Basic Seminar-Workshop on News and Feature Writing January 25 -26, 2012 PIA Training Center, Romulo Drive, Baguio City De p a r t me n t of T r a d e a n d I n d u st r y -C or d i lle r a Adm i n i st r a t iv e R e g i on # 1 2 C a r i ñ o St . , B a g u i o C i t y
Opening Program INSIDE THIS REPORT 1 1 2
Opening Program Lecture on Basic News Writing Basic Elements of News Article
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News Article Structure
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Keys to a Good Article
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Workshop on Feature Writing
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Feature Writing
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Functions of Feature Story
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Types of Features
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Writing Features
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Structure of Feature Story
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Story Telling Techniques
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Workshop on Feature Writing
“This workshop will help us in our advocacy to increase our client’s awareness on what DTI is doing..”
To give the opening program a twist, the facilitator, Mr. Art Tibaldo, gave each participant a chance to introduce themselves individually, after the opening prayer and the recital of the DTICAR Quality Policy. The getting-to-know part of the program was followed by the introduction of ARD Carmelita Usman who welcomed everyone to the two-day seminar-workshop. She quoted, “This workshop will help us in our advocacy to increase our client’s awareness on what DTI is doing..” She further added that with this workshop, DTI will be able to improve write-ups for the WEAVES, as well as improve info gathering and database. She also reminded everyone that by May of this year, Surveillance Audit will be coming, and she wanted to improve our records to continue our certification. She encouraged everyone to share whatever learning this seminar would offer them. Program Overview was then given by Mr. Tibaldo including the House rules while adding a brief information about the PIA training center.
Lecture on Basic News Writing By Atty. Delmar Cariño (The lecturer, Atty. Delmar Cariño is a news writer at inquirer; and an HR and Legal Officer of Beneco)
“Match Column A and Column B.” This was how Atty. Delmar started his lecture. The idea of the “surprise quiz” was to test the knowledge of the participants to the terminologies writers, specifically those writing on the broad sheet, used. (For the answers, Please see the glossary of terms on the next page) Please see Lecture… on page 2
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Seminar Workshop on News and Feature Writing
Lecture on Basic…from page 1
Glossary of Terms: Byline- The author of the article Credit Line- The source of the news release Lead- The first Paragraph of a news or feature article Headline- Title of the story Mast head- Name of the newspaper Gutter- Spaces between the columns Drop head- Substitute to the
After the short quiz, he started lecturing on the basic considerations that one has to take in identifying a news article, and these are: 1. News writing is factual or base on facts. A writer must master how to understand facts(more facts, the better) Gathering facts may be done thru ambush interview, kapihan, copy of research papers, and other sources that may convey facts 2. Newswriting is called history in a hurry The way you dispose your facts and the way you convey your information shall be in a hurry 3. Paragraph redefined 1 idea, 1 paragraph. Allowing it this way will help the readers grasp the idea easily Paragraph shall be indented. This is for the reason that news readers are busy readers. Making it this way will make readers go through the idea of the story and understand them easily 4. Direct to the point
headline Ears- The space of the left or right of the mast head Body- Paragraph that
Once upon a time… …and they lived happily ever after.
follows the lead Banner Story- The newpaper’s major story of the day of issue Kicker- The title before the
The fairytale type of story starts from the beginning, then to the climax up to the conclusion. News Article shall not follow this approach nor shall not be written this way. It shall start from the climax, or facts that are the most important. The rest shall be the background of the story.
headline Caption- The words below
Basic Elements of News Article
the picture Umbrella- Headlines that runs through all the column Dateline- Place where the story was filed Tag line- Italized name of author found at the end of the last word of
The Basic Elements of News Article shall be: 1. Factual. It shall answer 5W and 1H (what, who, when, where, why, and how). It can come in the form of statement or quotations, and provides background info. 2. It must have an attribution/source. According to.., In an interview with.., Base on.., are but some of the statements that attribute to a certain source. It is important that when writing base on a statement from a certain source, an
the paragraph. Please see Basic Elements on page 3
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Seminar Workshop on News and Feature Writing
News Article Structure LEAD B O D Y
-- Most important
- Least important
NEWS WRITING is a two(2) part article, Lead and Body. It has no conclusion. The most important facts are contained in the LEAD, and the least, the BODY. The inverted triangle above represents the structure of news writing. Example of Lead: Newly installed Cordillera Police Director C/Supt. Benjamin Magalong urged all police officers in the region to be leadership driven…
Who? What did he say? LEAD shall answer any of the 5W&1H Example of Body: Magalong, a veteran combat officer who held key positions in the police department, said his command will further strengthen community relations, saying the key to successful peacemaking efforts and policing is effective community relations. “We can win the hearts of the Filipino people with good community relations,” Magalong said.
BODY shall consist of 1 idea per paragraph. There shall be a continuity of the story.
