Reporting for the Media

by Fedler, Fred; Bender, John R.; Davenport, Lucinda; Drager, Michael W.

• ISBN13: 9780195169997
• ISBN10: 0195169999
• Edition: 8th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-05
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Now in its eighth edition, Reporting for the Media continues its outstanding tradition in journalism education. Providing both students and instructors with a firm foundation on which to build journalistic success, it emphasizes the most important skills and characteristics of effectivereporters--how to be engaged in and curious about the world and how to articulate a good story. Reporting for the Media, 8/e, introduces students to news writing and reporting by focusing on such basics as grammar and mechanics, traditional story structures and styles, interviewing techniques, reporting on speeches and meetings, and common ethical dilemmas. Taking into consideration theincreasingly multimedia nature of journalism, this new edition includes material on broadcast writing and convergence. It also covers prewriting, using the Internet, and computer-assisted reporting. The eighth edition features new exercises in nearly every chapter, expanded coverage ofgrammar--including parts of speech--and thoroughly updated real-life examples and illustrations, many covering issues that have arisen since 9/11. As in previous editions, this book features reading lists, discussion questions, suggested projects, five useful appendices, and end-of-chapterchecklists. Reporting for the Media, 8/e, is an ideal text for introductory news writing and reporting courses.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
The Basics: Format, Copy Editing and AP Style	1	(28)
Producing Copy	2	(1)
News Story Format	2	(2)
Copy-editing Symbols	4	(4)
The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law	8	(1)
Accuracy of Names and Facts	9	(1)
The Writing Coach---The Lucky 13 Ways to Become a Good Writer	10	(1)
Checklist for Copy Preparation	11	(1)
Suggested Readings	11	(1)
Useful Web Sites	11	(1)
Exercises	12	(17)
Grammer and Spelling	29	(30)
The Parts of Speech	29	(7)
Basic Sentence Structure	36	(2)
Active and Passive Voice	38	(1)
Agreement	38	(2)
Ambiguous Pronouns	40	(1)
Plurals and Possessives	40	(1)
``That'' and ``Which''	41	(1)
``Who'' and ``Whom''	42	(1)
Misplaced Modifiers	42	(1)
Dangling Modifiers	43	(1)
Personification	43	(1)
Parallel Form	44	(1)
``Because'' and ``Due To''	44	(1)
Spelling	44	(1)
Grammar Checklist	45	(2)
The Writing Coach---Acronyms Lift Your Writing
Suggested Readings	47	(1)
Useful Web Sites	48	(1)
Exercises	49	(10)
Newswriting Style	59	(31)
Prewriting	59	(3)
Simplify Words, Sentences and Paragraphs	62	(4)
Remain Objective	66	(5)
Checklist for Newswriting Style	71	(1)
The Writing Coach--Find the Clear Path to Writing Glory	72	(2)
Suggested Readings	74	(2)
Exercises	76	(14)
The Language of News	90	(32)
The Effectiveness of Words	90	(1)
Be Precise	91	(2)
Use Strong Verbs	93	(1)
Avoiding Problems in Your Writing	94	(1)
Words to Avoid	94	(5)
Other Problems to Avoid	99	(4)
Checklist for the Language of News	103	(1)
The Writing Coach---Become a Power Lifter When Picking Verbs	103	(1)
Suggested Readings	104	(1)
Exercises	105	(17)
Selecting and Reporting the News	122	(24)
The Characteristics of News	123	(3)
Two Views of 9/11	126	(5)
Types of News	131	(2)
Public/Civic Journalism	133	(2)
Applying the Principles of News Selection	135	(1)
The Concept of Objectivity	135	(1)
