Practical Journalism
How to Write News
- Helen Sissons - Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Journalism
—MEDIA INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA
"A strength throughout the book is the case studies in which practising journalists discuss aspects of their work in such a way that the case studies become learning my example. Certainly this is a textbook, but it is not aimed just at students; it is brilliant for anyone whose ambition is news reporting."
—WRITING MAGAZINE
"A fascinating mix of gutsy personal stories, unrelenting ambition and invaluable lessons from seasoned journalists in the field."
—John McIntyre, former BBC war correspondent
Easy to read, the book draws on interviews with dozens of working journalists. They share their thoughts on the profession and we watch them work – selecting stories, carrying out interviews, and writing scripts. There are chapters on interviewing, research techniques, and news writing. Further chapters cover working in broadcasting and online, media law, and ethics. Each chapter concludes with activities and a list of further reading and a glossary of terms is included at the end of the book.
Most journalists believe they work ethically although few have set rules and others admit to being pressured to behave underhandedly. This book looks at how journalists can work more ethically and provides a guide for beginners.
An excellent book for a News Writing course. As its title suggests, it is very practical and user-friendly for students. The review questions and exercises at the end of the chapter make this an ideal textbook for students as they can learn independently of the lecturer.