Top 11 Places to Find Good Story Ideas - JNL-1102 - Reporting and Writing I - Professor Linda Austin...

TOP 11 PLACES

TO FIND GOOD

STORY IDEAS Identify where to find story ideas

Always be on the hunt for stories

Ask “why?” and “who benefits?”

Professor Linda Austin

National Management College

By nathanmac87

ALWAYS BE ON THE HUNT

By tinyfroglet

By Håkan Dahlström

By tinyfroglet

WHY? WHY?

June 8, 2015

WHO BENEFITS?

July 2, 2015

Number of registered vehicles in Myanmar

million

June 8 2015

July 7, 2015

8 Qs TO ASK IN SEARCH OF NEWS

1. Is it unusual?

2. Does it impact many

people?

3. Are prominent people

involved?

4. Is it timely?

5. Is it about a conflict?

6. Is it local?

7. Is it useful?

8. Is it interesting or

entertaining?

Photo by sskennel

From page 18 of textbook

TOP 11 PLACES TO FIND STORIES

1. What are you curious about?

2. What do you see?

3. What are people talking about?

4. News media

5. Ads

By nathanmac87

6. Facebook

7. People

8. Paper – and PDFs

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

By tinyfroglet

2. What do you see?

4. News media

5. Ads

By nathanmac87

1. WHAT ARE YOU CURIOUS ABOUT?

By The U.S. Army

Gilbert M. Gaul

AUDIENCE

2. What do you see?

4. News media

5. Ads

By nathanmac87

2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

July 1, 2015

2. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

July 8, 2015

2. GO A DIFFERENT WAY

2. What do you see?

4. News media

5. Ads

By nathanmac87

3. WHAT ARE PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT?

2. What do you see?

4. News media

5. Ads

By nathanmac87

4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?

Walt Bogdanich

Read the BRIEFS,

or short items.

4. WHAT’S IN THE BRIEFS? DEFINITION: Follow-ups

• stories that report more

on a story than what has

already been published.

WHY do follow-ups?

• answer unanswered

questions

• provide balance and

reaction

• catch up on missed

stories From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/

4. WHAT’S IN THE BRIEFS? DEFINITION: Follow-ups

WHY do follow-ups?

reaction

stories

questions

From http://www.thenewsmanual.net/

4. WHAT’S IN THE BRIEFS?

Names? Ages? Parents’ names?

What happened? Where were the parents?

What day and time?

WHERE:

What street? Any problems there before?

Why are there so many open drains?

How often does it happen? What can be done about it?

4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA?

DEFINITION: Localize

• Reporting stories about

whether news from

elsewhere is happening or

affecting things here

Are there bowling alleys in

Yangon?

• Asia Point Bowling Alley on

Yamonnar Road, Tharkayta

• Right Track Bowling Centre

in Tamwe

4. WHAT’S IN THE NEWS MEDIA? DEFINITION: Follow-ups

WHY do follow-ups?

reaction

stories

questions

WHY do follow-ups?

reaction

stories

questions

WHY do follow-ups?

reaction

stories

questions

WHY do follow-ups?

reaction

stories

questions

2. What do you see?

4. News media

5. Ads

By nathanmac87

5. WHAT’S IN THE ADS?

Section on coping with the monsoon from myanmar times

HOW to attract customers?

5. WHAT’S

IN THE

5. WHAT’S IN THE ADS? Doctors without Borders Int’l Rescue Committee

5. WHAT’S THE STORY HERE? WHO:

Wants to rent a factory building?

Do they plan to make?

When will they open?

WHERE:

Would they like to be? Why?

Are they opening now?

Many will they employ? How can I get a

job? How much are they investing?

Who are their backers? How many

factories open annually in Yangon?

How many succeed?

