore on 27 July to study toward a
Bachelor of Science, majoring in
Physics/Applied Physics.
“I want to be a professor specialized in
physics and wish to share my knowledge
with local young people, as Myanmar’s
science sector is still weak,” she said.
Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo became the 24th
scholar from Myanmar to be awarded the
Singapore Scholarship.
WHO:
Are her parents? What are her
hobbies and interests?
WHAT:
Makes her so brainy? What happened
to the previous winners?
WHEN:
Did she decide to be a professor?
WHERE:
Is she from?
WHY:
Is she interested in physics?
HOW:
Does she study? How much is the
scholarship worth?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
STORY QUESTIONS

65. 8. WHAT’S IN REPORTS, RELEASES?
WHY?

66. 8. BRAINSTORM 5 Ws and H
Yangon, 10 July—The Yangon City Development Committee is planning to
construct six new footbridges in the commercial capital this year, according to
officials.
Two bridges will be built in the downtown area, three on Pyay Road, and one in
Bahan Township.
A senior official said the YCDC is conducting pre-engineering works for the
projects and is studying the feasibility of including escalators at the footbridges.
Social service advocates have called for the new footbridges to be accessible
for disabled persons.
The YCDC official said vendors will not be allowed to sell goods on the bridges.
YCDC built four footbridges on Pyay Road, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Strand
Road and downtown last fiscal year.

67. Yangon, 10 July—The Yangon City
Development Committee is planning to
construct six new footbridges in the
commercial capital this year, according to
officials.
Two bridges will be built in the downtown
area, three on Pyay Road, and one in
Bahan Township.
A senior official said the YCDC is
conducting pre-engineering works for the
projects and is studying the feasibility of
including escalators at the footbridges.
Social service advocates have called for
the new footbridges to be accessible for
disabled persons.
The YCDC official said vendors will not
be allowed to sell goods on the bridges.
YCDC built four footbridges on Pyay
Road, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Strand
Road and downtown last fiscal year.
WHO:
Will use the bridges? Who will get the
contracts?
WHAT:
Materials will be used? What will they
look like?
WHEN:
Will they open?
WHERE:
Exactly will the bridges be built?
WHY:
Are the bridges being built? Have there
been deaths or injuries?
HOW:
How much will they cost? How were
these sites selected? Are the ones built
last year being used?
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
STORY QUESTIONS

68. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

69. 9. “INTERVIEW” THE DATA.
By Repórter do Futuro
Sort and calculate the numbers to reveal patterns

70. http://bit.ly/myanmarcensus

71. http://bit.ly/myanmarcensus

72. http://bit.ly/myanmarcensus
9. “INTERVIEW” THE CENSUS DATA
WHY?

73. http://bit.ly/myanmarcensus
9. “INTERVIEW” THE CENSUS DATA
WHO BENEFITS?

74. http://data.worldbank.org/country/myanmar
9. “INTERVIEW” THE WORLD BANK DATA

75. http://data.worldbank.org/country/myanmar
9. “INTERVIEW” THE WORLD BANK DATA
WHY?

76. http://data.worldbank.org/country/myanmar
9. “INTERVIEW” THE WORLD BANK DATA

77. http://data.worldbank.org/country/myanmar
9. “INTERVIEW” THE WORLD BANK DATA
WHO BENEFITS?

78. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

79. 10. WHAT’S A SOURCE?
By Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Someone who gives you information for a story

80. 10. WHAT’S A BEAT?
By Damian Kettlewell
An area of coverage: government, business,
education, sports, entertainment, health, science

81. 10. SOURCES -- ALWAYS ASK:
“WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?”
By The U.S. Army

82. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper – and PDFs
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events

83. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
http://myanmore.com/yangon/calendar/

84. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
http://www.gong-cha.com
WHY?

85. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
http://myanmore.com/yangon/calendar/

86. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?

87. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
July 11, 2015
WHY?

88. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?

89. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
http://myanmore.com/yangon/calendar/

90. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Kizomba: a dance from Angola

91. 11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?
WHY?

92. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
What’s that?
 A reminder
calendar

93. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
Byaboutmodafinil.comandNathan• Upcoming
events
• Anniversaries
for follow-up
• Holidays and
seasons

94. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
Byaboutmodafinil.comandNathan
• Upcoming
election events
 July 20-Aug. 8:
candidates’ lists
submitted
 Aug. 12-21: lists
verified

95. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
• Anniversaries
 After 1 year of
freedom for
fisherman
enslaved for
22 years

96. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
• Anniversaries
 After 1 year of
freedom for
fisherman
enslaved for
22 years
July 1, 2015

97. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
Byaboutmodafinil.comandNathan• Holidays and
seasons
 Martyrs’ Day

98. 11. EVENTS:
KEEP A
“TICKLER
FILE”
By Erica Firment
Byaboutmodafinil.comandNathan• Holidays and
seasons
 Martyrs’ Day
ByBurmaDemocraticConcern(BDC)
BRAINSTORM IDEAS

99. WHY?

100. TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES
6. Facebook
7. People
8. Paper
9. Data
10. Sources
11. Events
1. What are you
curious about?
2. What do you see?
3. What are people
talking about?
4. News media
5. Ads

101. ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT
By tinyfroglet
WHY?

102. SOURCES
• “21 Ways to Find Story Ideas,” by Steve Padilla, Poynter.org:
http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/1774/twenty-one-ways-to-find-
story-ideas/
• “Finding and Developing Story Ideas,” by Steve Buttry, The Buttry
Diary: https://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/finding-and-
developing-story-ideas/
• Inside Reporting, by Tim Harrower, McGraw-Hill, 2013.
• News Writing, by Anna McKane, SAGE Publications Ltd., 2006.
• “Finding Enterprise Story Ideas,” by Mark Grabowski,
cubreporters.org: http://www.slideshare.net/cubreporters/finding-
enterprise-story-ideas?qid=68be74e8-fdb6-4082-aace-
54b6e9d65731&v=qf1&b=&from_search=2
• “How to Find Ideas for Your Profile Story, by Mark Grabowski,
cubreporters.org: http://www.slideshare.net/cubreporters/finding-
news-30742414?related=1
• “Five Unusual Places to Find Story Ideas, by Sally Ashworth,
makealivingwriting.com: http://www.makealivingwriting.com/5-
unusual-places-to-find-story-ideas/