Synopses & Reviews
Reaching Audiences: A Guide to Media Writing is the essential writing handbook for any student who want a brief yet thorough guide to correct, clear writing for the media. This text stresses the importance of clear, concise, accurate writing in a media world that is increasingly online. The book sets up the writing process and the essential art of editing while reinforcing the importance of the audience in considering the structure of media messages. Illustrative and specific real life examples provide guidance for students in improving their writing. Specific skills related to spelling, grammar, accuracy, word usage, bias, research, interviewing, and other important topics are covered. By recognizing today’s ever-changing media environment, this text is grounded in the basics of good writing essential to communicators in print, online, broadcast, and strategic communication.
Table of Contents
I. THE COMPONENTS OF GOOD WRITING
1. Writing for Today's Audiences
Reaching Audiences
Knowing Audiences
The Writing Process Explained
2. Tools for Writers: Spelling, Grammar, Style, and Math
Spelling in the Computer Age
Grammar To the Rescue
Grammar Problems Up Close
Math for Journalists
Suggested Readings
3. Editing, Editing, Editing
Watching Style
Editing Responsibilities
Editing for Online and Other Formats
Putting the Rules in Practice
4. Guidelines for Good Writing
Watchwords of Writing
Keys to Good Writing
Words
Sentences
Paragraphs–Short Paragraphs
The Way to Clearer Writing
II. CONSTRUCTING THE MESSAGE
5. Getting to the Point
What's the Point?
In the Beginning Comes the Lead
News Elements
News Values
General Rules for Leads
Summary Leads
Other Lead Formats
Writing Leads for Online Media
Choosing a Lead Type
6. Beyond the Lead: Writing the Message
The Inverted Pyramid
Organizing a Story
News Peg and Nut Graph
Other Organizational Styles
Unifying Writing.
7. Producing Online Content
The World Goes Online
Electronic Media Then and Now
What’s Different about Online Content
The Components of a News Site
Structuring Messages Online
Challenges and Opportunities
8. Beyond Breaking News
News versus Feature
Obituaries
Speech Stories
III . GATHERING INFORMATION
9. Research and Observation
Getting Started
Government Sources
Online Research
Observation
10. Interviewing, Quotes, and Attribution
Interviewing as a Challenge
Research Before Interviewing
Getting the Interview
Writing the Questions
Conducting an Interview
Selecting and Using Quotes
More on Attribution
11. Recognizing Bias and Stereotypes
The Bias Habit
Considering Specific Groups
Overcoming Bias in Writing
12. Legal and Ethical Issues
Libel
Privacy
Copyright and Plagiarism
Ethics in Gathering Information
IV. OTHER MEDIA
13. Broadcast Media
The Medium Changes the Style
Print versus Broadcast Copy
Leads and Structure
Writing Guidelines
Broadcast Formats
Trends in Broadcast Media
14. Strategic Communication
The Importance of Good Writing.
Public Relations in Practice
Advertising’s Role in Strategic Communication
Strategic Communication Online
Appendix A. Keys to Grammar and Style Quizzes
Appendix B. Key to Math Test
Index.