Introduction to Journalism

Journalism

(non-fiction)

The work of
gathering, writing,
editing, and publishing
or disseminating news
through text messages,
Tweets, newspapers,
Internet, magazines,
radio, television, etc.

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What is news?

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News is
information about a
break from the
normal flow of
events, an
interruption in the
expected. News is
also information that
people need to have
in order to make
sound decisions
about their lives.

News stories are built on the 5 W's and 1 H:
Get them into the story as soon as possible!

News stories are top-heavy with facts so that the
first sentence or two can stand alone, if need be.

Who did the news happen to? Who was involved?

What happened? What makes this event news?

When did it happen?

Where did it happen?

Why

did it happen? What was the motivation behind it?

How did it happen?

Example of a quick news story:

Thieves who broke into a St. Joseph auto parts store Tuesday

morning stole 12 Firestone tires valued at more than $1,000, police
said.

The manager of the store at 1123 Piedmont St. told officers that the

one-story brick building was entered between 2 and 5:30 a.m. by
thieves who broke through a window in the back.

Who: thieves, store manager, police

What: Burglars stole 12 tires valued at $1,000-plus.

When: Tuesday
Where: 1123 Piedmont St., St. Joseph (Mich.) Why: (assumption)

Thieves wanted expensive tires. How: Thieves entered through a

broken window.

Seven news values help journalists determine

the newsworthiness of events:

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(1) Impact: Events that are likely to affect

many people.

(2) Timeliness: Events that are immediate,

recent.

(3) Prominence: Events involving well

known people or institutions.

(4) Proximity: Events that occur
nearby, usually in the circulation or
broadcast area.

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(5) Conflict: Events that reflect
clashes between people or
institutions.

(7) Currency: Events and situations
that everybody is talking about.

(6) The Bizarre: Events that deviate
sharply from the expected and from
experiences of everyday life.

Get together with your neighbor and invent the
first sentence of your own, make-believe news
story. On a sheet of notebook paper, write down the following
information and fill in the blanks:

Your names:

Name of your newspaper: _

Your first sentence of a news story (keep it to under 40 words):

Which of the 5 Ws and 1 H did you leave out?

Identify one or more of the seven news values that make the
lead of your news story newsworthy:

_

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