Reporting Speeches and Meetings

Chapter-1
In this chapter, we discuss the best ways of reporting speeches and
meetings, how to prepare yourself and how to gather news at such events. In
the next chapter we discuss how to write your stories and we give advice on
covering big events such as conferences and demonstrations.
In this chapter, we will discuss ways of writing news stories from speeches
and meetings. We deal with these together because there are lots of
similarities in the way journalists cover such events. Both are means by
which people communicate with each other in public, although speeches are
usually a one-way process (from the speaker to the audience) whereas
meetings usually involve communication between the individuals taking part.
In covering a speech, journalists are generally part of the audience, while at
meetings such as councils or committees, journalists may find themselves
the only members of the audience.
The challenge for journalists
Speeches and meetings are both unlike interviews, where the journalist is an
active participant, putting questions and able to ask for more details. At
speeches or meetings, a reporter usually has no control over where and
when they take place, or the subjects under discussion. In an interview,
reporters should guide their interviewees through questioning. At speeches
and meetings the speakers themselves decide what they want to say. The
journalist has to listen to what is being said and select which parts to make
notes on before writing the news story.
It may seem that journalists have no control over collecting news at
speeches and meetings. This is not so. There are several things you can do
to help you get the information you need to write your story. If you follow
these steps carefully, covering speeches and meetings can be a very
interesting and rewarding part of journalism.
Although we are treating speeches and meetings as a special type of
assignment, most of the skills needed are those found in other areas of
journalism as well.
The essentials are:

The ability to recognise the most newsworthy aspects of a story, and to

select key points from a mass of information.
Good shorthand or a fast writing speed to take down what is said. If the
organisers allow it, use a tape recorder.
A confident approach to new people and new situations.
The ability to compress many thousands of words into clear, concise
and accurate news stories.

What are meetings?

There are, of course, many different types of meetings. One could say that
whenever two or more people get together there is a meeting. However, for
the purpose of this chapter, a meeting is a gathering of several people with a
specific purpose, usually in a planned and organised way, with a formal or
semi-formal structure. Thus meetings range from small sub-committees to
international conventions - and all are a possible source of stories for the
good journalist.
The thing to remember about all meetings is that they do not only provide
news for other people. Most of your readers or listeners will belong to some
group or other, and they will like to hear news of their meetings, even if they
were present themselves.
Many organisations will inform the newsdesk about dates, times and venues
of their meetings, so that these can be entered in the diary. Lots of
organisations have regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly meetings, so it is
worth making a note in your newsdesk diary of when they are held, for
example, "the second Thursday in the month".
But you will get some of your best leads on meetings by regular and careful
reading of the public notices columns of the newspapers, or from posters
stuck on walls, trees or lamp-posts. If the organisers think that a meeting is
important or interesting enough to advertise in the newspaper or on posters,
it may be interesting enough to report. There are, of course, many occasions
when a meeting is little more than a social get-together. In such a case, it
might be a waste of time attending yourself, but you should check
beforehand to assess the situation. If you decide not to attend, make a note
to check up by phone with the organisers the following day, to see if
anything newsworthy came out of the meeting.
Anyone can organise a meeting, although most can be classified under the
following headings:
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Government
These can be local, provincial, regional, national or international. As the
decisions they reach will probably affect ordinary people, they are usually of
public interest. These can range from, for example, sittings of national
parliaments to meetings of local councils. Whenever they make decisions
which can affect people's lives, they are newsworthy.
Company
Because companies produce consumer goods and services, they are
generally newsworthy. They also usually provide employment and support
economic development, locally, nationally or internationally. Most companies
like to run their business meetings behind closed doors, away from the eyes
of the media and their own competitors. However, public companies are
usually forced by law to hold certain meetings in public, especially their
annual general meeting. This may be restricted to shareholders, but there
are usually enough people present who are willing to talk afterwards about
what went on. Alternately, your media organisation could buy a nominal
share in a public company so that it can send a representative as a
legitimate shareholder.
Special interest groups
These can include such bodies as chambers of commerce, parents and
teachers associations, the Friends of the Earth, trade unions and women's
groups. Although some may wish to conduct much of their business behind
closed doors, most welcome the attention of the media and provide singleissue stories which are generally newsworthy. Sporting clubs and
associations are usually a good source of news.
Political parties
Most of the regular party meetings are held in private and are attended only
by party members. However, because they often make important political
decisions for people in power, they are a valuable source of news. In many
countries, political parties hold local meetings to select candidates for
elections and hold annual meetings to elect leaders. These national meetings
are called conventions or annual conferences and are a special kind of
meeting which we will discuss later.
Educational, cultural, social or religious

