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Tables of Contents for News Writing and Reporting for Today''s Media
Chapter/Section Title
Page #
Page Count
Preface
xiii
PART ONE THE FOURTH ESTATE
1
30
CHAPTER 1 TODAY'S MEDIA
1
13
The Electronic Revolution
2
5
The Database
CD-ROM
The Internet
How Reporters Cover the News
7
1
General Assignment Reporting
Working a Beat
Specialty Reporting
The Newspaper Newsroom
8
6
People in the Newsroom
The News Huddle
A. M. and P. M. Coverage
CHAPTER 2 INGREDIENTS OF NEWS
14
17
What Is News Treatment?
15
3
Hard News and Soft News
The Need for Flexibility
The Gatekeeping Process
What Makes News?
18
9
Criteria for Newsworthiness
Other Factors Affecting News Treatment
Pitching News Stories to Editors
27
4
Specificity
Succinctness
Enthusiasm
Monitoring the Media
PART TWO THE RUDIMENTS
31
96
CHAPTER 3 SUMMARY LEADS
31
18
Concepts: Principles of Summary Leads
33
7
The Inverted Pyramid
The Five W's and H
The Thought Process behind the Lead
Multiple-Element Summary Leads
Summary Leads on Features
A Reminder: No Two Leads Are the Same
Guidelines: Writing a Summary Lead
40
9
How Many Words?
Avoiding Buried Leads
Avoiding Buried Leads
Determining the Focal Point
Positioning the Time Element
Writing in the Active Voice
Providing Attributions
Revising the Lead: Summarizing the Story and Enticing Readers
CHAPTER 4 SPECIAL LEADS
49
16
Types of Special Leads
50
12
Narrative Leads
Contrast Leads
Staccato Leads
Direct-Address Leads
Question Leads
Quote Leads
"None of the Above" Leads
Creating Effective Leads
62
3
Using Strong Verbs in Leads
Choosing a Lead: Which Lead, and When?
CHAPTER 5 ORGANIZING A NEWS STORY
65
14
Inverted-Pyramid Style
66
8
An Example of the Inverted Pyramid: A Small City's Involvement in an International Story
Organizing an Inverted Pyramid: Guidelines to Follow
Improving an Inverted-Pyramid Story: An Example of Revision
Hourglass Style
74
3
Advantages of Hourglass Style
An Example of Hourglass Style: A Bizarre Accident
Organizing an Hourglass
When to Use the Hourglass
The Inverted Pyramid is Far from Dead, But...
77
2
Feature Leads
Going Out with a Bang
CHAPTER 6 DEVELOPING A NEWS STORY
79
11
Deciding Which Stories to Develop
80
1
A Story's Impact
Other Factors Influencing Coverage
Covering Developing Stories
81
7
Phases of a Developing Story
Chronology of a Major Story
A Checklist for Developing Stories
88
2
CHAPTER 7 QUOTATIONS AND ATTRIBUTIONS
90
23
Using Quotations
91
9
Types of Quotations
When and How to Quote
Attributing Quotations
100
13
When and How to Attribute
Anonymous Sources
Styling Quotations and Attributions: Punctuation
CHAPTER 8 QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITING
113
14
Roy Peter Clark: Fourteen Traits of Good Writers
114
3
Trait 1 (Seeing the World as a Source of Ideas)
Trait 2 (Discovering and Developing Ideas)
Trait 3 (Collecting Information)
Trait 4 (Working on Leads)
Trait 5 (Immersion in a Story)
Trait 6 (Bleeding Rather Than Speeding)
Trait 7 (Accepting Drudgery)
Trait 8 (Rewriting)
Trait 9 (Trusting the Ear)
Trait 10 (Storytelling)
Trait 11 (Treasuring the Reader)
Trait 12 (Taking Chances)
Trait 13 (Reading)
Trait 14 (Writing Seamlessly)
Robert Gunning: Ten Principles of Clear Writing
