News Writing

What is this this whole “news” thing anyway?
First of all it’s new or it has a “news peg” or some kind of angle. It could be either “hard news” such as crime or politics, or it could be “soft news” such as celebrity or animal centred reports. Essentially it is about people doing things, or in some cases animals and it must always be relevant to the audience.
Why are certain stories reported?
Editorial Reasons: The story must be fresh or exclusive or tap into current obsessions, such as dangerous dogs.  There must be someone to interview, and something to video or to take pictures of, as quotes and images are the “lifeblood” of a story.
Practical Reasons: Is there space for it? Has a similar story been reported recently?

Who, What, Where, When, Why?
The News Pyramid
Intro: this is your TOP LINE so keep it short and sharp, the latest most interesting information.
Two: Elaboration of other elements, adding colour to the story
Three: Chronology, more detail, why did it happen?
Four: More detail, loose ends

Key Elements to Remember:
* It’s about people, so make that your top line (animal if it’s an animal story)
* Have an angle, don’t be passive!
* Be objective, don’t give your opinion, let the audience draw their own conclusions
* Don’t start with a question, you’re giving them the information, not interrogating them
* One idea per sentence and keep them short, 20 to 25 words maximum
* Leave the gobbledygook at home, if you don’t know what it means your audience wont either

Most of all make sure the story is true, check your facts and keep it balanced.

David Hume 1711-76

Hume wrote his “Treatise on Human Nature” between 1734 and 1737. He then shortened it, leaving out most of his reasons for his conclusions, in his “Inquiry Into Human Understanding”. This was said to be the book which awakened Kant from his “dogmatic slumbers”. His “Treatise on Human Nature” was split into three books concerning:
1) Understanding
2) Passions
3) Morals

The first book is where Hume draws the distinction between “impressions” and “ideas”.  Impressions are the direct products of immediate experience, whereas ideas are the faint copies of these impressions. Simple ideas resemble simple impressions, but complex ideas need not. For example we can imagine a winged horse without having seen one, but the constituents of this idea (the horse, the wings) are derived from sensory impressions. Another example is the “Golden Mountain”, we can imagine a golden mountain without having ever seen one. If you have had a sensory experience of gold, and a sensory experience of a mountain, then you can have a conglomeration of those sensory experiences, to imagine a “golden mountain”.
The logical objection is when we find resemblance among several objects and apply the same name to all of them, such as “wardrobe”. The psychological objection is known as the issue of vagueness, which comes from the part of the theory which states ideas are copies of impressions. For example if you were to see a 6ft tall man, your image of him may not be exact in that you may imagine him a few inches smaller, or taller, than his actual size. Hume argues that what is actually represented isn’t psychologically true. Like Berkley, Hume also banished the concept of substance from his philosophy. Hume argues that you cannot know the “self” as it is merely a bundle of perceptions and you cannot perceive the “thing” in itself. However this does not mean there is no “self”, it just means we cannot be certain whether there is or not.

In Hume’s section “Of Knowledge and Probability” probable knowledge is defined as uncertain knowledge, which is gained by inference and is not empirically demonstrative, e.g. knowledge of the future. Basically probable knowledge is everything except direct observation, logic or mathematics. Hume distinguished that there are seven categories of thinking:
1)Resemblance
2) Identity
3)Relations of Time and Space
4) Proportion in Quality and Number
5) Degrees in any quality
6) Contrariety
7) Causation

Hume argues that there is no such thing as an impression of causal relation. Cartesian and Scholastic philosophers stated that cause and effect is necessary and logical. Hume refuted this and stated that all we know of cause and effect is from sensory experience. But knowledge of causation doesn’t come from just one instance, it is requires the constant conjunction of one thing to another (of A to B).  Hume stated that when we say “A causes B” we only mean that A and B are conjoined by fact, there is no necessity that A be conjoined to B. Just because in our experience A and B always appear together or in rapid succession, this is no reason to expect them to be conjoined in the future. This is the argument that you cannot derive an “ought” from an “is”. The fact that the sun has risen every morning until now, this does not necessarily mean that the sun will rise tomorrow. The frequent conjunction of A and B gives us no reason to expect them to be conjoined in the future, our inclination to expect this is explained by the laws of habit and of association.

