Post #3 Module #1 Generating News Stories
How do you generate local stories? Stories come to us via word of mouth, the telephone, newspapers, TV, other radio stations, various magazines or community newsletters, and the Internet. There are many ways to localize these stories so that they have more meaning to your listeners.
In my experience as a reporter, I found the best way of generating stories was to get to know how my coverage area functioned from day to day. Who lives there? Where do they work or go to school? What do people talk about on the streets, in the coffee shops or at work?
Amass a collection of spokespeople and their contact numbers for your specific area. Keep them in some organized sort of binder or computer filing system
Do regular cop checks and find out who to call during the day or after hours for updates on recent arrests or major cases you’d like to follow. Is there a separate person to call for highway mishaps? Try to meet them one-on-one and let them know who you are and what your needs are from a news perspective, then make regular calls to check in. When they decide to provide you with information, make sure they are aware that the information may be used for broadcast. Sometimes you may be given information not meant to be released and a breach of trust may occur as a result. That can lead to a bad relationship and fewer tips in future. Do the same thing with the people in the municipal government offices in your community. And don’t forget the department heads for areas like planning. They can be a wealth of information.
My suggestions for a contact binder include: police and fire departments, municipal, provincial, and federal government representatives and offices, major businesses and industry spokespeople (don’t forget the utility companies!), community activists, school board reps, justice officials, and any local experts. A nearby community college or university is a goldmine and they consider it good PR to get the school’s name on the air. Can you think of any others who may be willing to comment on a given subject?
Everyone has days when it seems like nothing is going on. Those days are an especially good time to put your contact list to use.
This is the first paragraph from the top story in a recent issue of the Halifax Chronicle Herald:
Michael Ignatieff says if he becomes prime minister, he’ll cut taxes for low- and middle-income Canadians, move quickly on “shovel-ready” infrastructure projects, and make sure people on employment insurance get their cheques faster — all within his first 100 days in office.
How can I localize this story? Call the local municipal leaders and find out what infrastructure projects are tops on their list. Call the local MLA(s) or MP(s) to hear their views on Ignatieff’s plan. Are there any seasonal workers in your area? Who speaks for them and what are their thoughts on the EI component? Is there a political scientist in your area who could comment? Those are just a few ideas. And you don’t have to wait for everyone to get back to you before a story can go to air. It’s been said that every story has two sides. In my experience there are many sides. You’ll eventually cover all the angles, but too much information all at once is a tune-out, especially as there are other stories to air and such a short time period in which to air them.
There can be a fine line between a Public Service Announcement or Political Propaganda and a news story. Ask yourself why you should run the story. Is Joe Politician actually doing something new or just trying to bring attention to him/herself and/or their party? Just because a release comes from a politician’s office doesn’t make the story about them. Learn to read beyond the “spin” of any news release to get to the meat of the story. That said, we do want to retain a good relationship with those who send us news releases. That can be addressed within the story itself, but not necessarily every story. Just because something happens within a politician’s jurisdiction doesn’t mean they are a major part of the happening.
These sorts of considerations are much the same for the PSA versus news story dilemma. My rule of thumb is to look at how much impact the issue will have in the community. How many people are involved and how will it affect them? Is it an issue that could be better addressed by jock talk rather than in a newscast? Always keep mind the time constraint and remember than any topic has to earn its way into that precious two-and-a-half minutes of news. How do you determine what deserves to make the news?
On a completely different note: How often do you want to access this blog? I can add topics as quickly or slowly as everyone is comfortable with and would like to see as many comments and other ideas as possible. Thanks again for your input.
2 comments:
I check this every other day to see if you have updated anything.
I just graduated from a radio broadcasting program in the spring, and of course, by running two stations, news was a major part of my day. We took news writing courses from some of the best on Ottawa, and had some other great professors that were always there to answer a question. But not too much, in my two years of training, really prepared me for my position at 99.3 as Community Reporter.
If you asked anyone I graduated with, they will tell you, and I will tell, that I am not a news person. I did really well in the class and finished it with the second highest score, but when it came to actually going out and getting it, I wasn't so great. I had no real desire to do it.
But now, after being the community reporter for the past 8+ months in a very small community, I must say, that even though it is not my favorite thing to do, and I don't think I'll pursue a career in it, I really don't mind it.
It's a lot of hard work and determination, and relying on people to give you a chance and help you get started. People knowing who your parents are too and saying, "Oh! You're Bernie and Jo Ann's girl!" doesn't hurt either haha.
Over the past few months I've created my binder of contacts, I'm on the phone every day, or a few times a week with the local police and fire department.
And because I'm also the Afternoon Drive girl, how do I determine what makes the news and what I keep to jock talk? Well, in such a small community, any story involving local businesses, bringing business and people back to the Miramichi, anything political, or really just anything that I think is going to impact the people in the community. Generally, I think, if my sisters, parents and Grandparents were listening to the news, what would they want to hear? Three generations of ears listening to the news all at once, and I have to try and appeal to everyone. That's what I think of when I'm sucking it up and doing the news for the day :)
And I'd say that I'll probably check this every few days, but I'll have a few hours to catch up on any reading and posts you put up! I'm excited to keep going!
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