Finding news stories
There are stories unfolding everywhere you look. Some are internationally significant and affect thousands of people, some are more relevant to just one particular area or group of people, some are not very significant at all but are amusing or odd.
Here are some places to look for these stories:
The internet
There are thousands of news sites on the internet. Websites are able to report news almost instantly, as it breaks, so they are a good source for up-to-date news. The internet is also a good place for finding out about the news in other countries, via foreign websites.
Sites you might find useful:
guardian.co.uk
bbc.co.uk/news
bbc.co.uk/newsround
news.google.com
reuters.co.uk
Newspapers
Newspapers are a good source of recent, in-depth stories. There are many types of newspapers available in newsagents. Some are local and report stories, events or issues in your area or town. Others are national or international and include stories from around the country or the world.
Newspapers have traditionally been divided into two categories: tabloid or broadsheet. Broadsheets are usually more serious and prioritise stories of political, economic or social significance. Tabloids are often more lighthearted and have more crime- or celebrity-related stories. It used to be possible to tell these types of papers apart by their size – tabloids were smaller than broadsheets. However, in recent years most broadsheets, including the Guardian and the Observer, have reduced the size of their pages.
Television
This is another good source for breaking news. You can catch the news on terrestrial television in the mornings, at lunchtime and in the evenings. Some digital or satellite providers have dedicated news channels with ‘rolling news’ that you can watch throughout the day and night.
Anticipating ‘on-diary’ events
These are events that can be predicted, for example an election, a fashion show, a football match or an official anniversary celebration.
Contacts
People you know will have stories to tell. Ask your friends, family, teachers, local shopkeepers, hairdresser etc if they have experienced anything you consider to be newsworthy. Maybe they have strong views about a local building development, or have taken part in an interesting activity or scheme recently. Perhaps they witnessed a crime or ate lunch beside a famous person who has just moved to the area. Any of these could be the basis of a fantastic news report.
Posters/signs/leaflets/billboards
Keep your eyes peeled for publications of this kind advertising events, issues or protests in your area. Is the circus coming? You could prepare a report and then visit the circus and carry out interviews. Does a local school have a ‘Demolishion Site’ sign outside it? Find out why. Maybe someone’s organising an anti-war demonstration which you can attend and report.
Public institutions
Public buildings and organisations will all have stories unfolding within them. There will be plenty going on at museums, hospitals, libraries, schools, cinemas, concert halls and tourist attractions. All you have to do is visit them, find out what services they are offering, look around, read the information they provide on posters and chat to the staff. It’s amazing what you can find out. For example, if a concert has been cancelled ask why. Maybe the star of the show is ill or has had a blazing row with the venue. Or, if a museum is asking for donations for a new exhibition ask what it will be. Maybe you can write its first preview. Or your local cinema might have launched a scheme for getting cheap tickets on certain days – wouldn’t your friends like to find out about this on your website?
It is really important to use more than one source of information. Never rely on one report or one personal account to tell you all the facts or to be accurate. Any errors, misunderstandings or omissions they have made will become your mistakes if you include them in your website. Use the internet, newspapers, text books and personal contacts to check your facts.
Use primary sources where possible. For instance, if you are writing a story about a government report, read the report first. If you are reporting a local event, speak to the organiser. If you are going to report a football match, make sure you watch it.
Stories that are already in the news:
Many stories are already in the news and you may want to write your own report about them, giving a different perspectiive or including new information.Here are some places to look for these stories:
The internet
There are thousands of news sites on the internet. Websites are able to report news almost instantly, as it breaks, so they are a good source for up-to-date news. The internet is also a good place for finding out about the news in other countries, via foreign websites.
Sites you might find useful:
guardian.co.uk
bbc.co.uk/news
bbc.co.uk/newsround
news.google.com
reuters.co.uk
Newspapers
Newspapers are a good source of recent, in-depth stories. There are many types of newspapers available in newsagents. Some are local and report stories, events or issues in your area or town. Others are national or international and include stories from around the country or the world.
Newspapers have traditionally been divided into two categories: tabloid or broadsheet. Broadsheets are usually more serious and prioritise stories of political, economic or social significance. Tabloids are often more lighthearted and have more crime- or celebrity-related stories. It used to be possible to tell these types of papers apart by their size – tabloids were smaller than broadsheets. However, in recent years most broadsheets, including the Guardian and the Observer, have reduced the size of their pages.
Television
This is another good source for breaking news. You can catch the news on terrestrial television in the mornings, at lunchtime and in the evenings. Some digital or satellite providers have dedicated news channels with ‘rolling news’ that you can watch throughout the day and night.
Stories that have not been reported yet:
You might want to write about a story that nobody else has found yet. Here are a few of the many ways of finding out about these stories:Anticipating ‘on-diary’ events
These are events that can be predicted, for example an election, a fashion show, a football match or an official anniversary celebration.
Contacts
People you know will have stories to tell. Ask your friends, family, teachers, local shopkeepers, hairdresser etc if they have experienced anything you consider to be newsworthy. Maybe they have strong views about a local building development, or have taken part in an interesting activity or scheme recently. Perhaps they witnessed a crime or ate lunch beside a famous person who has just moved to the area. Any of these could be the basis of a fantastic news report.
Posters/signs/leaflets/billboards
Keep your eyes peeled for publications of this kind advertising events, issues or protests in your area. Is the circus coming? You could prepare a report and then visit the circus and carry out interviews. Does a local school have a ‘Demolishion Site’ sign outside it? Find out why. Maybe someone’s organising an anti-war demonstration which you can attend and report.
Public institutions
Public buildings and organisations will all have stories unfolding within them. There will be plenty going on at museums, hospitals, libraries, schools, cinemas, concert halls and tourist attractions. All you have to do is visit them, find out what services they are offering, look around, read the information they provide on posters and chat to the staff. It’s amazing what you can find out. For example, if a concert has been cancelled ask why. Maybe the star of the show is ill or has had a blazing row with the venue. Or, if a museum is asking for donations for a new exhibition ask what it will be. Maybe you can write its first preview. Or your local cinema might have launched a scheme for getting cheap tickets on certain days – wouldn’t your friends like to find out about this on your website?
Researching news stories
Accuracy is essential in journalism. If you have mistakes in your reports your readers will not trust you and will be not value your website. Doing thorough research will ensure that your stories are comprehensive and accurate.It is really important to use more than one source of information. Never rely on one report or one personal account to tell you all the facts or to be accurate. Any errors, misunderstandings or omissions they have made will become your mistakes if you include them in your website. Use the internet, newspapers, text books and personal contacts to check your facts.
Use primary sources where possible. For instance, if you are writing a story about a government report, read the report first. If you are reporting a local event, speak to the organiser. If you are going to report a football match, make sure you watch it.
