Matakuliah : O0394 – Teknik Reportase dan News Caster
Tahun
: 2010
News: Meaning, Sources, Types
Pertemuan 13 – 14
Learning Objectives
This section will discuss on the meaning of news in
all of its four aspects.
By understanding the complete package on news, it
is expected that the students will be able to improve
their perspectives on news and prepare themselves
for the higher stages of news gathering, processing,
and broadcasting.
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(1/7)
Definitions on the word “News”:
Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
Material reported in a newspaper or news periodical
or on a newscast.
“News is the timely report of fact or opinion, to hold
interest or importance, or both, for a considerable
number of people” (Charnley, 1975)
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(2/7)
“Trends, situations, conditions, and interpretations are
news” (Neal, 1968)
“The unusual is news” – “What’s different is news”
Doug Newsom and James A Wollert, in Media Writing:
News for the Mass Media (1985:11):
“News is something that people need and important to
know. By reporting news, then the media inform people
on what they need.”
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(3/7)
Dean M Lyle Spencer, in News Writing, stated:
“News is a fact or a correct idea that can attract most of
the readers (audiences).”
William C Bleyer, in Newspaper Writing and Editing,
wrote:
“News is something update chose by the journalists to be
put in the newspaper since the news have meaning to
the readers.”
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(4/7)
Sources of News
What are the characteristics of sources of news:
1. Contains news value, hot issues and unique
problems;
2. Obtains certain journalistic value: important,
interesting, or both important and interesting, and
update.
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(5/7)
Sources of News
1. Source person (experts, witness)
2. Files/ clippings
3. Emergency radio (ORARI, police radio)
4. Live Reports from radio and television stations
5. Announcement from the Government
6. Press release, correspondent, radio or television
networks
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(6/7)
Example of alternative news sources in the US:
Adbusters
Monthly magazine devoted to the critique of
consumerism and corporate media.
AlterNet
News magazine and online community that creates
original journalism and amplifies dozens of other
alternative media sources.
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NEWS: Definition & Source-A Reminder
(7/7)
Antiwar.com
Antiwar news, viewpoints, and activities.
Online Journal
Features variety of alternative news and views.
More on the examples of news sources can be
obtained from: http://www.worldnewspapers.com/alternative-news.html
10
Types of News (1/14)
The 3 (three) main groups of News
1. Elementary News
2. Intermediate News
3. Advance News
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Types of News (2/14)
What are they?
Straight News
 Straight news report: a live report on an issue;
 Depth news report: information gathered together
with facts on related issues used as additional
information;
12
Types of News (3/14)
Example of the Depth News Report
WKMS In-Depth Reports
Rep. Mike Cherry looks ahead to 2010 Tony McVeigh2009-12-25)
Null, www.lrc.ky.gov
PRINCETON, KY. (wkms) – The 2010 Kentucky General Assembly
convenes Tuesday, January 5, for a 60-day session that ends April
13. Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh will be covering the
session…More on the news, visit:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wkms/news.newsmain?action=a
rticle&ARTICLE_ID=1592903
13
Types of News (4/14)
 Comprehensive news report: report on comprehensive facts
that is viewed from various aspects;
Example of comprehensive news report can be checked
from this website:
http://www.newsmedical.net/news/20100104/Comprehensive-report-onMexicos-pharmaceutical-and-healthcare-market.aspx
(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c9887b/mexi
co_pharmaceuti)
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Types of News (5/14)
Intermediate News
 Interpretative report: news that focuses on an
issue, problem, or controversial cases;
 Feature story: writers use facts to attract the
readers, writers present their reading experience
with interesting writing style;
15
Types of News (6/14)
Feature story (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
A feature story (also feature article, or simply feature) is a
piece of journalistic writing that covers a selected issue indepth. As such, a feature need not address an
immediately topical subject as would be expected of a
news story, is usually considerably longer, and may well
present an opinionated view.
16
Types of News (7/14)
Advance News
 Depth reporting: a depth, comprehensive,
complete journalistic report on an actual event;
17
Types of News (8/14)
Mark Schaver, Louisville, Kentucky, United
States:
An assistant metro editor for The Courier-Journal.
Depth Reporting is where I write about journalism,
technology, useful Web sites and whatever else
strikes me as interesting, funny or worthwhile.
18
Types of News (9/14)
 Investigative Reporting: focuses on a number of
issues (problems) and controversies. The
investigation is (usually) conducted in illegal and
unethical way;
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Types of News (10/14)
Investigative journalism, in which journalists investigate and
expose unethical, immoral, and illegal behavior by individuals,
businesses and government agencies, can be complicated,
time-consuming and expensive — requiring teams of
journalists, months of research, interviews (sometimes
repeated interviews) with numerous people, long-distance
travel, computers to analyze public-record databases, or use
of the company's legal staff to secure documents under
freedom of information laws.
20
Types of News (11/14)
Example of Investigative Report:
On May 7, 1998, Rep. Maxine Waters, revealed a
memorandum of understanding between the CIA and the
Justice Department from 1982, which was entered into
the Congressional Record. This letter had freed the CIA
from legally reporting drug smuggling by CIA assets, a
provision that covered the Nicaraguan contras and the
Afghan rebels.[4]
21
Types of News (12/14)
 Editorial Writing: opinion on a certain issue/ issues
released by newspapers, magazines, radio
station.
22
Types of News (13/14)
The Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing has been
awarded since 1917 for distinguished editorial writing, the
test of excellence being clearness of style, moral purpose,
sound reasoning, and power to influence public opinion in
what the writer conceives to be the right direction. The
Pulitzer Committee issues an official citation explaining the
reasons for the award.
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The Pulitzer Prizes
Types of News (14/14)
Joseph Pulitzer • Pulitzers by year
Pulitzer winners
Journalism:
•Public Service
•Breaking News Reporting
•Investigative Reporting
•Explanatory Reporting
•Local Reporting
•National Reporting
•International Reporting
•Feature Writing
•Commentary
•Criticism
•Editorial Writing
•Editorial Cartooning
•Breaking News Photography
•Feature Photography
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Closing
At the end of discussion, it is expected that the
students already have clearer view on the definition of
news, the source of news, and the type of news. It is
also expected that the students will be ready to enter
the advance step to understand other aspects that
will support the news processing activities.
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