INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM

Introduction
Journalism can be defined as a form of writing that tells people about things that really happened,
but that they might not have known about already. Osborn (2001) asserts that; “The etymology of
journalism, from the Latin “diurnals”, suggests a daily account or record”.
This term has come to mean the collection and editing of news for presentation via one or more
forms of media. The most important characteristic shared by good journalists is
“curiosity”. Good journalists read extensively and develop an insatiable appetite to find as
much as they can about the world around them. In the world journalism comes in various
dimensions and a journalist can either be

(i) Breaking News, that is, telling about events that are yet to be heard or as they happen

(ii) Feature Stories, that is, writing with insight in order to share what you know and what you have
researched extensively with the audience. A feature is a detailed article with something interesting
that is not breaking news.

(iii) Investigative stories that uncover information about influential people in the
society like the Clergy, Government Officials, lecturers from universities, colleges that few people
knew.

(iv)Editorial that is unsigned stories that express the public opinions. For example in World the
opinions of the general public about the strength and weaknesses of the Global Political Agreement
(GPA) signed in 2008.

(v) Columns that are signed articles that express the writer‟s views on certain topics like fashion, use
of mobile phones, women, health and so forth.

1.2 Most common journalist’s duties in their profession

Journalists are the person who is qualified in research, write, edit, proofread and file news
stories, features and articles. Their pieces are used on television and radio or within
magazines, journals and newspapers, in print and online National Council for the Training of
Journalists (NCTJ). Journalists write and assemble together news stories that will interest their
audience. By gathering together a number of different sources and ensuring that all the arguments
are represented, they keep their audience abreast of events in their world.
The job typically involves:-
reading press releases
researching articles
establishing and maintaining contacts
interviewing sources
writing, editing and submitting copy
attending events
proofreading
verifying statements and facts
staying up to date with privacy, contempt and defamation law.

Question no:3News Writing Fundamentals

Reporting
One of the most fundamental differences between journalism and other forms of writing is the way
journalists obtain the information they write about. Journalists obtain information through a variety
of reporting techniques, which can include interviewing sources, looking through government
documents, researching old articles, and observing events firsthand.
Good news writing begins with good, accurate reporting. Journalists perform a public service for
citizens by presenting truthful facts in honest, straight-forward articles.

News Values
Journalists commonly use six values to determine how newsworthy a story orelements of a story
are. Knowing the news values can help a journalist make many decisions, including:
● What information to give first in a news article, and in the lede
● Which articles to display on a newspaper’s front page
● What questions to ask in an interview.

The six news values are:

1. Timeliness
2. Proximity
3. Prominence
4. Uniqueness/oddity
5. Impact
6. Conflict

1. Timeliness-
Recent events have a higher news value than less recent ones.

2. Proximity-
Stories taking place in one’s hometown or community are more newsworthy than those taking
place far away.

3. Prominence-
Famous people and those in the public eye have a higher news value than ordinary citizens.

4. Uniqueness/oddity-
A story with a bizarre twist or strange
occurrences. “Man bites dog” instead of “dog bites man.”

5. Impact-
Stories that impact a large number of people may be more newsworthy than those impacting a
smaller number of people.

6. Conflict-
“If it bleeds, it leads.” Stories with strife, whether it’s actual violence or not, are more interesting.
The newsworthiness of a story is determined by a balance of these six values. There is
no set formula to decide how newsworthy a story is, but in general, the more of these
six values a story meets, the more newsworthy it is.

What is Libel?
Libel is defined as the published defamation of a person’s character based on misleading or
inaccurate facts. Newspaper reporters can often run into issues of libel because it is their job to write
truthful articles about people that might not always be flattering.

What is Lede..?
The lede (or lead) of a news article is the first sentence, usually written as one paragraph, that tells
the most important information of the story. When writing a lede, it is helpful to use the “tell a friend”
strategy. Imagine you had to sum up to a friend, in one sentence, what your story is about. How
would you sum up quickly what happened? A story’s lede answers the “Five W’s” in a specific order:
Who? What?
When? Where? Why?

For example:
The Atlanta Police Department will hold a memorial service Wednesday at Holy Christ
Church in Buckhead for fallen officer Lt. James Montgomery.
WHO: The Atlanta Police Department
WHAT: will hold a memorial service
WHEN: Wednesday
WHERE: Holy Christ Church in Buckhead
WHY: for fallen officer Lt. James Montgomery

What is Inverted Pyramid..?

News articles are written in a structure known as the “inverted pyramid.” In the inverted pyramid
format, the most newsworthy information goes at the beginning of the story and the least
newsworthy information goes at the end.
Lead
Most important
Facts
Background
Courtesy new life ministries
After you have written your story’s lede, order the information that follows in terms of most important
to least important. There is NO formal conclusion in a journalism article the way there is in an essay
or analysis paper.

What is Attributing information.?

ALL information in a news article MUST be attributed to the source where the reporter
got his/her information. The reporter must indicate in his/her article where material
was obtained from – from an interview, court documents, the Census, a Web site, etc.
Direct quotes and paraphrasing can be used to attribute information obtained in an interview with a
source.
For example:
According to a police report, the suspect threatened the cashier with a gun before running away
with the money.

In a 500-page government report, investigators reported evidence that the army had committed
crimes against humanity.

