JR102 Lecture 9: The Body of a News Story
28 Jun 2018
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Chapter 9 : The Body of a News Story
➔Follows the lead and contains the information a reporter believes the reader
should know
◆Inverted pyramid
◆Hourglass
◆Focus
◆Narrative
◆Etc
➔Inverted Pyramid
◆Arranges information in descending order of importance or
newsworthiness
◆Lead
●Summarizes the story
◆Paragraphs 2-4
●Provides details that amplify the lead
◆Paragraphs following
●Add less important details or introduces subordinate topics
◆Writing the second paragraph
●Avoid leapfrogging
○Refers to individual in lead then names them in next
paragraph, fix by providing a one or two word transition
●Continue with the news
○Continue with information about the topic summarized in
your lead
●Names, names-dull,dull
○Emphasize what happened, not who it happened to
●Background: too much, too soon
○Avoid devoting the entire 2nd paragraph to background
information
◆Ending the story
●Kicker--an additional line set above the main headline that draws
attention to the story or ending of the story itself
●Nail down the central point of the story and leave lasting impression
➔Hourglass Styles
◆An inverted pyramid top that summarizes the most newsworthy
information
◆A turn or pivot
◆Paragraph and narrative
➔Focus Style
◆Begins with a lead which focuses on a specific individual, situation, or
anecdote and uses that to illustrate a larger problem
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Chapter 9 : the body of a news story. Follows the lead and contains the information a reporter believes the reader should know. Arranges information in descending order of importance or newsworthiness. Add less important details or introduces subordinate topics. Refers to individual in lead then names them in next paragraph, fix by providing a one or two word transition. Continue with information about the topic summarized in your lead. Emphasize what happened, not who it happened to. Avoid devoting the entire 2nd paragraph to background information. Kicker--an additional line set above the main headline that draws attention to the story or ending of the story itself. Nail down the central point of the story and leave lasting impression. An inverted pyramid top that summarizes the most newsworthy information. Begins with a lead which focuses on a specific individual, situation, or anecdote and uses that to illustrate a larger problem.
