Here we examine the essential elements of a news story, focusing on the inverted pyramid approach that governs how facts are ordered by relevance.
This workshop is presented in two formats, both using the same source material from Media Helping Media. The first is a two-hour workshop designed for those who are already familiar with the topic but who would like to deepen their understanding. The second is a four-hour, half-day workshop for those who are new to the topic.
Trainers are invited to select the format that best meets the needs of those they are training. The source material for this workshop, which focuses on writing style and journalistic discipline, is Essential elements of a news story.
Workshop outline 1: Two-hour session
This session is designed for participants familiar with basic news writing but who would like to develop a comprehensive foundation in structure, story elements, and basic ethics.
09:00–10:00 – Session 1: The questions every journalist should ask
- Aims: To ensure trainees can quickly identify and prioritise the “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How” of any story and craft a concise, compelling news report that meets the fundamental requirements of accuracy and clear attribution.
- Presentation: The trainer presents the core concept of the building blocks for breaking news stories. Explain the difference between ‘Why’ (the cause) and ‘How’ (the method). Emphasise that this structure ensures all vital information is delivered effectively and efficiently. Explain how this initial phase directly addresses the ethical need for verifiable information and integrity through immediate attribution.
- Activity: Trainees are provided with three different sets of raw facts (e.g., a police report summary, a committee meeting transcript, a news/press release). For each set, trainees must first list the five key questions mentioned above and then write a single-sentence lead that incorporates the most important elements. This is a timed exercise (10 minutes per fact set) to encourage journalistic discipline.
- Discussion: The trainer asks the group a group to critique the leads. Discuss common errors, such as ‘burying the lead’ (putting the most important information further down) and weak attribution. Highlight the ethical importance of ensuring all facts are sourced and verifiable.
10:00–10:45 – Session 2: Structure and style for maximum clarity
- Aims: To apply the inverted pyramid structure effectively to ensure accessibility and usefulness for the target audience. To review how simple, direct language enhances fairness and understanding.
- Presentation: The trainer explains the inverted pyramid structure (most important facts at the top, followed by secondary details, then background/context) and its purpose: to ensure readers get the main point even if they stop reading early. Discuss the use of short, active-voice sentences to maintain clarity. Introduce the need for impartiality by ensuring all significant views or sides of an argument are represented in the main body of the story.
- Activity: Trainees are given a poorly structured story (e.g., a narrative feature that delays the main point). Working in pairs, they must identify the lead, supporting facts, quotes, background, and context. They then re-order the paragraphs to follow the inverted pyramid model, paying close attention to smooth, logical flow between sections.
- Discussion: The trainer checks the re-ordered stories. Discuss the role of context and background in providing necessary depth without cluttering the story. Highlight the ethical importance of concise, clear language in avoiding misinterpretation or causing unnecessary offence to the audience.
10:45–11:00 – Assignment (See final assignment section below)
Workshop outline 2: Four-hour session
This session is designed for participants who are new to news writing and need a comprehensive foundation in structure, elements, and basic ethics.
09:00–10:00 – Session 1: The questions every journalist should ask
- Aims: To ensure trainees can quickly identify and prioritise the “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How” of any story and craft a concise, compelling news report that meets the fundamental requirements of accuracy and clear attribution.
- Presentation: The trainer presents the core concept of the building blocks for breaking news stories. Explain the difference between ‘Why’ (the cause) and ‘How’ (the method). Emphasise that this structure ensures all vital information is delivered effectively and efficiently. Explain how this initial phase directly addresses the ethical need for verifiable information and integrity through immediate attribution.
- Activity: Trainees are given printouts of three different news stories from reputable sources. Working individually, they must use a highlighter to mark and label where the ‘Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How’ questions appear in each story. The trainer circulates to check understanding and ensure all elements are correctly identified.
- Discussion: The trainer leads a Q&A session to ensure all trainees can correctly identify all six elements. Discuss which elements are typically most important (usually ‘What’ and ‘Who’) and which can sometimes be omitted if unknown, irrelevant, or if their inclusion would violate privacy.
10:00–11:00 – Session 2: Crafting the perfect lead and using attribution
- Aims: To teach trainees how to craft a powerful lead (intro) that immediately captures the most essential elements, and to introduce the importance of source attribution for integrity and building reader trust.
- Presentation: The trainer explains that the lead must contain the most newsworthy of the ‘Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How’ questions, and should be kept short (ideally 20 words or less). Introduce the concept of attribution: clearly stating where the information came from (e.g., “The Ministry of Health confirmed…”, “Witnesses reported…”). Explain that using simple, direct language (active voice) is essential for clarity and avoiding reader confusion.
- Activity: The trainer provides a detailed, factual breaking news scenario. Trainees must first select the three most important questions, and then write two different versions of a single-sentence lead based on those facts, ensuring immediate attribution is included.
- Discussion: Trainees share their leads. The trainer discusses the concept of ‘hard news’ leads. Discuss why attribution must be immediate in the lead to demonstrate impartiality and transparency, and how delaying it can introduce bias.
11:00-11:15 – Break
11:15–12:45 – Session 3: Structuring the story:
- Aims: To master the inverted pyramid structure and apply it to a story draft, ensuring the final piece is clear, useful, and adheres to fundamental ethical checks related to fairness and context.
- Presentation: The trainer explains the inverted pyramid model in depth: 1. Lead. 2. Key supporting details/quotes. 3. Secondary details/background. 4. Least important facts. Discusses how this structure ensures the story is accessible and useful, and how to use context effectively without introducing opinion.
- Activity: Using the scenario from Session 2, trainees must now draft the complete body of a news story following the inverted pyramid model. They must include at least one attributed quote and one paragraph of necessary background context. The trainer provides additional facts/quotes to help them build the story.
- Discussion: The trainer facilitates a structured peer review. Trainees swap stories and review them against a checklist: (1) Does it follow the inverted pyramid model? (2) Is the language simple and clear? (3) Is all information attributed? (4) Does the story demonstrate fairness by including relevant context?
12:45–13:00 – Assignment
Participants are to take a complex or confusing news/press release, public announcement, or transcript from a local news event. They must use the skills developed in the workshop to re-write the information into a clear, direct, and factually rigorous news story of no more than 300 words. The final story must clearly demonstrate:
- A concise lead containing the most important of the six questions – ‘Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How’
- Strict adherence to the inverted pyramid structure.
- Accurate and immediate attribution of all sources.
- Simple, active-voice language.
Materials needed for the workshop
- Handouts summarising the six key questions and the inverted pyramid structure.
- Example story transcripts or raw data (press releases, police reports).
- Research resources (internet access or printouts of background materials).
- Recording devices (optional, for mock reporting exercises).
Assessment (Both workshops)
- Participation in discussions and activities.
- Quality of drafted leads and peer feedback provided.
- Performance in the final assignment (adherence to structure, clarity, and accuracy).
Conclusion
This workshop has provided a focused look at the essential elements required to construct a factual, clear, and ethically sound news story. By focusing on the ‘Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How’ as a foundational checklist, and then applying the inverted pyramid for structure, journalists can ensure maximum impact and accessibility for their readers. For further reading and to revisit the core concepts, trainers and trainees should refer to the original article: Essential elements of a news story.
