CHAPTER 3

SPECIAL STORY FORMS

THE GAME STORY

 NEWS
• Factual account of an event or
sporting event.

SPORT STORY
• Report the facts and opinion
of others.
• Leave out own opinion.

THE INVERTED PYRAMID

• Traditional news writing form
• Key points of a story are put in the
opening paragraph
• The news is stacked in the following
paragraphs in order of descending
importance

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THE INVERTED PYRAMID

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 3

2
1

BODY DETAILS
THE LEAD • As the story goes
• Develop your
on, your details
• Who, what, where, “news” with
should become
when, why & how? supporting info,
less & less
• The most interviews,
important
important info goes overviews or
first references

4 INVERTED PYRAMID
 8 ESSENTIAL PARTS IN GAME STORY WRITING

1. The final score of the game 2. Which teams/athletes

• This should be easy to find and
near the top of the story. Do
not hide it in the final
paragraph
participated
• Identify the teams by their
full name the first time you
mention them

3. Where the game was

played 4. What type of sport was
• The actual physical location of played.
the game as opposed to just
• This is often forgotten,
the town or city the game was
overlooked or purposely
played in.
not included
• This would mean the name of
the field or stadium should be
included

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 8 ESSENTIAL PARTS IN GAME STORY WRITING

6. Identify what league or

5. Identify whether the game is
between girls/women or
boys/men
• The argument here is much like
No. 4.
• You don't need to say that
professional baseball is played
by men but who played them.
7. A description of the winning
play or the main reason why a
team won
• In lower scoring games like soccer,
hockey and baseball, usually this
means the description of what
could be called the winning goal or
run needs to be featured
prominently
division the teams are from
• This gives the reader another
immediate reference point to
help determine what the level
of play was
8. Include both teams'
records and how the
outcome affected the
league or division standings.
• Often the effect a game has on
the teams' records and
standings is skipped (particularly
on local TV sports reports) due
to time constraints

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 STEPS IN GAME STORY WRITING
GET ORGANIZED
• Don't overlook PLAN YOUR STORY ANYTHING MORE?
practical things! Try • Review your notes • Include some
to get to the match again at the end of insight from
in plenty of time so the match, the players or
you soak up the obviously with the coaches
atmosphere final result in mind. involved
1 3 5 7

2 4 6 BE BALANCED!
DO YOUR RESEARCH WRITE IT DOWN GET GOING • The audience is
• Try to find out • It's not a memory test, • This most interesting very wide and
about the so don't turn it in to thing will probably varied so
players, one! If you rely on feature in the journalists strive
managers and memory, before you introduction of your to be impartial
the situation know it you'll be getting report, and then you and not let their
at the teams players' names mixed can move on to the own feelings as
involved up and confused other major incidents fans get in the way
7
of their reporting.
 CHAPTER 3
THE FEATURES, SIDEBARS & COLUMNS
 FEATURE
S
What about it? Characteristic!
• An insight into a • Accompanied by
trend or an issue or illustrative material
personality such as a picture,
graphic, video or fact
box.

Characteristic! Characteristic!
• Uses specific • Essentially cross-
examples to illustrate sectoral i.e. it should
that trend or issue appeal to anyone in a
and puts them in a global audience of
broad framework politically and
financially aware
9 readers.
 FEATURES

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 TYPES OF FEATURES
1
01 BUSINESS
2
SCIENCE 02 FEATURES
FEATURES
03
3
04 SPORT
FEATURES
4 05
POLITICAL
FEATURES 5
ENVIRONMENT
FEATURES
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 What about it?
• Commercial story that
is filed as a companion
piece to a running
“trunk” story or series
of updates on breaking
Characteristic! news

• Cover reaction or Characteristic!

some other • It may be a related
development linked Alert and Newsbreak
with a major running or a basic spot news
story story

Characteristic!
• Use the “BLOW” of
Characteristic!
the trunk story plus • May be a colour
an additional story, or a historical
identifier e.g. or scene piece

SIDEBA
THAILAND-
CARS/REACTION-
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 SIDEBAR

13
 COLUMNS
What about it?
• A showcase for the
expertise and insight of
seasoned journalists.
• Bring fresh perspectives
and novel thinking to their
area of specialist
Characteristic!
• The author is licensed
to express a point of
view.
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Characteristic!
• Challenging assumptions,
bringing clarity where there
is confusion and by casting
doubt on comfortable
orthodoxies
Characteristic!
• Contain a strong argument
that is properly reasoned
and backed up with
evidence
 COLUMNS

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 WHO WRITES COLUMN

EDITORS BEAT REPORTERS

INVITED SPECIALIST
GUEST WRITERS

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 THANK YOU !

Hope you ENJOY and UNDERSTAND well!!

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