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Chapter 10 Newswriting for Broadcast
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Wrapping Up
Finding stories in the world around you is easy once you realize that
a story can be anything that keeps people, including yourself, engaged. If
something is interesting to one person, it is likely interesting to others, either
as participants or observers. The reporter is responsible for bringing topics
of interest to the viewers. Reporters diligently research subjects and double-
check facts before passing information along to ensure earnest reporting, not
gossiping. To write a story, reporters fi nd just the right angle to keep viewers
interested in the story and choose words purposefully to avoid interjecting the
their own opinions. A story that is told truthfully and well, informs the public
and supports the reporter’s professional reputation.
Review Questions
Please answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper. Do not
write in this book.
1. What questions should you ask yourself to determine if a story is
newsworthy?
2. What are some story sources in an educational environment?
3. What is the purpose of researching a story?
4. What is attribution?
5. Explain “writing for the ear.”
6. What is the reporter track?
7. What is a hard lead? Give an example.
Activities
1. Watch several news programs and choose fi ve stories that you fi nd inter-
esting. For each story, identify what makes the story newsworthy, what
the angle of the story is, and note any attribution given during the story.
Be prepared to share your fi ndings in class.
STEM and Academic Activities
1. Identify the technological advancements that have made the process of
researching stories easier. Explain how each advancement is used to
research stories.
2. Create a list of possible news stories that can be written about your
school. Of the topics on your list, what percentage of the stories are
sports topics? What percentage are academic topics? What percentage
are entertainment topics?
3. Choose three current event news stories and write a soft lead for each
story.