“News is an event, idea, or opinion that is timely, that interests or affects large number of persons in a community, and that is capable of being understood by them.”

-M. Lyle SpencerSchool of JournalismSyracuse University

1. Timeliness2. Proximity3. Prominence4. Oddity5. Significance6. Conflict7. Suspense8. Human Interest

News writers must be skilled at:1. Seeing and hearing2. Taking notes3. Checking and verifying data4. Analyzing and interpreting5. Write clearly with 5WsH formula

1. Reaction Story2. Follow-up Story3. Calendar Story4. Jazzed-up Story5. Advancer Story6. Canned Story

Situation:A stabbing incident in Alabang, Muntinlupa City which happened on December 22, 2008 at about 6:30 p.m

Who: a 12 year-old boy, and a construction worker, Ray Uy, the slain suspect;

Where: in Alabang, Muntinglupa City;

What: stabbing incident where a boy was killed by the construction worker whose real target was the boy’s father.

How: the boy’s father was having a drinking spree with some of his neighbors when the worker passed by. He resented the way the boy’s father looked and shouted at him.

It is the 1st paragraph of a news story that usually summarizes the news and dictates the mood of the story.

The body of the news story on the other hand, is the entirety of the story.

1. Includes only the 5Ws and the H which are important.

2. Starts with the most important or the most interesting fact or both.

3. It is short, usually 25-35 words.

4. Begins with specific, interest-arousing word.

1. Avoids starting with such words and phases as a, an, the; as a meeting, yesterday, last night, last week, recently; days of the week; according to, it is(will, was, will be) there is(are, will be).

2. Avoids overloading the 1st sentence of the lead.

3. Identifies the person mentioned.

1.Cartridge Lead-short, abruptEx. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo warned yesterday all corrupt government officials.

2. Punch Lead-it surprises, intrigues

Ex. There will be no classes at all levels tomorrow.

3.Picture Lead-gives pictorial account of the event.

Ex. Clutching his five year-old son, Pedro Sison, 32, could not control his tears to roll down on his cheek when he heard that his wife, Marivic, 30, and their two-year-old daughter, were among those killed in the Manor hotel fire incident in Quezon City.

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4.Contrast Lead-give difference

Ex. Seven years ago, she was only the vice president. Today, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is the president, the highest government post in her country of more than 90 million Filipinos.

5. Question Lead-raises a question to make readers read more

Example: Can Sen. Panfilo Lacson be charged before the Ombudsman due to allegations that he had laundered millions of dollars in the US, Hong Kong, and Canada?

1. What happened?2. Who was/were involved?3. Why did it happen?4. When did it happen?5. Where did it happen?6. How did it happen?

In using the 5 Ws and 1 H formula in a straight news, it will eventually determine the news writer’s focus and sequence of the news story, not only in the making of the lead paragraph, but also the body or the development of the story.

WHAT: filing of criminal charges by the police authorities

WHO: against a Makati firemanWHY: for allegedly looting at the height of a fire

WHERE: at the SM Shoemart complex in Makati

WHEN: yesterday

Police authorities filed charges against a Makati fireman who was allegedly caught looting at the height of the multi-million peso fire that gutted the SM Shoemart complex in Makati last Thursday.

A Makati fireman was charged in court yesterday for allegedly looting at SM Shoemart complex in Makati while the commercial center was on fire.

For looting instead of fighting a fire raging at SM Shoemart complex in Makati Thursday night, a fireman is now facing a serious problem.

4th Version of the LeadA Makati fireman realized this rather too late yesterday after he was haled in court for allegedly looting at the height of a raging fire that engulfed the SM Shoemart complex in Makati Thursday night

1st versionFive university coeds were killed and six bus passengers injured in a collision between a speeding taxi at the corner of Pedro Gil and Taft Avenue at 5 p.m. last Thursday.

2nd versionFive university coeds from prominent Laguna families met sudden death when their speeding taxi rammed into a bus on Taft Avenue and Pedro Gil at 5 p.m. yesterday.

3rd versionFive university coeds met sudden death in one of the worst road collisions at 5 p.m. yesterday.

4th versionFive university coeds might not know what hit them when their speeding taxi rammed into a bus yesterday.

1. Straight News Story2. News Feature Story3. Fact Story4. Action Story5. Quote Story

a. The Summary lead answers the most important W’s on which of the Ws is the most important.

b. The body of the elaboration of the Ws and the H.

a. It is an informative discussion of news events or technical subjects in expository form. It is halfway between a news story and an editorial. Like the news story, it is factual, but its purpose is to give information and entertainment.

The strains of “ Joy to the World” came through the radio and the 58-year-old mother began to cry.

The Christmas carol reminded Conception Empano that it is the third holiday she will spend without her missing daughter Karen.

“They are saying she could already be dead. I don’t care. I know she is alive,” the tearful mother said on Tuesday.

The two young women are among the 201 victims of forced disappearances listed by the human rights group Karapatan during the Arroyo administration.

The Department of Health recently declared that it will launch the Dengue Awareness Program in the province this coming September 1.

Gabriel Morales, the DOH Provincial Director, also said in an interview yesterday that the agency will release the guidelines on how to prevent the spread of dengue.

It′s not merely giving facts, but deals on the dramatic action incidents, description of persons as well as explanatory data.

Write first a summarizing lead before writing it.

Give sufficient attention to the elaboration of important information, background and interpretation.

The victims were identified as Rey Uy, 14, and Pete Sy, 15, both sophomores and residents of Libudon, Bobon.

Witnesses said that the two were busy cleaning the canteen when the old building suddenly crashed on the ground. Luckily, the two appeared with just minor bruises after the incident.

1. Meeting of the chamber of commerce today.

2. Mayor Sonny Belmonte spoke of the need for the city businessmen to engage in civic activities that may enhance the city.

3. QC people are music lovers.4. QC gov’t plans to erect a new opera house.5. The gov’t will set aside P 2.5 million fund

for the project.6. The building will be situated in Diliman

district near the UP.7. The capacity of the center will be 3,000.

“A newswriter understands the situation that he is in and eventually demonstrates the rare ability to retell how the story happens in a clear, concise, and accurate manner ; that, then, is a sign that news exists.”

THANK YOU!