Finding Stories & AnglesLizabeth A. Walsh, MJE

Stories are everywhereBe interested to create an interesting story.

If you act like you care about people, you will have opportunities to care about them. If you care about them, you will want to tell their stories.

Whole school surveysAssigned beatsFocus groupsRandomly selected studentsSpecifically selected studentsTeacher recommendationsOpen your eyes and earsAsk people about themselves

Video 1http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500617_162-6084880.html

Whole school surveysWhole school surveys Obtain administrative approval

Get teacher buy-in (bribes can work)

Have teachers support your goal

Do it on one day, collect it that day

Sort & read all the surveys as a sponge activity or “bonus time” activity (this can be extra credit, an assigned grade, or a “work night” activity)

Assigned beatsAssigned beats Journalistic approach to coverage

Set up a system for getting and reporting information

Have share time so staffers are made aware of interesting events (overlap coverage)

A regular beat report IS a grade and has academic merit

Video 2Video 2

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=618642n

Focus GroupsFocus Groups Invitations- specific vs. general topics

Scheduled events- organized & prepared

On-the-spot- stop in to a meeting

Surveys- tailor questions to each group

Infiltrate the group- have staffers join

Randomly selected Randomly selected studentsstudents

Throw a dart

Every Nth person

Color of the day

Musical pointing

Video 3Video 3

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=618642n

Specifically selected Specifically selected studentsstudents

Everyone who had only 1 entry last year

Students who are in a given group or demographic designation

Students our staffers know (1 degree)

Students staffers’ friends know (2 degrees)

Students the friends know (3 degrees)

Teacher Teacher recommendationsrecommendations

Emails to teachers

Don’t just ask for “kids who are different”

Counselors also have access to students

Can be standouts or just interesting

Video 4Video 4

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=618642n

Open your eyes & earsOpen your eyes & ears Hallway observations are valuable

Stay IN at lunch

Go OUT at lunch

Come to school extra early

Stay extra late

Make it a contest to find the best story

Ask people about Ask people about themselvesthemselves

Instead of staying in your comfort zone, begin conversations with others

Comment on a piece of clothing, an accessory, a homework assignment, a situation, the weather- whatever

Learn to ask questions and listen more than you talk- the one who leaves with the most information wins, and you want to win.

Angles & ApproachesNEWS VALUESProximityCurrency / TimelinessImpactProminenceConflictEntertainment

Video 5http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6083691n

ProximityProximity How close is the event to your school?

Is the event in your town or surrounding area? (city, county, region, state, country, etc.)

How much is it reported in local news?

If it’s not close, it doesn’t have proximity, but that doesn’t remove it from the list, it just doesn’t get full points for MOST IMPORTANT

Currency / TimelinessCurrency / Timeliness

Since the book comes out in May (or August), it needs to be a story that still matters.

Historical content matters.

Evergreen material matters.

ImpactImpact

How many people were affected?

In what way were they affected?

How significant were the effects?

How many people could relate to this?

ProminenceProminence Important people matter to others.

Famous people anchor the year in their timeliness or popularity

Student Body Officers, Elected Queens & Kings, Teachers & Administrators, etc.

Politicians, School Board members, Superintendent, etc.

ConflictConflict

If it bleeds, it leads (gross!)

Teenagers can relate to drama

We like to hear about a problem- we get emotionally involved

People who overcome tragedy are inspiring

EntertainmentEntertainment

Funny isn’t universal, but it’s close

Bizarre traits or events catch our attention

This is pretty much the excuse for telling a story when it doesn’t have any other news value at all

All materials All materials presented…presented…

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These yearbook samples were presented at BALFOUR workshops for the benefit of their clients and customers.

Please do not alter these presentations.

Use of these shows is intended only for individual adviser-to-staff classroom teaching, not for publication or reproduction in any form for any type of presentation at a conference, camp, convention, or gathering of multiple schools’ staffs.