Please make a list of:
- 5 questions the reporter may have asked her sources (any sources will do)
- 10 facts that the reporter included in the article
AND
answer the following question:
How does this story differ from a hard news story? What is this style of writing meant to do to the readers (i.e. how is it supposed to make them feel/react)? Why, as reporters, do we want to make our readers feel a certain way?
Questions Asked:
ReplyDelete1) What were you doing at the time of the tornado?
2) What were you doing before the tornado?
3) How did you feel at that moment?
4) What did the sky look like?
5) Describe what the surroundings looked like before and during the tornado?
Facts:
1) Tornado took place at 6:09, April 20th
2) Lasted 10 seconds
3) Utica, Illinois
4) Ingredients for a tornado--
warm air to the south, cooler air north and a hint of wind shear
5) Meteorologists cannot tell when a thunderstorm will turn into a tornado
6) Bimm was standing in the driveway of her house at 238 W. Church St. in Utica,
population 977
7) Shelba Bimm had been a 1st-grade teacher for 42 years
8) That night, the weather service would tally 53 tornadoes in the Midwest. Fourteen
whipsawed across north-central and northeastern Illinoi
9) Milestone Pub is 117 years old
10) Rich Brumer had issued a tornado
warning for north-central Illinois at 5:32 PM
This type of story is different from a hard news story in that its intent is not to simply inform its audience, but to also have them experience everything through the words they read. It is meant to invoke the emotions that those who directly had the experience had. In this particular piece, the author wanted her audience to establish emotional attachment to the characters and their surroundings. Once she has this emotional appeal, she incorporated language that establishes these pathos and continues to grab her audience through their desire to find out what will happen to these people. She continuously asks rhetorical questions and keeps the reader going until the end. I think it's important for reporters to have this emotional grasp to truly keep their writing enjoyable to their readers; they have to intrigue their audience to get them interested.
Questions:
ReplyDelete1. Who were you with throughout the day?
2. Did your plans for the day because of the storm?
3. What were you doing when you noticed the storm?
4. What did it look like outside?
5. How close were you to the storm?
Facts:
1. The tornado lasted 10 seconds
2. 6:09pm
3. April 20
4. Utica, Illinois
5. Low, grey clouds
6. Pietrycha is a meteorologist
7. Utica has a population of 977
8. Various ages
9. Debbie and Mike were with five minors
10. Mike has a Ford LTD
This is different from a hard news story because it written more like an entertainment piece than a typical news article. There is much more room for fluff, creativity and subjective descriptions. The word count for this essay is much higher than news articles usually are. The author of this story wrote is to create a connection between the reader and the people in the story, not to simply get information across. This article was written targeting people’s emotions while also providing information about what happened during the storm.
QUESTIONS
ReplyDelete1. Where did you take shelter during the storm?
2. How did your routine alter due to the storm approaching?
3. Did you have any warning that the storm was coming?
4. What were the weather center’s procedures in predicting the storm?
5. Did you see tornado itself?
FACTS
1. Tornado lasted for 10 seconds
2. Occurred in Utica, Illinois
3. Average warning time for tornados is 11 minutes
4. Chicago forecast office of the National Weather Service detected the storm
5. Tornado warning issues at 5:32 p.m.
6. Tornado base was 200 yards wide
7. Milestone bar was 117 years old
8. Lisle Elsbury owned Duffy’s bar
9. Larry Ventrice owned Milestone
10. Shelba Bimm was at EMT class at 6 p.m.
This story is different from hard news because it is more personal instead of simply presenting the facts. In the article, the author characterizes the people in the story in order to create a story that the reader can relate to. The goal of this is to make the reader feel a part of the story, that this can easily be his daily life. However, this is unlike hard news, where the goal is to prevent facts for the reader to know. This is important for reporters because it will cause the audience to become more involved with the story, instead of just reading it for knowledge.
Questions:
ReplyDelete1. What did the tornado look like?