Hume also looks into the concept of miracles and he argues that you cannot believe in miracles until you have experienced them, knowledge requires empirical evidence. “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof”.

Freedom of Information Act 2000

Came into effect in 2005 and it gives citizens legal power to require public authorities to disclose information that wouldn’t otherwise be published. It is also a journalist’s best friend.
Authorities must supply the information without financial charge as long as it cost them no more than £600 (for national government departments, £450 for local councils) to find and collect it. The act covers around 100,000 major and minor public sector bodies. A public authority must normally respond within twenty working days, either supplying the information or explaining why it cannot be supplied.
Reasons why information would not be supplied:
1) Public Authority doesn’t hold that information
2) Request would exceed the cost limits
3) The information is covered by exemptions under the act, so need not be supplied
Absolute Exemptions:
1) s21 – information is reasonably accessible via other means
2) s23 – information is relating to bodies dealing with security matters
3) s32 – court records
4) s40 - personal information
5) s41 – information given to the public authority in confidence by another party
6) s44 – information which is forbidden to be disclosed by other law
Under the act information may only be withheld if the public interest in withholding it is greater than the public interest in releasing it. The act does not define what is meant by “public interest” but the Information Commissioner listed a few of the many factors which should encourage public authorities to disclose information:
*Furthering understanding and participation in the public debate of issues of the day
*To promote accountability and transparency by public authorities for decisions taken by them
*To promote accountability and transparency in the spending of public money
*To bring to light information affecting public health and safety
*Allowing companies and individuals to understand the decisions made my public authorities affecting their lives.

How The Guardian has influenced the regulations on data

Information and data are vital tools to any journalist, but they are especially important to newspaper publications such as “The Guardian”. The importance of such information was demonstrated by The Guardian on March 9^th 2006, when their technology supplement published an article entitled “Give us back our Crown Jewels”, by Charles Arthur and Michael Cross.  This article expressed their views that data gathered by the authorities, at the public’s expense, should be made freely available for reuse by members of the public. At this time such data was subject to restricted access and often came with a very high fee, meaning new companies with shallow pockets could not have access to information which could help them to develop. The United States had already made their own data free to all and Charles Arthur and Michael Cross argued that by the UK not following suit we are losing out on commercial opportunities. This article marked the beginning of their “Free Our Data” campaign.

 In January 2010 www.data.gov.uk; a new government website allowing public sector data to be made freely available, was launched. Then in June 2010 the Combined Online Information System (COINS) was established, which is a database of all UK government expenditure, provided by the government departments. The government then announced that all public sector information was to be made available, without the need to apply for permission and free of charge, in September 2010. This is now known as the “Open Government License” and was designed to work with “Creative Commons Licenses”.  The Guardian then took it upon themselves to make such data even more accessible to the general public. They have achieved this through their website “http://www.guardian.co.uk” which has a section with the heading “Data”, which links to their “Data Store”. The homepage of the “Data Store” has the slogan “Facts are sacred” at the head of the page, this is a clear indication of the importance of data to The Guardian.

The “Data Store” is then split into subsections of different topics or websites, each relating to different types of data, three of which provide different systems to allow you to search for information on a specific topic. They provide an “A-Z of data” which allows individuals to search through categories, ranging from Afghanistan, to data on the Royal Bank of Scotland, to statistics regarding Zimbabwe. Then there is the “World data search” page which has a search box format allowing you to type in specific key words and search for relevant government data. The page “Aid data” takes the same format but the search covers global development data. They have also dedicated a page to data on “Cuts”, a topic that’s currently at the forefront of many people’s minds. Here there are several articles, illustrated by spreadsheets and other data visualisations, covering data which otherwise may have been incomprehensible by the general public. An example of this is the article they published on October 26^th 2011, entitled “Government spending by department, 2010-11: get the data”, which they explained through a vibrant graphic poster.

