Introduction to Reporting Skills
Introduction To Reporting Skills
1.0 Objective :
1. The lesson will orient the student of the basics of newspapers and reporting
skills
2. And the Challenges the journalists face.
Structure of The Lesson :
1.0 Objective
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Preparing News Stories
1.3 Who Does What?
1.4 Summary
1.5 Self Assessment Questions
1.6 References
1.1 Introduction :
Everyday, hundreds of millions of people all over the world buy a newspaper. The newspaper stories
tell people about things happening in their own countries and in the rest of the world. This lesson is about
newspapers. It tells you how a daily newspaper is made. It also tells you about the people who work on a
newspaper. There are thousands of different newspapers around the world. Most newspapers are daily
newspapers, produced every day. There are also monthly and weekly newspapers. Some newspapers are
local newspapers that contain news about a town or city. National newspapers contain news from a whole
country.
Newspaper reporters find news stories and write about them. The stories can be about things like
politics, fires, crimes or sport. The written stories are called copy. Photographers take photographs to go with
the story. The story and photographs are arranged on the newspaper’s pages. There are also advertisements and the weather forecast. When all the pages are full, the newspaper is printed. Most stories in a
newspaper are written by reporters who work for the newspaper. Some reporters only write stories about one
subject, such as sports.
For Example : Imagine a factory catches fire. Someone telephones the newspaper. A reporter and a photographer rush to the factory. The reporter writes down facts in a note book to help him or her write the story. He
or she asks the factory workers about how the fire started and the fire fighters how they are fighting the fire.
The photographer takes photographs of the burning factory. Reporting news can be an exciting adventure for
everyone. One of the main things for a news reporter to remember is the difference between news and
publicity. News is something which answers the questions “who, when, where, why, and how.” News is timely
and of interest to a number of people. Publicity is promoting an event by using posters, paid advertising, etc.
An example of a news item is a member who has won an award. Publicity is the information gathered to
promote a club fish fry.
On the surface, defining news is a simple task. News is an account of what is happening around us.
It may involve current events, public figures or ongoing projects or issues. But newspapers publish more than
just the news of the day. They also provide background analysis, opinions, and human-interest stories.
A story should be : (1) reported promptly (2) important (3) have local interest (4) unusual and (5)
Interesting.
Preparing News Stories :
• Get acquainted with the newspaper editor or other person who handles club news. Find out how he/
she wants the story written.
• Study some news stories in the paper. This helps in writing better stories and the kind of stories that
the newspaper wants.
• Newspaper material is called “copy.” Handwrite or type on every other line and on one side of the
paper only.
• Put the writer’s name, address, and telephone number at the top of the page so that the editor can
call if he/she has a question about the copy.
• Write in the third person. Say: “The members decided.” not “We decided.”
• Make sentences short. Leave out personal opinions. Don’t say, “Everyone had a good time.” Let the
reader judge.
• Check that all names are spelled correctly. Give both first and last names. Tell who the guest speak
ers are, where they live, and what their jobs are.
• In the first paragraph feature some interesting or important fact. Always answer the question “who,
what, when, where, why, and how.” Write no more than 40 to 50 words in any paragraph.
• In the paragraphs the follow give the information in the order of importance. Taper off your story
with the least important details at the end. This is known as the pyramid style of writing. The end is
where the editor starts cutting if there isn’t room for the whole story.
• Write the story on an event before the event rather than after it, if at all possible. If a story is not
turned into the newspaper office within 12 hours after an event, it usually is too late for use.
• Do not feel badly if the story you write is cut down, changed, or does not appear. Every Editor has
only so much space. In order to get news and feature stories into that space, He/she must be
selective in copy.
1.3 Who Does What?
Large news organization have many employees who perform many specilaized jobs. But when it
comes to increasing your visibility in the media, the key contacts you need to know are reporters and editors.