2. How did you predict a tornado would hit? (Pietrycha)
3. What wee you doing the day the tornado hit? (Shelda Bimm)
4. What were you thinking as the tornado hit? (Lisle Elsbury)
5. How did you get involved with Duffy’s Tavern? (Lisle Elsbury)
Facts:
1. Tornado hit at 6:09 pm on april 20th
2. The warm air in the south, cold air in north, and wind shear caused tornado
3. The average warning for a tornado is 11 minutes
4. The tornado took place in Utica, Illinois
5. A tornado warning was issued for north-central Illinois at 5:32pm
6. The tornado was 10 seconds long
7. 53 tornadoes in the Midwest tallied that night
8. Pietrycha is a meteorologist in the Chicago forecast office of the National Weather
Service working 25 miles southwest of Chicago
9. the population of Utica is 977
10. Shelda Bimm had been a 1st grade teacher for 42 years
This article is different from hard new because it is a form of entertainment. It does not follow the rules of a strict “who, what, when, where, why” format in the first paragraph. The paragraphs are also longer than one to two sentences each. The first sentence of the article is meant to capture attention of the readers while hard news is strictly to inform. This article is very descriptive in order to help the readers picture the scenario. The reader is entertained and feels invested in the article. They feel bad for the victims of the tornado. Reporters want reporters to feel this way because it keeps them invested in the story and keeps them coming to the same source for information.
QUESTIONS:
ReplyDelete1. What was the weather like outside the day the tornado hit? Could you tell a tornado was coming? (Pietrycha)
2. How long have you held your rank as EMT Intermediate? (Shelba)
3. What are your working conditions like? (Pietrycha)
4. What was it like at work when the tornado suddenly formed? (Pietrycha)
5. Were you aware about the weather that was headed towards you and if so how did you react to this knowledge? (Larry)
FACTS:
1. The tornado lasted 10 seconds
2. It occurred in Utica at 6:09 on April 20th
3. There was a stratiform cloud cover
4. Pietrycha is a meteorologist in Chicago
5. There was warm air in the south and cool in the north on the day of the tornado.
6. Tornados are the most violent storms on earth
7. Bimm lived a 238 W. Church Street in Utica
8. The all you can eat spaghetti with breadsticks is $4.99 at Duffy's Tavern
9. The tornado warning was issued at 5:32 pm
10. 53 tornadoes occurred in the midwest
This article is much different from hard news stories. It starts off with an interesting hook that grabs the readers attention. In hard news stories, the article is startes off explaining who what when where why. This can be effective for certain situations, but for this story, the use of a narrative work very successfully. The article provided background information on the people in it; what they were doing before the storm hit and a look into their personal lives. This, in my opinion, evoked more emotion out of the reader. Knowing some background and not just the facts about the tornado made the information that was being read seem more sentimental. As reporters, we want to make our readers feel a certain way because without making them feel something, they aren't getting anything out of it. There is a difference between reading off facts just to inform and wanting to share something important for people to sympathize with and relate to.
Questions asked:
ReplyDelete1. Was the tornado off guard?
2. What was the condition of the sky prior/during the storm?
3. What was going on in the town prior to the storm?
4. How far is Milestone from your houses?
5. Why was the cheif's cell phone turned off?
10 Facts that the reporter included in the article:
1. Tornado touched down in Utica, Illinois.
2. The tornado lasted ten seconds.
3. The tornado arrived on April 20th at 6:20pm.
4. The tornado took the lives of 8 people.
5. Spring and early summer is when most tornadoes happen.
6. Average warning time for a tornado is 11 minutes.
7. Weather service would tally fifty-three tornadoes in the Midwest.
8. Milestone was the town's safe haven during the tornado. It is 117 years old.
9. Rich Brumer issued a tornado warning for north-central Illinois at 5:32pm.
10. Albert Pietrycha is a meteorologist in the Chicago forecast office of the National Weather service.
This article is much different from a hard news story because it evokes emotion from the reader. In a hard news story there is a sense of urgency in the way it is written. In this article it is well thouhgt out with tons of visual imagery that puts you in the situation. This style of writing is meant to bring about empathy from the readers, so they feel what the survivors of the tornado are feeling without actually being there. As reporters we want to make our readers feel a certain way because we want to make them relate to the story but in their own way. We want to make the readers feel as if we are talking about their lives as they are reading the story.
QUESTIONS
ReplyDelete1. Were there any signs before the storm that would lead people to believe it was brewing?
2. What went through your mind when the tornado hit?
3. During the storm, where did you seek shelter?
4. How far from Milestone do you live?
5. Had you ever witnessed an incident like this before?
FACTS
1. The tornado lasted ten seconds.
2. The tornado occurred on April 20th at 6:20pm
3. The tornado took the lives of 8 people.
4. 53 Midwestern tornados struck that night.
