In its drive to contribute to the improvement of the media landscape in Sierra Leone as a whole, the Independent Media Commission (IMC) brings you Getting It Right. This series of articles written by trained media and communication specialists, is intended to serve as a guide to practicing journalists or media professionals in pursuit of excellence in their work.
The first article “Preparing Programmes for Community Audiences” was written by
Dr. Ayobami Ojebode of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, and was produced in this paper in July. In this edition of Getting It Right, we will be looking at the skills needed to construct a news story that is effective in giving out information, while being equally entertaining. Our writer is the Senior Monitoring, Research and Projects Officer, Independent Media Commission.
Style, Structure and Attribution in News Writing
By Brian James
News writing is generally not regarded as a conventional art form but upon closer inspection it is easy to see that writing for the news is just as nuanced, just as dependent on a creative process as any work of art. For the most part, the automobile performs the function of getting individuals from point A to point B, but we base our personal preferences on factors outside this core function. The look, feel and speed of the car often help us form opinions as to which one is better than the other. It is the same with news stories. It is generally accepted that the “inverted pyramid” (i.e. information is presented in order of importance from the most important to the least important) is the most effective structure in compiling a news story. As such, many journalists tend to apply this pattern so rigidly in their writing, that they forget (or are unaware) that there is much more to developing a compelling piece than just giving information in the right order of importance. It is these elements that show whether our writing has the purr of a Mercedes Benz or the groan of a beaten down Volkswagen. As the title suggests, this article is going to be divided into three main parts – style, structure and attribution.
Style: It is widely understood that the purpose of the news is to inform, educate and entertain. However, journalists tend to focus on informing and educating, while paying very little attention to the equally important entertainment factor. Think about this: when was the last time you saw an unattractive face behind the news desk of your favourite international news channel? Television broadcasters understand that it is not just about “reading the news”. It’s about reading the news in style. The look of the newscaster helps to add entertainment value to the overall news package. Since a written news report cannot reflect an attractive face, how can you work entertainment value into your piece? Style – this simply refers to your choice of words and how you use them to create moods and construct images in the mind of your readers. This is what gives your writing a distinguishing personality of its own. Do you want your piece to be somber and terse or lighthearted and conversational ? It is your style that can determine this.
Developing a personal writing style requires a writer to have a good command of the English Language. You need to have a large, constantly evolving vocabulary. This can only be done by replacing your best friend with a good dictionary, taking the time to look up and memorize the meaning of any unfamiliar word you come across, whether in another news report, a movie, or speech. This does not mean using your word finder to inflate your piece with big words that no one understands. i.e. liberal appropriation of unnecessarily brobdingnagian diction only renders your writing ponderous and discombobulated. Nor does it mean using every expression you pick up just because it fits – you can’t talk about “hanging ten” when reporting locally because while it may be well known in countries where surfing is a sport, very few are acquainted with it in Sierra Leone. You need to be able to determine where a certain word or expression will have the best effect, create the right mood. Consider the following descriptions:
A) Kamajor fighters in military vehicles overcame RUF strongholds at Mile 91.
B) In an audacious wave of roaring engines and gunfire, military vehicles containing Kamajor fighters swept through RUF strongholds at Mile 91
Both of these statements contain the same information but one of them awakens images and sounds in the mind more effectively than the other. This is not about using words that will make you seem more intelligent or sophisticated. It is about having an instinct as to which word works best. It is about communicating. Learn to explore different possibilities as you write. There are countless ways of expressing a single idea. Broadening your scope in terms of vocabulary and expression will increase your options.
One good exercise is to read from established journals, news magazines and the like with the sole intention of determining the style of the writer. Compare articles from different journals on similar subjects. What makes them different? How does the writer make use of puns, tongue in cheek or satire? Before I go any further, I’d like to briefly address the issue of satire. It is a common misconception among local journalists, that satire is all about giving different meanings to well know acronyms (like SLPP and APC) or deliberately misspelling the names of personalities and then engaging in no-holds-barred character assassination. The satire is actually a very complex literary device that is used to accurately reflect a person or society, while using humour to offer constructive criticism. George Orwell’s portrayal of Communist Russia in his novel Animal Farm is an example of skilled use of satire.