Details Newspapers Are Reluctant to Publish	136	(2)
The Importance of Accuracy	138	(3)
Suggested Readings	141	(2)
Exercises	143	(3)
Basic News Leads	146	(35)
The Summary News Lead	146	(2)
Sentence Structure in Leads	148	(1)
Guidelines for Writing Effective Leads	149	(5)
Avoiding Some Common Errors	154	(3)
Apply the Guidelines to Other Kinds of Leads	157	(1)
Checklist for Writing Leads	158	(1)
The Writing Coach---Oh Where, Oh Where Does the Time Element Go?	159	(1)
Suggested Readings	160	(1)
Exercises	161	(20)
Alternative Leads	181	(19)
Criticisms	182	(1)
``Buried'' or ``Delayed'' Leads	183	(1)
Multiparagraph Leads	184	(1)
Using Quotations	184	(1)
Using Questions	185	(1)
Suspenseful Leads	186	(1)
Descriptive Leads	186	(1)
Shockers---Leads With a Twist	187	(1)
Ironic Leads	187	(1)
Direct-Address Leads	187	(1)
Words Used in Unusual Ways	188	(1)
Other Unusual Leads	188	(1)
The Writing Coach---Too Many Words Can Muddle Writing	189	(3)
Exercises	192	(8)
The Body of a News Story	200	(39)
The Inverted-Pyramid Style	200	(6)
The Hourglass Style	206	(2)
The Focus Style	208	(3)
The Narrative Style	211	(4)
Using Transitions	215	(2)
Explain the Unfamiliar	217	(2)
The Importance of Examples	219	(1)
The Use of Description	219	(2)
The Use of Humor	221	(1)
The Need to Be Fair	221	(1)
The Final Step: Edit Your Story	222	(1)
Checklist for Writing News Stories	222	(1)
The Writing Coach---How to Find the Endings to Stories	223	(1)
Suggested Readings	223	(1)
Exercises	224	(15)
Quotations and Attribution	239	(30)
Quotations	239	(4)
Blending Quotations and Narrative	243	(3)
Attribution	246	(7)
Guidelines for Capitalizing and Punctuating Quotations	253	(2)
Checklists for Quotations and Attribution	255	(1)
A Memo From the Editor---Descriptive Writing: Turning a Good Story Into a Great Story	256	(2)
Suggested Readings	258	(1)
Useful Web Sites	259	(1)
Exercises	260	(9)
Interviews	269	(23)
Why Am I Interviewing?	269	(1)
Whom Should I Interview?	270	(2)
When Should I Conduct My Interviews?	272	(1)
Where Should I Conduct the Interview?	273	(1)
What Questions Should I Ask?	274	(1)
How Should I Conduct Interviews?	275	(2)
Writing the Interview Story	277	(1)
The Writing Coach---Figure It: Poetry Can Be in Newspaper Stories	278	(1)
Suggested Readings	279	(1)
Useful Web Sites	279	(1)
Exercises	280	(12)
Writing Obituaries	292	(20)
Types of Death Reports	293	(4)
Jim Nicholson: No. 1 in Obituaries	297	(4)
Obituary Writing Considerations	301	(1)
Checklists for Reporting and Writing Obituaries	302	(1)
Suggested Readings	302	(1)
Useful Web Sites	302	(1)
Exercises	303	(9)
Speeches and Meetings	312	(31)
Advance Stories	312	(1)
Covering the Speech or Meeting	313	(1)
Follow Stories	314	(3)
Internet Brings Pornography to Children, Researcher Says	317	(3)
Remember Your Readers	320	(1)
Adding Color	321	(1)
Checklists for Reporting Speeches and Meetings	322	(1)
The Writing Coach---Go Beyond the Stick	323	(1)
Suggested Readings	323	(1)
Useful Web Sites	323	(1)
Exercises	324	(19)
Specialized Types of Stories	343	(25)
Brights	343	(2)
Follow-ups	345	(2)
Roundups	347	(1)
Sidebars	347	(1)
Checklists for Writing Specialized Stories	348	(1)
A Memo From the Editor---History, Traditions and Culture: Old Glory and Noodle	349	(2)
Suggested Readings	351	(1)
Useful Web Sites	351	(1)
Exercises	352	(16)
Feature Stories	368	(25)
Selecting a Topic and Gathering Information	368	(2)
Types of Feature Stories	370	(10)
Types of Feature Leads	380	(1)
The Body of a Feature Story	381	(1)