What is Integrating quotes

The first time a source is introduced in an article, you should use that source’s full name
and title. After this initial reference, use the last name only.
For example:
“The swine flu vaccine is an incredible advance in modern medicine,” said Health and
Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

News Writing Style

Journalism or news writing is a prose style used for reporting in newspapers, radio,and television.
When writing journalistically, one has to take into account not only one’s audience, but also the tone
in which the piece is delivered, as well as the ABCs of news writing: Accuracy, Brevity, and Clarity.

Accuracy
If a story isn’t accurate, it firstly betrays public trust. Public trust is of the utmost importance because
the public relies on unbiased news in order to make intelligent choices in the voting booth.
Secondly, inaccurate information could be potentially libelous. Libel is defamation
by written or printed words, pictures, or in any other form besides spoken words or gestures. It is a
serious offense and could severely affect your career as a journalist.

Brevity
Get straight to the point. If you can do without words, then cut them out. Your lead should draw your
reader in and you should end with an interesting finish. Don’t just finish when you run out of
information.

Clarity
Clarity means that you should have all of your facts and have them organized before you start
writing. Your story should leave no question unanswered and should avoid jargon (in other words,
make the topic accessible for readers of all levels, not just experts).

Question no :
How to Write an Editorial?
Writing an editorial is a great way to share your perspective or advocate for a cause to a wide
audience. Effective editorial articles can raise awareness of an issue while also influencing people’s
opinions on a topic. Knowing how to write a strong editorial can allow you to make your voice heard,
generate discussion in your community or take a stance on behalf of a group.

What is an editorial?
An editorial is a short essay that shares an individual's opinion on a current event or
social issue. The goal of a good editorial is to persuade the reader to consider your
perspective and change their opinion. Editorials often focus on controversial issues with widely
different viewpoints.

Types of editorials
The different types depend upon the goal of the article and can be divided into four categories:

Interpretive:
An interpretive editorial explains and provides background information on an event or issue. This type
of editorial aims to raise awareness and discuss how the topic is relevant to the reader.

Critical:
The critical format focuses on the various causes of a problem and suggests a solution. For
example, you might critique a policy that relates to your issue to advocate for a specific change.

Persuasive:
This type of editorial appeals directly to the reader and encourages them to take action. The
persuasive format focuses on the reader's ability to change a situation by following your advice.

Praising:
A praising editorial shows appreciation for a person or organization based on their involvement in an
issue.care about this issue.

Letter to the Editor Sample

Given the recent increase in road accidents and miss happenings, you are concerned about road safety.
Write a letter to the editor of a popular magazine to showcase the same.
Question no:
HOW TO WRITE A LETTER
TO THE EDITOR WITH DIGNITY
A letter to the editor (LTE) is a message you write to a newspaper or other publication to share your
views on a current issue. You may write in response to another news item, an opinion editorial (op-ed),
or a previous, recently published letter to the editor in that paper. People write to submit their
perspective on an issue they feel is important in their community,
state, or country.

How Definition of genre..?

Letters to the editor are written by readers of a newspaper, magazine, or other source, on topics relevant
to the publication’s audience. They address diverse topics, from commentary on local, state, national,
and international current events, to responses to opinions and stories previously put forth in the
publication.

What is feature journalism..?

Feature journalism is a form of in-depth, narrative-driven reporting that explores a topic, person, or event
in detail, using storytelling techniques to engage readers, often focusing on human interest and
emotional appeal.

What is the main differences between a feature and a news story?

A news piece tells you the story in a simple, straightforward manner, and is usually on the shorter side.
A feature can be much longer, with the emphasis more on showing you the story. News is immediate
and current whereas a feature can be evergreen, although many are also topical. An evergreen story of
course has staying power, being just as relevant and interesting a year or even 5 years in the future.
The topics are not always lighthearted however—some features shine a light on societal issues or
expose suffering.

Writing a feature
A feature is a longer piece of writing than a news story. Features come in many different types and are
widely used in magazines, newspapers and online.
Feature writing Ending
There are six basic feature endings namely
1) Lead Replay 2) Proximity Ending
3) Word play. 4) Quote
5) Surprise Ending.

News features
1) Backgrounders. 2) Situation reports
3) Personality profiles. 4) Revelations
5) Analysis and predictions
6) Debate of issues
7) Good news features
8) Anniversary features.

News Story vs Feature

This table compares some of the characteristics of news stories and features. Remember that
these are not hard and fast rules. There can be overlap between the two genres.
For example, a recent news item can be covered in a news feature. Or a news article can abandon the
inverted pyramid structure to cover a human interest story using more detail and emotion.

Writing a review
Reviews are a staple of journalism. Almost anything can be reviewed: music concerts, films, video
games, products, books or restaurants.
The aim is to offer an honest critique of the object under review, and to make a recommendation to your
audience.
Writing a review demands a different skill from writing a news story. Whereas in a news story, you
must be objectiveobjective and balanced, in a review you can be subjective, giving your opinion.You
can also be more personal and informal in tone: you want to create a rapport with the audience.
Your role as a reviewer is to
• inform
• describe
• analyse
• advise
Tips on reviewing a film
When reviewing a film, you are advising the audience on whether it is worth going to see this film, or
spend two hours of their life watching it.
• Include all the relevant detail such as film title, director, lead actors, date of release.

What is Press Release Writing..?

A press release is an official statement issued to the media to provide information on a particular
matter.
It's designed to be concise, factual, and attention-grabbing, providing all the essential details that
journalists can use to write their own stories.

Review Writing:
A review is a critical evaluation of a product, service, event, or work of art. It offers a personal opinion
while providing enough context for the reader to understand the subject matter. A review should be
balanced, mentioning both strengths and weaknesses.