117
10
Principle 1: Keep Sentences Short, on the Average
Principle 2: Prefer the Simple to the Complex
Principle 3: Prefer the Familiar Word
Principle 4: Avoid Unnecessary Words
Principle 5: Put Action into Your Verbs
Principle 6: Write the Way You Talk
Principle 7: Use Terms Your Reader Can Picture
Principle 8: Tie in With Your Readers' Experience
Principle 9: Make Full Use of Variety
Principle 10: Write to Express, Not to Impress
PART THREE GATHERING INFORMATION
127
68
CHAPTER 9 INTERVIEWS
127
20
Doing the Research
128
2
Using the Morgue
Using the Library
Using Other Resources
Setting Up the Interview: Guidelines to Follow
130
2
Guideline 1: Make an Appointment
Guideline 2: Identify Yourself
Guideline 3: Consider Your Source's Convenience
Guideline 4: Describe the Story
Guideline 5: Dress the Part
Guideline 6: Be on Time
Conducting the Interview: The Questions and Answers
132
13
Structuring an Interview
Asking Questions
Establishing Rapport
Handling Hostile and Uncommunicative Sources
Making and Using Observations
Logistics
After the Interview
145
1
A Checklist for Interviews
146
1
CHAPTER 10 ELECTRONIC SOURCES
147
20
Electronic Tools for Reporters
148
9
Commercial Databases: Full-Text and Citation
Advantages and Disadvantages of Databases
Accessing a Commercial On-line Database: Two Methods
Searching a Commercial Database
The Internet as a Research Tool
157
8
Question Sources
The World Wide Web
E-Mail for Interviewing
CD-ROM Technology
165
1
Plan the Research
165
2
CHAPTER 11 WRITTEN SOURCES
167
14
Standard Information Sources
168
7
Sources in the Newsroom
Sources in Libraries
Government as an Information Sources
175
6
Access to Federal Information: The Freedom of Information Act
Access to State Information
Access to State and Local Meetings
CHAPTER 12 SURVEYS
181
14
Conducting a Survey: Basic Considerations
183
7
Formulating the Questions
Testing the Questions
Developing the Sample
Gathering Data
Analyzing the Data
Writing the Story
Reporting Surveys: Rules and Guidelines for Journalists
190
5
General Considerations
Avoiding Distortions: James Simon's Top-10 Factors
PART FOUR BASIC ASSIGNMENTS
195
82
CHAPTER 13 OBITUARIES
195
13
Selecting Obituaries to Publish
196
1
Content of Obituaries
197
7
Basic Information in Obits
Sources of Information
Ensuring Accuracy in Obits
Obituary Styles
204
2
Same-Day Obits
Second-Day Obits
Terminology
Writing Effective Obituaries
206
2
Capturing the Flavor of a Life
Writing Interesting Leads
CHAPTER 14 NEWS RELEASES
208
11
Evaluating News Releases
209
3
Factors to Consider
Which Releases Will Be Used?
Using News Releases
212
7
Boiling Down a Handout
Avoiding Free Ads
Determining Local News Value
CHAPTER 15 SPEECHES AND PRESS CONFERENCES
219
13
Speeches
220
7
The Reporter and the Speech
Covering a Speech
Press Conferences
227
5
The Press Conference as a Media Event
Covering a Press Conference
CHAPTER 16 WEATHER AND DISASTERS
232
15
Covering and Forecasting Weather
233
6
Example: A Snowstorm in Fairbanks
General Guidelines for Weather Stories
Types of Weather Stories
Weather Terminology: AP Style
Covering Disasters
239
8
Elements of Disaster Coverage
Two Problems for Reporters
CHAPTER 17 FEATURES
247
15
What Is a Feature?
