NEWS WRITING
STORY FORMULA
Newspapers
are often read
quickly, or scanned in between the reader doing other things. As a journalist,
your job is to arrest the attention of the reader and extend their reading
time.
If readers
have to go back and read something twice, you have failed in your job - you need to be clear, simple and accurate.
You know the
basic formula for all news stories:
WHAT?
WHERE?
WHO?
WHEN?
HOW/WHY?
For example:
One man was killed and
another seriously injured in a road accident (what happened)
on the A27 at Oxbridge (where it happened)
at 7.30 am today (when it happened)
after two cars were in
collision in thick fog. (how it happened)
Mr Marcus West (30) of
Farlington Avenue was killed and Mr Colin Morgan (58) of North End, Oxbridge is
critically ill in hospital. (who were involved)
NB. The
‘why’ is covered in the ‘how’ point.
It’s
surprising how many of the elements of the basic formula you can include even
in a short opening paragraph:
Two of the Duchess of
Cambridge’s bodyguards were held for nearly three hours after a row with
Customs officials at Heathrow yesterday.
WHAT – a row
with customs officials
WHO – two of
the Duchess’ bodyguards
WHERE –
Heathrow
WHEN -
yesterday
Task 1
Identify
which questions from the story formula are answered in the examples below. So,
for example:
Long-serving headmaster
Mr Alf Peters is set to retire from Cosham School. (WHO, WHAT, WHERE)
1. Emergency services were called to a
flat in Farlington last night.-
Where
2. College lecturer Jan Andrews is off
to India next month. – Who, Where, When
3. Two children were hurt in a crash on
the M27 near Ringwood today. – Where, When, Who, What
4. Sam and Joan Smith celebrated their
diamond wedding anniversary with champagne and roses – Who, What, Why
5. Firemen were called to Cosham Police
Station yesterday to rescue the station’s cat that had got stuck in a tree. – Who, What, When, Where, Why
Now, which
bits of the story formula are needed here:
1. Mountaineers scaled the tower block
at Highbury College. – Why, When
2. Animal rights protesters went on a
march through Drayton. – When, Why
3. Councillors met to discuss parking
charges. – Where, When, Why
4. Firemen were praised following a
house fire in Cosham today. – Why, What
5. Celebrity Katie Price was in
Portsmouth today. – Why, What
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