The expression “House Style” refers to the manner in which a particular media institution (not an individual writer) packages its stories. The Economist magazine has a distinctly analytical, business-like style. The BBC Focus on Africa magazine has a more down to earth style. In Sierra Leone, the Newshunters (Ariogbo) newspaper makes considerable attempts at maintaining a pseudo mystical style in its reportage. The bottom line is that a compelling style can keep the reader from turning the page after reading the first paragraph of your piece. A compelling style will ensure that your writing maintains a steady readership.
Structure: The basic structure of a news story is two-folds: a lead and the body. We cannot delve into these, however, without first talking about the headline. In the local papers, one does not need to look very far to find headlines that are defamatory, opinionated or deliberately misleading. This suggests that the basic concept of headlines is generally understood – they are meant to attract potential newspaper buyers. However, only a few papers seem to realize that headlines do not need to be dishonest or unprofessional to have the desired effect. Headlines like “Disgrace!” or “Rape!” may attract the buyers but they also display the paper’s lack of creative skill. Headlines should be crafted with thought and precision. The best newspapers in the world regularly make use of literary devices such as the pun (play on words), rhyme, alliteration (repetition of consonant sounds) and allusion (reference to culturally relevant people, places, songs, films etc.) See the following examples of headlines:
A) On Thorpe of Things – NEC Chairperson Assures the Nation (pun)
B) As China Deal Goes South, Education Ministry Foams at the Mouth (rhyme)
C) Bio Makes Big Bang in Bombali (alliteration)
D) Mayor Responds to “Borboh Belleh” Accusations (allusion)
While these techniques may not be practical (or even tasteful) in every situation, they should always be considered as an option for producing creative headlines. Be careful in your use of words. A regularly misused word in headlines is “storm” e.g. Maada Bio Storms Makeni. The word actually refers to a military assault and not a political campaign.
The lead
The lead is perhaps the most important part of any news story. It is the opening paragraph or two of the story, whose function is to summarize the story and/or to draw the reader in. It is what determines whether a reader is going to keep reading your work or move on to another newspaper. While this is not exactly the world’s greatest secret, it is amazing how many writers tend to treat their lead with less care and creativity than it deserves. Consider the following:
A) The United Nations Development Programme in collaboration with the World Health Organization held a symposium at the Miatta Conference Hall today 15th December 2012 on the theme: Pipe borne water for indigenous communities by 2013.
B) The Matongbo community may be one of many indigenous communities in the country to receive full pipe borne water facilities by 2013. This spark of hope for disadvantaged communities was ignited at a symposium held jointly by the United Nations Development Programme and the World Health Organization.
Look at these two leads carefully. Which of these is more likely to “lead” to a boring “symposium report”? Which is more likely to lead to a story about real people? Leads differ depending on whether it is a “hard” or “soft” news story.
In a hard news story, the lead should be a full summary of what is to follow. It should incorporate as many of the 5 "W's" of journalism (who, what, where, when and why) as possible. It is more businesslike and to the point. (e.g. “A notorious drug smuggling ring was rounded up by police in the early hours of Wednesday morning at their hideout in the Kroo Bay area. The arrests were made after a fierce fire fight that lasted 35 minutes” - Can you identify the 5 W's in this lead?)
In a soft news story, the lead is less rigid and more open to literary creativity by the writer. Here the writer does his/her best to grab the attention of the reader by presenting information in a manner that is more like storytelling than news reporting. Example:
For most people, walking on hot coals exists only as a myth or figurative expression. For Musa Sesay, however, it is serious business.
Once the reader is captivated, the writer can go on to incorporate the 5 Ws into the body of the story.
