HINTS FOR YOUTH ORGANIZATION REPORTERS
What are the duties of the reporter?
1. Inform the public of organization activities.
a. Write news articles for:
1. School paper
2. Local paper
3. Magazines
b. Take pictures for publication.
2. Inform the members of organization activities.
What is news?
l. Unusual accomplishments
2. Competition stories
3. Human interest stories
4. Special projects
What makes an effective news article?
l. Be timely - Report the news immediately after event, or in many cases, before it
happens.
2. Be accurate.
3. Be brief.
4. Write articles free from personal opinion.
How can an effective story be written?
1. Make introduction interesting.
Include:
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
How?
Why?
2. Arrange story so the most important paragraphs are at the beginning. If one or two
paragraphs have to be omitted, the story should still make sense.
Most important fact
2nd important fact
3rd fact
4th
5th
Etc.
What procedure should be followed in preparing articles?
1. Write stories on 8 1/2 x 11 paper.
2. Use only one side of the paper.
3. Leave three or four inches at the top of first page blank for the editor's title.
Allow wide margins at both sides and bottom of all pages.
4. Submit clean, legible copy. Write with a soft lead pencil or ink, if you do not use
a typewriter or word processor.
5. State the most important thing first since a part of the report may have to be
omitted.
6. Avoid duplications in types of statements.
7. Space lines far enough apart so that an extra line may be written between.
8. Print all proper names in longhand to avoid error.
9. Spell all words in full except for abreviations as: Mr., Mrs., Jr., and Dr.
10. Use the full name or initials of the person the first time he or she is mentioned;
after that, in the same story use the last name preceded by the proper title.
11. Spell out numbers when they begin sentences; otherwise, express them in figures if
more than one digit is involved.
12. Get the article in early.
Taking Pictures
The composition of a picture:
1. PLAN the picture.
2. Use a CENTER of interest.
3. Use your SKYLINE properly.
4. Simulate ACTION.
5. Get CLOSE.
6. Use groups of FIVE OR LESS.
7. Use LIGHT background.
8. Include RELATED Objects.
9. Keep it SIMPLE.
The mechanics of picture taking:
1. Proper focus.
2. Correct exposure.
3. Proper lighting.
4. Have clean lines.
5. Use right film.
6. Keep camera level.
7. Use view finder - get entire picture.
HINTS FOR WRITING NEWS ARTICLES
1. Keep articles short.
2. Make articles "newsy" and informative.
3. Have a punch line.
4. Do not use technical language.
5. Keep articles simple.
6. Use actual quotes when possible.
7. Use names where possible.
8. Give credit to as many persons as possible.
9. Keep articles local in nature.
10. Get all news early and on time.
11. Chat with editor.
12. Turn in double-spaced typewritten copy on 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 or 8 1/2 x 11.
13. Use ....30.... at end of story.
14. If more than 1 page, put "more" at bottom of each page and use
"short title" in upper left corner of each succeeding page.
15. Use pictures as much as possible.
16. Use as many feature stories as possible.
17. Avoid taking an "editorial approach."
18. Become familiar with publishers’ situation.
19. Use wide margins on all copy.
20. Avoid wording that degrades an individual.
21. Use a person’s full name (John E. Doe) not Mr. Doe.
22. Include who, what, when, where and how.
23. Know the interests of the reader.
24. Write with a purpose.
25. Look for opportunities to sell the organization.
26. Indent paragraphs five spaces
27. If the release is more than one page, center the word "more" at the
bottom of the page; center the symbols "###" at the bottom of the final page.
Writing the News Release
The Lead:
 | The subsequent paragraphs should build on the lead and be organized in order of
importance (most important to least important). This is called the inverted pyramid style
of writing. |
| News stories do not often end with a conclusion. |
| Do not be too cute or blatantly self-serving or the release will not get printed. |
| Keep paragraphs short. Three to five lines should be standard; seven lines maximum. |
| Avoid the use of adjectives that sound judgmental. |
| Avoid words ending with -ings and -lys--they sound awkward. |
| Avoid the use of "quite" and "rather." They sound like emphasis is
on the obvious. |
| Avoid the use of dependent clauses--sentences beginning with words such as which, when,
where, and while depend on the rest of the sentence for their meaning. |
| Have one idea to a sentence. |
| Avoid any form of the verb "to be." Make "they were driving" into
"they drove." |
| Put emphatic material at the beginning or end of a paragraph. Either seize the reader at
the outset ("Dead. That’s what she was.") or surprise the reader at the end
("Jerry Galloway said he would never move from in front of the oncoming train. That
was the last thing he never did.") Every good joke should have a strong lead-in and
strong punch line. Think of writing as a joke. |
