Reporting on a Speech

From Carole Rich, Writing and Reporting News, p. 367. Additions in brackets are my notes:

To ask good questions, you must prepare for the event. You need to find out all you can about the speaker and the issue. Be sure to check the clips and online databases.

With a prominent speaker, you can often get the text of the speech in advance. But be careful not to rely on it. The speaker may depart from the prepared text. However, you can still use the prepared text. Just say, "The speaker said in prepared remarks" or "in a written text." Reporters sometimes have to relay on the written version, especially if their deadlines come before the speech or news conference is over. [But you must make sure the section quoted was actually spoken during the speech.]

[If you are live-blogging the speech, post the full text as soon as you get it. If you are taking comments in real time, your audience will help spot departures from the text.]

[If you are preparing a radio report, jot down the time key phrases or audience reaction fall. This will help with the editing of excerpts for broadcast.]

Write follow-up questions to ask the speaker after the speech or news conference.

Try to get an aisle seat. If someone asks a good question after the speech or meeting and then leaves, you should follow that person out of the room quickly so you can check the name and get more information. [If you are reporting for radio, conduct a brief interview with the questioner.]

Your story should always include some basic information:

• Size of the audience
• Location of the speech
• Reason for the speech
• Highlights of the speech, including good quotes
• Reaction of the audience, especially at dramatic points during the speech

Speakers usually don't make their strongest points first and follow in chronological order, so your story shouldn't be written in that order. Put the most emotional or newsworthy information first. Then back it up with quotes and supporting points.

New York Times Will Charge for Online Content

Jan. 20, 2010 -- The New York Times confirmed today that beginning in early 2011 the company will adopt a paid model for its Web site, NYTimes.com. The move comes at a time when much of the newspaper industry is searching for a way to stop the bleeding brought on by the Internet and the accompanying smaller revenue streams that online advertising produces.

Many fear that putting content behind a paywall will just drive readers to other sources, but perhaps the Times' approach will help to combat that issue.

The move is something we've all seen coming, as more and more newspapers have shut down in recent years. By mid-2009, more than 100 newspapers had been shuttered with a number stopping the presses and going online-only in an attempt to remain in production.

As with most things of this nature, only time will tell if this new model will work. What do you think?

Full story here:  New York Times Confirms Pay Model for 2011