Basic Elements from page 3
interview to the source shall be conducted first, otherwise it BODY shall 1 idea,writing. 1 paragraph becomes an be unethical 3. News article follows a structure
Structure shall be in order of importance, It is important to gather your notes/ facts, and appreciate them in the manner of considering what is the most important and the least important. The most important facts become the LEAD, and the least important are the BODY. LEAD is composed of two or three paragraphs in which the absence of it will not make the story complete. BODY is a background of the story. 4. Opinions are prohibited Exceptions: a. When uttered by the source b. “Editorialized lead”
“News article shall not contain opinions” - Atty.Delmar Cariño
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Seminar Workshop on News and Feature Writing
The Keys to a Good Article In the course of writing your article to suit your needs, you will see a number of keys in writing a good article. The following is a list of many of the keys, accompanied by a brief definition. 1. Lead. Maybe Traditional or Contemporary. Traditional Lead/ Summary Lead. It answers the 5W and 1H. It is not a requirement to answer all the 5Ws and 1H, answering 1 or 2 is enough. Note,however,that you only use the “When-lead” if the date is significant Contemporary. Lead may come in the form of quotation,question, contrast,featurized lead,editorialized lead or punch lead.
TIPS: 1. Numbers one to ten (1-10) shall be spelled out except when writing big amount e.g. P13M- shall be written as 13 Million. 2. Passive voice is discouraged. Use the active voice of verb.
Workshop..Workshop..Workshop..
2. Disposition of Facts. Disposition of facts means appreciation of facts. This means Identifying what are the facts saying, and which are the most and the least important facts. “Lead shall be simple. Consider the readers on a high school level. Use of jargons shall be avoided, otherwise, definition of such shall be provided on the next paragraph. If multiple unfamiliar words shall be used, the writer may put a glossary of terms at one side of the newspaper.” 3. Angling the Story. If there are lots of facts, writer shall consider one fact or angle that he can use as the lead of the story 4. Story Organization. After identifying the lead, you are now ready to make the body of the story. “Body shall show the sequence of facts and the transition from paragraph to paragraph.”
DON’T WRITE: A Narrative An Essay A Letter The way fairy tales are written
The whole afternoon was spent on a Workshop. On the first part of the workshop, the participants were instructed to interview; and then write news story. The topic suggested was the program of DTI. Outputs to be sent to baguionewseum@gmail.com.
Feature Writing By Mr. Robert Jaworski Abaño Mr. Robert Jaworski Abaño, feature writer and UP Professor, started his lecture by defining Feature Story as: “it is not meant to deliver the news first hand, unlike the straight news report. However, it contains the elements of a news story…” He emphasized that in writing a feature story, truths are distinguished from facts. He differentiate News Article from a Feature Article. He said News is dated, and event-oriented. After today, news is just part of a history. On the other hand, Feature Story has no shelf-life. In a Feature story, LEAD is called the nut graph.
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Seminar Workshop on News and Feature Writing
Functions of a Feature Story
Writing Features
To humanize. Inclusion of caricatures is an example.
In writing features, the following shall be considered:
To add color. Adding colors catches human interest an example is putting an info or detail that stands out.
Choose the theme. (e.g.OTOP- write not only about the products but also about the town)
Write a lead that invites the reader into the story
Provide vital background information
Write clear, concise sentences. Avoid jargons and flowery words
Use a thread. There should be continuity
Use transition
Use quotes, dialogues
Establish a voice
Use effective endings(quotes, emphasis on key point or character of story)
To educate. Feature stories give glimpse of a news, and other information like how to’s. To entertain. To illuminate. Feature story often recaps major news stories. Feature story often profile the people who make the news and explain events that move or shape the news. It also analyzes what is happening in the world, nation or community. It teaches an audience how to do something, like steps process but with a background on why we teach such and such. A feature story suggests better way to live and to entertain readers.
TYPES OF FEATURES 1. Personality Profiles. This is written to bring an audience closer to a person in and out of the news. Example is Frank Sinatra. 2. Human Interest Stories. It is written to show a subject’s oddity or its practical, emotional, or entertainment value. Example, pinaglihi sa kalapati, etc. 3. True Story. Story of people, things or organizations that have inputs on society 4. In-depth Stories. Through intensive research and interviews, in-depth stories provide a detailed account well beyond a basic news story or features. In-depth stories is otherwise known as “Investigatory Journalism” 5. Backgrounders. It adds meaning to current issues and it explains news by explaining them further.
Structure of Feature Story Feature is pyramidal
Set the tone towards the story
Feature is an hour glass
Story blocking
Please see Feature story… on page 6
Know who are the characters involved first before making a story
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Seminar Workshop on News and Feature Writing
Story telling techniques 1. Use concrete objectives.
details
rather
than
vague
2. Use dialogue when possible and appropriate. You may use conversations of the characters. 3. Set a scene. Recreate the scene. You have to picture what happened before the actual scene you see. You may use opinion but it shall be base on facts.
TIPS: 1. Feature Story shall be reader friendly. It must be clear, simple and accurate. 2. Always think that we have a mass audience
4. Use action verbs. 5. Observe or ask questions involving the scene. Observe small details about the interviewee example color of his office’s wall, the book he reads, etc. 6. Tell a story like a plot, with a beginning, middle, and climax. Get a chronology or sequence of events 7. Follow Mark Twain’s advise: “Don’t say the old lady to scream.. bring her and let her scream”. This means that he reader must feel that the writer is just in front of her.
Workshop..Workshop..Workshop..
Write a feature story about any topic you want to feature. Email outputs to baguionewseum@gmail.com
Structure of… from page 5
1. An anecdotal Lead. Use anecdote. This allows you to bring the scene. Readers appreciate it more. 2. Lead is a nut graph 3. Development of Story. The details and quotes come in
Prepared by:
4. Resolution. Numbers and statistics come in.
MARIA CELESTE R. DELA CRUZ Technical Assistant
Hybrid Feature. Lead is featurized, but structure is news Photo Feature. Photo must tell a story.