Writing for the Media

259 Pages·1983·0.87 MB·English

by  Sandra Pesmen

title: Writing for the Media
author: Pesmen, Sandra.
publisher: NTC Contemporary
isbn10 | asin: 0844230766
print isbn13: 9780844230764
ebook isbn13: 9780071401432
language: English
Mass media--Authorship, Public relations,
subject
Report writing, Journalism.
publication date: 1983
lcc: HM263.P46 1983eb
ddc: 659.2
Mass media--Authorship, Public relations,
subject:
Report writing, Journalism.
Page i
Writing for the Media
Sandra Pesmen
NTC Business Books
NTC/Contemporary Publishing Group
Page ii
Published by NTC Business Books, division of NTC Publishing
Group, 4255 West Touhy Avenue, Lincolnwood (Chicago), Illinois
60646-1975 U.S.A.
©1983 by Sandra Pesmen. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of
NTC Publishing Group.
Manufactured in the United States of America.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 82-72510.
8 9 ML 9 8 7 6
Page iii
To Hal, Beth, and Curt, who have always been the real features in my life.
Page v
CONTENTS
Introduction xi
Part l The PR Plan 1
Chapter 1 Finding the Image 3
Chapter 2 Planning the Program 7
Chapter 3 Marketing the Message 17
Part II The News Release 23
Chapter 4 Becoming a Reporter 25
Chapter 5 Presenting the Facts 31
Chapter 6 Developing Leads 41
Chapter 7 Learning the Basics 55
Chapter 8 Following the Commandments 65
Part III The Profile 69
Chapter 9 Finding a Subject 71
Chapter 10 Doing Your Homework 79
Chapter 11 Conducting the Interview 85
Chapter 12 Asking the Right Questions 89
Chapter 13 Writing a Profile 99

Page vi
Part. IV The Feature 105
Chapter 14 Developing a Topic 107
Chapter 15 Finding the Lead 115
Chapter 16 Writing a Feature 125
Chapter 17 Choosing an Approach 131
Chapter 18 Breaking the Rules 149
Conclusion 161
Page vii
EXHIBITS
Exhibit 2-1 The Profile. 9
Exhibit 2-2 The Press Release. 10
Exhibit 2-3 The Fact Sheet. 11
Exhibit 4-1 News Release: Ambience Isn't Everything. 26
Exhibit 4-2 News Release: A Plentitude of Platitudes. 27
Exhibit 5-1 The Inverted Pyramid Form. 33
Exhibit 5-2 A "No News" News Release. 34
Exhibit 5-3 A Good News Release. 35
Exhibit 6-1 The First Paragraph Is the Hardest. 43
Exhibit 9-1 Profile: An Obituary. 72
Exhibit 10-1 Profile: A Place. 81
Exhibit 13-1 Profile: Bruce Petsche. 100
Exhibit 13-2 Profile: Victor Skrebneski. 103
Exhibit 14-1 A Thematic Feature Story. 109
Exhibit 14-2 A: Chronological Feature Story. 111
Exhibit 17-1 Trend Story: Men Who Sew. 133
Exhibit 17-2 Trend Story: Women Who Know. 134
Exhibit 17-3 Service Feature: A Gourmet Picnic. 137
Exhibit 17-4 Essay Feature: Death in the Office. 140
Exhibit 18-1 "Off-the-Wall" Story: Unsung Heroes. 150
Exhibit 18-2 "Off-the-Wall" Story: Active Retirees. 152
Exhibit 18-3 Breaking the Rules. 154
Page ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Grateful thanks to Crain Books Director Rich Hagle, who encouraged
me to think this idea might work, and to Sheldon Liebman, Crain
Books Editor, who kept marking these pages and turning them back
until we got them right.