These stories
show the importance of story structure in making information understandable. Use
these examples to demonstrate how a logical structure, without midstream
detours, can simplify a complicated story. The second version also demonstrates
the value of analogy in storytelling, even when the analogy is not visual,
because it provides a framework for understanding complex
issues.
The Story: Airport Lawsuit
The
Changes
The long-running legal battle over flights at Love Field
airport in Fort Worth, TX, may be moving to a new courtroom,
if Southwest Airlines gets its way. This weekend
Restructured story to provide a
framework for understanding. Version two uses the analogy of "squabbling
neighbors" at the beginning and the end.
Added video to show the second airport and one more
of the airlines involved
news story recaps
the dispute, including the effort this week by one side
to get a new judge to hear the case.
Reporter: Deborah Potter, for NewsLab.
The Issues
Version one names the parties to
the lawsuit in the order in which they joined the suit. It is difficult to
determine which side each of those airlines is on.
Airlines are named without
supporting video.
The script does not explain why
Fort Worth and the airlines went to court.
The story takes a detour in the
middle with a reference to Texas history.
in the dispute, matching the video to the references in track. (Note: at the
time, Legend Airlines existed only on paper.)
Version two names the parties to
the lawsuit by grouping them together on either side of the case.
Added background information to
explain the basis for the lawsuit.
Version two eliminates the
reference to Texas history.
For Discussion
Is a story easier to follow if it
is told in a more chronological order? Why or why not?
Do journalists assume that
viewers know more or less than they really do about any given story? What are
the consequences of those assumptions?
Where should background
information be placed in a news story? Why?
What should a reporter do with an
interesting fact that is not directly connected to the focus of the story?
How can analogy be used to help
viewers understand stories better?
Can analogy be effective if it is
only used in the script, with no visual support?
Are there potential drawbacks to
using analogies in news stories?
