102 / Writing Across Media

Paper 102: Writing Across Media (Core) – Syllabus

Unit I 

Concept of news and news process. Principles of journalism: facts, balance, fairness, objectivity, verification and brevity. Writing news for print, broadcast, Web and Social media. Essentials of a news report for different media: Lead, nut graph, direct quote, sound bytes, attribution, background links, embeds, visuals, headline, strapline, date line, byline. Types of leads. Reporter – role, duties and qualities. 

Unit II 

Generating story ideas – Diary events, special stories. Sources of information: documents/ institutional sources / individual sources / social media. Cultivating sources. Interviewing techniques. Different forms of reporting – spot news / live reporting, developing stories, curtain raisers, investigative, interpretative, trend, in-depth and advocacy reporting. Building and using background. Case studies of published stories and exercises. 

Unit III 

Distinction between reporting and editing. Why editing matters; News judgement and news values. Editorial department – organisational structure in different media — Key roles and their functions. Process of Decision-making, publishing. 

Unit IV 

Editing stories for different media; macro editing and micro editing; factchecking, language and legal aspects. Editing process – Evaluating news,  integrating elements, updating copy, proof-reading, and pre-publishing checks. Editing stories of different lengths. Writing headlines: Length, tense, and other conventions across media, Using quotes and attribution in headlines. Functions of headlines. Style sheet and style guide; Qualities of a sub-editor.

Unit V 

Presentation formats for different media. Basic principles of Page Design and Layout. Use of colour and typography. Practical and aesthetic considerations for broadcast, web and social media. Case studies of leading news outlets.