Week 3 - Class Notes

REPORTER’S CHECKLIST

Accidents
1.) Identification of dead, injured
2.) Time and location
3.) Type(s) of vehicle involved
4.) Cause of accident (from official sources)
5.) Identification of others involved
6.) Where dead and injured taken
7.) Extent of injuries
8.) Condition of injured
9.) Heroism, rescues
10.) Arrest(s) or citation(s)
11.) Funeral arrangements if available
12.) Damage to vehicles
13.) Speed, origin, destination of vehicles (from official sources)
14.) Unusual weather or road conditions
15.) Accounts by eyewitnesses, investigating officers


Crime
1.) Identification of victim
2.) Crime, how committed
3.) Date, time, location of crime
4.) Violent crime: official cause of death, injury; weapon used; motivation; background of victim if relevant
5.) Property crime: value of loss; method of theft or entry
6.) Arrests, suspects, clues
7.) Unusual circumstances
8.) Quotes of victim, witnesses, police

Fires
1.) Deaths, injuries
2.) Identification of victims
3.) Location, type of structure
4.) Cause (from official source)
5.) When, where started; how spread
6.) When brought under control
7.) How victims killed, injured
8.) Property loss (extent, cost of damage, insurance)
9.) Investigation? Unusual circumstances
10.) Where dead, injured taken; extent of injuries
11.) Rescue attempts
12.) Comments of neighbors, eyewitnesses
13.) Number of fire companies, firefighters

Sources:
Fire chief, marshal, inspector
Police
Hospital
Morgue, mortuary
Welfare agencies, Red Cross
City building, fire-inspection reports

Meetings
1.) Major action(s), vote, decision, agreement
2.) Vote; number for and against (names)
3.) Reason for action, votes
4.) Purpose, time, location
5.) Discussion, debate, length of meeting
6.) Quotes from witnesses, experts, audience
7.) Audience’s makeup
8.) Agenda; departures from it
9.) Consequences of action(s)
10.) Agenda for next meeting

News Conferences
1.) Major point made in announcement
2.) Name, identification of speaker(s)
3.) Background of major point
4.) Question and answer material
5.) Consequences of announcement

Obituaries
1.) Name, age, address, occupation
2.) Time, place, cause of death
3.) Birthdate, birthplace
4.) Survivors (immediate family)
5.) Funeral and burial arrangements
6.) Accomplishments
7.) Education, memberships
8.) Military service
9.) Anecdote, recollections of friends, relatives

Sources:
Mortuary
Relatives, friends
Newspaper clippings
References (Who’s Who)
Police, coroner
Hospital
Attending physician

Speeches
1.) Speaker’s main point
2.) Name, identification of speaker
3.) Quotes to support main point
4.) Purpose, time, location of speech
5.) Audience, number, makeup, reactions
6.) Additional points
7.) Background to major point
8.) Speaker’s comments before, after speech
9.) Material from question and answer period,if any

Sports: Game coverage
1.) Score
2.) Names of teams, type of sport
3.) Where, when game took place
4.) Key play, strategy, turning point of game
5.) Outstanding player(s)
6.) Effect on standings, rankings, individual records
7.) Scoring
8.) Streaks, records involved by team, player
9.) Postgame comments
10.) Crowd size, behavior (if relevant)
11.) Injuries
12.) Duration of game
13.) Statistics