Campus

Journalism
Workshop
 Topics for coverage

NEWSWRITING COPYEDITING
What makes for news? What is copyediting?
Sources for news How does it differ from news
Basics and structure of news writing?
writing Grammar, syntax, spell checking
Elements of news AP Stylebook
Kinds of news
 Topics for coverage

FEATURE WRITING
What is a feature story?
What is the difference between
a news and a feature story?
Newswriting
 “
The whole idea of … any
kind of news is to inform
people about things they
need to know about.

Ted Turner
Founder of CNN
 What is news?
◈ Information about current events
◈ Not previously known to the general public
◈ Seeks to interest, educate or entertain readers
◈ Should be accurate and factual
 What makes for news?

◈ Is it new?
◈ Is it unusual?
◈ Is it interesting?
◈ Is it significant?
◈ Is it about people?
 Elements of news

◈ What is news?
◈ Why is it news?
◈ Why is it published?
 Elements of news

Timeliness Black
◈ Did it happen recently? Is the color of coal, ebony,
◈ “New” and fresh and of outer space. It is the
information darkest color, the result of
the absence of or complete
absorption of light.
 Elements of news

Currency
◈ Related to something
else in the news
◈ What is already on
people’s minds
 Elements of news

Conflict
◈ War, election
◈ Daily challenges
◈ Generally refers to
anything with element
of struggle
 Elements of news

Consequence
◈ Does it have an impact
on other people’s lives?
 Elements of news

Prominence
◈ Famous people
◈ Elected officials,
celebrities, “viral”
people
 Elements of news

Proximity
◈ Geographical location
◈ News of importance to
locals
 Elements of news

Human interest
◈ ‘Human face’
◈ Entertainment,
interesting stories
 Elements of news

Oddity
◈ Strange stories
◈ Weird, unusual
 Which element of news is seen here?
Timeliness • Currency • Conflict • Consequence • Prominence • Proximity • Human Interest • Oddity

Balanga Elementary School principal Jennifer

Garcia de Guzman announced on Monday that
the school would be suspending classes starting
Tuesday, Sept. 18, until the end of the academic
year due to the rapid spread of avian flu within the
community.
 Which element of news is seen here?
Timeliness • Currency • Conflict • Consequence • Prominence • Proximity • Human Interest • Oddity

Balanga Mayor Francis Garcia said on Tuesday

that the city government would award 10 new
classrooms to Balanga Elementary School for its
outstanding contribution to special education.
 Which element of news is seen here?
Timeliness • Currency • Conflict • Consequence • Prominence • Proximity • Human Interest • Oddity

To celebrate the month of the Holy Rosary this

September, Balanga Elementary School principal
Jennifer de Guzman instructed all students on
Tuesday to pray the rosary every morning.
 Which element of news is seen here?
Timeliness • Currency • Conflict • Consequence • Prominence • Proximity • Human Interest • Oddity

A Grade 5 student of Balanga Elementary School

is facing suspension for skipping classes after he
was caught in a Jollibee store during class hours
on Tuesday.
 Which element/s of news is/are seen here?
Timeliness • Currency • Conflict • Consequence • Prominence • Proximity • Human Interest • Oddity

Classes in Bataan province have been suspended

today after the weather agency as Typhoon
"Lanie" is expected to make landfall.
 School news

◈ Classroom stories
◈ Election stories
◈ Enrolment
◈ School organizations
◈ Meetings
◈ School improvement
◈ Student councils
◈ Outreach activities
◈ Program/events
◈ School achievements
◈ Honor students
◈ School pride
Sources for school news

◈ Principals
◈ Teachers
◈ Teacher assistants
◈ Staff
◈ Student leaders
◈ Common students
Headline writing
 Principles of headline writing

◈ Summarizes the story

◈ Helps organize stories for readers
◈ Sells the story to the readers
◈ Reflects the “editorial sense” of the newspaper
◈ Should match your lede
 Headline

Drophead
Kicker
 Headline writing
DOS
Always put an action verb
Use present tense even for past events
Future tense for future events
Do not abbreviate days of the week or month
Substitute a comma (,) for conjunction and
Single quote marks
Use active voice
DON’TS
Don't use articles of speech (a, an, the)
Don't split a verb phrase
Don't split a preposition and object
Don't separate adjective and noun
Don't split names
Do not begin with a verb, preposition, article
or conjunctions
Don’t spell out figures
 Headline vocabulary
◈ Axe/Sacked- Fire, remove from position
(Police chief axed)
◈ Beef up - Strengthen (Police beefs up
on arrests)
◈ Back - Support (Du30 backs RH bill)
◈ Ban - Disallow (Gov’t bans smoking)
◈ Blast - Criticize (Trillanes blasts Du30)
◈ Cap - Highlight (Lantern parade caps
weeklong celebration)
◈ Hike/dip - Rise/fall (Hike in enrolment,
dip in ratings)
◈ Outspike/wallop/down - Defeat (Lady
Maroons outspike UST Tigers)
◈ Nod/OKs - Approval (Garcia OKs
changes)
◈ Probe - Investigation (P6.3M-shabu
probe includes Du30 son)
◈ Solon - Lawmaker (Solons want pork
barrel funds returned)
◈ Prez/VP/CJ - President, vice president,
chief justice (Impeachment vs CJ
Sereno)
Provide an appropriate headline
for these stories.
Balanga Elementary School principal Jennifer
Garcia de Guzman announced on Monday that
the school would be suspending classes starting
Tuesday, Sept. 18, until the end of the academic
year due to the rapid spread of avian flu within the
community.
Provide an appropriate headline
for these stories.

