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?
Elements of news Grammar, syntax, spell checking
Kinds of news AP Stylebook
 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, and of
◈ “New” and fresh outer space. It is the darkest color,
information 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

President Rodrigo Duterte 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 Covid-19 within the country.
 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 Rufina
E. Ramos 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 DON’TS
Always put an action verb Don't use articles of speech (a, an, the)
Use present tense even for past events Don't split a verb phrase
Future tense for future events Don't split a preposition and object
Do not abbreviate days of the week or month Don't separate adjective and noun
Substitute a comma (,) for conjunction and Don't split names
Single quote marks Do not begin with a verb, preposition, article or
Use active voice 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.
President Rodrigo Duterte 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 Covid-19 within the country.
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 Makati public school students
of the story shine in math tilt
◈ Answers the most important
question right away (5 Ws, 1 By Dexter Cabalza

H)
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 SOFT
Goes straight into the most important Attempts to be funny/witty/poignant/
point suspenseful; creative but does NOT editorialize

MANILA—A train of the Metro Rail

ILOILO CITY—An ordinance passed by the city
Transit 3 (MRT-3) stopped and
council just recently offered what could be the
unloaded its passengers after one of its
biggest push for people on a diet and those trying
seats caught fire on early Monday.
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!