Unit 5: Building the Story 5-3 “to ‘Invert the Pyramid’ or Not… that is the Question”

Setting the Stage… What is the job of the journalist? To Whom? For what purpose… what do they do with the journalist’s info? Where does the journalist get the info they provide? In Places like where? To get better search results, what should they use? After they research, how do they “fill the GAPS in their knowledge? With who? What do the experts provide to the journalist? U have your topic, the length, you’ve done research, and filled your gaps with interview info… now what?!? How many parts? Ist Part? 2nd Part?

Time to Write! You’ve done it all… Time for 1st pass at writing! Common Sense would say to write the story chronologically In order of events based on time However… The most important part of the story is… the Result; the Outcome That’s where a journalist starts… The story begins with the way the story ends…

2 Types of Stories BREAKING NEWS / HARD NEWS / “NEWS” Tells about current events that affect the reader Timely and concise FEATURE NEWS / SOFT NEWS / Information Appeals to the emotional side Is not necessarily timely

THEY ARE WRITTEN DIFFERENTLY!! Breaking News – best written in inverted pyramid no emotional involvement… just the facts the reader can stop reading any time STILL know the outcome of the story because THE LEDE is the outcome. Feature News – various styles depending on the author’s “voice” inverted pyramid is useless emotional involvement comes from the reader usually a withholding of information for effect

2 Kinds of News “News” / Breaking News / HARD News “Information” / Feature News / SOFT News Tell the story in the order of importance Overall (Final) Result Specific Details “What’s Next?” Tell the story in the order of chronology Background Ordered Details Use the “INVERTED PYRAMID” Use a “PYRAMID”

The Inverted Pyramid MOST NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION SPECIFIC DETAILS Overall Result, Who, What, When, Where SPECIFIC DETAILS The Story Details, Why, How, Quotes, Evidence, Remaining Major Details What’s Next? Final results, extra content, etc. THE LEDE - The opening graf of the story containing the most important info Journalists don’t tell breaking news stories in chronological order… They tell stories in order of importance!!!  

WHEN TO USE… The INVERTED PYRAMID Breaking News Stories News that is happening now or has just happened Accidents Crime Fires Election results Verdicts in court Sports events Business events Straight hardline news Etc.

The Story Details, Why, How, Quotes, Evidence, Remaining Major Details The Normal Pyramid Final Results Overall Result SPECIFIC DETAILS The Story Details, Why, How, Quotes, Evidence, Remaining Major Details Background Info Who, What, Where, When THE LEDE - The opening graf of the story containing the most important info Journalists don’t tell feature stories in order of importance… They tell stories Chronologically!!!  

WHEN TO USE… The Normal PYRAMID Feature News Stories News that is telling a story various styles depending on the author’s “voice” emotional involvement comes from the reader usually a withholding of information for effect

Only Use if Have Room (Inches) or Time (Seg. Length) “Stat Sheets” In order to write your story (hard or soft) more efficiently Journalists will create a stat sheet To Make… Use Research and Interview Transcripts to create Read and organize info into 1 page document for quick reference Stat Sheet Components Necessary Facts Important Facts Necessary Quotes Important Quotes Only Use if Have Room (Inches) or Time (Seg. Length)

APPLY… THE INVERTED PYRAMID Let’s suppose the City Police Department reports that an accident occurred at 2:30 a.m. today. This is the information the police provided to the press: A car driven by Joe White, 29 years old, Hit a curb on Main Street & smashed into a tree and overturned. Police say White was speeding and lost control of his car. He was hospitalized for minor injuries. A passenger in White’s car was killed. The passenger was Amanda Smith, 22 years old. She was pronounced dead at 2:45 a.m. “We are conducting toxicology tests to determine if alcohol was involved,” Police Chief Jack Russell said.

APPLY… THE INVERTED PYRAMID Most important outcome: A woman died This Fact is even more important than the accident itself 5 W’s Who: Joe White & passenger What: Fatal car accident When: 2:30 a.m. today Where: On Main Street Why: The driver, Joe White was speeding and lost control How: The car hit a curb, smashed into a tree and overturned Source Where did the information come from? All of the information must be tied directly to the source where it came from: THE POLICE. This is called attribution

The Inverted Pyramid MOST NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION SPECIFIC DETAILS Overall Result, Who, What, When, Where SPECIFIC DETAILS The Story Details, Why, How, Quotes, Evidence, Remaining Major Details What’s Next? Final results, extra content, etc. Put it all together to make a LEDE 1st Step- Choose a Hook (Punch Hook) A 22-year-old woman (who)was killed (what)early this morning (when) in a car accident on Main Street. (where)  

The Inverted Pyramid MOST NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION SPECIFIC DETAILS Overall Result, Who, What, When, Where SPECIFIC DETAILS The Story Details, Why, How, Quotes, Evidence, Remaining Major Details What’s Next? Final results, extra content, etc. 2nd Step- Insert Other Important Details According to the City Police Department, the driver, Joe White, 29, was speeding and lost control of his car, causing the death of Amanda Smith, 22. (Why the news happened and who was the source)  

The Inverted Pyramid MOST NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION SPECIFIC DETAILS Overall Result, Who, What, When, Where SPECIFIC DETAILS The Story Details, Why, How, Quotes, Evidence, Remaining Major Details What’s Next? Final results, extra content, etc. 3rd Step- Insert General Information & Other Details White was hospitalized for minor injuries. He has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and awaits trial. (This covers an additional provided fact.) “We are conducting toxicology tests to determine if alcohol was involved,” Police Chief Jack Russell said. (This includes a quote from a source and attribution)  

The Inverted Pyramid A 22-year-old woman (who)was killed (what)early this morning (when) in a car accident on Main Street. (where) According to the City Police Department, the driver, Joe White, 29, was speeding and lost control of his car, causing the death of Amanda Smith, 22. (Why the news happened and who was the source) White was hospitalized for minor injuries. He has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and awaits trial. “We are conducting toxicology tests to determine if alcohol was involved,” Police Chief Jack Russell said.

Apply… The Inverted Pyramid MOST NEWSWORTHY INFORMATION Result, Who? What? When? Where? Specific DETAILS What’s Next? Stat Sheet The police have shared these facts with you, a journalist: Around 4:35am this morning, a robbery was reported at a local bank in Charlotte, NC (Bank USA) Over $5,000,000 in cash was stolen, along with at least $3,000,000 in valuables from security deposit boxes was also stolen (valuable jewelry, antiques, bonds, art, etc.) The suspect, Kenneth Moore, 46, was taken into custody in Rock Hill, SC around 7:15am by local police Moore has been handed over to Charlotte Mecklenburg police -Moore’s lawyer provided a statement by Moore after his arrest: “I did it for the money—I did it for my family.”

Helpful Hints From a Vet…

Your Turn… You and your partner Take a Stat Sheet Day 1- Sunday Day 2- Monday Day 3- Tuesday Identify and Label Facts and Quotes Necessary Important Use Stat Sheet to write Breaking News Story Must Follow Inverted Pyramid Format