Some meetings are simply organised to inform or educate people. They

make no decisions which directly affect people's lives, but opinions
expressed can form the basis of a news story or a feature. For example,
sermons in public acts of worship can be newsworthy. In some countries,
sermons are the only forum for political opposition or dissenting voices.
Logistics
The best way to report on a speech or a meeting is to attend it. That way you
will know as much as possible about what happened, minimising the chance
of making mistakes. Also, you will not have to rely on the reports of other
people, who may not be trained journalists.

We said earlier that covering speeches and meetings can present special
challenges, mainly because the events are not under your control. You have
to cope with the practical aspects of getting there, getting the story and
reporting it. We call these practical aspects the logistics of the task.
Preparation
You can save yourself a lot of time and effort if you prepare the groundwork
before you go.
You must make sure that you have the correct date, time and venue of the
speech or meeting. It should not take long to make a quick telephone check
with an organiser to ensure that it is still going ahead as planned.
When you write your report, make sure you include details of date and place,
but do not put them in the intro unless they are important by themselves. A
mountaineering club which holds its annual general meeting on the top of a
mountain is news. Holding the meeting in a hall is not.
Also, find out what kind of speech or meeting it is. Is it a regular or an
extraordinary meeting? Will there be any guest speakers who might be
interesting? What special issues might be raised? Who might object? Ask if
the speech or meeting will be in public or in private. If it will not be open to
the Press, arrange in advance for somebody who will be there to see you
immediately it ends and tell you what happened. This is where a journalist
who has good contacts scores over one who has not.
Find out about the organisation beforehand. Some meetings are obvious
(such as a sitting of Parliament) but what do you know about Rotary, for
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example? (Rotary are business or professional people who meet to do

charitable work.) You will waste time and be embarrassed if you turn up for
any event knowing nothing about the group organising it. There are
newspaper files, directories and other references. You can ask colleagues in
your newsroom what they know and also check at your local library. This is
especially useful when you are covering a speech by an academic. Try to
read something they have written.
Do not be shy of contacting the organisers themselves and ask for
information. Journalists are thought to be experts on all subjects. We know
they are not, but it is better to ask for more information after a bit of
preparation than to approach people in total ignorance.
On arrival
Try to arrive at the meeting a few minutes early. This will give you time to:

Introduce yourself to the organisers if necessary;

Get a list of names and copies of prepared speeches;
Arrange to meet people afterwards for comment;
Settle in your place before the meeting starts.

You will make your task very difficult if you arrive at the speech or meeting
once it has started or with only seconds to spare. The organisers and
participants will also find your late arrival distracting, perhaps rude.
If you get there a few minutes before the start, you can see people arriving.
This is especially important at a big event, when you will find it difficult to
spot people in a crowd once they have arrived. It also allows you a few
minutes to introduce yourself to participants and make arrangements for
interviews after the event.
If you are a reporter for radio or television, you should always arrive well in
advance of the start, to give you time to set up your cameras and
microphones, and to test your light and sound levels. Speakers get very
annoyed when reporters try to attach a microphone to a stand or table
during their speech. Some organisers may stop you doing it.
Finally, you may be told by your newsdesk to file a story immediately the
meeting finishes, especially if it is likely to reach an important decision. If
you do not have time to return to the newsroom, you will have to phone your
copy in. If you wait until the meeting has ended before you start looking for a

