Thinking Through Leads (or is it Ledes?)What is a lead?
A lead is a simple, clear statement that makes up the first paragraph or two of your story.
It advertised what is coming in the story.
It is sometimes spelled lede.
What is the first step in writing a lead?
--The first step is determining a story's relevance.
How do I determine a story's relevance?
Ask "So what?" or "Who cares?
"What are the six basic questions that every story must answer?
Who What When Where Why HowHow long should a lead be?
Leads should be short, usually fewer than 25 words.
What's an inverted pyramid?
The organization of a news story in which information is arranged indescending order ofimportance.
What are the different types of leads?
There are many, but what follows are five types of leads:--Immediate identification:
This lead focuses on the "who" when it comes to the six basic questions.
Use this approach when someone important is making news.
For example:
President George W. Bush ate a cheeseburger and frieswith students Friday during a visit to Our High.
Delayed identification:
In this lead, the "who" is not immediately identified by name.
Instead, the "who" is identified by an occupation, city or job title.
Use this approach when the person involved has little name recognition among readers.
A cafeteria worker at Andrew Jackson High won $2.5 million Friday in the state lottery
.Summary:
The lead in this case is a synopsis of two or more actions.
Reporters who deal with several important elements may choose to sum up what happened rather than highlight a specific action.
His is one type of lead where a general statement is preferable to a specific action.
Multiple elements:
This lead reports on two or more newsworthy elements.
In some stories, choosing one theme is too restrictive.
A multiple-element lead allows the reporter to work more information into the first paragraph. (Use sparingly.)
Leads with flair:
Use this type of lead when you want to emphasize novelty.
It deviates slightly from the inverted pyramid approach.
What should I avoid in a lead?
There are no hard and fast rules,but remember:
Too many numbers can bog down a lead.
You can tell readers how the numbers will affect them in your lead then provide details later in the story.
For example, if prom tickets were $50 per person last year and the price increased to $75 per person this year, your lead could say:
Seniors shouldn't spend that extra $25 dollars on appetizers and dessert for dinner before prom-they'll need it to pay for tickets.
The student council voted Friday to raise the price of prom tickets.A quote lead may not be the best choice. Quote leads often lack context.
The reader doesn't know who is speaking or why it matters.
Try not to start with dates, times or places … unless those are the most important news.
Start with people and what they are doing or have done.
Bad LeadOn Friday, July 15, 2001, three students won a statewide choral competition.
Good LeadThree Our High juniors took home $500 and top honors Friday in a statewide choral contest.

Topic-what an interview is about.
Source-people who know the topic well enough to provide factual and useful information.
Assignment:Topic:
School UniformsThe school board has decided to create a district wide policy of enforcing school uniforms. Who would you need to interview to find out more information about this topic? What are some good questions to ask? (This is theoretical)
1. List three different sources you could interview for this topic.2. Create 20 questions you could ask each source. It will be the same 20 questions for each.Post assignment on your blog.
THREE DIFFERENT SOURCES
you can ask the teachers, the PTA, the school board.QUESTIONS;
why do you feel that the students shoud wear the uniforms?
how do you think it would help the kids learn?
why are you so focused on what the students wear?
how is this affecting their education?are the students happy?
are they making a difference in their math scores?
who thought of the dress code?
shouldnt it matter what the kids think?
why is the uniforms so important?
dont you have better things to think about, such as maybe better math books?

5 W'S AND H FOR BEAR REPELLENT

WHO: animals (three dogs, and seven cats) and employees (four employees) from a local veterinary clinic and bear repellent

WHAT: they sprayed the repllent and like yea there eyes started buring and they had to leave the clinic

WHEN: on tuesday afternoon

WHERE: at the clinic in SOUTH AUSTIN by a creek

WHY: beacause it's by a creek and it was ther just in case something happened

HOW: something must of knocked it over and it sprayed. the clean up wasn't that much but its open for business like usual.

Who?

Who is involved?

little babies the parents of the babies and the people that like yea take em!!!!!

Who does/did the situation affect?

the kids and parents and yes!!!!!

Who said so?

the article!!!!!!

What?

What is happening?

people are like yea taking babies and yea!!!!!

