- A broadcast journalist relies on a wide range of sources and contacts in the never ending search NEW news!
- The best journalists do not just sit and wait for a story to 'appear', they go out and FIND it...
How to find new sources:
1. Newspapers
2. Viral - social media
3. Word of mouth - "whistleblower", "anecdotal"
4. News agencies e.g. reuters
5. VERIFIABLE
6. PR. / pressure groups
7. Police
How journalists find stories with 'news value'
- Working what Fishman (1997) called 'beats' - 'patrolling' much like a police officer on recognised chains of information to supply potential stories with 'news value'.
- What 'beats' form part of this chain of information (refer to numbers above)
- Many of these 'beats' are exclusively accessed by news journalists, e.g. calling police stations or press offices.
- But in doing so, what other stories are ignored? Is it right to give priority to those particular sources?
- On the outside you're nodding and agreeing, on the inside you're doubting and questioning what's in it for them.
PUBLIC DOMAIN - something you can't report on, someone else does it on social media and we report on that.
Where the newsroom find it's stories...
Primary sources
- Your own direct contacts
- Original sources direct from source material e.g. archive material from libraries etc. such as Kew (National Archives)
- Public appeals
- Press releases / stats / official statements - all of these are someone's p.o.v. Someone wants you to think of these their way, e.g. unemployment issues.
- Don't just spout out what someone else tells us - be careful.
Secondary sources
- Stringers (freelancers)
- Other platforms/media
Wires
(refer to numbered list above) e.g. PA. & reuters
- The material on news wires is provided by in house and freelance journalists.
Correspondants
- These subject specialists work in the newsrooms and are prized for their in depth knowledge and well honed contacts - often invited to confidential 'lobby' briefings with politicians and on the mailing lists of important relevant bodies.
- 'Lobby' politics - influential groups 'lobby' the government in such meetings to get their views across and attempt to influence policy.
Foreign news sources
- Journalists, editors and correspondents based permanently abroad for news networks e.g. Gavin Hewitt Europe Editor or Mark Mardell North American Editor.
- Sometimes pooled foreign news 'bureau' with other broadcasters.
- Again valued for their local contacts and on the ground knowledge and access.
- Often long hours of travelling, living in dangerous places and special training often needed.
- International news agencies and large scale news organisations such as ABC, NBC and Sky with whom the likes of the BBC have deals.
- Eurovision New Exchange - facilitates the exchange of stories between Eurovision countries.
Archives
- Many broadcasters have their own archived material which is a rich source of pictures, as well as independent archives which sell on their material under license.
BEWARE - fake news
- They look like news packages and sound like them, but stories are to be approached with caution, as they are very often propaganda.
- Think about how many 'stories' now pop up via social media - who is sending them & why?
- Blurring the lines between MARKETING and NEWS
- How do you verify and check these stories?
U.G.C (User Generated Content)
- Great, as journalists can't be everywhere but...
- Paris attacks 2015
- Russia meteorite 2013
- Are we encouraging people to film first in an attack? - not right
- A photographer photographing a small child in poverty - doesn't feel right
Communication
- Whichever your source of information and stories, you will need to be a consummate communicator order to access these.
- As with the documentary unit, know the essentials before you make a call - do the research and know what questions you want to ask.
- Get used to using the telephone.
- Emails are good, but nothing beats a chat with someone.
- Build a rapport, gauge the person you are talking to and make a decision about them and the story.
Be tenacious and have stamina, get them 'on side'
- Sometimes you have to be prepared to be creative in order to get what you need
- Providing you are being ethical, find ways of negotiating obstacles to gain the access you need
- Often you need to have stamina and be prepared to push at a story and find a new way of telling your story in order to make it work
- When people are reluctant to take part, sometimes with good reason, it is useful to explain that this is their chance to put their side of the story
- Some of the best journalists don't give up they always find a way!
Being creative with your methods...
- The art of tracking people down is one you need to master - do your research to identify key contacts and build from there-
- just like a private investigator you will spend a lot of time simply trying to find people.
- Sometimes you need to think outside the obvious in order to get what you need.
- Finding people who will talk might mean looking for someone outside the direct arena of your story, look instead for those with a credible association with it.
Finding your 'angle'
- The news 'angle' is key to developing the story.
- The angle can be defined as the main significance of the story to your particular audience. It is a particular viewpoint of any story.
