Improving News Leads

Transcript

2. Tommy Thomason Director Texas Center for Community Journalism Crafting effective news leads A coaching approach
3. The premise The awful paradox Lead writing’s a bitch. But nothing’s more important.
4. And nothing is more frustrating than trying to come up with a lead
5. Square one Hey Ernie, how do you write a news lead?
6. Lead-writing is Abstracting
7. How abstracting works
8. the event How abstracting works
9. the event your observation How abstracting works
10. the event your observation your understanding How abstracting works
11. the event your observation your understanding your notes How abstracting works
12. the event your observation your understanding your notes your lead and story How abstracting works
13. the event your observation your understanding your notes your lead and story story printed How abstracting works
14. the event your observation your understanding your notes your lead and story story printed what’s read How abstracting works
15. the event your observation your understanding your notes your lead and story story printed what’s read what’s understood How abstracting works
16. the event your observation your understanding your notes your lead and story story printed what’s read what’s understood what’s remembered How abstracting works
17. The keys to writing good leads…
18. A sense of what the story is about
19. Good reporting
20. Getting to the point, writing conversationally, and writing readably
21. Types of lead screwups
22.  Not understanding the story before you begin to write
23.  Not understanding the story before you begin to write  Backing in
24.  Not understanding the story before you begin to write  Backing in  Lead is too long
25.  Not understanding the story before you begin to write  Backing in  Lead is too long  Writer should have used a delayed (soft) lead
26. Soft news leads and nut grafs
27. Don’t just think about the machinery of government, think about issues What’s the problem or issue? Who are the people affected? How? What are the possible solutions? What are the political alignments? Example: Let’s say there’s a proposal to ban smoking in restaurants…
28. The City Council met Tuesday night and voted on renaming a street on the west side of town, the purchase of a new police cruiser and a proposed smoking ban.
29. The City Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to adopt a smoking ban that will prohibit smoking at all Center City businesses. Proponents had argued that banning smoking would protect the health of both patrons and employees. Those who opposed the ban said business owners should be able to make decisions on whether or not to ban smoking.
30. Frank Smith, owner of Joe’s Bar and Grill downtown, said the smoking ban enacted Tuesday by the City Council may force him to close his business. “Lots of my patrons like to light up after a meal,” Smith said. “The economy is already bad for restaurants and I can’t afford to lose any more customers.” The City Council passed a smoking ban for all Center City businesses in a 4-3 vote Tuesday.