5. Average warning time for tornados is 11 minutes
6. The population of Utica is 977.
7. The base of the tornado was 200 yards wide.
8. Meteorologists cannot tell when a thunderstorm will turn into a tornado.
9. Pietrycha is the meteorologist.
10. 117-year-old Milestone was the safe haven of the town during the tornado.
This story is very different from hard news articles in that is meant to be read almost as entertainment rather than hard-hitting news. When reading this story, the reader gets the feeling as if they are reading the beginning of a novel rather than an informative disaster article. In hard news, the most important information is the first thing you read, while in pieces like this you actually have to search through the descriptions to find relevant factual information. There are also characters in the piece that we relate to and that pull us into the article in the style of a book. As reporters we must be conscious of the style in which we write in order to keep readers interested in the stories and interested in our work. While hard news is immediate and informative, there are benefits to beginning a softer news story with an anecdote or other tool to grab the reader’s attention.
1. Where were you when the tornado touched down?
ReplyDelete2. How did you hear about the approaching tornado?
3. Where were your loved ones?
4. Ask the subject the temper and personality of anyone missing that they knew
5. Where did you go for shelter before the storm hit? Why did you choose that place?
1. The tornado came through Utica at 6:09.
2. It took approximately 10 seconds to do what it did
3. The condition before the storm is called stratiform cloud cover
4. Pietrycha is a meteorologist.
5. Bimm is an EMT Intermediate.
6. Bimm is a retired primary school teacher.
7. Bimm lived at 238 W. Church Street
8. Oglesby is a 15 minute drive from Utica.
9. Bimm's classes were at Valley Community College
10. Bimm drove a Honda CRV.
This is different from a hard news story because, while it employs temporal and location-based facts and interviews, it relies heavily on inference and creative writing on the part of the author. The author tries to evoke a sense of dread in the reader by breaking up the article into several smaller vignettes from around Utica, and even though she hams it up just a little bit and the piece ends up sounding like a movie script. It's important to convey a sense of emotion or urgency when writing soft news because you have to draw the reader into the piece. Soft news isn't just the 'who what when where why.' It has the chance to be the sum total of dynamic emotion and setting, and failing to actualize that on paper, more than often, means you've written an uninteresting, trite soft news piece.
What were you doing when it hit?
ReplyDeleteWere there any warnings?
What did the sky look like?
What went through your mind?
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Killed 8
Touched down 4/20 at 6:09
10 seconds long
200yds wide
53 tornados touched down in Midwest that day
Hit Utica, IL
Utica pop is 977
Warning issued at 5:32
Avg warning time is 11 minutes
Bimm lived at 238 Church St.
It has a more humanistic style. When dealing with tragedy and strife, it's important to draw readers in with the emotion of the story. We want readers to feel a certain way because just knowing the facts isn't enough. It should move you to action.
Questions
ReplyDelete1- Was there any warning that you received about the storm?
2- Where were you when the tornado occurred?
3- What were you able to see from where you were?
4- What actions did you take after you had seen/heard about the storm coming?
5- How did you feel during that time?
Facts
1- The tornado lasted for 10 seconds
2- The tornado occurred at 6:09 in Utica on April 20th
3- The technical name for what occurred was stratiform cloud cover.
4- Pietrycha is a meteorologist in the Chicago forecast office of the National Weather Service.
5- Utica has a population of 997.
6- Oglesby is a 15 minute drive from Utica.
7- Shelba Bimm had been a 1st grade teacher for 42 years, and is now retired.
8- Dena Malli, 44, lives in Peru which is west of Utica.
9- Steve Maltas, 23, is a Utica volunteer firefighter.
10- An average warning time for a tornado is 11 minutes.
This story is different from a hard news story in many different ways. The first way in which this article differs from a hard news story is, because it is told in a more narrative form of writing compared to an informative type of writing. This story is meant to create a scene, and tell a story that will evoke emotion from its readers. The readers learn about each victim, their background, what they were doing at the time of the storm, which causes the reader to become interested in their story and concerned for their safety by the end. As reporters we want our readers to feel a certain way depending on what type of news, or message we are trying to portray. If we are trying to create a story, or to persuade people to feel a certain way there is a different way we go about writing an article than if we were writing an article just simply to inform our readers. A writer’s use of language and background information can evoke that emotion in its readers.
1. the tornado took place in utica
ReplyDelete2. a stratiform cloud cover manifested
3. "Pietrchya is a meteorologist..."
