Subhash Dhuliya
Professor (Communication) & Head, Education, Research and Training
IGNOU, New Delhi, Email: sdhuliya@gmail.com

Information centered rather than
VIP centered

• What are the prevailing news concepts?
• What makes news?
• Newsworthiness
• Evaluating information for “new”
• Crisis of PR-What news media need- one needs to be fully informed through process of “closing the gaps” to become source of news and information.
• Objectivity and accuracy
• Editorial setup-whom to approach for what?

Forms of interaction

• Briefing- A continuous process
• off the record and on the record
• Press release and press note
• Features
• Press conference
• Press tours
• Organizing interviews

Sources/researching

• Written sources
• Sources of knowledge
• Sources of experience
• Field visits: Observations
• Research interviews
• Partisan sources
• Key interview(s)

Mind Mapping

Identifying various aspects and
angles of the subject and
setting the priorities
From idea to front page or prime time: Feasibility research

• Development of the idea to a sharp angle
• Plan of action-synopsis
• Preliminary research

AND never forget what you have been told in very beginning !!!
Every kind of journalistic contribution, in one or other form, must answer:

• Who
• What
• When
• Where
• Why
• How

One point may be noted here: when we are answering first four questions, we are generally factual and the moment we start answering last two questions element of interpretation is introduced and we ought to be extra careful and not jump into sweeping conclusions or unsubstantiated generalizations

Outlining the story

• Headline
• Intro
• Body
• Conclusion
• Key issues
• Key quotes
• Pictures
• Graphics
• Box items
• Heightening key points or sharp quotes etc.

Source Analysis

• WHO-IS-WHO?

Analysis of

• the Stakeholders

WHO IS:

1. directly affected by the problem?
2. directly involved in the problem?
3. directly involved in the dealing with the problem?
4. indirectly affected by the problem?
5. not involved, but aware of the problem?
6. inspecting the problem on behalf of the public?

Assess the reliability of the sources
Ask yourself if the sources are:

• real (as existing, not pretending to be)?
• close to the events (in time and space)?
• primary sources (opposite secondary sources)?
• having open or hidden motives (also experts)?
• blinded by opinion, prejudice, interests, fear, personal repression or the like

Mind map more sources

• You may also make a mind map on sources.
• The mind map is a useful tool for journalists to develop our ideas and to find sources for our stories.
• You can always call on your colleagues to help brainstorming and record it on any piece of paper.