As a newspaper which produces daily reports on business and the economy, data is essential for The Guardian’s publication. It seems only appropriate that they have taken such an interest and caused a great influence in how data is now made available to the public.

Still unfinished so criticism and tips will be greatly appreciated!

How to survive Christmas - Post Intoxication Therapy

Overindulgence is a staple part of the festive season, and one which we all revel in at the time, and shudder at when we next meet the scales in the New Year. Last year my mother and I took our indulgence to levels which Bridget Jones would have been proud of. Dousing ourselves in off-brand wines and answering the door to the Dominoes delivery man, in our cow print onesies, was a repeat offence of ours. However this year we have promised ourselves a Christmas with class, no heartbreak, a new home and no drinking until the clock reaches the p.m.  So, you wonder, “how does this affect me? I started reading this post for advice, not mere nostalgia”, and I would not wish to disappoint. I suffered the wrath of the ‘next day’ on repeated occasions last Christmas, (never again shall I attempt to keep up with my mum), and so I felt it was my duty to provide a list which may save you from a similar fate. Although I agree that it is far too early to call this the ‘festive season’ quite yet, it is always best to have a few practise runs before the big day.

1)      2 Pints of Water – Never underestimate the power of fluid. When you stumble back through the door and all is on your mind is the left-over Chinese food you saved yourself in the fridge, and the comfort of your bed, march yourself into the kitchen and drink a pint of water. Then pour another and take that one to bed with you. I admit, it will have you peeing like Sea biscuit all night, but it will also prevent you waking up and feeling like you spent your evening licking sand.

2)      Ignore ‘The Munchies’ – That Chinese food I mentioned earlier, leave it. It will only bring you harm. Eating when drunk is not only messy (most of it ending up on the side of your face as you fail to find your mouth), but it will also leave you feeling like a balloon for the entire next day.

3)      Towel by the Bed – “For those unavoidable moments”. These words of wisdom stem directly from my mother. Although many of you may be a fan of the spare Tupperware bowel lurking in the back of your cupboard, the washing up the following day will only induce further sickness. Whereas an old towel can just be bagged up and thrown away, erasing all evidence of your failure to reach the bathroom.

4)      Get Out of Bed – The temptation to spend the following day rotting in bed is overwhelming, but please, for the sake of whoever you live with, get out of bed and have a shower! Cleanliness is good for everyone, simple.

5)      Toasted BLT – Now before you get your knickers in a twist about how grim the concept of toasting lettuce is, just put the lettuce in afterwards. The main thing here is the mayo, without it, the sandwich will not save you. This creation has been my saviour on countless occasions, and all accreditation to its ‘hangover power’ goes to my former boss.

6)       Fresh Orange Juice – This replenishes the Vitamin C in your body, it’s also hydrating and the fact it tastes of something adds a bit excitement which water sorely lacks.

Now I grant you these remedies are nothing ground breaking and although I am sure you will be aware of most of these already, it is always nice to have a frame of reference on those dark days. I also admit that these tips are not particularly festive as the consequences of Sherry are the same no matter what time of year is. But if you are following these tips whilst wearing a tacky knitted jumper with a Reindeers face embroidered onto it, they will suddenly appear holiday appropriate (this tip also works when wearing bunny ears at Easter and an oversized number badge on your birthday).
So sit back, relax and pour one more glass, for tomorrow is another day.
(Of course the best method is to consume alcohol in moderation, and I in no way promote excessive drinking… now where’s that bottle opener?)

