NEWS PRODUCTION: Sourcing Stories (Lecture)

Sourcing stories

Broadcast journalists typically rely on sources and contacts

Go out and find your stories, they won’t come to you!

Working what Fishman (1997) called ‘beats’, patrolling like a policeman on chains of information to supply stories with news value.

Specifically designed, the news companies want you to have.

What else do you ignore with your story? Where should your priorities lie?

PRIMARY SOURCES vs SECONDARY

Newsrooms typically search ‘wires’ for up to date tip offs on news stories. (CHECK SLIDE FOR LINKS)

P.A. (Press Association) – provide a range of news stories and content for print and digital media for the

UK and Ireland. ¨ http://www.pressassociation.com/Editorial/
“the UK’s leading provider of multimedia content and services.”
Established in 1868, serving major media and digital brands across the globe as well as businesses and public organisations.
26 shareholders, primarily national and regional newspaper publishers

¤ Reuters – international news agency. ¨ http://uk.reuters.com/  

The material on news wires is provided by in house and freelance journalists

Avoid googling, it’s targeted searching. Look for organisations etc – good start points that can direct you elsewhere

Specialists, (AKA correspondents) have in-depth knowledge and well honed contacts. Often invited to confidential lobby briefings .

Lobby politics – influential groups ‘lobby’ the government in meetings to get their views across and attempt to influence policy.

Foreign news sources – valued for local contacts and on the ground knowledge and access.

Long hours, lots of travel and can be dangerous or politically unstable areas – special training usually needed as are good language skills.

Big news organisations will have deals with large scale international news agencies.

Eurovision news exchange – facilitates the exchange of stories between Eurovision countries.

Many broadcasters will use archived material as well as independent archives which sell under license.

FAKE NEWS – looks and sounds like real news packages, often propaganda.
Consider the source – avoid social media news, always fact check.
Blurring the lines between marketing and news.
VERIFY AND FACT CHECK!

User generated content and the UGC Hub – BBC Academy (http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/skills/ social-media/article/art20150922112641140)

Importance – can’t have journalists everywhere and rarely as it happens. Can add emotional impact. Can add a human element. Captures the unexpected – EG. Russian meteorite.

CAN be dangerous, putting citizens in risky places. Should they be helping and not filming?
They don’t fact check and can assume. Meteor could be UFOs or missiles.

Journalists are considered gatekeepers. They know the risks and pitfalls. They’re professionally trained.

Hurricane Shark: https://www.facebook.com/BuzzFeedNews/videos/1648013731886305/

We frame and edit information, for clarity, speed, AGENDA etc.
We have a responsibility. Stories should be balanced.

Know the essentials before contacting. Do your research and know your story.

Look after your contacts and sources, they’re important – the lifeline of your story.

Be polite and patient with language barriers. Perhaps emailing is easier in such a circumstance.

Have stamina, be tenacious! Be prepared to push at a story, maybe find a new way to tell it.

If somebody is reluctant to speak, sometimes with good reason, useful to explain it’s THEIR CHANCE TO TELL THEIR SIDE OF THE STORY!

Don’t give up!

[Identify key contacts on journal]

DEADLINES are key and some stories take time to be delivered properly.

The news angle is key to developing and framing your story.

Can be defined as main significance of your story to your audience. Particular viewpoint on any story.

There will always be more than one side to a story, WHAT BEST SUITS YOUR AUDIENCE.

WHAT MAKES A STORY NEWSWORTHY?
Relevance. Impact. Public interest. Significance to your audience.

Your lead story may vary at different times of day. What engages audiences best?

Why are lead stories chosen?

REMEMBER THE AGENDA!!

Deciding what to show is difficult but influential.

Balancing the tone of the range of stories, hard news to breaking news to softer ‘human interest’ stories.

Consider:
Location, Timeliness, Impact, Importance/Prominence, Conflict, Simplicity, Broadcaster’s values.

Keep your tone and theme the same.

“Head, Heart and Wallet!”

(check BBC Academy for journalism skills)

DEVELOPING YOUR STORY:

Copious research needs to be matched with DETAILED AND ACCURATE note-taking.

Be organised and ensure you keep your contacts and relevant info somewhere it’s easily accessed. DATE EVERYTHING!

When delivering info, ensure you attribute the info to RELIABLE sources.

People without an invested interest are usually trustworthy.

Be clear about:
What your story is (and isn’t)
Who is in your story (and isn’t)
Where is your story
When is it to be filmed
How you will tell it (treatment/style/angle)
WHY are you making the story

Contacts you make in early steps of research should lead to final elements included in your news story

There will be a bias of availability, location, cost etc, but bear in mind these decisions FRAME the story for the audience – be fair and reasonable when representing the facts. STAY OBJECTIVE.

Don’t burn your bridges. Contacts are key. Be open, fair and honest. Be aware you’re intruding, respect their time.

Thank your contributors and let them know when/where the piece they featured in will be aired/published.

TELEVISION NEWS STORY FORMS:

Readers (‘tell’ stories)
Short story which presenter reads out with no video to accompany. Usually for shorter stories or no video available yet.
OOVS/VO
Presenter reads out of vision whilst video plays. Performed LIVE. Often short (20-30 secs). With graphics may be annotated as VO/g. Adds a variety of pace. Useful to cover an event and unnecessary to hear from somebody there. (EG Minor events such as local street fair) Useful for late breaking stories that don’t have a full package yet – possibly use archived footage. Could be for ‘less important’ packages.
How to make:
Source story and relevant info.
Expand & script info to craft story.
Boil down to essentials and find your angle.
Can use archive and stock footage.
Graphics also useful – usually for statistics and other data etc to aid explanation to detailed concepts. Keep graphics simple and beware copyright on source material.
Add SOUND – Natural atmos etc
VO/SOT (sound on tape)
check slide for info
REPORTER PACKAGES
Fully self contained news pieces.
Unlike OOVS, presenter is not involved in the storytelling itself, rather in introducing and wrapping up the story.
There are a variety of elements available in a news package. Including: Interviews, PTCs, Sequence and actuality, GVs/Cutaways, set ups, graphics
Work out your story BEFORE the shoot to include elements such as pieces to camera. Can be done on paper or (if time doesn’t allow) on the spot.

BBC NEWS ANALYSIS (Check slide for link)
Subject in house because she’s affected.
Washes baby as sequence.
GVs and cutaways.
Actuality.
Archive.
Professional speaks to resident – passes info along to audience
Spokesperson gives right to reply
OOV- summarises neatly
UGC – footage unavailable otherwise.
Interviewed outside tube station.
Varying side of frame
VO makes sense of pictures.
REMEMBER THE NON-SYNC WIDE
ABBA = Lighter story
Utilises choreographed photo op
Be aware of words and pictures – don’t confuse information for viewer