The Inverted Pyramid

Of News Writing
Almaciga romps away with gold
after a neck to neck battle in the
relay event of Olimpinoy ‘21 held
during the conclusion of the Buwan
ng Wika celebration at the TLT
forest floor.
Lauan, the defending champion was
winning in the 3rd of the 5 rounds of the
event when Almaciga lead runner,
Travis Miranda overtook Junio Galang,
making the score 2 to 1, and snatching
the remaining rounds to Almaciga’s
favor.
The two teams have been perennial rivals
in OlimPinoy events for twelve years since
its conception. Almaciga’s win in the recent
event now makes the number of gold
earned by the two teams 6-6.
The Inverted Pyramid

Of News Writing
AFK – Away From Keyboard

BB – Bathroom Break
Excuse me, please.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

When a dog
bites a man, that
is NOT news!

When a man
bites a dog, NOW
that IS news!
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1
 Links to online news
• https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

• https://www.philstar.com/
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

What are the parts of the newspaper?

• Major or front cover headlines Advertisements:

• National events 1. What kind?

• International events 2. Subject matter

• Editorial page 3. Types and styles

• Sports events

• Entertainment

• Science and medical news

• Fashions: advertisements, feature articles

• Food news

• Comic strips

• Business news
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

What Makes a Story Newsworthy?

• If the story talks about

human life
• If the story is socially
relevant
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

What Makes a Story Newsworthy?

• If the story presents current

events and pressing issues
• If the story attempts to
inform, help, warn, and guide
people
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

I’LL TAKE THE

LEAD!
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

The LEAD
• The LEAD is the first paragraph in a
news story.
• It is the MOST IMPORTANT
paragraph in the entire article.
• It requires the MOST ATTENTION
from both the reader and the writer.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Conventional LEAD

• The Conventional Lead

tells us the facts in a
natural and
straightforward manner.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Characteristics of a Good Lead

• The LEAD includes the 5 W’s and the

H which are important.
• WHAT : Event, Problem, Issue
• WHO : Person/s Involved
• WHERE : Place or Location
• WHEN : Time and Date
• WHY : Reasons, Supporting Details
• HOW : Means, Processes, Effects
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Characteristics of a Good Lead

2. The Lead starts with a feature of the

story, which may either be the most
important or interesting fact or both.
3. The Lead is usually short; it consists of
about 25-35 words in one paragraph.
4. The Lead begins with specific and
interest-arousing words.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Characteristics of a Good Lead

5. The LEAD is slanted towards the

reader’s interest.
6. The LEAD identifies the persons
involved in the news story.
7. The LEAD can be written lightly or
seriously, whichever manner is
appropriate to the content of the story.
July 2010
A Vol.1 Issue 1

G
R
E
A
T
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

The BODY
• The BODY retells the story in detail
by:
a. explaining the feature or features in
the lead
b. adding minor features not
summarized in the lead
• In retelling, additional details are given.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Tips for Writing the Body

• Do not sacrifice coherence for brevity.
• Use transitional phrases or devices.
• Repeat previous subject matter but avoid
verbatim repetition.
• Balance the use of quotations.
• Story should tell enough to give a clear,
interesting, and vivid account of the story.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Framework of Story
• Inverted Pyramid

▪ Decreasing importance
▪ Conclusion
▪ Supporting Details
▪ Background
▪ Technical Details
November 2006 Vol.1 Issue 1

TLT STUDENTS STUDY NEWS

WRITING
Grade 6
classes discuss Anything that concerns
topic
important events around the
world is considered newsworthy.
LEAD takes The importance of news cannot
be overestimated because the

center stage success of a newspaper depends

One of the most important elements of
news writing is the opening paragraph
or the introduction. Journalists refer to
this as the "lead.” Because newspapers
are read rapidly, the opening of the
story requires the most attention from
both the reader and the writer. The
reader samples the story and then
makes the choice of reading on or
jumping to another article.
(Continued)
on its coverage and the quality
of its writing. Although news
writing involves getting the facts
and sending them out to the
reader, it undergoes a three part
process before reaching the
reader: Coverage, Interpretation,
and Play. All these elements are
necessary to ensure a well-
written news article that
likewise conforms to all
journalistic standards and
requirements.
Students write their own articles after learning
the dynamics of news writing in class.
BODY found... in article
From the lead and his notes, the reporter
writes the body of the news story. If the
LEAD has “told the story in a
NUTSHELL,” the BODY only has to retell
the story in detail by explaining the features
in the lead and adding minor features not
summarized in the lead.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

EXTRA! EXTRA!
READ ALL ABOUT
IT!
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Read This
AS THE SEARCH for the successor to
resigned Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz
Jr. began, President Gloria Macapagal-
Arroyo was urged yesterday to pick a
civilian free of vested interests to be the
next defense chief in order to insulate the
military from politics and the insidious
patronage system.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Read This

A grandmother was rescued

from the belly of the Big Bad
Wolf yesterday when her 6-
year-old granddaughter
alerted a nearby woodcutter.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Beginning The LEAD

• The reporter places the big feature
into the opening 6-8 words which
usually compose the first line.
• The articles “a, an” and words like
“there, it” are considered poor
words for beginning the lead.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Characteristics of a Good Lead

8. Relates the 5 W’s and H and the

authority in a clearly
constructed, well-organized
sentence, often by the use of
words such as “when, where,
and as.”
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Read This

A small contingent of Filipino

educators traveled to the
United States last May to
observe classes in different
public schools.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Read This

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - Palay

production decreased by an average of 16
cavans per hectare in seven Central
Luzon provinces on the heels of four
typhoons in September this year, initial
data for the May-October planting season
showed.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Read This

A senior military expert issued

the call as Cruz maintained his
enigmatic silence over the
reasons that pushed him to quit
as one of Ms Arroyo’s most
trusted senior advisers.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Read This

Critics of the President said Cruz’s

departure exposed rifts within Ms
Arroyo’s official family and that this
could lead to the destruction of her
Cabinet, but some Malacañang officials
played down reports of infighting among
presidential advisers.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Framework of Story
• Chronological Order
▪ There is emphasis on movement.
▪ Events are told as they happened.
▪ Stories that lend to this pattern are
games, fires, accidents – stories with
strong narrative elements.
▪ This style uses narration.
 SAMPLE ENDINGS
• GMA PARDONS
• New Bilibid Prison Director said the BPP would
coordinate with Malacanang as to what action to
take regarding the case of Pablo Martinez.

• CORY KIN, ANOTHER INJUSTICE

• Mrs. Aquino is holding Martinez responsible for
the murder of her husband, though the master-
mind has never been identified. Marcos died in
Hawaii in 1989
 PNP
• “Experts are now finalizing their simulations,
experiments and computations relevant to the
explosion. Investigators are now consolidating
the statements, reports, evidences and documents
needed in the filing of charges against concerned
parties and preparation of the final repor,” said
Ticman.
• EARTHQUAKE
• The public is advised to take necessary
precautions when visiting malls and not to be
harrassed when security guards ask to inspect
their bags.
July 2010 Vol.1 Issue 1

Tasks
1. Go into your group of 3
2. Create and compose the lead and the rest of
the body based on the picture you choose.
a. Member 1 – write the lead
b. Member 2 – write the body
c. Member 3 – write the ending and title