Educators

Lesson 1: Developing Story Ideas

Objectives
One of the toughest times of the day in most television newsrooms is that morning story meeting. In many newsrooms, it’s mandatory that everyone come in with at least one story idea. No matter what job you have in a newsroom, you will have to generate story ideas. This lesson plan is designed to help students become newsroom stars, with an endless supply of new story ideas.

Specific goals of this lesson plan:

1. Learn about the demographics of a market
2. Learn about working sources
3. Learn about listening to the audience

Teaching Materials
Teaching materials include:

• "Find the Story" demographics game
• "Listening Post" exercise

Instructor’s Guide
(designed for 1 hour 50 minute class) Begin by asking students where they think story ideas come from. Make the point that no matter what job you have in a newsroom, everyone is ultimately a reporter, and you are always a journalist.

Story ideas come from:

• Knowing your market
• Working in your market
• Living in your market

Knowing Your Market—
Before you begin work in a new market, do a complete demographics profile. The Chamber of Commerce, the U.S. Census Web site and especially your station’s sales department can all be helpful.

Ask students to develop a list of demographics they should know about their market and audience.

Play "Find the Story" demographics game

Working in your market—
The easiest way to develop story ideas is to work a beat, but many newsrooms don’t have beat systems. Still, that doesn’t mean you don’t work your sources.

The biggest mistake beginning journalists make is not getting future story ideas from current sources.

Every phone call, email or interview with a source (expert or real person) should close with a question about other story ideas.

Anything else going on that we might be interested in?

Will you call or email me if something comes up you think would make a good story?

Give out your card to everyone you talk with or interview in person.

Follow-up phone calls to sources with an email including your contact information and a request for future story ideas.

Living in your market—
There are story ideas everywhere—keep your eyes open. You’re not just a journalist while you’re at work.

Things you see on the way to work… “I wonder why all the Christmas trees are still by the curbs three weeks after Christmas, and no one’s come to pick them up?”

Things you hear in the neighborhood… (This was an actual side-conversation among two reporters during a boring morning meeting when there were no story ideas—it ended up being a lead story, with team coverage.) “My next door neighbor was telling me he had the aluminum siding stolen off one side of his house over the weekend—the cops said there’s a rash of these thefts because the aluminum recycling plant is paying so much money.”

Things you hear in church, at the grocery story, from your kids… “Mom, I need $75 to play football this year.” “Why?” “Cause coach says everybody has to pay or there’s no more football team.”

Assignment: "Listening Post" exercise To be completed for next class period.

Wrap Up
In addition to finding story ideas, you have to be able to “sell” your ideas in editorial meetings. You can make a better case if you do a little homework before you attend the meeting. Research your topic, find out what interviews and video are available and above all, be passionate about the stories you bring to the table. If you don’t care enough to make the story compelling to your co-workers, how will you make it interesting to the audience?

© RTNDF Educator in the Newsroom Lesson Plans