WRITING A NEWSPAPER REPORT

WRITING A NEWSPAPER REPORT

Components of a Newspaper Report

1. Headline

News reports must have a headline. Choose the punchiest (attention-grabbing) headline for the story to attract your readers’ attention


1. Headline

Example:

Bob Beamon leaps into history!Bob Beamon leaps into history!


2. Introductory Paragraph

The introductory paragraph usually states the most important facts first, which summarises briefly what happened, who, where and when the event took place.



Example:

American athlete, American athlete, Bob BeamonBob Beamon, produced , produced an extraordinary, record-breaking feat, an extraordinary, record-breaking feat,

yesterdayyesterday at the at the Olympic GamesOlympic Games in in Mexico Mexico CityCity. He . He struck gold in the men’s long jump struck gold in the men’s long jump

finalfinal and broke the previous record by a and broke the previous record by a staggering 55cm. staggering 55cm.

Who

When What WhereWhat


3. Body

The body of the report usually consists of

several paragraphs.


3. Body

(A) It should contain detailed information like the background scenario, the name of the people involved, the way the event happened or the events that took place before the event reported in the headlines and introductory paragraph.


3. Body

Example:

Earlier this week, the lanky 22 year-old Earlier this week, the lanky 22 year-old struggled in the qualifying rounds. He struggled in the qualifying rounds. He missed two jumps and made two foul missed two jumps and made two foul

jumps. He managed to qualify for the final jumps. He managed to qualify for the final with a jump of only 8.19m.with a jump of only 8.19m.

What happened before it


3. Body

Example:

But yesterday, Beamon hit his best form. But yesterday, Beamon hit his best form. He thundered down the runway, hit the He thundered down the runway, hit the take-off board with his right foot and take-off board with his right foot and

soared into the air. He produced a soared into the air. He produced a monumental leap of 8.90m.monumental leap of 8.90m.


3. Body

(B) Whenever possible, include comments and quotes from audience or witnesses to give credibility to your report.

Such spoken accounts may be directly quoted using quotation marks or direct speech.


3. Body

Example:

Afterwards, Olympic legend Jesse Owens, Afterwards, Olympic legend Jesse Owens, who was watching Beamon from the who was watching Beamon from the

stands, said, stands, said, “As soon as he went up in the “As soon as he went up in the air, I knew he had a world record.”air, I knew he had a world record.”

Quotes


3. Body

Example:

In an interview later, Beamon said, In an interview later, Beamon said, “I had “I had hoped I could exceed 8.50m, but to jump hoped I could exceed 8.50m, but to jump

over 8.90m was just mind-blowing.”over 8.90m was just mind-blowing.”

Quotes


4. Photographs

‘A picture paints a thousand words.’

Include photographs to give your readers

a clearer picture of the event and an interesting caption to describe the

picture.


4. Photograph

Example:

Caption


5. Conclusion

It is good to end your report with a short concluding line or paragraph to finish up the story. A good way to do so is to comment on the events reported or to point to the future on what is expected to happen next.


5. Conclusion

Example:

The Mexican Games will long be The Mexican Games will long be remembered for this one event, in which remembered for this one event, in which

Bob Beamon created track and field Bob Beamon created track and field history.history.

Comments of the event

Name of newspaper

Date

Let us look at another example of a newspaper report of a sports event.


1. Headline

Example:

STARTING THEM YOUNGSTARTING THEM YOUNG



Example:

On On FridayFriday, nearly , nearly 400 students400 students from 32 from 32 primary schools took part in the primary schools took part in the H-TWO-O H-TWO-O Under-10 Football Fiesta 2008’s five-a-side Under-10 Football Fiesta 2008’s five-a-side

football tournamentfootball tournament. .

WhoWhenWhat


3. Body

Example:

The Football Association of Singapore The Football Association of Singapore organised the event, which ran from organised the event, which ran from

7.30am – 5.30pm and was held at Jurong 7.30am – 5.30pm and was held at Jurong West’s Fico Sports Hub, which boasts West’s Fico Sports Hub, which boasts

Asia’s largest futsal football arena. Asia’s largest futsal football arena.

Where

Details


3. Body

Example:

In the final, Kranji Primary School narrowly In the final, Kranji Primary School narrowly edged out St Stephen’s School edged out St Stephen’s School

1-0. Yangzheng Primary placed third while 1-0. Yangzheng Primary placed third while Loyang Primary came in fourth. Loyang Primary came in fourth.

Details


3. Body

Example:

The guest-of-honour at the event, FAS The guest-of-honour at the event, FAS head of grassroots, Jita Singh, handed out head of grassroots, Jita Singh, handed out

the prizes to the winners. the prizes to the winners.

Details


3. Body

Example:

Watching from the sidelines was FAS Watching from the sidelines was FAS technical director, Slobodan Pavkovic. technical director, Slobodan Pavkovic. “I’m “I’m

happy to see children in Singapore start happy to see children in Singapore start playing competitively from such a young playing competitively from such a young

age.”age.”

Quote


4. Photograph

Example: Caption


4. Photograph

Example:Caption


5. Conclusion

Example:

““We share the same belief that it is never We share the same belief that it is never too young to start developing a passion for too young to start developing a passion for football. In fact, we will be working with the football. In fact, we will be working with the youngsters in another event in July,” said youngsters in another event in July,” said Jita Singh, the former Singapore coach. Jita Singh, the former Singapore coach.

Future

Write a newspaper article depicting a fictional current event.

It is your job to write a one page (two pages double spaced) newspaper article which reports on an event or topic that is fictional, but written as if it is a real, story that will be published in the “CIC Times”.

Assignment

Mark Breakdown

Headline and Picture (5 marks) Your headline and photograph should catch the eye of the

reader while being concise and informative.Introductory Paragraph (15 marks)

Your introduction should be a brief small paragraph about the topic you will be discussing in the body paragraph(s).

Body (25 marks) Should be very clear and informative with lots of ‘references’

or sources where you retrieved your information from.Conclusion (15 marks)

Briefly summarizing what your article is about. It should also answer ‘so what is next?’ or ‘what happens now?’ if it fits in with your story. There should be no new information within your conclusion.

Grammar, Spelling and Punctuation (40 marks) Does your article make sense? Does it have multiple spelling

and grammatical mistakes throughout? Regular newspapers have editors whose job is to make sure zero mistakes are made. You need to make sure your article flows and makes sense.

Documents

WRITING A NEWSPAPER REPORT