What did happen?

not much they can do but yea if they catch them they can go to

prison!!!!!!

What are the consequences?

prison and possible parole!!!!!

What is different about this?

What are the choices?.

don't do it or get sent to prison!!!!!

When?

When did or will this happen?

1983-1992 1993-2006!!!!!

When was this discovered?

1983-1992 1993-2006!!!!!

Where?

Where did or will this happen?

lubbuck ,texas!!!!!

Why?

Why did this happen or will it happen?

kcuz like yea people are rude and like do rude sad things like that

How?

How did it or will it happen?

sometimes when you like yea go to the hostipol and like yea some people pretend to be nurses and like yea the run off with your kid and yea thats not nice but they do it anywayz and like yea!!!!!

if you take a kid you will go to prison and like yea!!!!!

How much does it cost?

it cost a mom with a lot of pain and i kid growning up to find out what happened and the lady that did the horrible thing will have to pay most of her like in prison for such horrible thing the she did!!!!!!!!

How many people does this affect?

like alot like the kid and the parents and their familes and like the world well yea and me kcuz i think that is like so rude and makes me wonder if i have a kid will someone try to take it and if like yea if i can trust any one now!!!!!

How do you feel about this?

it makes me wonder alot and like yea it hurts to know that people would actually think about taking a kid thats not yours and the reason for it i mean like gosh thats rude!!!!!

WARM-UP 9-5-08

Warm up:

Who are the democratic and republican presidential and vice presidential nominees? Give a brief summery of each one's background.
Running for President:

Barack Obama:
Home state: he was born in Illinois
Party: he is a democratic
he was born on August 4, 1961 and is one of the nominee's for the democratic party in running office of the President of the United States and he's the first black man to run for president. He graduated form Columbia University and Harvard law school.

John McCain:
Home state:he was born in Arizona
party: he is a republican
he was born on August 29, 1936 and is one of the nominee's for the republican party in running office of the President of the United States. He graduated from U.S. naval Academy.
Running for vice president:
Joe biden:
was born on November 20, 1942
he was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania

Sarah Palin:
was born on February 11, 1964
born in Alaska

JOURNALISM INTERNET SCAVENGER HUNT

Journalism Internet Scavenger Hunt

What individual is responsible for writing the First Amendment?
james madison

List five facts about the First Amendment.
1. it wasn't in the consitution from the start
2. the idea came from the english bill of rights
3. it protects all citizens
4. some states wouldn't sign the consitution without it
5. it's all the top of the consitution

What document lists the First Amendment?
the consitution

How many words are in the First Amendment?
45 words

Define libel.
the act or crime of pubishing it

Define slander.
a false statement in a paper

What is the Pulitzer Prize?
the highest honor in journalism

How much money does an individual win?
10,000

Name the movie which reveals the press's role in uncovering a story that forced a president to resign.
forst nickson

Who is Mike Barnicle?
was a newspaper writer

From what newspaper was he fired and why?
for plagogrism

Identify each of the following journalists and why they are famous.


Bob Woodward
assistant managing editor

William Randolph Hearst?
a american newpaper magnate

Helen Thomas
was a news sever and columnist

Who is Tom Brokaw and what books did he write?
journalist and arthur
: the greastest generation
: an album of memories

Who is Alan Diaz and why is he noteworthy?
he took a unforgetable photograph

What motto does The New York Times print in its upper left corner?
"all the news, thats what we print"

What is The Associated Press?
the essential global news network

What is Gannett?
its a company

What is Knight Ridder?
an american media company

What is The Freedom Forum?
free press and speech for all peoples

What is the American Society of Newspaper Editors?
a organation that hires editers

Who is the founder of USA Today and where is he from (provide city and state)?
al neutharth he is from eurka south dakota

How many newspapers does our school library carry?
1

What is the difference between a publisher and an editor?
publisher: is the one that decides wether the book is good or not
editor: is the one that goes over the text

Define yellow journalism.
eye catching headlines on like newspapers

Define censorship.
a way to express a figure of speech

List five books that have been censored.
: one book that has been censored is the bible
: a book called bloodline written by sidney sheldon
: carrie by stephen king
: catcher in the rye by jd salinger
: the color purple by alice walker