•MELVIN MENCHER

“a break from the normal flow of

events, an interruption in the expected”
•RAYMOND AND ALICE
“news is in the larger sense that
material which is more likely to be looked to
and accepted as the image of reality.
•GAY TUCHMAN
“news represent to society a mirror of
its concerns and interest”
MITCHELL CHARNLEY
“tomorrow’s history done up in today’s neat
package”

STANLEY WALKER
“news is the inexact measure… of the ebb
and flow of the tides of human aspirations, the
ignominy of mankind, the glory of human race…
the best record we have of the incredible
meanness and the magnificent courage of man”
 Former dean of the SCHOOL OF
JOURNALISM, SYRACUSE
UNIVERSITY
•M.LYLE SPENCER
“any event, idea or opinion that
is timely, that interests and affects a
large number of persons in the
community, and that is capable of
being understood by them”
TIMELINESS
PROXIMITY
PROMINENCE
SIGNIFICANCE
ODDITY
TIMELINESS
Another term for timeliness is immediacy. Reporting about
unfolding events or occurrences distinguishes the journalist
from a historian.

PROXIMITY
This means the nearness of the event to the intended readers.
Newspaper editors are aware that readers are more interested
in events in their community or neighborhood, because these
will effect their lives.
PROMINENCE
Refers to both people and places. People become newsmakers
if they hold positions in government or in big corporations.
Some would figure in the news because of their wealth,
achievement, extraordinary feat, or just being an eyewitness to
a major event or an accident.

SIGNIFICANCE
This attributes refers not only to the importance of an event but
also how this event will affect the people.

ODDITY
Anything that deviates from the normal course of events is
newsworthy.
CONFLICT
This may involve physical or mental war. Stories of war, athletic
meets, and journalism contests are example of conflict.
NAMES
Important names make important news. Also, the more names
there are in the story, the better.
DRAMA
This adds color to the story. The public certainly loves a good
show. Anything that moves a reader to tears or to laughter is
good news.
•ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE
•SEX
•PROGRESS
•ANIMALS
•NUMBERS
•EMOTION
In general ,
news stories
are organized
using the
inverted
pyramid style,
in which
information is
presented in
descending
order of
importance.
TYPES OF NEWS
1. SCOPE OR ORIGIN
2. CHRONOLOGY OR SEQUENCE
3. STRUCTURE
1.SCOPE OR ORIGIN
a. LOCAL NEWS- report of events that take place
within the immediate locality.
b. NATIONAL NEWS- news that take place within
the country.
c. FOREIGN NEWS- news that take place outside
the country.
d. DATELINE NEWS- news preceded by the date
and place of origin or place where it was written
or filed.
CHRONOLOGY OR SEQUENCE
a. ADVANCE OR ANTICIPATED- news published
before its occurrence, sometimes called dope
or prognostication.
b. SPOT NEWS- news that are gathered and
reported on the spot.
c. COVERAGE NEWS- news written from a given
beat.
d. FOLLOW-UP NEWS- it is a sequel to a previous
news.
STRUCTURE
a. STRAIGHT NEWS- news that consists of facts given
straight without embellishment.
b. NEWS- FEATURE- it is also based on facts but it
entertains more than it informs.

