KUCHING: Journalists have been urged not to rely solely on press statements when producing news reports but to instead identify storytelling angles that are more engaging and relevant to their target audience.
Veteran journalist and political observer, Francis Paul Siah, said the first step in producing quality reporting is understanding who the target readers are.
“To get a good news angle, you must know who your readers are. If you’re writing for local newspapers like Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak, the approach is different compared to writing for a national magazine.
“This understanding will determine which angle is most suitable and effective to highlight,” he said.
He said this during the Writing and Journalism workshop, attended by reporters and editors from Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak at Sarawak State Library (Pustaka) here today.
However, Siah noted that although newspapers like Sarawak Tribune and Suara Sarawak previously focused on readers in Sarawak, the shift to digital e-paper formats now means they are read by a wider audience, including readers from across the country.
He also emphasised that journalists need to be more attentive to the information presented during press conferences, and not just copy the content of the statements given.
“Ask yourself, what is new, surprising, or contradictory in the information you received? That might be the stronger news angle.
“If all journalists write the same thing, the news report becomes dull and uninteresting. Strong news stories usually contain elements of conflict or tension.
“For example, people facing a burdensome system, or someone’s actions having a significant impact.
“These elements attract reader interest because naturally, humans are drawn to conflict,” he said.
He added that the human-interest angle also plays a crucial role in making news stories resonate more deeply with readers.
Personal stories help make abstract issues easier to understand and relate to – stories about families, life challenges, or personal achievements can add value to a report, he said.
He stated that journalists should always ask themselves why readers should care about the article before they start writing.
“If your friend falls ill, you might care. But what about others? You need to find an angle that makes the story important to others as well,” he said.
In addition, he suggested that journalists shift their reporting approach from merely asking ‘what happened’ to exploring ‘what is the impact on society’ and ‘what happens next’.
Every story, he said, should conclude with important questions such as ‘how did we get here?’ and ‘what’s at stake?’
“This is so readers can get a more comprehensive picture,” he said.