WINOL Review 9/11/11

Once again WINOL provided university students with professional level news. The presenters this week all spoke clearly and were proudly sporting Remembrance Day poppies on their lapels. There was a variety of interviews in this week’s broadcast, a highlight was the exclusive interview with Chris Huhne, which was of national news standard, highly informative, and generally an interesting addition to the story. I also thought it was clever how they chose to film the report on primary education, as they managed to avoid any legal issues by not filming children, only teachers.  
The one real let down this week was the ‘update’ on the on-going bin collection crisis as it failed to act as a productive update, simply reiterating information from last week’s bulletin. This made it appear to be more of a time-filler, rather than news. Another small issue with the report on the planned journey for the Olympic Torch was that the map image they used for the backdrop and illustration was out of focus. From a purely aesthetic viewpoint it may have been wiser to ensure that the image was clear. However overall this week was another impressive broadcast, exceeding the standard I would have ever expected to be produced by university students.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVHTkwVhmGg&feature=player_embedded

I am thinking, of this I am sure

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries western philosophy was divided between British Empiricists and Continental Rationalists. Both of these theories concern epistemology, which the theory of where knowledge derives from. Empiricists, such as Locke, argue that all of your knowledge is derived from sensory experience. However Rationalists, such as Descartes, argue that pure reason and the mind alone, is the source of knowledge.

Cogito Ergo Sum - I think therefore I am; a pretty standard thought. This however is one of the fundamental principles of Rene Descartes’ philosophical theories. Descartes was around during the seventeenth century and was a contemporary of Galileo. He shared similar views to those held by Galileo and Bacon, and was opposed to Aristotelians and the traditional education that was available in universities at the time. Descartes embarked on a life in action, in the hope that this would give him insight as he then went on to search for ‘true knowledge’. One of his main theories is the concept of ‘Cartesian Doubt’, which is that you can only be certain of what is in your own mind; everything else could have been put there by a demonic imp. According to Descartes you should doubt everything, except God and your own existence. Unlike Plato, who argued that there was a realm of the forms, Cartesian philosophy contains three realms: mind/soul, matter and God. Mind and matter are both created substances whereas God is an uncreated substance. Descartes argued that God is the supremely perfect being, which you gain the idea of through a conglomeration of your sensory experiences.

Investigative Journalism

Every day, ‘ordinary’, journalism is simple telling the news and is determined by the public agenda, such as court cases, or the forthcoming Olympics. Whereas investigative journalism is where the journalist goes ‘off diary’ and decides the agenda for themselves. It often concerns a topic which someone, somewhere, doesn’t want you to know or publish. The subject can either be lightweight, such as celebrity gossip, or it can be more hard-hitting such as fraud. Classic ‘investigations’ are on public interest issues. The defence of ‘public interest’ applies to: crime, public safety and hypocrisy. However the big topics, which will make newspapers fly off the shelves, are miscarriages of justice.

Miscarriages of justice are where people are framed and convicted of a crime they did not commit, for example the cases of the Birmingham Six, and the Gilford Four. The Criminal Case Review Commission (CCRC) was set up, after these two high profile miscarriages, to investigate alleged cases of miscarriages of justice, however it is unfortunately seen as ineffective. It is very difficult to prove that the judicial system isn’t fair, or isn’t drawing the correct conclusions. As well as the CCRC there is also the Innocence Project (INUK) which gives offenders the opportunity to apply for their case to be considered as a possible miscarriage of justice.

When conducting investigative journalism it is important, as always, to avoid malice and there must not be any conflicts of interest.  A famous example of investigative journalism at its very best was by Harry Evans and the Insight Team into the use of Thalidomide (intended to solve morning sickness) and the affect it had on the development of a child in the womb. This resulted in compensation being rewarded to the victims’ families.   