a. SINGLE-FEATURE OR ONE-INCIDENT STORY- the

story that deals an isolated event.
b. SEVERE-FEATURE, MULTIPLE-ANGLE, OR
COMPOSITE STORY- several facts are included.
 CONVENTIONAL OR SUMMARY LEAD
This kind of lead used in straight news answers
right away all or any of the 5W’s and 1H’s.
a. WHO LEAD- used when the person involved is more
prominent than what he does or what happens to him.
Example: President Duterte recently gave his address
to the PMA graduates in Baguio City.
b. WHAT LEAD- used when the event or what took place is
more important than the person involved in the story.
Example: The NSAT will be given Nov.24 to all
graduating high school students desiring to
enroll in the four-year college course.
c. WHERE LEAD- used when the place is unique and no
prominent person is involved.
Example: The Philippines is the next site of the next
Miss Universe contest.
d. WHEN LEAD- rarely used as the reader presumes the story to be
timely. However, this lead is useful when the speaking of deadlines,
holidays, and important dates.
Example: April is the dead line for filling the Income Tax
Returns at the BIR.
e. WHY LEAD- used when the reason is more prominent or unique
than what happens.
Example: Because of poverty, around a hundred of students
dropped out from school last year. This was
according to the Department Of Education.
f. HOW LEAD- used when the manner, mode, means, or method of
achieving the story is the unnatural way.
Example: By appealing to the school board, the Manila
Science High School was able to construct a three-
story concrete building.
 GRAMMATICAL BEGINNING LEAD
There are times when the lead is introduced by a kind of
grammatical form which is usually a phrase or a clause used to
emphasize a feature.
a. PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE LEAD- the phrase is introduced by a
preposition.
Example: With brooms and other cleaning equipment, boy
scouts from the Manila public high schools
cleaned the city markets in consonance with
Mayor Lito Atienza’s CLEAN AND BEAUTIFICATION DRIVE.
b. INFINITIVE PHRASE LEAD- it begins with the sign of the infinitive
to plus the main verb.
Example: To encourage tourism, balikbayans are given a
warm welcome by their fellow Filipinos.
c. PARTICIPIAL PHRASE LEAD- it is introduced by the present or past
participle form of the verb.
Example:1. Hoping to cop first place, the PNU wood-pushers
honed up for the chess championship
games.(present tense)
2.Dressed like priests, robbers were able to enter
the bank. (past participle)
d. GERUNDIAL PHRASE LEAD- it is introduced by a gerund ( a verbal
noun ending in ing)
Example: Winning the development communication trophy
during the national press conference was Araullo High
School’s Best Achievement of the Year.
e. CLAUSE LEAD- the lead begins with a clause which may either be
independent or subordinate, or may either be a noun or an adjective
or adverbial clause.
Example: Because Sept.9 was Osmeṅa Day, all lessons dealt
with the life of the late President Sergio Osmeṅa
Sr. (Subordinate, Adverbial)
 NOVELTY LEAD
Some kinds of leads are the best used in writing
news features. They are written in a way that they
attract attention or carry out a definite purpose.
a. ASTONISHER LEAD- uses an interjection or an exclamatory
sentence.
Example: Champion of District I!

b. CONTRAST LEAD- describes two extremes or opposites for

emphasis. The sharper the contrast, the more effective the lead will
be.
Example: Four months before the Beautification and
Cleanliness Drive, Zone 15 in Tondo, Manila was the
dirtiest district. Three months after, it won first place in
the CLEAN contest sponsored by the Department of
Community and Local Government.
c. EPIGRAM LEAD- opens by quoting a common expression, verse,
or epigram, at least familiar in the locality.
Example: Like father, like son. Ramon Garcia Jr., graduated
valedictorian this year. Ten years ago his father Ramon
Garcia Sr., also topped his class and delivered his
valedictory address on the same rostrum where the
young Garcia delivered his.

d. PICTURE LEAD- describes a person, a place, or an event, at the

same time, creating a mental picture of the subject matter in the
mind of the reader.
Example: The new principal, although only in his early
thirties, is already silver-haired. He seldom talks,
but when he does, he talks with sense.
e. BACKGROUND LEAD- similar to the picture lead, except that it
describe the setting which may be more prominent than the
characters and the events.
Example: The PNU campus was turned into a miniature
carnival ground on Sept.1 during the 104th F-Day
celebration of the University. Decorated with
buntings, and multicolored lights, the quadrangle was
a grand setting for a barrio fiesta.

f. DESCRIPTIVE LEAD- used when comparatively few descriptive

words can vividly formulate an imagery.
Example: Dressed in white polo barong, and with diplomas
in their hands, 1,500 graduates marched down the stage
to the tune of Aquino High March.
g. PARODY LEAD- consists of s parody of a well-known song,
poem, or lines.
Example: Water, water everywhere, but no water to drink.
This was the flood victims found to their dismay.

h. PUNCH LEAD- a short, forceful word or expression. It is rarely

used.
Example: Victory Day!
Magsaysay High School celebrated on March 18
its fifth victory in the city-wide journalism contests.

i.ONE WORDLEAD- self- explanatory.

