NZQA registered unit standard
27618 version 1
Page 1 of 5
Title
Gather material for writing news stories
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
15
This unit standard is intended for people studying journalism in
an off-job situation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify
potential news stories and explain their newsworthiness;
monitor and analyse daily news and current affairs; carry out
research for news stories; plan and carry out a vox pop
interview; plan and conduct news interviews for news stories.
Classification
Journalism > Journalism Skills
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
This unit standard has been designed for learning and assessment off-job where
scenarios may be used to gather evidence. This standard should not be used as part
of a professional journalism course or qualification.
2
Industry text
– Tully, Jim (ed), Intro: A Beginner's Guide to Professional News Journalism
(Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008).
3
Assessment
– Candidates are required to gather sufficient information for a total of ten news
stories, six of which will be suitable for publication in community newspapers or on
the internet, and four suitable for broadcast on radio.
4
Definitions
– breaking stories describes how news stories develop as more facts and comment
become available;
– clipping file refers to a file which contains print or electronic clippings and data, or
audio or video clips, or any combination of these;
– news journalism style refers to the standard required in a simulated scenario for
news media outlets to consider publishing the material . It will recognise in
general terms standards described in the industry text and may include but is not
limited to newsworthiness; platforms; reliability, validity and usefulness; news
values; introductions (impact, succinctness); structure (appropriate for story type
and platform; arranged logically); grammar; spelling; punctuation; word selection
(jargon and clichés avoided); attribution (mix of direct and indirect quotes including
paraphrasing); understanding (issues in context, key questions answered);
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
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27618 version 1
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balance; fairness; media style; language used in news media publications and
broadcasting;
news story is a timely and succinct account of unfolding events of public interest;
a newsworthy person is anyone whose status, knowledge, activities, statements,
or involvement in a news event means they are topical;
newsworthiness refers to events of sufficient interest or importance to the public to
warrant reporting in the media;
plan refers to the main purpose of the proposed story and contains the who, why,
what, where, and when elements of the story;
platform refers to the delivery modes of publication in newspapers and internet or
broadcast on radio;
reliability, validity and usefulness when referring to a news source mean that the
bona fides of the person, organisation or reference are established as a credible,
knowledgeable, accurate and authoritative source;
vox pop refers to an interviewing technique to gather public opinion on a public
issue.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Identify potential news stories and explain their newsworthiness.
Range
evidence is required for ten potential news stories and must include a plan for
each;
explanations must be in accordance with the industry text.
Evidence requirements
1.1
Criteria for newsworthiness are identified and explained.
Range
includes but is not limited to – proximity, currency, timeliness,
relevance, topicality, significance, conflict, achievement, utility,
novelty, human interest.
1.2
Newsworthy community and regional individuals and groups are identified and
explained.
1.3
Newsworthy community and regional events are identified and explained.
1.4
Local angles on newsworthy international issues are identified and explained.
Outcome 2
Monitor and analyse daily news and current affairs.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27618 version 1
Page 3 of 5
Evidence requirements
2.1
News stories are selected and a clipping file maintained for future use in
accordance with training establishment practices.
Range
2.2
sources for stories may include but are not limited to – community
newspapers, radio bulletins, stories posted on internet news sites;
evidence is required for five news stories.
The newsworthiness of the stories selected in evidence requirement 2.1 is
analysed in accordance with the guidelines in the industry text.
Range
may include but is not limited to – breaking stories, newsworthy
persons, topical and historical events, international events, media
treatment of these stories.
Outcome 3
Carry out research for news stories.
Range
evidence must be in accordance with the industry text;
evidence is required for ten news stories.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Information sources for news stories are identified and verified.
Range
3.2
each story must use three information sources, which may include
but are not limited to – different media, speeches, media
conferences, media releases, interviews, libraries, electronic,
internet and print information sources.
Information selected meets news story requirements.
Range
factual accuracy, interest, context and balance.
Outcome 4
Plan and carry out a vox pop interview.
Range
evidence must be in accordance with the industry text;
evidence is required for one vox pop interview with a minimum of five
responses.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Topical issues are identified and questions on the issues are formulated.
Range
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
may include but is not limited to – breaking stories, newsworthy
person, topical event, historical event.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27618 version 1
Page 4 of 5
4.2
People are questioned in a public place and their responses recorded using
written notes and a recording device.
4.3
Photographs are taken of each respondent in accordance with the guidelines in
the industry text.
4.4
Notes are written up and and audio material is transcribed in accordance with
news journalism style.
Range
4.5
may include a specified format for the vox pop interview.
Still images are downloaded and processed for publication.
Outcome 5
Plan and conduct news interviews for the news stories.
Range
face-to-face, telephone, email;
evidence is required for ten interviews and must be in accordance with the
industry text.
Evidence requirements
5.1
News stories are identified in terms of their purpose and focus.
5.2
Suitable interviewees are identified, their personal details verified and recorded.
5.3
Interviewees are informed of the name of interviewer, publication, and purpose
of interview; and consent to interview is obtained.
5.4
A list of questions designed to develop the stories is prepared.
5.5
Interviews are conducted ensuring that information required to write the news
stories is obtained.
includes but is not limited to – facts, date, time, use of open and
closed questions to obtain usable quotes, accuracy.
Range
5.6
Interview material is stored for future reference in accordance with training
establishment practices.
Planned review date
31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
1
19 January 2012
N/A
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27618 version 1
Page 5 of 5
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0002
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact Competenz info@competenz.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes to the
content of this unit standard.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016