5. DON’T

OVERLOOK

LEGAL ADS

“Invitation to

interested parties

regarding a Joint

Venture for the

Importation, Storage

and Distribution of

Petroleum Products”

5. DON’T OVERLOOK LEGAL ADS

July 15, 2015

6. Facebook

7. People

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

6. WHAT’S IN YOUR NEWS FEED?

June 8, 2015

6. Facebook

7. People

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

7. TALK TO SOMEONE NEW DAILY

• "There are eight million

stories in the naked city. This

has been one of them."

“8 MILLION STORIES” Rapper Kurtis Blow

“8 MILLION STORIES” “There are 8 million stories in the naked city

Some ice cold and told without pity

About the mean streets and the ghetto culture

The pimps the pushers the sharks and vultures

Things that happen when it reaches dark

And all the things you hear about Central Park

You got to be down, you got to have strength

If you're gonna survive past 110th

Well it ain't no thing when blood is spilled

The emergency ward is capacity filled

And nothin' ever comes as a big surprise

And the naked city never closes its eyes

A new story every day

Told a thousand different ways

That's how it is and that's how it goes

The city with the 8 and six big O's”

There are five million stories

in the naked city.

By Soe Lin

“EVERYBODY HAS A STORY”

FINDING STORIES BY

DRIVING A CAB IN CHINA

QUESTIONS TO ASK PEOPLE • What’s going on in their neighborhood? What are

people talking about?

• What’s the best story they know of that hasn’t been

covered yet?

• What’s missing in the local news? What would they

like to know more about?

• What worries them? What keeps them up at night?

• What do they do they for a living? What’s do they like

and what’s challenging about that job?

• What do they do for fun outside of work?

• Who are the most interesting and colorful people they

• Anything else going on?

6. Facebook

7. People

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

8. WHAT’S IN REPORTS, RELEASES?

as a tipsheet

8. BRAINSTORM 5 Ws and H A University of Yangon student with a passion for physics on

Thursday became the latest Myanmar recipient of the prestigious

Singapore Scholarship, and will begin full-time studies at Singapore’s

Nanyang Technological University next month.

Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo, 18, is a second-year student at YU. She will

leave for Singapore on 27 July to study toward a Bachelor of

Science, majoring in Physics/Applied Physics.

“I want to be a professor specialized in physics and wish to share my

knowledge with local young people, as Myanmar’s science sector is

still weak,” she said.

Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo became the 24th scholar from Myanmar to be

awarded the Singapore Scholarship.

A University of Yangon student with a

passion for physics on Thursday became

the latest Myanmar recipient of the

prestigious Singapore Scholarship, and

will begin full-time studies at Singapore’s

Nanyang Technological University next

month.

Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo, 18, is a second-

year student at YU. She will leave for

Singapore on 27 July to study toward a

Bachelor of Science, majoring in

Physics/Applied Physics.

“I want to be a professor specialized in

physics and wish to share my knowledge

with local young people, as Myanmar’s

science sector is still weak,” she said.

Ma Win Shwe Sin Oo became the 24th

scholar from Myanmar to be awarded the

Singapore Scholarship.

Are her parents? What are her

hobbies and interests?

Makes her so brainy? What happened

to the previous winners?

Did she decide to be a professor?

WHERE:

Is she from?

Is she interested in physics?

Does she study? How much is the

scholarship worth?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?

STORY QUESTIONS

8. BRAINSTORM 5 Ws and H Yangon, 10 July—The Yangon City Development Committee is planning to

construct six new footbridges in the commercial capital this year, according to

officials.

Two bridges will be built in the downtown area, three on Pyay Road, and one in

Bahan Township.

A senior official said the YCDC is conducting pre-engineering works for the

projects and is studying the feasibility of including escalators at the footbridges.

Social service advocates have called for the new footbridges to be accessible

for disabled persons.

The YCDC official said vendors will not be allowed to sell goods on the bridges.

YCDC built four footbridges on Pyay Road, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Strand

Road and downtown last fiscal year.

Yangon, 10 July—The Yangon City

Development Committee is planning to

construct six new footbridges in the

commercial capital this year, according to

officials.

Two bridges will be built in the downtown

area, three on Pyay Road, and one in

Bahan Township.

