Anna McKane provides a step-by-step guide to constructing a good news story, with good and bad examples and a detailed analysis of style, language and grammar.
"If you want a book that instructs you about all the technical skills you need to pass the examinations set by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and embark on a career in journalism, then this is the book for you. It outlines the basic knowledge required to succeed as a trainee reporter. Shorthand, intros, writing styles, subbing, layout, the way newsrooms work and how to find things out are among the range of skills described." - Times Higher Education "Precisely what it says on the cover - a down-to-earth essential handbook for anyone embarking on a career in journalism. All you need to know about avoiding newsroom minefields and attracting the editor′s attention for the right reasons. If only it had been around in my day!′ - Bob Satchwell, Executive Director, Society of Editors This is a book for everyone who wants to be a journalist: a practical guide to all you need to know, learn and do to succeed as a trainee reporter in today′s newsroom. Although the world of journalism is changing fast, as technology blurs the boundaries between newspapers, radio, television and web-based media, the reporter′s core role remains the same: to recognise news, communicate with people, gather information, and create accurate, balanced and readable stories. Essential Reporting, written by an experienced NCTJ examiner, explains how to do this. Contents include: what makes a good reporter what is news, and how to find it how newsrooms work day-to-day life as a reporter key reporting tasks covering courts and councils successful interviewing writing news stories specialist reporting handling sound, pictures and the web It also contains a wealth of advice, tips and warnings from working journalists, a guide to NCTJ training and examinations, a glossary and a guide to further reading. It will be invaluable to anyone embarking on a career in journalism and is the NCTJ′s recommended introductory text for all students on college and university courses preparing them to become successful reporters.
This new and highly readable textbook by Richard M. Perloff introduces students to the complex world of contemporary news and its theoretical underpinnings, engaging with debates and ethical quandaries. The book takes readers on a concept-guided tour of the contours, continuities, and changing features of news. It covers a huge breadth of topics including: the classic theories of what news should do, its colorful history in America and popular myths of news, the overarching forces involved in contemporary news gathering, critical economic determinants of news and social system influences, and innovative trends in the future of journalism. Drawing on scholarship in the fields of journalism studies and sociology of news, Perloff offers readers a critical, in-depth exploration of news filled with relevant examples from newspapers, newscasts, and social media. Students of journalism, communication, sociology, politics, and related courses, as well as inquisitive scholars, will find this book’s intellectual focus enriching, the writing and examples engaging, and the thoroughness of its search of the contemporary media scene invigorating. Boxes summarizing theory and key concepts help students to deepen their understanding of both what news is now and its future.
On May 11, 2003, The New York Times devoted four pages of its Sunday paper to the deceptions of Jayson Blair, a mediocre former Times reporter who had made up stories, faked datelines, and plagiarized on a massive scale. The fallout from the Blair scandal rocked the Times to its core and revealed fault lines in a fractious newsroom that was already close to open revolt. Staffers were furious–about the perception that management had given Blair more leeway because he was black, about the special treatment of favored correspondents, and most of all about the shoddy reporting that was infecting the most revered newspaper in the world. Within a month, Howell Raines, the imperious executive editor who had taken office less than a week before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001–and helped lead the paper to a record six Pulitzer Prizes for its coverage of the attacks–had been forced out of his job. Having gained unprecedented access to the reporters who conducted the Times’s internal investigation, top newsroom executives, and dozens of Times editors, former Newsweek senior writer Seth Mnookin lets us read all about it–the story behind the biggest journalistic scam of our era and the profound implications of the scandal for the rapidly changing world of American journalism. It’s a true tale that reads like Greek drama, with the most revered of American institutions attempting to overcome the crippling effects of a leader’s blinding narcissism and a low-level reporter’s sociopathic deceptions. Hard News will shape how we understand and judge the media for years to come.
NWR Nine is the 25th Anniversary Edition of this classic text. Teaching by example, with vivid writing, Mr. Mencher teaches students the fundamentals of reporting and writing news.
Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing: Foundational Skills for a Digital Age shows students how to approach their stories and think on their feet in the evolving media landscape. Recognizing that well-crafted stories are founded on sharp prose, author Vincent F. Filak covers more foundational elements of a newswriting textbook, like lead writing, structure, and storytelling, while also teaching students how to think critically and determine what matters most to their readers. The Second Edition includes even more writing and grammar exercises, discussions of social media and digital media advancements, and additional career-related examples to help students succeed upon entering the field.
MediaWriting is an invaluable resource for students planning to enter the dynamic and changing world of media writing in the twenty-first century. With easy-to-read chapters, a wealth of updated, real-world examples, and helpful "How To" boxes throughout, this textbook explains the various styles of writing for print, broadcast, online, social media, public relations, and multimedia outlets. Some of the features included in the book are: A re-written Chapter 13, Writing and Reporting in the New New Media, with updates to how social media is used today Expanded chapters on print reporting methods and the Associated Press Stylebook Updates to Chapters 5 and 6, Legal Considerations in Media Writing, and Ethical Decisions in Writing and Reporting, discuss recent court cases and current ethical issues Explanatory "How To" boxes that help readers understand and retain main themes Illustrative "It Happened to Me" vignettes from the authors’ professional experiences Discussion questions and exercises at the end of every chapter Designed to meet the needs of students of print and broadcast media, public relations, or a wannabe jack-of-all trades in the online media environment, this reader-friendly primer will equip beginners with the skills necessary to succeed in their chosen writing field.
Dynamics of News Reporting and Writing: Foundational Skills for a Digital Age shows students how to approach their stories and think on their feet in the evolving media landscape. Recognizing that well-crafted stories are founded on sharp prose, author Vincent F. Filak covers more foundational elements of a newswriting textbook, like lead writing, structure, and storytelling, while also teaching students how to think critically and determine what matters most to their readers. The Second Edition includes even more writing and grammar exercises, discussions of social media and digital media advancements, and additional career-related examples to help students succeed upon entering the field.
Practical Journalism: How to Write News introduces the beginner to the skills needed to become a journalist in the digital age. The book draws on interviews with dozens of working journalists. They share their thoughts on the profession and we watch them work - selecting stories, carrying out interviews and writing scripts. There are chapters on interviewing, research techniques and news writing. Further chapters cover working in broadcasting and online. Media law and ethics are also included. Most journalists believe they work ethically although few have set rules and others admit to being pressured to behave underhandedly. This book looks at how journalists can work more ethically and provides a guide for beginners. The book is easy to read. Each chapter concludes with activities and a list of further reading. A glossary of terms is included at the end of the book.