- There will inevitably be several angles on any story, your job is to decide the angle which best suits and sells your story and will engage your audience.
Engaging --> topic --> cast --> angle
Balance
What makes a story 'newsworthy'?
- Relevance / resonance / timing
- Controversy
- PEG (dates, an event, e.g. we might peg a story about the use of fur around fashion week or Princess Diana at this time)
- Who, why, what, where & how?
 |
| https://www.japantimes.co.jp |
- The lead story might vary at different times of the day e.g. what is most engaging for the audience at different times.
- Recent leads now:
North Korea firing missiles over to Japan
McCann's taking lie detector
 |
| http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk |
Newsworthiness
- Subjective! But someone has to do it - setting the agenda...
e.g. Deciding what important and therefore what isn't and putting it in order for the programme
- Typically you will see 15-20 news stories per 30' news programme
- Therefore out of a potential list of possibly limitless stories nationally and globally, deciding what that range of stories are.
- Part of the task is balancing the tone of the range of stories offered - from hard news, breaking stories to softer 'human interest' pieces.
- Journalistic instinct plays a strong part in this decision.
- Key ares which determine this decision are:
Location
Timeliness
Impact
Prominence/'importance'
Conflict
Simplicity
Broadcaster's 'values'
Developing your story
- Copious research needs to be matched with copious (detailed and accurate) note-taking.
- Be organised and keep in touch with contacts.
Who said that?
- Whenever you are delivering information, ensure you attribute the information to reliable sources - simply saying 'allegedly/apparently' is not enough without saying where the information is from.
Setting up your story
- The proof of your journalistic skills is when you try to set your story up to shoot it
- Make sure you're being reliable when you're reporting
- By the time you set it up you should be clear about:
WHAT your story is (and is not)
WHO is in your story (and is not)
WHERE is it (location/s)
WHEN is it to be shot (schedule)
HOW you will tell it (treatment/style/angle)
WHY you are making the story?
Following up leads
- The contacts you make in the early stages of research should lead you to the final elements which you will include in your news story.
- What is the story - if you can write a headline in 10 words you have a good story.
- Inevitable there will be decisions made on the basis of availability, location, cost etc, but bear in mind these decisions frame your story for the audience -
be sure you are including elements which are a fair and reasonable representation of the facts
stay objective
Don't burn the bridges...
- You never know when you might need them again.
- PUBLIC INTEREST - doing something in the public interest for something that needs to be told.
- Treat people with respect, be-
open and fair
honest and direct
aware of the intrusion you are making - respect their time
- Treat other people how you would expect to be treated
- Very simple tip - thank contributors and let them know when/where the piece they feature in will be aired/published.
Television news story forms
5 basic types
- readers (to 'tell' stories)
- OOVs / VO (out of vision/voice-overs)
- VO / SOT (voice-overs/sound on tape)
- reporter package
Readers
- A short story which the presenter reads out with no video to accompany it or any full screen graphics - to 'tell' the story
OOVs (aka VOs)
- Stories which the presenter reads which also includes video material
- Often short - 20-30"
- If the presenter is reading over graphics it might be annotated as VO/g.
- OOVs add variety of pace to the newscast
- They are useful when covering an event and is not necessary to hear from someone at the event (wouldn't add anything to the story)
- e.g. covering a minor event such as a local street fair
- A late breaking story - no time to do anything with it
- May also depend on whether there are many other more 'important' full packages already in the bulletin
How to make an OOV
- Source your story and relevant information
- Expand and script information to produce a crafted story
- Boil down to the essential of the story and find your angle
- Can use archive or stock shots
- Graphics are useful - statistics and other data
- Add sound - to avoid a flat report
OOV / SOT
- Combination of the OOV & SOT
- SOT made up of interview clips
- Good for varying pace of the programme and allows a more in-depth news report, but not as in depth as a full news package
- Useful when covering an event and need someone there to comment (someone directly affected rather than a spokesperson)
News package
- Fully formed self contained news pieces
- Presenter is not involved in the storytelling itself but introducing and wrapping up the story
- A variety of elements available in a news package:
Interviews
PTCs (pieces to camera)
Sequences & actuality
GVs/cutaways
Set ups - set up sequence for interviewees e.g. making a cup of tea
Graphics
- Work out story before shooting
- This can be done on paper
- 3 words per second for scripts
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