248
7
Hard News and Soft News
Types of Features
Writing and Organizing Feature Stories
255
6
Finding the Theme and Developing the Story
Writing the Lead
Writing the Body
Writing the Ending
Effective Features: A Checklist for Writers
261
1
CHAPTER 18 BROADCAST WRITING
262
15
Broadcast Style: Guidelines for Writers
264
5
Rules of Style
Tips for Broadcast Writers
Writing for Radio
269
2
Creating Pictures with Words
Pulling Listeners into a Story
Writing for Television
271
3
Getting Video and Conducting Interviews
Harmonizing Words and Pictures
Suggestions for Effective Broadcast Journalism
274
3
Understand Technology
Learn to Perform
Emphasize the Last Sentence of a Story
Approach Television as a Unique Medium
Approach Radio as a Unique Medium
PART FIVE BEATS
277
102
CHAPTER 19 MULTICULTURAL REPORTING
277
17
Factors in Multicultural Coverage
278
2
Our Changing Population: Demographics
The Role of the Media: Recommendations of the Kerner Commission
Trends in Multicultural Coverage
280
5
Status and Goals of Cultural Reporting and Cultural Sensitivity: An Overview
Diversity in Cultural Reporting: A Commitment to Change
Approaches to Multicultural Coverage
285
8
Guidelines for Media and Reporters
Improving Coverage: A Checklist
A Multicultural Reporter at Work: Dawn Garcia's Strategies
Terminology for Multicultural Coverage
293
1
CHAPTER 20 CITY GOVERNMENT
294
19
Understanding Municipal Government Systems
295
3
Forms of Municipal Governments
A Day on the City Beat
City Council Meetings
298
4
Before the Meeting
Writing the Meeting Story: An Inverted-Pyramid Story
After the Meeting
The City Budget Process
302
8
Covering the Steps in the Budget Process
Developing Sources of Information
Examining Budgets
Writing the Budget Story
Guidelines for Covering City Government
310
3
CHAPTER 21 POLICE AND FIRE
313
21
Staffing Police and Fire Beats
314
1
Covering Police and Fire Departments
315
9
Mastering Organizational Structures
Developing Sources
Using Departmental Records
A Day on the Police and Fire Beat
324
8
Assignments: The Day Begins
On-the-Scene Coverage: A Major Fire
Making the Rounds
Writing the Stories
Final Deadline: The Day Ends
Suggestions for Beat Reporters
332
2
CHAPTER 22 COURTS
334
29
The Judicial System
336
2
The Federal Judicial System
State Judicial Systems
Types of Court Cases
Criminal Cases
338
5
The Basic Criminal Process
Reporting Criminal Cases
Civil Cases
353
8
The Basic Civil Process
Reporting Civil Cases
Covering the Courts: Guidelines for Reporters
361
2
CHAPTER 23 SPORTS
363
16
Trends in Sports Coverage
364
6
Sports Writing Styles
Contemporary Sports Pages
High School Sports Coverage
College Sports Coverage
Reporting Sports
370
9
Working with Statistics
Going Beyond Statistics
Writing a Sports Story
Beyond the Game--Contracts, Courtrooms, and Boardrooms
PART SIX ADVANCED ASSIGNMENTS
379
34
CHAPTER 24 IN-DEPTH AND INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
379
15
What Is an In-Depth?
380
2
Gathering Information for an In-Depth Story
382
7
Smelling a Story
Conducting Research
Interviewing
Going Undercover
Writing an In-Depth Story
389
3
Finding the Right Lead
Using Bulleted Paragraphs to Summarize Findings
Using Anecdotes and Observations
Finding the Thread
Writing a First-Person Article
In-Depth Reporting and Writing: Steps to Follow
392
2
CHAPTER 25 BUSINESS AND OTHER SPECIALTIES
394
19
Business
395
6
The Business Reporter
The Business Story
Specializing in Business: Guidelines for Reporters
Consumers
401
4
Trends in Consumer Journalism
Sources for Consumer News
Specializing in Consumer Journalism: Guidelines for Reporters
Environment
405
2
Coverage of the Environment
An Environmental Reporter in Chicago
Becoming an Environmental Writer: Tips for Reporters
Science and Medicine
407
2
Coverage of Specialized Technical Fields
A Science and Medical Writer in Washington
Becoming a Science and Medical Writer: Tips for Reporters
Religion
409
4
Coverage of Religion
A Syndicated Religion Writer
Becoming a Religion Writer: Tips for Reporters
PART SEVEN BEYOND THE WRITING
413
44
CHAPTER 26 LAW
413
25
The First Amendment and the Press
414
1
Libel
415
12
Libel Law and Libel Suits
What Leads to Libel?
Defenses against Libel
Dealing with Libel
Outlook: The Media and Libel in the 1990s
Reporters and Their Sources
427
4
Background
The Branzburg Case
Shield Laws
Fair Trial Versus Free Press
431
7
Background: An Ongoing Conflict
Balancing
Conflicting Rights: Guidelines for the Bar and the Press
Press Coverage of Trials
CHAPTER 27 ETHICS: RESPONSIBILITY TO SOCIETY
438
19
A Theory of Press Systems
439
1
Authoritarian System
Libertarian System
Social Responsibility Theory
The Media and the Public
440
2
Criticism of the Press
The Press Responds
The Ethics of Journalism
442
12
Codes of Ethics
Ethical Issues
In Conclusion: The Journalist's Responsibility
454
3
APPENDIX A ASSOCIATED PRESS STYLE RULES
457
14
APPENDIX B CODES OF ETHICS
471
4
APPENDIX C GLOSSARY
475
16
Permissions and Credits
491
2
Index
493