English Language Arts
Writing a News Report
News reports are found in newspapers and their purpose is to
inform readers of what is happening in the world around them.
News reports have a certain structure that you need to follow.
Key Element of News Reports
1. Headline
● Catches the attention
● Sums up the story
2. Byline
● Writer’s name
● Writer’s specialty (crime, food, sports, politics, etc.).
3. Placeline
● Where the story takes place
4. Lead
● The opening section
● Gives most important information
● Should answer most of 5Ws.
5. Body
● Supplies details
● Most important details come first
● Simple true statements
6. Quotation
● What someone actually said
● Adds accuracy
● Adds the “at the scene” feeling
Readers want to know the facts and who or what may be affected by them.
Related stories and background information develop context and emotion
while humanizing it. Here are some more tips on writing a compelling and
gripping news report.
Facts
The facts answer the 5Ws (and H): who, what, where, when, why, and how. A
journalist has a responsibility to make sure the facts are accurate and
reasonably complete. If you have to write a report before you get all the
facts, then say so in the report.
Style
When writing a news report, use the active voice. The active voice is more
understandable and has more impact. Develop short, concise sentences
using action verbs. Your language needs to be simple, without any words
that don't contribute to the focus of the story.
For example, the weather or how someone is dressed doesn't need to be
included unless it has a bearing on the overall story. Try to anticipate any
questions the reader might have as you write.
Writing a Good Lead
The lead, or the first few sentences, needs to be strong enough to grab the
reader's attention and make them want to read more.
● If it's a hard news story, which is breaking or up-to-the-minute news,
then include as many facts as you can in the summary of the story. If
it's a soft news story, like a human interest story or background
information, then you can place the facts in the body of the story.
● Leads tell the reader what the story is about and why it's important.
Beyond that, it tells the reader why they should read the whole story.
Think of it from the perspective of telling a friend about the latest
news.
Tips for Better Writing
Here are additional writing tips that can also apply to a wide range of
writing genres:
● In news writing, always follow the inverted pyramid. That is, place the
most pressing facts at the start of the article and close with the least
compelling elements.
● Avoid long or complicated words.
● Choose short sentences over lengthy sentences that require many
forms of punctuation.
● Follow a simple subject-verb-object form.
● Don't use too many commas.
● Each paragraph should introduce a new idea and, like sentences, be
short and to the point. Consider dropping in a few transition words,
where appropriate.
Remember that the core objective of a great news report is to convey the
fact in a compelling and easy-to-understand manner.
Sample News Report.
HEADLINE
BYLINE
Students Grow Flying Sauce
Jim Wilkes, Science Reporter
PLACELINE
LEAD
TORONTO - In the cult movie classic Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, mutant vegetables
cut a deadly swath through the community, consuming everyone in their path.
But Canadian astronaut Bob Thirsk says Toronto students cultivating tomato seeds from
space shouldn’t worry about like imitating art.
“There should be no fear on the part of teachers or parents about any toxic fruit growing
from these tomato plants,” said Thirsk, who flew aboard the shuttle Columbia on a 17-day
mission in 1996.
He said he’ll eat tomatoes produced from the high-flying seeds or use them to make salsa
or ketchup.
Thirsk visited students at St. Cecillia Catholic School on Annette St. yesterday to check
up on their experiments with tomato seeds taken into space by astronaut Mark Garneau.
BODY
FACTS
Paragrap
hs 2-8
The Tomatosphere project involves 2,500 secondary school classrooms across Canada
growing 400,000 seeds, half of which made the trip to space. Space plants are said to grow
faster and taller.
“The space-flown seeds made 170 orbits of the Earth, travelled more than 7 million
kilometers and spent 12 days weightless,” Thirsk said.
At the end of June, schools will send results of their experiment to the Canadian Space
Agency which will compile the date and make conclusions.
Thirsk said the program is designed to introduce space science to young Canadians. “I
can see that in these classrooms we have potential future Canadian scientists and
astronauts,” he said. “I find that incredibly exciting.”
QUOTATIONS
Writing Task-
Write a news report based on the picture.
o You will have to make up the facts and information by
answering some or all the following questions: Who? What?
Where? When? Why? How?
o You must relate your newspaper report to the picture.
o Remember to follow the structure and writing tips provided
above.
Headline
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Writing Task-
Write a news report based on the picture.
o You will have to make up the facts and information by
answering some or all the following questions: Who? What?
Where? When? Why? How?
o You must relate your newspaper report to the picture.
o Remember to follow the structure and writing tips provided
above.
Headline
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Adopted from
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules-and-tips/tips-on-writing-a-news-report.html
https://www.academia.edu/24664734/Writing_a_news_report_teachers_guide
