‘News In Brief’ is not just for tabloids
Ask anyone if they’ve heard of ‘News in Brief’ and chances are you’ll get a raunchy answer. For ever since the phrase was hijacked by The Sun newspaper years ago, it’s originally meaning has been gradually forgotten.
While it’s fair to say the future of The Sun itself now looks a little rocky, it’s legendary take on the important news of the day will always have a place in print history. Sex sells, even when it means discussing politics and economics.
NIBS stripped bare…
But take away the gimmick and what The Sun does really well is classic News In Brief reporting.
short, sharp sentences which get the message across super quick.
And that style of reporting is something that every business can learn from.
A News In Brief report is a way to let your readers know about developments which don’t necessarily need a full explanation. They are the little bits of important info people would be interested in hearing about but may already have a bit of background on. With this in mind you can afford to be to the point…
Think three or four sentences, one paragraph and with no need for a photo.
If you have three or four NIBS, then the ideal thing to do is to club them together. That way readers can be up-to-speed with all the latest news in minutes. Whether you’re looking at it from a print point of view (through the company newsletter or magazine), or on the landing page of your website, it’s an excellent way of conveying info super quick.
NIBs can be anything you want them to be – take the tabloid principles and make them work for you. just make sure you don’t take their meaning too literally, like this guy from Slovenia – boxer shorts may be just a step too far.
How To Pitch
Knowing how to sell a story is a skill every writer needs to learn.
For no matter how good your prose is, if you can’t pitch, you can’t earn.
Whether you are trying to gain exposure in newspapers, a regular blogging spot on a website or promoting potential stories for the in-house magazine, you need to sell your idea in just the right way.
So where to start?
Firstly, know who you need to talk to. I know this sounds like a no-brainer but plenty of people fire off pitches only for their idea to wallow in a neglected inbox littered with forgotten emails. If you do a little investigating first you will have all the details you need to follow things up later.
Email… then call.
Phoning someone out of the blue can be hard – when someone you don’t know calls you with a ‘great idea’, does it fill you with glee? Send an email first and then call the person up a few days later to see what they think. Don’t leave it too long though or your idea might get lost in the work pile.
Size too is always important.
I’ve found that if you can’t get your idea across in a two or three short and snappy paragraphs, it’s probably not going to work. You want to entice your reader, not bore them to death.
Style things up
Know your audience and play to your strengths. Grab a couple of back copies of the business magazine or read previous postings on the website. It will really help you gain an insight into the house style and tailor your idea to fit in.
Headline Blunders
Sometimes headlines grab attention for all the wrong reasons.
No matter what medium you’re writing for, your headline needs to be subject specific, eye-catching and enticing.
But if you don’t tread carefully and it give it your full attention, things can go horribly wrong…
The Daily Mail – a secret internet success
Love it or loathe it, there’s no other newspaper quite like the Daily Mail.
Often derided as middle-market right wing rag, it’s easy to take a pop at the Mail and play it for laughs.
But what most people wont admit to is actually buying a copy – which nearly two million people do every day.
What’s more, it’s now the leading online newspaper in the world – with the Mail Online reaching 45.3 million people last December compared to the New York TImes’s 44.8m.
Despite what people say in public, the Daily Mail has an army of secret online fans who feverishly log in every day to catch up on the latest developments.
Lessons…
There is a lot to learn from the Mail. It sets a great example of how content can be adapted for both print and the web, it knows how to use web furniture to its advantage and, crucially, it knows its online readership.
It’s not politics, sport or even cutting edge news which drives the Mail online traffic – it’s celebs, gossip and people like Samantha Brick. Say what you like about her views, the Daily Mail have taken one controversial feature and surfed happily on the worldwide exposure. Three weeks in, while Brick is publicly ridiculed, the Mail Online’s secret followers are still logging on to read all they can on the latest scandal or controversy.
Poles Apart…
When you compare the print version of the Daily Mail with the online one, it’s easy to think they are actually two different newspapers. In print, its stories which focus on things like the royal family, pensions and crime which make the splash. Online, its celebrity tan disasters, shocking wardrobe mishaps and paparazzi style photos of bikini clad girls.
There’s a host of other media companies out there who refuse, or simply don’t see that print and online content can’t always be one in the same thing. The Web demands a whole new set of rules for a time poor, info guzzling readership who want the facts but also the frivolity only the Internet provides.
Any company can take the Mail’s example and make it work for them. You don’t have to adopt the politics, just be sure you can deliver what your readership craves.
Budget Bingo
In just under half an hour the Chancellor George Osborne will give his third budget in the House of Commons.
Question is: Will he say anything new?
With so much riding on reaction, it’s always tempting to use phrases which encourage confidence. Whether you’re saying them out loud or writing them down, their job is to instill a sense of trust but not necessarily reveal any details.
Which is why phrases like ‘in it together’ and ‘for the greater good’ litter politician’s chat.
Think you’ve heard it all before? Chances are you have.
So with George eager to try and steady our nerves about the state of our economy it’s time for a spot of Budget Bingo. PoliticsHome features a few crackers on their Diary page today. ‘Roll up our sleeves’ anyone? Or ‘Work not welfare’?
Here are my top five predictions for today’s Budget Bingo Game… what’s yours?
- A Budget for hardworking Britons.
- This is not a time for half measures.
- We are still clearing up the mess left behind by 13 years of Labour.
- By pulling together our economy can grow.
- This system is fair and just for all.