The body
The body of the story involves information that you feel is relevant to the lead that has been established. This includes interviews, analytical data, historical data, anecdotal information etc. A regular feature of local news stories is heavy reliance on reported speech, using as many synonyms of the word “say” as possible i.e. “he/she reiterated, alleged, expressed, stressed, stated, noted etc.” This is sometimes interspersed with liberal amounts of the writer’s impression or opinion of the issue. Finding “meat” for a story can be incredibly taxing. For this reason, numerous newspapers contain reports that are 150 – 250 words long! It is these papers that tend to rely heavily on Internet features and articles to fill space.
After taking care of the 5 Ws the next question that needs to be answered is: “what else will my readers find interesting, pertinent or educational?” Unfortunately, this is where many writers draw a blank, that is “get lost.” If you have done the necessary homework before sitting down to write, then the problem you should have is deciding what to leave out!
Let’s go back to our “Pipe Borne Water Symposium” example. Your press house receives the letter of invitation a couple of days in advance and you are selected to cover it. Rather than simply waiting for the day to arrive, your work should begin the moment you read the proposed theme.
What do you know about the activities of the UNDP and WHO in the country? Chances are, not much. Now is the time to get background information on the activities of these organizations. Go on the Internet, find out what they have been up to in the past five to ten years. Visit their local offices. Annual reports should be available. Make appointments for interviews. You want to talk to one or two people who will be presenting papers, perhaps the public relations person, or their Water and Sanitation Expert who has been directly involved in these activities.
By now you should have a ton of information but it doesn’t end there. Next , you want to assess a few of the developmental projects made by these organizations. Travelling to remote regions may not be a possibility but a diligent reporter should be able to contact one or two local sources via telephone or email (where possible). What you want is to get a sense of the reality on the ground. What is the level of effectiveness? What is the level of appreciation from community members? The answers to these questions may surprise you and provide you with a different angle with which to approach your report. For example, you may hear that indeed there had been a pipe borne water initiative in 2008 but the pipes turned out to be made of cheap metal which corroded after a few months, adversely affecting the water supply and getting people sick. This would create an avenue for a new line of investigations and news stories. By the time the actual symposium is held, you should be equipped with information on which to base pertinent questions that will add flavour to your report. You will have a lot more to report on than just “Mr. X said this or Mrs. Y said that.”
Aside from interviews with relevant personalities, other resources can be exploited to add value to your writing. These include the Internet, books and other reports. In January 2012, the editor of the New African magazine, Baffour Ankomah published a feature titled “In The Name of God, Leave Us Alone”. In this feature Ankomah draws extensively from a speech made by Lord Protector of England Oliver Cromwell in 1653, US President Barak Obama’s presidential memorandum and the Wikipedia internet encyclopedia. It is good to draw from various sources, being careful to attribute sources so as not to be guilty of plagiarism.
This brings me to the question of attribution. It's important to identify the source of your information. Attributing the information in your story makes it more credible, and builds trust with your readers. In cases wherein sources do not wish to be named for reasons of possible endangerment, embarrassment or other personal reasons, a journalist is expected to protect the identity of his source. These cases, however, form an acute minority. Local journalists frequently use phrases like “according to a reliable source…”, “inside sources believe…”, “it is the opinion of many that…” These phrases indicate that the journalist has not done his research and is trying to trick his readers into believing that his information is authentic and not just his viewpoint. This attempt to cover up lack of attribution only serves to undermine the intelligence of some readers while taking advantage of the gullibility of others. News without attribution is nothing short of rumour or conjecture. It cannot be called journalism.
Even opinion pieces, which are prevalent in local papers could benefit greatly from attribution of sources. Unfortunately, it appears as though writers of opinion columns rely on their perceived social standing to authenticate their writing. There is no substitute for a good source. An argument is always stronger when there is documented evidence or the word of relevant authorities to back it up. Otherwise, there is no reason for readers to believe what you have written, even if you are one of the foremost journalists in the country.
Developing an intelligent writing style, moulding it into an effective structure and then authenticating it with relevant sources will go a long way to show your quality as a journalist.
References:
Online resource materials referred to in the development of the article above include:
http://mediacareers.about.com/od/thenecessaryskills/a/WritingSkills.htm
