News Writing:

What is news?
- It is new or has a 'news peg'/ 'angle' - don't write about issues!
- Could be soft news or hard news.
- News is about people doing things.

Editorial reasons:
- availability: there must be someone to interview and someone thing to record or take pictures of - quotes and pictures are key to a story.
- Do people care about? is it relevant to the audience?
- Should it be dramatic or simple?
- Does it tap into certain current obsession?

Practical reasons:
- is there space?
- has a similar story been covered recently?
- has it been sucessfully pitched?
- must be 100% true, facts must be checked and beyond doubt. A story must have balance.

How to write a news story:
Who? What? Where? When? Why?
The news pyramid:
- Intro: short and sharp - latest most important information (who?, what?, where?, when?).
- Two: elaboration of other important information or quotes.
- Three: chronology, more detail (why?).
- Four: more detail, loose ends.

Key elements:
- Its about people - topline.
- Dont be passive - have an angle (think about audience - demographics)
- Don't start with a question - the audience want to be informed.
- Be objective - no opinion.
- Quote people.

Sentences:
- One idea.
- Short sentences.
- Use active, not passive, verbs. News is about people doing things.
- Get rid of non-essential words.
- Avoid the drop intro.
- The first words are vitial.
- Use verb and nouns, not adverbs and adjectives.
- Cut out gobbledygook.