Man bites dog (and other newsworthy notes)

"Man bites dog" is more than just a funny journalism catchphrase. It embodies several of the most crucial aspects of newswriting and newsworthiness that we discussed earlier.
It's brief and clear. It describes a odd conflict with a human interest angle. It uses the active voice.
Use the phrase as one of your newswriting mantras in the future.

We continued our (somewhat contentious) discussion on the journalist as the judge of newsworthiness today. Your concerns regarding the ideal vs the reality are duly noted, and critical thinking is always appreciated. Still, I want you to make a greater effort to use these lessons progressively, as a touchstone for the level of your own understanding and your own work, rather than the quality of the work you see around you. Again, this is simply a matter of prioritizing.

Here's some further reading on tonight's class:
Jim Hall discusses the nature of news.
NoTrain-NoGain offers two bits of material. The first challenges you to broaden your perspective to reflect diversity in your writing. A narrow view can obscure the newsworthiness of certain events or situations around you.
Similarly, the second column shares advice on what a journalist should and shouldn't do to maintain that balanced perspective.

Next week, we're going to be diving straight into the actual writing of the news, so come prepared to work.

An interesting piece of feature writing

Yes, I know that we haven't yet got there in class, but I came across a very interesting, pretty old piece from Esquire Magazine entitled Frank Sinatra Has A Cold and I thought I'd share it.

It's particularly ingenious because the writer was never allowed an actual interview with Sinatra. The piece was written entirely from observation and by talking to the people around the man. It was written in the 1960s so it's much longer than our profiles typically are today and of course much longer than the pieces you are expected to write! But the writer has got an excellent grasp on descriptive storytelling without losing journalistic integrity. Read, enjoy and I hope it helps you in your own writing.

Asking questions is a great way to find out things...

Very interesting excerpt from an interview about drugs with Beatle Paul McCartney. Take note of the reporter's technique, but also think about McCartney's statements regarding the responsibility of the media versus the responsibility of the public figure.

Whose side do you find yourself leaning to? Leave a comment below.

The video was originally posted here. You can find other interesting interview-related videos here and here.

You no doubt interviewed several sources for your first assignment, and the challenges you faced would have given you an idea of the strengths and weaknesses of your approach to interviewing. Keep at it, because you'll most definitely be interviewing a few more people before this course is over.

Read these columns for some great advice on the skills you'll need to develop.

From the Poynter Institute:
The Power of Good Questions
The First Rule of Interviewing: Be Human
The Art of Asking Questions


From No Train No Gain:
Loosening Lips
The Good Interview
Developing and cultivating sources


Pay particular attention to the first Poynter column and the first and last No Train No Gain ones. Two of those feature interviewing techniques developed by investigative journalism lecturer John Sawatsky, who has, through experience and research, captured the essence of direct, tough-to-BS questions.

We'll practice our interview techniques next class. Come prepared.

"How do I put this?"

One group had a bit of trouble putting into words the theme of one of their story ideas. It involved the often-tricky topics of race and class, and their apprehension was visible.

Hear what: Don't be afraid to present or tackle controversial or sensitive topics.

Just understand that you need to put your very best foot forward when writing such stories, and that you need to be as objective as possible. Don't go into it with preconceived notions; as a reporter, you're beholden to no institution but that of the truth.

Note the perceptions, but don't be guided by them. Pursue the facts.