25362 version 1
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Identify and write news stories for print publication
Level
6
Credits
30
Purpose
This unit standard is for people who are employed in news media outlets and
who are required to write news stories for publication in newspapers,
magazines, or periodicals.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: identify news stories for
print publication, produce a brief for each story, and gather information for the
stories; and write news stories for print publication following the approved
brief.
Subfield
Journalism
Domain
Applied Journalism
Status
Registered
Status date
20 March 2009
Date version published
20 March 2009
Planned review date
31 December 2013
Entry information
Recommended: Unit 25361, Develop rounds, gather
information, and plan stories for publication or
broadcast, or demonstrate equivalent knowledge and
skills.
Accreditation
Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and
industry.
Standard setting body (SSB)
Competenz
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference
0002
This AMAP can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Special notes
1
Evidence presented for award of credit must be in accordance with the required
standards for applied journalism, found in the current editions of: Statement of
Principles (Wellington: New Zealand Press Council, 2006) available at
http://www.presscouncil.org.nz/principles.html – for print journalism.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
25362 version 1
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2
Industry text
Tully, Jim (ed), Intro: A beginner's guide to professional news journalism (Wellington:
New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008). This publication
can be obtained from Competenz website www.competenz.org.nz.
3
This unit standard has been designed for learning and assessment in the workplace.
For assessment against this unit standard candidates will submit a portfolio of news
stories that they have prepared and written from information gathered using practical
skills learned during their workplace training. The stories submitted will have been
completed within times set by the news media outlet, and will have been published in
a newspaper, magazine, or periodical.
4
Evidence is required for three news stories.
5
Definitions
the appropriate person refers to the person within the news media outlet who
ensures that stories meet the industry standards. This person may be the senior
producer, chief reporter, bulletin editor, or editor;
a brief describes the main purpose of the proposed story and contains the who, why,
what, where, and when elements of the story. Approval for the brief will be given by
the appropriate person in accordance with industry standards;
graphics/images refer to photographs, diagrams, info-graphics, and audio or visual
requirements;
industry standards refer to the required standards for applied journalism and the
industry texts and sources cited in the special notes as well as documented policies
and procedures set down by the workplace;
news stories are timely and succinct accounts of unfolding events of public interest,
usually unfolding within any 24-hour timeframe;
print publication refers to publication in newspapers, magazines, or periodicals,
depending on the activities of the news media outlet;
the workplace news diary lists assignments for today, records assignments that have
taken place, and future assignments that are upcoming. It may be used in
conjunction with electronic diaries and/or hard copy folders of past, present, and
future events.
Elements and performance criteria
Element 1
Identify news stories for print publication, produce a brief for each story, and gather
information for the stories, in accordance with industry standards.
Range
news stories may include but are not limited to – hard news, breaking news,
news packages, features, news profiles, human interest, sports, business,
special interest.
Performance criteria
1.1
News stories are identified from events and items of interest breaking and
developing within any 24-hour cycle, and a brief for the development of each
story is produced and approved.
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1.2
Information for news stories is gathered and recorded to meet the requirements
of the approved brief.
Range
may include but is not limited to – direct quotes, reported speech,
paraphrases, summaries;
documented facts;
packages (graphics, breakouts, vox pops);
context/background information about people referred to in news
stories – full name, age, gender, occupation, honorific, marital
status;
statistical and numerical information.
Element 2
Write news stories for print publication following the approved brief.
Performance criteria
2.1
News stories are drafted in accordance with industry standards.
Range
may include but is not limited to – introduction; clarity; house style;
language; standard grammar, punctuation and spelling; no jargon
or clichés; length; proper nouns and numbers minimised;
accuracy; editorial legal and ethical guidelines, writing for the eye,
appropriate story construction.
2.2
Opinion and controversial facts are clearly identified and attributed.
2.3
Graphics/images are planned, sourced, and assembled, and captions for
graphics/images are written in accordance with design requirements and
industry standards as appropriate.
2.4
Feedback on the draft stories is sought from the appropriate person before
deadline for editing, and all information associated with the production of the
stories is stored in accordance with industry standards.
2.5
News stories are revised to incorporate the changes required from the
feedback.
2.6
Final news stories meet the requirements of the approved brief and are in
accordance with industry standards.
2.7
Angles for follow-up stories are identified, and entries are made in the
workplace news diary in accordance with industry standards.
Please note
Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated
authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against
unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
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25362 version 1
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Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register
credits from assessment against unit standards.
Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards
must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this
standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The
AMAP 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.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016