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EXIT |
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Module Outline |
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Module 2: Skills for Radio Journalists
What to Say: Finding the Angle
The first step in developing a news story is to find the angle, or the main point of the story. One way to find the angle is to clarify the facts and then ask the question, "So what?"
To answer the "so what?" question, you need to understand who the listeners are. What news interests them? What information is relevant to their daily lives? What are they worried about? What do they feel strongly about?
The answer to "so what?" will lead to the story angle.
The necessity of an angle
| Compare two versions of the same story. Which one is more interesting? |
The angle is what makes listeners say, "Oh, that's important," or "That's interesting."
Identifying the angle helps to sharpen focus for the story and leads to clearer writing. A story without an angle that covers every aspect of an issue will be confusing and lose listeners.
Finding the angle
While researching a story, ask:
- What is happening or what has been happening?
- Why is the story important?
- Why will listeners care about this story?
- What will listeners want to know?
Are you being gender-aware in your approach? Some resources on gender and media include:
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Think about:
- Listeners
- Who are they?
- What will make them identify with the story and find it relevant and interesting?
- What do they already know or think about the issue?
- What other questions would they like to have answered?
- The story from all its perspectives
- Why did the event occur?
- What do people think about the event that occurred?
- Who is involved in the event and why?
- Will something happen in the future as a result of the news event?
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