2011-07-02T09:14:00.001-07:00

These helpful tips will help get you through a Reporting 1 class.

News Values
Traditional criteria of news value are those journalists use to decide which sets of facts make up news stories and which stories are more newsworthy than others. Over the years editors, reporters and journalism professors have come up with a list of factors or criteria that help journalists decide whether something is newsworthy or not. They can also help you decide HOW newsworthy something is. Generally, the more of the factors that can be applied to your event or story, the more newsworthy it’s bound to be.
Interviewing
The first step in writing a story is to gather information through reporting. Even in an age of digital voice recorders, a reporter’s notebook and pen are still necessary tools for print and online journalists. Voice recorders are great for capturing every quote accurately, but transcribing interviews from them can often take too long, especially when you’re on a tight deadline.
Nonverbals
Careful observations make your copy more detailed and conversations more colorful. It is one of the biggest misconceptions to think that what is being said is more important than how it is being said. In reality only 7 percent of information is sent through words, the remaining 93 percent of communication is non-verbal. If you fail to read and de-code non-verbal messages you set yourself up for constant misunderstandings and various communication problems.
Online Resources
Information is only a click away.
Reporter Checklist
Obviously, you must get the 5Ws: Who, what, when, where and why.
Media Ethics
The ethics of journalism is one of the most well-defined branches of media ethics, primarily because it is frequently taught in schools of journalism.
Media Law
The First Amendment provides great freedom, but media must exercise responsibility.
Speech Coverage
Use the KISS Formula: Keep It Simple, Silly.
Feature Writing
Features need the same amount of reporting as news.
Sports Writing
Like it or not, sports stories attract a lot of readers.
Opinion Writing
The editorial serves as the official view of the paper, reflecting the opinions of many sides of an issue.
Column Writing
Make sure columnists have a sense of humor.
Review Writing
What to include and what not to include in a review.
Headline Writing
The hook that grabs the reader is a headline.
Copyediting
Behind every great reporter is a great editor.

And then, we get into more specialized writing. Everyone doesn't quite have it to write humor. See if you do.

Humor Writing

QuickstuffatSAC

These helpful tips will help get you through a Reporting 1 class.

"We are all here for a spell. Get all the good laughs you can." Will Rogers