telephone, you will waste valuable minutes and also risk being beaten to it
by a rival.
Where to sit or stand
It is essential that you find a position where you can see and hear everything
that is going on. If you arrive at a crowded event, do not hang around the
entrance. Politely but firmly make your way to a position where you can see
and hear well. At well-organised events, you will find an area set aside for
the media. If this seems suitable, use it. You may find the organisers have
left programs, leaflets, copies of speeches or other Press material there for
you. However, if the media area is unsuitable, do not hesitate to move to
somewhere better.
It is a good idea to find a position where you can see and hear both the
speakers and the audience (if any). This allows you to watch both the
participants and the audience reaction. However, you should never sit on the
stage with the organisers or the speakers. You are not part of the event - you
are there to report it for your readers or listeners. You should not be
identified with the organisers or speakers. This is especially important at
demonstrations or rallies, when you feel that you have to get close to the
speakers to hear what they are saying above the noise of the crowd. Try to
sit or stand in an area between the speakers and the crowd, slightly off to
one side.
The end of the event
Although many meetings seem to drag on and on for hours, you must not be
lulled to sleep. Such meetings often end suddenly and both speakers and
audience rush to get away. At this point you may have to chase after people
such as the organisers or main speakers to get essential details or to clear
up a point not fully understood during the meeting. If you have to talk to
more than one person in this way, keep your interviews short so that you do
not miss your other interviewees.
There may also be pressure on you to file your story straight to the
newsroom. This will depend on how important the story is and how near to a
deadline the meeting ends. You may have to decide whether to phone the
copy over or to go for any winding-up interviews. Check how urgently the
newsdesk wants the story before you leave the newsroom.
TO SUMMARISE:
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You will make your task easier and more efficient if you plan ahead.
Know where you are going, when the event is due to start and
something about the people and issues involved.
Always arrive early, with plenty of time to prepare yourself and your
equipment.
If you are facing a tight deadline for the story, plan ahead how you are
going to get your report back to your newsroom.

Reporting Speeches and Meetings

Chapter-2
In the previous chapter, we discussed the best ways of reporting speeches
and meetings, how to prepare yourself and how to gather news at such
events. In this chapter we discuss how to write your stories and we give
advice on covering big events such as conferences and demonstrations.
There are two aspects to report on at any speech or meeting. The first is the
setting of the event, the second the content of speeches. You should make
notes on both these aspects.
The setting
Your job as a journalist is not simply to record what was said in the meeting;
there will usually be a secretary present to keep the official record. You
should try to bring the meeting alive for your readers or listeners. You should
make notes of audience size and composition (for example, are they all
women?), the mood of the audience and the tone of the speakers (although
you should avoid such expressions as "shouted angrily" or "accused" are only
your opinion, and could be wrong).
At any meeting, find out the names of the main speakers on the platform and
anyone who says anything important from the audience. It will help if you
find out their names and titles before the meeting or stay with someone who
can tell you, possibly one of the organisers. If someone says something
important and you cannot find out their name at the time, make a brief note
of their appearance (such as "man, third row, yellow shirt, moustache")
alongside your notes and then track them down afterwards to get their
name.
At big meetings where there are speakers you do not recognise, you may
find it useful to draw a sketch plan of the seating arrangements. Then, as
names are revealed (for example, when another speaker says: "I disagree
with Ram Babus comments just now"), you can fill in the blank spaces on
your plan. Remember to check correct names and spellings later.
Estimating crowd size
At speeches in particular, you may report the size of the crowd. This will
interest your reader or listener, and may provide a news angle in its own
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right. For example, if the President or Prime Minister came to speak at a

business lunch and only two businessmen turned up, that would be news.
In estimating the size of any crowd, do not try to count them all; that is
almost impossible with a large and mobile gathering. The usual trick is to
count, say, 20 people then estimate how many groups of that size there are.
It helps if you are in a high position and you may get a better estimate by
moving around if the crowd is an irregular shape, as at a protest march or
rally.

Although the police will often give you their estimate of a crowd size,
beware. They will tend to over-estimate a crowd they approve of (for
example, people on a charity walk) and under-estimate those they do not like
(such as an anti-government rally). The event organisers might also be able
to help, although they too will have a bias. In some very organised events,
you might get a clue from the number of plates served at a meal. The
caretaker of the hall is a useful person to find, as he will know how many
seats there are and you can work out how many of them are full.
Very often, if several journalists are covering a meeting, you can get together
to agree on a figure for attendance. Although this can be useful, do not go
along with the majority if you believe that their estimate is wrong.
You should also report audience reactions if they are significant. If the
President was booed by the two businessmen, that also would be
newsworthy.
The content
Your notes must, of course, be accurate. You need a good shorthand/writing
speed and the ability to sift out the jewels from the rubbish in any speeches.
Do not get bogged down with minor details of organisation which will only
interest the people who planned the meeting. Radio listeners will be bored by
a list of officers elected, but this can be included at the end of a newspaper
report.
If you are given a copy of a prepared speech, make sure you follow it as it is
presented, just in case the speaker adds anything or leaves something out.
In your notes, mark in the margin or underline those parts which are most
interesting and which might produce your story line.

