Ex. No.
9 Preparation of News Stories and Success Stories
News refers to the communication of information about current events through
various mediums such as print (newspapers, magazines), broadcast (TV, radio), the Internet,
or word of mouth. Its primary goal is to inform the public or specific audiences about recent
happenings that are relevant and of interest. It is an accurate, unbiased account of the main
facts of a current event that is of interest to the readers of newspaper.
Characteristics of News:
Timeliness: News must be recent or current, providing up-to-date information. Even
if an event has occurred before, it is considered news only if it is reported for the first
time or if it has new developments.
Interest: It should attract the attention of a significant segment of the audience. The
more people interested in a piece of news, the more valuable it is.
Accuracy and Unbiased: News should present facts truthfully and without bias,
giving a clear and balanced account of the event.
Relevance: Especially for farmers and rural communities, news should relate to their
needs, environment, and economic activities.
Clarity: Technical or specialized terms should be avoided or explained plainly for
better understanding.
Purposes of News Stories:
1. To Develop Interest: Capture the audience’s attention and curiosity about ongoing
events.
2. To Inform the Public: Provide factual, reliable information that helps people make
decisions or stay aware of important issues.
3. To Disseminate Knowledge: Share new developments, innovations, or subject matter
relevant to the community or specific groups like farmers.
4. To Create a Favorable Attitude: Influence opinions positively toward certain issues,
policies, or ideas.
5. To Reinforce Other Extension Methods: Support activities like meetings,
demonstrations, or training by reinforcing key messages conveyed through these
methods.
Characterization and Categorization of News:
Newness: The event should be fresh and previously unreported, although the event
itself need not be recent if it has recent significance.
Local Relevance: For farmers, news related to their region, crops, weather patterns,
market prices, or government schemes garners more interest. Coverage of local issues
is often more impactful than distant events.
Language: Use simple, clear language. Technical terms should be explained or
replaced with simpler words to facilitate understanding by non-experts or laypersons.
A news story has three parts.
The headlines
The first paragraph or the lead
The remainder of the story
The Inverted Pyramid style
The inverted pyramid is the model for newswriting. It simply means that the heaviest
or most important information should be at the top – the beginning – of your story, and the
least important information should go at the bottom. And as you move from top to bottom,
the information presented should gradually become less important. It is called the "inverted
pyramid" because it visually resembles a pyramid turned upside down. The primary idea
behind this model is that the most vital facts—such as the who, what, when, where, why,
and how of a news story—should be presented at the very beginning, typically in the
opening paragraph or lead.
The inverted pyramid format turns traditional storytelling on its head. In a short story
or novel, the most important moment – the climax - typically comes near the very end. But
in news writing the most important moment is right at the start in the lead.
Types of News Stories
There are different kinds of news stories. According to their nature and character, they
can be classified as follows.
a) Hard news: These are general in nature. Some can be breaking news. These are news
items that require immediate publication. These cannot wait. e.g. Accident news
b) Soft news: These are light stories. They are not urgent news stories. But soft stories can
make interesting reading. Readers like such stories. These can be about a person, an event or
about a developing situation. e.g. Science &Tech. Development news
c) Features: These are detailed, in-depth stories. In newspapers, they are carried in the
magazine section.
d) Profiles of Newsmakers: These are generally about people in the news. Readers may not
be aware of such persons. So through their profiles, they are introduced.
e) Human interest: These are often stories about the plight of individuals or families.
E.g. when tsunami waves struck the coastal areas, there were touching stories about people,
who lost their near and dear ones, houses etc.
f) Backgrounders: If a major event happens, readers are curious to know whether there is
any precedent or background to that. In other words, they are eager to know the history of
such incidents. Backgrounders provide such information.
Success stories
Success stories are powerful narratives that inspire, motivate, and teach valuable
lessons. They showcase individuals or groups who have overcome obstacles, faced
challenges, and achieved their goals through determination, hard work, and perseverance.
These stories are often shared to encourage others to pursue their dreams, believe in
themselves, and understand that success is attainable with the right mindset and effort.
Success stories always attract and captivate the attention of the readers. A personal
touch is always added to the stories like the socio economic background of the person under
narration. This helps to form an empathy with the readers.
Adding the photograph of the person and the activities involved will also add more
credibility to the story.
The story usually starts with the feat achieved by the person and slowly unfurls the
background and the steps through which he underwent to achieve the feat.
It will also be an advantage to quote the words of the person. All along the story care
need to be taken to see that the story is motivating and inspires the readers to try to achieve
some kind of goals.
In the last it would be better to give the contact details of the achiever so that
interested readers can have personal contact with the achiever.
Success stories are more than just tales of achievement; they are sources of inspiration
that remind us of human potential and the importance of perseverance. They motivate us to
dream big, work diligently, and never lose hope despite difficulties.
