What Is News Reporting?

Copyright Bite #3: Legal Use of Work that is in copyright

If the purpose is to report current events, you can use copyrighted materials. The exception is not limited to any particular type of event and can encompass a wide array of current events, no matter what field they are in. The event needs to be current.

What constitutes a current event is often interpreted differently. Recent occurrences are of interest to the public. Past events are included if they continue to be matters of legitimate and continuing public interest.

The use of material pertaining to a past meeting between politicians is of current public interest because it may influence the voting behavior at the next elections. The news reporting exception can be used if the reporting is intended for the public. News that is tailored for a group of individuals for private commercial purposes would not be acceptable.

You must include an acknowledgement to the creator of the work and the title of the material. The author should be identified and not the owner of the copyright. If the author of the television programme is used to identifying themselves by a logo on the television, then alternative forms of identification can suffice.

What Makes a News Story?

The facts are what make a news story a news story. It becomes an opinion piece or a lifestyle article if it isn't changed. The public expects facts over opinions and the journalist to follow sound fact-checking procedures.

The American Press Institute says emotion makes people feel good. News reporting is about emotion. Writers must balance hard facts with emotional heartstrings.

The active voice is used when writing a news report. The active voice has more impact. Use action verbs to develop short, concise sentences.

Your language needs to be simple and not complex. The weather or how someone is dressed doesn't need to be included unless it has a bearing on the overall story. The reader might have questions that you should anticipate.

The News

The most interesting news is not the major crimes. Readers and radio show hosts will be interested in the armed hold-up which netted a million dollars. They may be interested in the story of a sneak thief who broke into a widow's home and killed her cat.

Murders or armed robbery are not usually events that are on the news. Unusual elements can be found in less serious crime. It is not very news that someone sneaks on to a bus without paying or throwing trash on the street.

If a person is on an international airliner, that free flight becomes a big deal. The news is if someone dumps rubbish into three garbage trucks. Crimes involve people, as criminals and victims.

The so-called victim-less crime is not true. The driver of a car parked in a No parking zone may cause an accident and other people may be in a bad mood. People who make false declarations to claim government benefits are taking money that could have been used by other people.

Always tell a crime story in a way that is understandable to the average person. Do not focus on the police or criminals all the time. Look at what happened to the victim.

The role of the media in exposing "fake news"

The production and distribution of reports on current events is called journalism. The occupation and collaborative media who gather and publish information based on facts and supported with proof or evidence are all considered journalism. Journalistic media include print, television, radio, Internet and newsreels.

"Fake news" is also untruthful information which can be spread quickly on social media or by means of fake news websites. News can be seen as a form of misinformation. Governments have a wide range of policies and practices towards journalists, which affect what they can and cannot do.