News Project - 21/09/17

Sourcing Stories

A broadcast Journalist relies on a wide range of sources and contacts in the never-ending search NEW News

How to Find Stories

• Newspapers
• Viral/Social Media
• Word of Mouth
• News Agency
• PR for Companies
• Pressure Groups
• Police
• Public Domain

All stories must be verifiable

Remember  There is always another side to the story

Fisman (1997) talks about "Beats and Patrols" meaning use chains of information that have provided good and true results before.

Many Beats have exclusive access

Keep in mind - What stories are ignored? Is it right to give priority to those particular sources

Primary Sources

• Own Contacts
• Sources direct from source materials EG Archive Material
• Public Appeals
• Press Release/Stats/Offical statements - Can be POV beware

Secondary Sources

• Stringers
• Other Platforms/Media
• News Agencies

Wires - By the minute Tip-Offs PA/Reuters - Provided by in-house journalists and Freelancers

Correspondents 

• Specialists with a depth of knowledge and well-honed contacts.
• Often invited to Lobby Briefings
• "Lobby" Politics - Influential groups lobby the government in such meetings to get their views across and attempt to influence policy
• Foreign news source - Journalists that permanently stay in another country. Valued for local contacts and on the ground knowledge and access.

Internation News Agency - (ABC, NBC, and SKY) Provide correspondents for a fee

Can get archive and Getty images to use as GVs

Beware Fake News!

• Who is sending them and why?
• Often Propaganda
• Approach with Caution
• Verify and Check these stories

UGC - User Generated Content

• Adds value to stories
• adds a human element and narrative
• can capture the unexpected
• Journalists cant be everywhere
• Con - Tempts people to put themselves at risk

Communication

• Needed to Access Information
• research to know what questions you need to ask
• Use the Phone 
• Be Polite
• Emails are good for exchanging information
• Build a rapport
• Don't Burn Bridges - "Is it ok if I keep a record of your contact for the future?"
• You may need them again
• Their chance to tell people their side of the story
• Tells the story in a new way
• Be Ethical

Finding the Angle

• The news angle is key to developing your story
• Defines main significance
• Several Angles
• Which one Suits, Sells and engages an the audience.
• Choice of People/Cast
• Balance the story

What is newsworthy?

• Relevance
• Resonance
• Controversy
• Who/What/When/Where/Why
• Peg - Release story based on dates/Events I.e Diana piece on the anniversary of her death.

Keep In Mind

• Location
• Timeliness
• Impact
• Prominence
• Context
• Simplicity
• Broadcast Values
• Copious Reseach along with Copious note taking
• Be organized and ensure contacts and relevant information is somewhere you can easily store it.
• Ensure to attribute to a reliable source not Allegedly/According to rumors

Setting up a story

• who is in it? who is not?
• What is the story? what is it not?
• Where is it?
• When is it?
• How will you tell it?
• Why are you telling it?

Public Interest

• Be Honest and Fair
• Open and Direct
• Respect their time
• aware of the intrusion that you are causing
• 
  

Forms of News Stories

• Readers - Presenter tells the story over images - short stories
• OOVS/VO - Out of Vision/Voiceovers 
• SOT - Sound on Tape
• Reporter Packages

OOVS - Presenter tells the story over images whilst live

VOG - Voice over with Graphics

• Adds Variety
• Covers minor events
• late breaking stories

Making an OOV - 

• Source Story and Gather info
• Find the Angle
• Make a script
• Get Graphics and Statistics

SOT

• Interview Clips
• Vary the Pace of the programme
• covers events
• can feature someone directly affected

News/Reporter Packages

• Fully Self Contained
• Presenter introduces it but is not involved

Making a Package

• Interviews
• PTC's
• Sequences and Actuality
• GV's Cutaways
• Set Ups - Introducing a character (Keep it relevant to the story i.e. Nurse is helping a patient
• Graphics
• Needs to be planned before shoot
• done either on camera or prior to shoot

Notes

• Be Prepared to get what you need.
• Identify Key Contacts
• Looking for people related to the story who are credible
• 15-20 News items for 30 minutes
• Follow up leads
• Distill Story to topline/Headline i.e - Student Learns how to Make a News Package
• Include elements which are a fair and reasonable representation of facts.
• Three words a second for a script
• Interview Techniques Presentation is on My UCA