Choosing the right story
How significant is a story? Does it involve a prominent person, is it a crime of outstanding brutality, or is this a matter of national or ‘big-city’ interest?
Picking a story
How significant is a story? Does it involve a prominent person, is it a crime of outstanding brutality, or is this a matter of national or ‘big-city’ interest? Go with something that appeals to a wide range of people – we should only write stories we think are totally ‘essential’ for the South African newsreader.
Proposed changes to SA lockdown laws ‘will limit Dlamini-Zuma’s power’ – Everyone in South Africa is impacted by lockdown laws. Dlamini-Zuma is a very well-known, almost infamous figure
Motorists, beware: Toll fees increase next week – here’s what you’ll now pay – We have toll roads all across the country, with many concentrated in areas like KZN and Gauteng
Defining ‘essential’
It’s a broad term, so let’s go into it: Essential, for TheSouthAfrican, constitutes stories that are interesting, informative, shocking, educational, explanatory, entertaining, relevant (to everyday life), or trending (online). You must write about developments that impact people or pique their attention.
– Informative: Matric results: Release time, re-mark information, and how to find your grades
– Shocking: Farm attack horror: 77-year-old beaten, tortured, and ‘left to drown’ in sewage
– Educational: Here’s what you need to know about June’s Strawberry Moon
– Explanatory: Will SASSA cards be valid beyond 31 March? Here’s what you need to know
– Entertaining: SONA Debate: Why is Cyril Ramaphosa being compared to the Cookie Monster
– Relevant to everyday life: Check Wednesday’s load-shedding schedules for Gauteng, Cape Town, & Durban here
– Trending online:Brackenfell violence: Julius Malema Tweets 10-word warning