1st Place, Breaking News Coverage
2023-24, Division 4, News Writing
By Emily Kunzelman
The Cougar Crier
Annapolis HS
NW-01. Breaking News Coverage
Coverage of an unplanned breaking or developing news event, published within 48 hours of the originating news event. Report should contain as much information as possible without editorializing or relying on assumptions. Online reports may reflect updates as the news event unfolds, but it should be noted in the story when this has occurred.
Judging Criteria
- Reports as much of the who, what, where, when, why and how as possible
- Story is in the form of a short report to get out essential facts as soon as possible
- Does not sacrifice accuracy for the sake of timeliness
- Sharp, attention-getting lead that underscores news story importance
- The most important, relevant and timely information is near the beginning of the story
- Emphasizes news elements, i.e. timeliness, nearness, impact, and prominence
- Avoids opinion unless properly attributed
- Proper diction/grammar; use of third person