This presentation helps journalism students organize a speech or news conference story. It was created by Professor Linda Austin to help her introductory reporting and journalism ethics students at the National Management College in Yangon, Burma.

1. WRITING THE
SPEECH/NEWS
CONFERENCE STORY
Organize a
news story
based on a
speech or
press
conference.

2. WHAT’S THE LEAD?
• The lead summarizes the most
newsworthy or provocative point the
speaker made, usually presented as a
paraphrase or partial quote.
• The lead is NOT that someone spoke.

3. SAY-NOTHING LEAD (This is bad)
A Mizzima editor delivered a lecture
Tuesday at the National Management
College.

4. NOT MUCH BETTER
A Mizzima editor delivered a lecture
about journalism Tuesday at the
National Management College.

5. YES!
A Mizzima editor encouraged journalism
students at the National Management College
Tuesday to pursue internships now and “never
stop learning” once they graduate.

6. 2d GRAF: SUPPORT IT WITH A QUOTE
Theingi Htun, editor-in-charge of the
Mizzima Myanmar website, said that the
“digital revolution in media will force you
as journalists to constantly update your
skills.”

7. 3d GRAF – WHERE AND WHY
The third paragraph explains where, when
and why the speech was given. What
should the 3rd graf for this story say?
Theingi Htun spoke in NMC classes at
the invitation of Professor Linda Austin
to give her students first-hand
knowledge of what working as a
journalist in Yangon is like.

8. WHAT’S THE REST OF STORY?
Quotes, descriptions, background
context and audience reaction to
convey the speaker’s message and to
characterize how it was received.

9. A
B
C
B
D
E
F
G