The News Story Deconstructed

What is the goal of a news story?

A news story: GIVES READERS, VIEWERS, LISTENERS, USERS THE INFORMATION, NEWS, FACTS, IN A SUCCINCT, CLEAR, COHERENT WAY.

The vast majority of news stories use this structure:

Inverted pyramid The most important information--who, what, where, when, why and how--goes at the top. Less important details go at the bottom.

Inverted Pyramid

What are the parts of a news story?

Parts of a story… Headline Lede Body Kicker

Headline The headline is at the top of the story. Tells the reader or user what the story is about. It’s brief; a quick summary of what’s to come. Written after the story.

Let’s analyze this front page. Which story is most important – and why?

In Dublin Ireland, what Oscar scandal?

Some famous, memorable headlines:

Our local papers have gotten aggressive with the headlines!

Lead or Lede Generally the first paragraph of the story. The hook that tells you what the story is about. Think of it like the marquee of a theater or a billboard. Has the facts--the “w”s.

Examples A 53-year old Westchester man died on Saturday after the motorcycle he was riding struck a deer, the Dutchess County Police said. Police arrested a New York couple on Tuesday after they allegedly photographed their two young boys posing with guns, authorities say.

Body Contains the rest of the story. Explains the “why” if known States the rest of the facts. Generally one point per paragraph Contains quotes. If there’s controversy, goes back and forth.

Ending or Kicker Wraps up the story without being repetitive. May point toward the future Sometimes witty or cute. Often a quote—a good quote.

Write a headline and lede w/these facts: Who: 29 people injured What: explosion When: Saturday Where: Chelsea Source: police

Over Two Dozen Hurt in Manhattan Blast An explosion in Chelsea on Saturday left 29 people injured, police said.

Write a headline and lede with these facts…. Who: A nun What: Arrested for driving drunk Where: Staten Island When: Sunday Source: NYPD

Headline: Oh Lord! Cops Pick Up Tipsy Nun Lede: Police arrested a nun for drunk driving on Staten Island on Sunday, said a source at the NYPD.

Tips for better ledes Prioritize what’s most important in your story. Be economical with your language. Edit out extra words. Short, tight, straight to the point is generally best. Don’t embellish. Stick to the facts. Don’t repeat words unless absolutely necessary; never say them more than twice. (Explosion instead of blast or hurt instead of repeating injured, for example.)

One more lede Who: Two bystanders injured What: student protest turned ugly Where: at City College When: yesterday Source: local police What else: bystanders treated at Harlem Hospital; they are in stable condition

CCNY Demo Takes Violent Turn A student protest at City College turned violent yesterday. Two bystanders were injured and taken to Harlem Hospital. They remain in stable condition, local police said.

What’s the difference between a news story and feature story?

Volkswagen’s Stock Tanks in Wake of Scandal Volkswagen's stock crashed 20% Monday, after the company was found to have misled U.S. regulators, reports the New York Stock Exchange.

Feature stories that follow Volkswagen news story The Real Winner in Volkswagen Scandal? Hybrid Cars The Science Behind the Volkswagen Admissions Scandal Volkswagen: A Brief History Who Will Take Volkswagen’s Place as #1?

(news story) California wildfires prompt more than 1,000 residents to evacuate About 1,000 California residents and visitors were evacuated from the path of a raging wildfire on Sunday, just weeks after an earlier blaze destroyed eight homes in the area.

(feature story) Mega fires create wake-up call to prep your wildfire plan Stop, drop, and roll. People in the West will become more familiar with these three fire safety directives as drought and development put more of us in harm's way. The recent wildfire in California is just the latest mega fire to raise awareness of the dangerous climate conditions and what to do to stay safe.

Assignment due Thursday! Find 2 recent news stories. (Not more than a week old.) Be careful not to confuse a feature with a news story. Print them out. Identify the headline, lede, body and kicker—and a source. Write your name on them; you’ll turn them in.