How to Write a News Report

Download the article

This article is co-authored by Dr. sc. Christopher Taylor. Christopher Taylor is an adjunct professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved after it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 27 testimonials from our readers, which earned it the status of an approved reader. This article has been viewed 984,964 times.

A news item is similar to a newspaper article. These are the basic facts of the story that is currently happening or has just happened. News writing is easy if you report clearly on the subject, conduct good interviews and write in a style that is clear, concise and active.

Example of a political news report

An example of an entertainment news report

Example of a business news report

1. 

   Think of something to write about. News is about something that is happening now or has happened recently. Current issues, events, crimes and investigations are good topics for newspaper reports. Other styles of journalism are better for things like profiles, advice articles, and opinion pieces.

   • Ask for story ideas, especially government officials and public relations representatives.[1]
   • Browse the news to see what’s already happening. This might lead to you finding other story ideas that are related.
   • Search your city or county website or directory for upcoming local events.
   • Attend city council meetings to find out if there are local issues in your area.
   • Attend courthouse trials and see if there’s anything interesting going on that you could report on.

2. 

   Go to the scene. Once you know what you want to write about, go there. You may need to go to a crime scene, work, courthouse, or event. It will be difficult to write about something you are not present.

   • Write down everything you see and everything that happens.
   • Record and take notes on all speeches that appear at events. Make sure you get the names of the speakers.

3. 

   Conduct interviews. Who you interview depends on what you are reporting on. You’ll want to get a wide range of quotes for your report, so try to interview a range of people. Good people to interview are event coordinators, lawyers, police, business owners, volunteers, participants and witnesses. If you need to find people to schedule an interview with, use the Internet to find contact information. You can also interview people directly on the scene, depending on the topic of your report.

   • If the story is controversial or political, make sure you get both sides of the issue.
   • Prepare sample questions, but don’t necessarily stick to them.[2]
   • Think of the interview as a conversation.[3]
   • Record the interview.
   • Make sure you get the full names (spelled correctly) of everyone you talk to.

4. 

   Transcribe interviews and speeches. When you get back to your home or office, transcribe the interviews and everything they say. Listen to your recordings and transcribe all (or at least the most important parts) of interviews and speeches. This will make it easier to find information for the report and all offers.

   • Be sure to review your transcripts to ensure they are accurate. You don’t want to misquote someone.

5. 

   Do some research on that topic. The news is about what happened at the time, but it’s good to do some basic research on the subject. Do your research on any companies, people or programs you report on to make sure your facts are correct. Double-check the spelling of names, dates, and any information you’ve collected to make sure it’s correct.

   Anderson Cooper, journalist and political correspondent

   A good story will lead you in the right direction. “Be honest about what you see, get out of the way and let the story unfold.”

1. 

   Write the title. Your title should be accurate, clear and easy to understand. Use key words from the story and keep them clear and concise. Use active and short action verbs in your title. The title should lead readers exactly to what the report is about.[4]

   • The title should attract attention, but it should not be exaggerated or misleading.
   • Capitalize the first word of the title and all proper nouns after that.
   • If you’re having trouble coming up with a title, try writing it at the end. It may be easier to come up with a title after you have finished your article.
   • For example, your headline could read: “Armed robbery at Portland market”

2. 

   Write the byline and place the line. The author line goes directly below the title. This is where you put your name and clarify who you are. The space line is where the article takes place and is written in capital letters. Use AP Style state abbreviations.

   • Sample line by: Sue Smith, Staff Reporter
   • Example of a place line: EUGENE, ORE.[5]

3. 

   Use hard news. The headline (or lede) is the opening paragraph of a report or article and is often considered the most important part. A newspaper report is not the time for extensive and tricky clues. Take your lead to the point, incorporating as much basic information as possible into your lead. The guide is just one or maybe two sentences and summarizes the news; the who, what, when, where, why and how of your story should be emphasized in the main body.[6]

   • Don’t include people’s names in the body (save that information for later), unless everyone knows who they are (ie President Obama).
   • For example: A Seattle man was caught selling stolen cars at his auto dealership on Tuesday when a police officer posed as a customer.

4. 

   Write the body of your report. This will consist of facts, but more detailed and specific than in your leadership. Use the information you’ve gathered and collected on the scene and in interviews. Write your report in the third person and from a neutral perspective. Make sure your story conveys information, not opinion.

5. 

   Include quotes in the news. Quotes can be included in your news to convey information. Always introduce who you are quoting and the exact words they said. Use their full name when you first mention them, then just their last name.

   • For example: Mary Quibble has been the director of the children’s theater for six years. “I love the kids and how much they care about these plays,” Quibble said. “There are 76 children in the programs. They are from 7 to 16 years old.”

6. 

   Always include attributions. Unless the information is common knowledge, always state where you got it. You can get into trouble if you don’t give credit to someone. This is also important in case a fact is wrong, then it will be known who was wrong about the fact and it wasn’t you.

   • For example: A woman ran out of her home at 11 p.m. when she heard a burglar coming in, police said.

7. 

   Write in the style of hard news. You don’t want to use overly descriptive language when writing your report. Just stick to the facts and keep sentences short and concise. Use active language and strong verbs.

   • Speak in the past tense when you write the news.
   • Start a new paragraph whenever there is a new thought (this may mean having paragraphs as short as a sentence or two)
   • Write your report in AP style.[7]

Categories: How to
Source: HIS Education