4. tornadoes are most common during spring and earyl summer
5. Pietrchya lives in Oswego
6. Mark Ratzer is also a meteorologist
7. "Bimm turned west on the Illinois highway"
8. The soup special at Duffy's was cheesy brocolli
9. Their were two tv sets angled at the bar
10. "the weather service would tally 53 tornadoes in the Midwest."
5 QUESTIONS THE REPORTER MAY HAVE ASKED.
ReplyDelete1. What is Albert Pietrycha’s occupation?
2. What was Pietrycha doing when the tornado hit?
3. Did you see the tornado?
4. Did you know the storm was approaching?
5. What was going on in the town during the tornado?
FACTS
1. Pietrycha is a meteorologist.
2. There was a tornado in Uthica, Illinois.
3. The tornado lasted 10 seconds.
4. The tornado was on April 20
5. The warm air in the south, cold air in north, and wind caused the tornado
6. Tornadoes are one of the most violent disasters on earth.
7. 53 tornadoes occurred in the Midwest
8. Pietrycha is a slender man with short sandy hair.
9. The specials at Duffy’s tavern that night was “All you can eat spaghetti with garlic sticks for $4.99”.
10. The tornado left the bar and most houses destroyed.
This article is different from a hard news article because the story is told in a narrative form rather than an informative form.
Questions:
ReplyDelete1. How long did the tornado last?
2. What time did it occur?
3. What did the sky look like?
4. What were you doing when the storm occurred?
5. Where did you take shelter during the storm?
Facts:
1. The tornado hit at 6:09 on April 20th
2. The tornado touched down in Utica Illinois
3. The average warning for a tornado is 11 minutes
4. The Tornado warning was issued at 5:32 pm
5. Milestone was the towns safe haven
6. It is 117 years old
7. Pietrycha is the meteorologist
8. The base of the tornado was 200 yards width
9. 53 midwestern tornados struck last year
10: Bimm was an Emt intermediate
This article is different from a hard news article because it is told from more of a narrative point of view than an imformative point of view. It is very descriptive and it uses lots of fluffy language and it seems like it is more meant to entertain the reader than inform them.
Questions:
ReplyDelete1-How long did the tornado last?
2-Where were you when the storm occurred?
3-Was there a storm warning?
4-Where did you go for shelter when the storm hit and why did you pick that specific place?
5-What did the sky look like?
Facts:
1-The tornado hit on April 20th
2-The tornado hit at 6:09
3-Tornados are the most violent storms
4-The average warning time for a tornado is 11 minutes
5-The tornado hit in Utica, Illinois
6-53 tornado's hit the Midwest last year
7-The tornado lasted 10 seconds
8-Utica has a population of 977 people.
9-The warning for the tornado was issues at 5:32
10-The base of the tornado was 200 yards wide
It differs from a hard news story because it is hard news told in the form of a narrative human interest piece. The reporters asks numerous different parties how they were effected by the tornado rather than just delivering black and white facts with no emotional appeal to the reader. The story also began setting the dramatic scene and therefore building the suspense of the reader. It also did this by breaking the story into parts. The to be continued aspect of what happens next leaves readers thirsty for more. The style of writing is meant to have an emotional appeal on the reader by means of ethos and logos. By doing this the reporter grabs the readers immediate attention by giving the story a compassionate feel rather than a dry feel via black and white reporting. As reporters we want to make our readers intrigued and emotionally invested in what they are reading to hold their interest and build suspense. By doing this the reporter also raises awareness on an important issue or an issue that has had an effect on a group of people. By raising awareness the story could gain potential donors and philanthropists to held work toward relief efforts for the damage done.
Questions:
ReplyDelete1.Describe the sky while the tornado was rampaging.
2.What were you doing when the tornado hit?
3.Where did you go for shelter?
4.Were people warned?
5.Where was your family?
Facts:
1.The tornado rampaged in Utica Illnois
2.Pietrycha is the meteorologist in the article.
3.Tornadoes cause destruction.
4.The tornado lasted 10 seconds
5.The tornado hit at 6:09 on the 20th of April
6.Average warning for a tornado is 11 minutes.
7.Base of the tornado measured 200 yards (width)
8.Killed 8 people
9.53 tornadoes occurred that day in the Midwest
10.Debbie and Mike were with five minors
The article is definitely more than just hard news because there is a story being told by the reporter.Yes there are a lot of facts but they are intelligently embedded in the narrative. There are a lot of opinions and emotions due to the fact that she included her raw conversations with the people. This guarantees emotional investment from the reader.