The Ending of a Feature Story	382	(1)
What does It Take to Be a Top-Notch Writer?	383	(1)
Suggested Readings	384	(1)
Useful Web Sites	384	(1)
Exercises	385	(8)
Public Affairs Reporting	393	(53)
Crime and Accidents	394	(1)
Covering the Search for a Serial Killer	395	(8)
Local Government	403	(7)
Courts	410	(6)
Checklists for Public Affairs Reporting	416	(1)
A Note About This Chapter's Exercises	417	(1)
The Writing Coach---The ``Knows'' Have It for Police and Court Reporters	417	(1)
Suggested Readings	418	(1)
Useful Web Sites	418	(1)
Exercises	419	(27)
Understanding and Using the Internet	446	(21)
A Brief History	446	(1)
Journalists and the Internet	447	(1)
E-Mail	447	(1)
Internet Addresses, Web Sites or URLs (Universal Resource Locators)	448	(3)
Search Engines and Subject Directories	451	(2)
Mailing Lists and Newsgroups	453	(3)
Ethical Considerations	456	(1)
Suggested Readings	457	(1)
Useful Web Sites	457	(1)
Exercises	458	(9)
Advanced Reporting	467	(31)
Using Statistics	468	(1)
Conducting Informal Polls	469	(2)
Using Computers to Get Answers	471	(1)
Converging Media	472	(1)
Checklist for Using Statistics	473	(1)
Checklist for Conducting Informal Polls	473	(1)
A Memo From the Editor---Good Writing's Great, but It's Not Enough	473	(2)
Suggested Readings	475	(1)
Exercises	476	(22)
Writing for Broadcast	498	(26)
Writing for Your Listener	498	(3)
Writing for Your Announcer	501	(1)
Leads for Broadcast Stories	502	(2)
The Body of a Broadcast News Story	504	(1)
Updating Broadcast News Stories	505	(1)
Guidelines for Copy Preparation	505	(2)
Editing Copy	507	(1)
Putting Together a Newscast	508	(1)
Sources for Broadcast News	509	(1)
The Newsroom Environment	510	(1)
Checklists for Broadcast News Writing	511	(1)
Suggested Readings	511	(1)
Useful Web Sites	511	(1)
Exercises	512	(12)
The News Media and PR Practitioners	524	(37)
What Is Public Relations?	524	(2)
Becoming a Public Relations Practitioner	526	(1)
Working with News Media	526	(1)
Elements of a News Release	527	(3)
Types of News Releases	530	(3)
The Journalist's Perspective: Working with Press Releases	533	(1)
The No. 1 Problem: Lack of Newsworthiness	534	(2)
The No. 2 Problem: Lack of Objectivity	536	(2)
Other Problems with News Releases	538	(2)
Some Final Guidelines	540	(1)
Checklist for PR Practitioners	540	(1)
Checklist for Handling News Releases	541	(1)
Guest Column---Transparency Is Paramount	541	(2)
Suggested Readings	543	(1)
Exercises	544	(17)
Communications Law	561	(32)
Libel	561	(11)
12 Steps for Avoiding Libel Suits	572	(1)
Privacy	572	(6)
Newsgathering	578	(5)
Bar-Press Guidelines	583	(1)
Checklists	584	(2)
Suggested Readings	586	(1)
Useful Web Sites	586	(1)
Exercises	587	(6)
Ethics	593	(29)
Media Credibility	594	(1)
Ethical Decision-Making	594	(2)
Ethics Issues	596	(14)
Codes of Ethics	610	(1)
Checklist for Improving Media Credibility	610	(1)
A Memo From the Editor---Some Thoughts on Plagiarism	611	(2)
Suggested Readings	613	(1)
Useful Web Sites	614	(1)
Exercises	615	(7)
Careers	622	(9)
A Journalist's Attributes	623	(1)
Be the Applicant Who Gets Hired	624	(4)
The Industry Needs More Women and Minorities	628	(1)
Freelance Writing	629	(1)
Checklist for Finding the Right Journalism Job	629	(1)
Suggested Readings	630	(1)
Useful Web Sites	630	(1)
Appendix A City Directory	631	(15)
Appendix B The Associated Press Stylebook	646	(9)
Appendix C Rules for Forming Possessives	655	(2)
Appendix D Answer Keys	657	(8)
Appendix E Common Writing Errors	665	(4)
Credit Lines	669	(2)
Index	671