Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 50 Journalism: Publishing Across Media 1. Find story ideas from other publications or broadcasts that contain kernels of ideas for your publication or broadcast. Clip or print out the stories and summarize them in three or four sentences. Your summaries should reveal your intelligent reading of the stories. 2. Going Deeper. Suggest possible local stories derived from the professional stories. The more specific the suggestions, the better. Save your suggestions for a “Your Turn” exercise later in this chapter. Your Turn 1 F Story Ideas from Direct Observation Your school publication or broadcast is by and about the students at your school. A stranger should be able to see, hear and “taste” your school as she views your broadcast or reads your publication. Your journalistic efforts, regardless of your media, should refl ect what the students are talking about and worried about, what makes them excited and what makes them mad. The paper, post or broadcast should cover what students are buying, what they are listening to and what they are driving. A school is made up of individuals, however, often several thousand individuals, and no two are talking and worrying about the same issues. So every member of the staff is needed, no matter what his or her job title, whether it is the business manager, graphics editor, staff writer or copy editor. You all are the eyes and ears of the news organization. You should listen, especially to students you do not know well or who are different from you and your friends. Listen in the lunch line. Listen before the bell rings for your classes. Listen in the locker room and the restrooms. As you listen, use your reporter’s notebook to write down what people are talking about, even if you do not hear the whole conversation. Note who is talking or describe the people who are talking. Do you see any signs of emotion? Note actual phrases and any details you hear. Not all of your observations will turn out to be kernels of great stories, but some will. 1. Make at least three entries in your reporter’s notebook observing what students are talking about, are concerned about and are planning. 2. Going Deeper. Write the story ideas your observations suggest. Save your story ideas for another “Your Turn” exercise later in this chapter. Your Turn 1 M