Some handy and interesting links for you:
http://www.ccrc.gov.uk/
http://www.innocencenetwork.org.uk/

Journalism Now! Winol Review 02/11/11

Well we have officially entered the ‘Journalism Now’ module, which basically reinforces the importance of reading a newspaper every day. I am not going to deny that trekking up to the Hospital, for my copy of ‘The Guardian’ in the pouring rain, was not exactly what I wanted to be doing at nine on Thursday morning. However I do want to succeed on this course, so I grabbed my brolly and prepared for a soaking.
Much to my dismay we were once again asked to review this week’s WINOL. Reviews are not my strong point, but here it goes:

This week’s WINOL was a vast improvement from last weeks, returning to the standard which we usually see and expect.
 The section of the news bulletin this week which stood out for me was the interview with MP Steve Brine, as it was of the standard I would usually expect from national or regional news, far beyond what I would expect to result from a student interview. There was also focus on local news with the bin collection story, which contained an apology to residents from George Beckett; the leader of Winchester City Council.
The sport section was clearly presented and highly informative, however it did seem to be too long in comparison to the other stories as it took up nearly five minutes of the bulletin. Although this could be a slightly biased opinion as I have no interest in sport myself.
Despite a few pauses in sound, and instances where the background noise overpowered the presenter, this week’s WINOL was interesting and of good quality.

Copyright .. don't copy, right?

The main point about copyright for a journalist is that anything you write belongs to you; this means that no one can publish or edit your work without your permission. This right is protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1998, which protects any literary, dramatic, artistic or musical work, sound recording, film broadcast, or typographical arrangement.

Intellectual property is a residual right which every citizen has, not to get their work stolen or exploited by others. However there is no copyright in facts, news, ideas, or information. It only exists in the form information is expressed.

Fair deal enables you to take and reuse facts within a story e.g. results of a football match. You are also allowed to use someone else’s work if it is for the purpose of comment, criticism, or review.  However it must be packaged as a review and it must be brief. It is also essential that you credit the source, and make the commercial availability of the work known.

There is one point which should get you through all of this though, keeping it short and sweet, simply don’t pinch anyone else’s work. Do it all for yourself, and it should be plain sailing from here on out.

Defamation in action - Christopher Jefferies Libel Case

Eight newspapers published public apologies to Christopher Jefferies today, having previously printed defaming and libellous allegations towards him earlier in the year. The newspapers have also agreed to pay a significant amount in libel damages.

The false accusations towards Mr Jefferies were in reference to the Murder of Joanna Yeates, which he had been arrested and questioned by the police for, in December 2010 (Christopher Jefferies was found to be entirely innocent and had no part in the murder. Vincent Tabak has now been charged with the murder of Joanna Yeates. Tabak admits to manslaughter and is currently on trial for murder.) . Newspapers then embarked upon a “witch hunt” against Mr Jefferies, drawing concerns over his character, and causing significant damage to his reputation.

In an interview on the Today programme on Radio 4 with Sarah Montague Mr Jefferies reveals how he could not even leave his home to go to the shop, having to be sheltered by his friends from the allegations being published in the media.

This case also bring up the topic of the on-going questioning surrounding “no win – no fee” legal representation, as this was the system Mr Jefferies used for his libel case. The Ministry of Justice released a statement stating that the government is willing to support “deserving” cases using the no win no fee system.

Here is the link to the interview with Christopher Jefferies on the Today programme:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9629000/9629799.stm

Here is the link to an article in the Telegraph about the libel pay out:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8670114/Joanna-Yeatess-landlord-Chris-Jefferies-wins-libel-payout.html

WINOL

Unfortunately this week’s WINOL was a bit lacklustre in comparison to some of their previous broadcasts. Although the content of the broadcast was of high quality, filled to the brim with factual information, it was the technological side which let WINOL down. The camera panning often seemed rushed, and pictures rarely stayed in focus for long enough that I could truly understand what was being shown. Editing was also slightly abrupt in some instances. However as the broadcast went on into the sports section the quality did improve. The WINOL games section was the clearest part of the broadcast when it came to the presentation. Despite not quite being of the same high quality usually presented in a WINOL broadcast, this weeks was still an impressive show, all of the presenters acting professionally and reporting accurate and interesting content.

Check the link for yourselves : http://www.winol.co.uk/