Example: March!
Thus ordered president Joy Lina of Aquino High
School to start the “Walk for Health” fundraising drive.
j. QUOTATION LEAD- consists of the speaker’s direct words which
are very sticking and which are ,usually quoted from a speech, a
public address, or an interview.
Example: “The youth in The New Republic have become
partners of the government I its struggle for progress and
advancement” thus spoke PNU Director Rene Lee to some 400
student delegates to the 2017 Leadership Training Seminar held
on dec.8,2017. at the Marian Dagot Hall.

k. QUESTION LEAD- an answer to a question which is the basis of

the new story.
Example: Who will reign as Miss Intramurals this year?
This will be known on Aug.8,2018 after the final screening to be
held at the SMA Gym and Performing Arts Center.
l. SUMMARY LEAD- it gives a summary of the whole story.
Example. The Manila Accord, that embodies the new trade
relations among the members of the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation (APEC), was signed yesterday by the heads of state of
the 18 APEC members.

m. FIGURATIVE LEAD- Triteness is the main danger of this kind of

lead. Common sense should dictate when it to use it.
Example: The fox is finally home at 66. ( this was about the
death of basketball star Lauro Mumar).
n. SEQUENCE LEAD- a series of paragraphs, usually arranged
chronologically but with a single effect.
Example: By five in the morning, she had already
dressed her two daughters, Cynthia 2, and Marian 4, for a
Sunday mass.
At seven, the three of them were seen attending mass in
the chapel.
At nine, when they returned to their shanty at Dagat-
Dagatan, Maria Dorado , 46, despondent after having been
abandoned by her husband, strangled her two daughters. She
herself committed suicide.

o. CARTRIDGE LEAD
Example: President Marcos, who ruled the Philippines for
two decades, is dead.
THE LTQTQT FORMAT IN
NEWSWRITING
 1.The lede should be a single sentence of roughly 35-45 words
that summarizes the main points of the story - not a seven-
sentence monstrosity that looks like it's out of a Jane Austen
novel.

 2. The lede should summarize the story from start to finish. So

if you're writing about a fire that destroyed a building and left 18
people homeless, that must be in the lede. Writing something
like "A fire started in a building last night" isn't enough.

 3. Paragraphs in news stories should generally be no more

than 1-2 sentences each - not seven or eight like you're used to
writing in English class. Short paragraphs are easier to cut
when editors are working on tight deadline, and they look less
imposing on the page.
 4.Sentences should be kept relatively short, and whenever
possible use the subject-verb-object formula.

 5. Along these same lines, always cut unnecessary words.

Example: "Firefighters arrived at the blaze and were able to put
it out within about 30 minutes" can be cut to "firefighters doused
the blaze in about 30 minutes."

 6. Don't use complicated-sounding words when simpler ones

will do. A news story should be understandable to everyone.

 7. Don't use the first-person "I" in news stories.

 8.In Associated Press style, punctuation almost always goes
inside quotation marks. Example: "We arrested the
suspect," Detective John Jones said. (Note the placement of
the comma.)

 9. News stories are generally written in the past tense.

 10. Avoid the use of too many adjectives. There's no need to

write "the white-hot blaze" or "the brutal murder." We know
fire is hot and that killing someone is generally pretty brutal.
The adjectives are unnecessary.

 11. Don't use phrases like "thankfully, everyone escaped the

fire unhurt." Obviously, it's good that people weren't hurt.
Your readers can figure that out for themselves.
 12.Never inject your opinions into a hard-news story. Save
your thoughts for a movie review or editorial.

 13. When you first refer to someone who's quoted in a

story, use their full name and job title if applicable. On the
second and all subsequent references, use just their last
name. So it would be "Lt. Jane Jones" when you first
mention her in your story, but after that, it would simply be
"Jones." The only exception is if you have two people with
the same last name in your story, in which case you could
use their full names. We generally don't use honorifics like
"Mr." or "Mrs." in AP style.

 14. Don't repeat information.

 15. Don't summarize the story at the end by repeating

what's already been said.