Reporters :
Reporters are responsible for coming up with story ideas, researching them and interviewing, for
them and writing the stories in an interesting way. They are often assigned a beat? A field even have a Youth
beat. In most newsrooms, reporters are given story ideas by their assigning editors. They’re expected to
follow up the idea by identifying and contacting sources and doing background research. Reporters are also
open to suggestions for story ideas from readers, viewers or other sources. Journalists always want to beat
other news outlets to a good story, so they’re particularly interested in new ideas or unexpected angels.
Editors :
News worthy and which are not. Editors oversee reporters, and they’re responsible for the content to
the newspaper or news show. It’s their job to keep track of what’s being covered, and how Most newspapers,
magazines and radio and television stations have assigning editors who assign their ideas to reporters. They
often determine what angle reporters should take and even who they should interview.
Editors also evaluate what their reporters write, and have the power to approve it before it gets
published or goes on the air.
The reporters and editors who determine what is newsworthy choose from the flood of Information
and events happening in their community and around the world. Every newspaper has its own editorial board
that determines what should be covered. Stories are normally selected because of their importance (globally,
nationally or locally), timeliness and potential impact (on individuals or society at large). Stories can also be
written because a reporter has a personal or professional interest in bringing an issue into the public eye.
SHOW, NOT TELL :
Journalists are story tellers by trade. And at the heart of the trade are gripping stories rich in imagery
and detail. One common piece of advice of writers is to “show, not tell”. You have to show the reader the world
where your story takes place. A journalist must be the reader’s eyes and ears…. and every other sense as
well.
When you just tell the reader what you think they need to know, it can come across as a list of dull,
dry information. As a journalist you can use some techniques of literacy writing. Try to provide the reader with
vibrant details so they can conjure up their own mental pictures.
For example compare the following two passages :
1. “I wasn’t feeling well so I went and saw the doctor. She told me that I had
chickenpox, and that I had to keep away from other people because I was
highly infectious”.
2. “My head throbbed like someone was pounding on it with rubber mallets. I was shaking so
hard that I couldn’t hold a drink without spilling all over my shirt. When the doctor finally saw
me, her face blanched. She took one look and inched over to stand by the opposite wall of
the office. Then she told me: I had chickenpox, and massively contagious”.
See the difference. The second one creates a much more vivid impression. To write in a rich and
descriptive manner, you also need to pay attention to detail. For example, imagine you have to describe a
stranger…..may be on the bus, or in the line up at a supermarket. How do you write?
Wrinkled skin at the corners of the eyes. A grilled chin, a bald spot, sad eyes. Clothes hanging off a
frame that is way too thin, Scuffed shoes with one sole starting to tear away. A patch of hair peeking out from
the between the sock and the start of the part leg. That’s all! Go on and on. Pure description.
Cultivate your powers of observation. Learn to look at the world with the eyes of a vigilant journalist,
some kind of cross between a detective and an artist. Observe details as you move throught the world and
figure out how they relate to the essence through written description as often as you can, the more practice
drafting verbal sketches the greater your skill as a writer will be.
1.4. Summary :
The journalism in India commenced with the sole aim of national awareness, public welfare and
social reforms. Leaving aside the personal gains & losses, selfish ends and self-centered ideals, the fulfillment of the national and social obligations was its noble objective. Journalism is a challenge for a journalist.
He has to fight for a healthy response on various issues. Newspaper is the most important organ of journalism. Fast development and availability of various facilities gave birth to various journals and magazines
alongside the newspapers.
The news which, which attracts the attention of the people to know the details of general interest
topic, is the best news, when a reporter observes such events and pictures in details for the benefit of the
society, it is called ‘reporting’. Reporting is a combination of various processes. More the number of people,
news are affecting or involving the more important it is. A good reporter must have a ‘nose for news’.
The main job of a reporter is the collection and compilation of news. The reporter has to maintain
contacts with the people at various levels digging out and unearthing scandals, disparities,injustice and other
negative facts etc.
1.5 Self Assessment Questions :
1. Define Reporting with examples?
2. List out the jobs of Reporters and Editors in a news paper office.
3. Journalists should ‘show, not tell’ discuss.