A senior official said the YCDC is

conducting pre-engineering works for the

projects and is studying the feasibility of

including escalators at the footbridges.

Social service advocates have called for

the new footbridges to be accessible for

disabled persons.

The YCDC official said vendors will not

be allowed to sell goods on the bridges.

YCDC built four footbridges on Pyay

Road, Kaba Aye Pagoda Road, Strand

Road and downtown last fiscal year.

Will use the bridges? Who will get the

contracts?

Materials will be used? What will they

look like?

Will they open?

WHERE:

Exactly will the bridges be built?

Are the bridges being built? Have there

been deaths or injuries?

How much will they cost? How were

these sites selected? Are the ones built

last year being used?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?

STORY QUESTIONS

6. Facebook

7. People

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

9. “INTERVIEW” THE DATA.

By Repórter do Futuro

Sort and calculate the numbers to reveal patterns

http://bit.ly/myanmarcensus

9. “INTERVIEW” THE CENSUS DATA

http://bit.ly/myanmarcensus

9. “INTERVIEW” THE CENSUS DATA WHO BENEFITS?

http://data.worldbank.org/country/myanmar

9. “INTERVIEW” THE WORLD BANK DATA

9. “INTERVIEW” THE WORLD BANK DATA WHO BENEFITS?

6. Facebook

7. People

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

10. WHAT’S A SOURCE?

By Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Someone who gives you information for a story

10. WHAT’S A BEAT?

By Damian Kettlewell

An area of coverage: government, business,

education, sports, entertainment, health, science

10. SOURCES -- ALWAYS ASK:

“WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?”

By The U.S. Army

6. Facebook

7. People

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING? http://myanmore.com/yangon/calendar/

11. EVENTS: WHAT’S HAPPENING?

http://www.gong-cha.com

July 11, 2015

Kizomba: a dance from Angola

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

By Erica Firment

What’s that?

A reminder

calendar

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

By Erica Firment By a

• Upcoming

events

• Anniversaries

for follow-up

• Holidays and

seasons

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

• Upcoming

election events July 20-Aug. 8:

candidates’ lists

submitted

Aug. 12-21: lists

verified

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

By Erica Firment

• Anniversaries

After 1 year of

freedom for

fisherman

enslaved for

22 years

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

By Erica Firment

• Anniversaries

After 1 year of

freedom for

fisherman

enslaved for

22 years

July 1, 2015

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

• Holidays and

seasons

Martyrs’ Day

11. EVENTS:

KEEP A

“TICKLER

FILE”

• Holidays and

seasons

Martyrs’ Day

BRAINSTORM IDEAS

6. Facebook

7. People

8. Paper

9. Data

10. Sources

11. Events

By nathanmac87

1. What are you

curious about?

2. What do you see?

3. What are people

talking about?

4. News media

5. Ads

By tinyfroglet

SOURCES • “21 Ways to Find Story Ideas,” by Steve Padilla, Poynter.org:

http://www.poynter.org/uncategorized/1774/twenty-one-ways-to-find-story-ideas/

• “Finding and Developing Story Ideas,” by Steve Buttry, The Buttry Diary: https://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/finding-and-developing-story-ideas/

• Inside Reporting, by Tim Harrower, McGraw-Hill, 2013.

• News Writing, by Anna McKane, SAGE Publications Ltd., 2006.

• “Finding Enterprise Story Ideas,” by Mark Grabowski, cubreporters.org: http://www.slideshare.net/cubreporters/finding-enterprise-story-ideas?qid=68be74e8-fdb6-4082-aace-54b6e9d65731&v=qf1&b=&from_search=2

• “How to Find Ideas for Your Profile Story, by Mark Grabowski, cubreporters.org: http://www.slideshare.net/cubreporters/finding-news-30742414?related=1

• “Five Unusual Places to Find Story Ideas, by Sally Ashworth, makealivingwriting.com: http://www.makealivingwriting.com/5-unusual-places-to-find-story-ideas/

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