If you do not have a prepared copy, make lots of notes at the start. If the
speech proves to be interesting, you can be more selective about your notes
later on. If it is short and dull, at least you will have some notes to write
from.
Try to get enough notes to give balanced arguments if there are disputes
during the meeting or during question time after a speech.
Many reporters today use tape recorders, even when working for
newspapers. If you do use a recorder you should also make notes of the
essential points. This will save time later when you are reviewing your
material. It is also useful to have a recorder with a number counter. If you set
this at zero at the start of the speech, you can write down the numbers at
which interesting points are made. Then when you replay your recording, you
can fast-forward or fast-rewind the tape to find the quotes you want at the
numbers you noted.
Writing the news
Depending on the news angle, you may or may not start with a quote, but
you should use plenty of quotes elsewhere in the story.
Your story should be balanced. If a speaker makes some outrageous
accusation, you should make some attempt to check whether or not it is
correct. If it is an opinion, you should try to get a reply from anyone attacked.
For example, if an opposition MP says in a speech that your country is about
to declare war on a close neighbour, you should check such a claim very
carefully, and certainly get a reply from the government.
It is also worth thinking about what the speaker did not say. If the Finance
Minister was speaking on the eve of presenting his budget and did not
mention economic matters, that would be newsworthy.
Finally, make sure that your story contains at least the following details:

The names and titles of speakers;

The major point of the speech plus necessary background;
The time, place and purpose of the meeting;
Plenty of strong quotes;
The size and composition of the audience, plus any important people in
it; if that is important
Audience reactions if they are significant.

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Follow-ups
Most news stories do not end when the meeting finishes. Although there may
be decisions reached, you will have to check up later to see if they have
been acted on. If strong opinions are expressed by a particular pressure
group, or controversial decisions are reached, you may want to contact
someone with an opposing view for their reaction. For example, if the
Cabinet decides on a new measure, you should contact the Opposition for
their reaction.
Some meetings have effects long afterwards, and these may provide good
follow-up stories. For example, a charity meeting may decide to set up a new
home for orphans. You should then watch for news as the project develops when they raise money, when they start building, when they appoint staff,
when it opens and when it has been running for some time. The initial
meeting is like a stone dropped into a pool. Watch the ripples as they spread
out.
Special kinds of meetings
The advice given so far should apply to most types of speeches and
meetings. However, there are special kinds of gatherings which may need
extra care if you are to report them successfully.
Conventions and Conferences
These are special types of meetings, usually held each year by political
parties or professional associations such as doctors or scientists.
They can last for several days and provide a lot of stories. The basic rules for
covering ordinary meetings apply to conventions, except that here you will
have more chance to meet delegates and to chat informally with participants
when the main work ends each day.
Your news editor or chief of staff will usually expect at least one story on the
first day, setting the scene and giving details of the organisation, topics,
participants etc. Once again, find someone knowledgeable to help you and
start looking for stories straight away. Do not wait until all the speeches have
been delivered. You should hunt around behind the scenes for such things as
background stories, personality profiles, local participants or amusing events,
either for the main news pages or for the diary column.

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At conventions you should gather press releases, handouts, reports, and all
kinds of leaflets whenever and wherever possible. When things get dull or
you have a quiet moment, you can read through them looking for story
leads.
Demonstrations
Although not strictly meetings, demonstrations such as rallies, parades,
marches and morchas contain many similar elements. There are often
speeches, there is usually a single issue at the heart of a protest, and your
readers or listeners will want to know such details as size, mood and venue
(or, in the case of a march or morcha, the route).
Once again, try to identify the organisers, but do not stick with them for the
whole time. For one thing you may be identified as someone involved in the
protest, not a good thing for your newspaper of radio station. For another,
you will not be able to report on the number of marchers, their mood or their
opinions.
Be on the lookout for picture ideas, not simply groups waving banners. There
may be children holding placards, people in fancy dress or lines of policemen
guarding the route.
But be careful. Protest marches can turn into riots. Although as a good
journalist you should be where the action is, do not get so close that you get
either injured or arrested. Your newsdesk will not get a story if you are in
hospital or prison.
TO SUMMARISE:

You will make your task easier and more efficient if you plan ahead.
Know where you are going, when the event is due to start and
something about the people and issues involved.
Always arrive early, with plenty of time to prepare yourself and your
equipment.
Make a full and accurate note of what happens and what was said.
Write the story in a lively, balanced way.
Use meetings as a way of making or renewing contacts.
Avoid trouble when reporting parades or demonstrations.

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