Balanga Mayor Francis Garcia said on Tuesday

that the city government would award 10 new
classrooms to Balanga Elementary School for its
outstanding contribution to special education.
Provide an appropriate headline
for these stories.

To celebrate the month of the Holy Rosary this

September, Balanga Elementary School principal
Jennifer de Guzman instructed all students on
Tuesday to pray the rosary every morning.
Provide an appropriate headline
for these stories.

A Grade 5 student of Balanga Elementary School

is facing suspension for skipping classes after he
was caught in a Jollibee store during class hours
on Tuesday.
Provide an appropriate headline
for these stories.

Classes in Bataan province have been suspended

today after the weather agency as Typhoon
"Lanie" is expected to make landfall.
News structure
The most basic kind
of news structure is
called the inverted
pyramid.
◈ “Summarize first,
explain later.”
◈ Helps readers grasp
facts quickly
◈ Allows editors to cut
your stories without
compromising
 Lede

Additional information Transition/

quote formula
Direct quote

Transition

Direct quote
 The lede
◈ The first paragraph
of the story
◈ Answers the most
important question right
away (5 Ws, 1 H)
Makati public school
students shine in math tilt
By Dexter Cabalza
Ten students from Makati
public schools won several
medals, including a gold, at an
international math
competition.
 Guidelines in lede writing
◈ Most ledes answer the question
“who,” “what,” or “why.”
◈ Only use “when” or “where”
if time and place are unusual.
◈ Limit ledes to 30-35 words
◈ Use quote or question ledes
sparingly.
 Types of lede
HARD
Goes straight into the most
important point
MANILA—A train of the Metro
Rail Transit 3 (MRT-3) stopped
and unloaded its passengers
after one of its seats caught fire
on early Monday.
SOFT
Attempts to be funny/witty/poignant/
suspenseful; creative but does NOT
editorialize
ILOILO CITY—An ordinance passed by
the city council just recently offered what
could be the biggest push for people on a
diet and those trying to lower their
carbohydrate intake—smaller rice
servings in restaurants.
 Different kinds of novelty ledes

Astonisher lede
What a surprising turn of events!
Contrast lede
He used to be a sophomore dropout from Harvard Law. Now, Mark
Zuckerberg is one of the richest men on earth, whose name has become
synonymous with the most famous website in the planet: Facebook.
Epigram lede
Like father, like son. This was how the Office of the Ombudsman described
the twin sentencing of former President Joseph Estrada and his son,
Jinggoy, for the charges of plunder and graft on Monday.
 Different kinds of novelty ledes

Picture lede
Students and faculty had to duck for cover as heavy rain and strong winds
tore apart the roofs of their dilapidated classrooms.
Background lede
For 70 years, the town of Penafrancia in Bicol region has been home to
“Ina,” patroness of Bicolandia.
Quotation lede
“We might as well decriminalize plunder.” This was Sen. Leila de Lima’s
sentiment after...
 The body

◈ Details of the lede

◈ Arranged from most
important to least
important
◈ One sentence, one
paragraph
 Guidelines in writing the body

◈ Keep sentences short.

◈ Make sure your facts are accurate.
◈ Avoid complex sentences.
◈ Make sure that each sentence supports the lede.
◈ Use adjectives sparingly; do not editorialize.
 Bayan slams earthquake drill on Sept. 21
MANILA—The militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) criticized the Duterte
government for scheduling a nationwide earthquake drill on September 21, the 45th
anniversary of Martial Law. LEDE
Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes called the Duterte government “insensitive to the
plight of martial law victims.” MORE DETAIL
“Unlike the Duterte regime, the people have not forgotten,” Reyes said. QUOTE
Progressive groups such as Bayan are set to hold massive demonstrations on September
21 to protest the Duterte administration’s bloody war on illegal drugs as well as alleged
extra-judicial killings and human rights violations; and purported accommodation of the
wishes of former President Ferdinand Marcos’ family, among others. MORE DETAIL
“Has the occasion simply lost its relevance for the Duterte government; after allowing a
hero’s burial for Marcos, declaring a special holiday in Ilocos and embarking on a settlement
with the Marcos family?” Reyes asked. QUOTE
Farinas wants solons exempted from traffic violations
MANILA—Ilocos Norte Representative Rodolfo Fariñas is asking the Metropolitan Manila
Development Authority (MMDA) to give lawmakers "parliamentary immunity" from minor
traffic violations. LEDE
This immunity, Fariñas explained Monday, may be invoked during session hours,
wherein a violating lawmaker may be allowed to proceed to the House of Representatives but
will be surrendered to the proper authorities after the session. MORE DETAILS
“If he presents himself as a congressman, and he proves to be one, don’t bring him to
the precinct. When you do, he would no longer be able to perform his functions,” he said
during a hearing by the House transport committee. QUOTE
The panel was drilling down on the causes and effects of traffic woes when Fariñas
brought the issue up, insisting that even the President has immunity from lawsuits and
arrests. MORE DETAILS
Thank you!