NZQA registered unit standard
27619 version 1
Page 1 of 5
Title
Demonstrate understanding of news writing and write news stories
suitable for community newspapers, internet and radio
Level
4
Purpose
Credits
20
This unit standard is intended for people studying journalism in
an off-job situation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate
understanding of news writing for news stories for print, internet
and radio; and write news stories suitable for publication in
community newspapers and the internet and for broadcast on
radio.
Classification
Journalism > Journalism Skills
Available grade
Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills
and knowledge
Unit 27618, Gather material for writing news stories.
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
Definitions
– news journalism style refers to the standard required for news media outlets to
consider publishing the material. It will recognise 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); balance; fairness;
media style; language used in news media publications and broadcasting;
– news stories refer to timely and succinct accounts of unfolding events of public
interest;
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27619 version 1
Page 2 of 5
– news writing refers to the writing style used for news reporting in media such as
newspapers, radio, television and internet news sites. It encompasses
vocabulary, sentence structure and the way in which stories present the
information in terms of relative importance, tone, and intended audience;
– newsworthiness refers to events of sufficient interest or importance to the public to
warrant reporting in the media;
– 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;
– writing for ear refers to the conversation style used in radio news reports.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate understanding of news writing for news stories for print and the internet.
Range
evidence is in accordance with the industry text;
Evidence requirements
1.1
The use of written language for news story writing is demonstrated.
Range
1.2
The difference between the use of news writing conventions and other forms of
written expression is demonstrated.
Range
1.3
includes but is not limited to – story structure, paragraph structure,
sentence structure, sentence length, grammatical requirements,
length, inverted pyramid style and narrative writing, media style,
the role of the intro.
The reasons for the use of news writing conventions are explained.
Range
1.4
includes but is not limited to – spelling, grammar, tenses, plural,
punctuation: capitals, full stop, macron, accents, comma,
apostrophe, quotation and speech marks, exclamation mark,
question mark, colon, semi colon, hyphen, dash, brackets, and
square brackets.
includes but is not limited to – immediacy, readability,
conciseness, active voice, plain writing, lack of modifiers,
avoidance of clichés, fluency, clarity.
Journalistic devices used in print and internet news stories are explained.
Range
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
includes but is not limited to – attribution, direct and indirect
quotes, verb tenses, pull quotes, side bars.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27619 version 1
Page 3 of 5
Outcome 2
Write news stories suitable for publication in community newspapers and on the internet.
Range
evidence is required for a minimum of six news stories suitable for publication in
a community newspaper and on the internet. All stories must include a range of
photographs. One story must include statistical information, and one must be
written from a vox pop survey. Information gathered for assessment against
Unit 27610, Gather material suitable for writing news stories may be used as
the basis for writing the news stories.
Evidence requirements
2.1
News stories suitable for publication in community newspapers and on the
internet are written in accordance with news journalism style.
Range
2.2
intro and supporting angles; clear, concise and coherent writing;
short, plain sentences; active voice and vigorous verbs; accurate
and consistent spelling, grammar and punctuation; fair, accurate
and balanced.
News stories are corrected in accordance with news journalism style and filed in
accordance with training establishment practices.
Outcome 3
Demonstrate understanding of news writing for news stories for broadcast on radio.
Evidence requirements
3.1
The correct use of writing for the ear is explained in accordance with the
industry text.
Range
3.2
Common style conventions for writing news stories for radio are complied with
in accordance with news journalism style.
Range:
3.3
concise, crisp, conversational.
formality of language, punctuation, abbreviations, honorifics,
media style for radio news.
Journalistic devices used in a radio news story are explained in accordance with
the industry text.
Range
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
includes but is not limited to – listener accessibility, news reading
simplicity, listener attention.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27619 version 1
Page 4 of 5
Outcome 4
Write news stories for broadcast on radio.
Range
evidence is required for a minimum of four news stories suitable for broadcast
on radio;
information gathered for assessment against Unit 27618, Gather material
suitable for writing news stories, may be used as the basis for writing the news
stories.
Evidence requirements
4.1
News stories suitable for broadcast on a radio station are written in accordance
with news journalism style.
Range
4.2
written for the ear; intro and supporting angles; clear, concise and
coherent writing; short, plain sentences; active voice and vigorous
verbs; accurate and consistent spelling, grammar and punctuation;
summarised information contains essential points; fair, accurate,
and balanced.
News stories are corrected in accordance with news journalism style and filed 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
1
19 January 2012
N/A
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.
Competenz
SSB Code 101571
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
27619 version 1
Page 5 of 5
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