WEEK 6- Chapter 6 ‘Upside-down Pyramids’

WEEK 6- Chapter 6 ‘Upside-down Pyramids’

1. Would you include balancing comment (in the form of a source’s statement) in a story if you knew that the statement was untrue but could not say so or prove that it was untrue, and the source insisted the comment be included?

I would include the balancing comment, as if I did not, readers may feel that I could have been biased to the issue when writing the article. Also readers should be aware that not everything they read is true even quotes that come straight from the horses mouth. It is up to the reader to judge whether to believe the comment or not.


2. Because you could not locate a source for a balancing comment, would you withhold a story on which you have worked hard? Would your decision change if you knew that an opposing newspaper was planning to run a similar story, reducing the value of your effort?

I would run the story and comment that the other source was unavailable to comment. I don’t think my decision would change either even if an opposing newspaper was also going to run the story. There is always going to be competition.

3. You are sent to report from the scene of a major uncontrolled fire in a high-rise building. People are trapped inside. What dangers should you look out for? Who would you interview? When would you start writing your story?

Again, safety first. I would not create danger or be a nuisance for the fire fighters, victims and any other people involved. Once I know the situation is maintained and I was not being a distraction or nuisance I would start reporting. I would interview anyone involved in the crisis, fire fighters, affected people, relatives of the affected people and bystanders.

4. From your reading of news stories, do you think the inverted pyramid remains the most effective method of structuring material?

If the inverted pyramid was not the most effective way of structuring a news article then it would not be taught religiously to students or aspiring journalists. Even as a student majoring in PR I believe it is the most effective way of writing a news article as well as a press release. It tells the reader all they need to know in the first pars and if they want more details the reader can read on.

Journalism Issues

Building Blocks helps to understand a story's structure, by recognising the indvidual parts invovled. The following buliding blocks allowed me to better understand each the components of a story.

Narrative: telling the story in a sequence, inform and illustrate to the reader how it occured.

Description: conveys what an eyewitness saw to the reader. Describes, people, places, events and the five senses.

Quotations: makes readers assess the impact of the event

Paraphrasing: less direct, weaker than a quote but uses less words.

Expositons: it requires the reporter to 'talk' directly to the reader.