BASIC STORIES Meeting stories, speeches, news conferences

PREPARATION: Get an agenda Make sure you know the time and place of the event Contact key figures Try to find out what the meeting is about Study and investigate issues before arriving

ADVANCE STORIES State the purpose in an advance notice WEAK: The Student Senate will hold a meeting at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in C-105 for the purpose of discussing the question of whether or not students should be allowed to park cars in faculty parking lots.

OTHER WEAK OPENINGS There will be a meeting... The purpose of the meeting... At 7:30 a.m.... The first meeting of the year...

NEEDED INFORMATION Name of organization, name and number of post or chapter, usual abbreviation Time and place Program, entertainment (election or initiation), special committee report, speaker, anniversary, names of musicians, names of selections, casts, orchestras, committee in charge Give highlights of program in order of importance.

EMPHASIS ON PROGRAM The American Legion Auxiliary’s 5 th District will meet at 8 p.m. Saturday in the community club room to hear annual reports by district chairmen. OR Annual reports by district chairmen will be heard at 8 p.m. Saturday when the American Legion Auxiliary’s 5 th District meets in the community club room.

EMPHASIS ON PROGRAM Illinois law-enforcement officials gathered here Monday to discuss ways of living up to the new rule excluding illegally obtained evidence from criminal trials.

THINK VISUALLY Other than words, how else can you illustrate your story. Photos Charts Info boxes Logos Sidebars

NEWS JUDGEMENT Learn how to recognize a story Know what to do when you get to the meeting Cover the entire event – content; time, place and circumstances; possible consequences

CONTENT Get the content correct Quote accurately and in context Become a proficient note taker. Report, don’t record

DESCRIBE PARTICIPANTS Watch for facial expressions and gestures. Measure the speaker’s words against his/her background. Note the tone of questions Note the size of the audience

MORE TIPS Arrive early. Think about the best place to be located. Know the participants and where they are seated. Prepare your questions Listen to others’ questions Pursue what is newsworthy Don’t rush off afterward.

Follow-up stories Lead emphasizes the result. WEAK: Keystone Lodge No. 14, LOOF, on Friday voted to build a new million dollar lodge hall. BETTER: A new lodge hall costing $1 million will be erected by Keystone Lodge No. 14, LOOF, as a result of Friday’s meeting.

OTHER WEAK OPENINGS The Student Senate met last evening... At a meeting of... There was a meeting of... The purpose of the meeting... One of the most interesting... The outcome of the meeting..

MORE WRITING TIPS From Curtis MacDougall, Interpretive Reporting (231) Expressions such as “members are urged to attend” and “the public is cordially invited” should be avoided. If the purpose of the meeting is stated correctly, the former expression is superfluous. The latter expression is poor because of the cordially. If an invitation is not cordial it should not be extended.

MORE MacDougall Other expressions to avoid:... Was the most important happening... Was the main business transacted... Was the topic of discussion.....featured the meeting....was the principal transaction.

WRITING THE STORY Avoid chronological coverage Give background where needed Provide reactions where time and space allow Write clearly and accurately\ Be interesting

WRITING THE STORY For each issue/topic discussed at a meeting, open with outcome, what the group ended up doing. DO REPORT: The Springfield City Council approved... or The council also decided DON”T REPORT: Springfield City Council member Wanda Epstein asked the council to consider ….. The council finally decided...

WRITING THE STORY Use order of importance DO NOT use the order discussions occurred in the meeting.