SPEECHES, MEETINGS

& NEWS CONFERENCES

Featuring odd, vintage photography to keep you awake

WHY ARE MEETINGS

IMPORTANT?

Officials make the decisions that affect the public in public meetings.

Reporters are watchdogs of government at all levels. Journalists report on the decisions officials make as well as how those affect the public.

SUNSHINE LAWS

All states have open meetings laws (sunshine laws) that require officials with the

authority to spend public funds to conduct their business in public.

For laws guiding open meetings in Illinois, please read this guide compiled by

the Attorney General.

Executive session allows them to discuss certain matters behind closed doors:

Personnel matters – whether to reprimand or suspend the pay of someone, etc.

Collective bargaining – negotiations between unions and employers, usually set

wages, hiring and training procedures, how grievances are handled and so on.

But all decisions must be made in a public meeting.

PREVIEW STORY

Writing a preview story

informs public of important

issues that will be addressed so

they can give their input.

BEFORE THE MEETING

Some of the best quotes come

outside the meetings, before or

after, when people are more likely

to feel they can speak freely one

on one rather than to a crowd. So

get additional comments.

PREPARE

1. Find out about the event, the speaker and the issue.

2. Check back stories and online info.

3. If the speaker is prominent, often there is a prepared text of the speech.

But, don’t rely on it 100% – the speaker could deviate from it.

4. Use: “Speaker said in a prepared statement” or “In a written text….”

Sometimes needed to if you have to leave before it’s over.

5. Cities and schools often publish agendas for public ahead of time. Print

it out and take it with you to the meeting. Look for:

o Items that might be of special interest to readers

o Continuing issues that you’ll need background info for

READ BETWEEN THE LINES

Read between the lines on meeting agendas. If the agenda states bids will be

taken for highway improvements, ask yourself what that means. What

improvements? Will roads be closed? Most importantly – how will that affect

readers? Be aware that groups and organizations, as well as people, do use the

media to further their causes. Be aware of possible manipulation.

You might have to rush out to make your deadline so the more you can do

beforehand, the easier it will be

AT THE MEETING

City council and county

board meetings are often two

parts – The open meeting

and then a private, executive

session where officials can

discuss personnel issues and

bargaining negotiations with

unions and employees.

Committees normally meet

separately, but these meetings

are open to the public also.

ARRIVE EARLY

You don’t want to feel rushed, and you can pick up an agenda if necessary.

You’ll be able to get board member names and map out the table.

You’ll be able to get that aisle seat.

You can ask officials if they’ll be available after the meeting for questions.

You can check out who is the leader of supporting or opposing sides and ask

if they’ll be available for comments after the meeting

You can check consent items on the agenda – the board may approve these

without discussion. These items may be bids ready for approval or points from

committees.

AT THE MEETING

1. Try to get full quotes of important points, otherwise paraphrase.

2. Jot down reaction of audience to speaker. Be curious, look around –

how are people reacting? Angry? Confused? Smiling and nodding in

agreement?

3. Write follow-up questions to ask the speaker after the speech or news

conference. Mark your questions with question marks or stars in your

notes, so you can quickly located them while interviewing someone.

4. Ask questions and get opposing viewpoints when possible.

5. Never assume it will be an uninteresting meeting – stay to the end.

UNDERSTANDING

THE SYSTEM

Most open meetings laws require public agencies to give advance notice –

usually 48 hours – of their meetings and to conduct public hearings

Understand the system – what authority does that board or committee

have? Often a decision must go before city or county officials to be final.

Find out if an action is a recommendation or a ruling. The Zoning

Commission may discuss an issue and make a recommendation but it’s the

Committee of the Whole or County or City Board that votes on it.

STORIES ABOUT MEETINGS

Surveys show local news is at the top

of the stories readers want. But they

usually don’t read them all the way

through, sometimes not even past the

lead, so get their attention and put

the most important decision and its

impact at the top of the story.

WRITING THE STORY

Don’t say a board met and discussed issue “X.” Instead, tell us some of

the discussion or what was enacted or passed.

If length of a debate is crucial to the story, mention it. Otherwise, just

mention the final decision.

If it was a particularly contentious discussion, mention that and the

strong points made, pros and cons.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

Type of meeting and location, unless it always meets at the same place

The vote on any major issue; if particularly controversial, mention who

voted for or against it, depending on which side is more controversial. If

unanimous, say so; you don’t need to give a vote on every item

If a major ordinance or issue can’t be adopted until a public hearing is

conducted, tell when that hearing will be or what the next step will be

before action can be taken

STYLE

Board is a collective noun and therefore takes a singular verb: The board

discussed the issue at its meeting, not their meeting.

Capitalize city council, city commission and school board ONLY when they

are part of a proper name – “Alton City Council voted ….” but “Members of

the city council discussed….”

Capitalize titles before a name: Mayor Tom Hoechst. If following the name,

lower case: Tom Hoechst, mayor of Alton.

For votes use 3-1, not 3 to 1.

SPEECHES

Estimated size of audience – is

every seat filled? Standing room only?

Sparsely filled? Can you count the rows

and number of chairs and do the math?

● Location

● Reason for speech

● Speech highlights

● Good quotes

● Audience reaction

SPEECHES: DO’S & DON’TS

Don’t use a lead that says, “someone spoke”

Speakers usually don’t make their strongest points first and follow in

chronological order, so don’t write your story that way

Do put most emotional point or newsworthy point first, then back it

up with quotes and supporting points.

Sometimes what’s more interesting is what happened before or during

a speech (like protests). Do include these details in your story.

Do use storytelling techniques for speeches.

NEWS CONFERENCES

Similar to speeches but

questions reporters ask after a

news conference are often

more important than the

prepared comments the

speaker makes. For example,

after the president’s

conference, it’s the reporter’s

questions that bring out more

information.

NEWS CONFERENCES

Stories also must include:

● Who conducted the news conference

● Reason for it and background information

● Highlights of the news conference including responses to questions

● Location if relevant

Reaction from sources with similar and opposing views Responses to

reporters’ questions are incorporated into and woven throughout the

story, without references such as “When asked about…..” “In response to

a question…”