The art of newswriting – KU Writing School Class notes

Remember: No purple prose to try to win a Pulitzer Prize

These are links to some of the stories and ideas we discussed in Thursday’s class.

RADIO: BBC R4 NEWS BRIEFING (play 2nd item from 1:18 to 1: 59)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03sbkqq

TV: ARIEL SHARON FUNERAL JAN 2014 (JEREMY BOWEN)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25709378

TABLOID WRITING/ REPORTING TRIALS: DAILY MIRROR ARTICLE – Dave Lee Travis Trial

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/dave-lee-travis-trial-dj-3021702#.UtaRfL90Lnc.twitter

DEFINITIONS OF ABSOLUTE AND QUALIFIED PRIVILEGE – Useful link explaining the essential relationship between news writing and legal and other official proceedings.

NEWSWRITING AS NOVELWRITING: New York Times ARTICLE

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/02/sports/olympics/a-swift-and-fatal-luge-plunge-and-then-an-abyss-of-sorrow.html?ref=todayspaper

RECOMMENDED BOOKS:

NICHE BY JAMES HARKIN

A terrifically written book. James’ work as a reporter includes features from inside Syria as well as business books like Niche.His website has a range of his journalism which is well worth checking out.

World War Z by Max Brooks

This novel uses the principles of news writing —   letting your interview subjects talk for themselves. Its strength is the way it reads like news prose, and plays with current world affairs to extrapolate future scenarios.