This story by NPR's Carrie Kahn appeared just a few days ago. She's reporting on a controversy that's still going, but with far less ferver than last year. Like all of the stories we'll hear, she leads with a scene, and gets the stakeholders involved from there. For comment: What's the theme of this piece?
The next story is one I promised you that I did for NPR. It's about a very local reaction to a controversy that's happening nationally. I did this before I read the Updike manifesto, but in going back to that early post, I realized that this is what I was trying to do:
"Writing, in a radio story, has to be tighter and simpler than print: the beginning should hook listeners fast and hard, the way a song does."
For comment: What's another possible scene I could have led with? Also, what do you think about the actualities? Do they "work" in helping to tell the story? One note here: this story was on a tight turnaround, so I have a census official on the phone, not in person...you've got to find ways to talk to your stakeholders in person. That, by nature, will make it a more "local" story.
Here's another story I did a few years ago...and we're back to immigration. (You must think that's all we cover!) Listen for how the argument is set up - we establish the theme early, by using a scene. We let the stakeholders themselves discuss the controversy. For comment: I think it's a good story...but not really very "compelling." How could it have been better?
