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Title / Write a variety of news stories for publication and broadcast
Level / 5 / Credits / 25
Purpose / This unit standard is intended for people studying journalism in an off-job situation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: write a variety of news stories for publication and broadcast; and select graphics and write captions.
Classification / Journalism > Journalism Skills
Available grade / Achieved
Entry information
Recommended skills and knowledge / Unit 27218, Gather and record information and plan news stories for publication and broadcast.
Explanatory notes
1All evidence requirements must be in accordance with the minimum standards for professional journalism, found in the current editions of: Statement of Principles (Wellington: New Zealand Press Council, 2006)available at – for print journalism; the Codes of the New Zealand Radio Code of Broadcasting Practice (Wellington: New Zealand Broadcasting Standards Authority, 2008) available at http://bsa.govt.nz/radio-code/. These standards encompass – the Radio Code, the Free-to-Air Television Code, the Pay Television Code.
2Industry text includes:
–Tully, Jim (ed), Intro:A Beginner's Guide to Professional News Journalism (Wellington: New Zealand Journalists Training Organisation, 4th edition, 2008).
3Relevant legislation:
Broadcasting Act 1989;
Copyright Act 1994;
Defamation Act 1992;
Electoral Act 1993;
Human Rights Act 1993;
New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990;
Personal Property Securities Act 1999 (Section 173, sub-section k);
Privacy Act 1993;
Telecommunications Act 2001;
Terrorism Suppression Act 2002;
Trespass Act 1980;
Victims' Rights Act 2002.
Relevant laws and legal conventions include:
Court Newspaper Rule;
Law of breach of confidence;
Rules on reporting Parliament;
Tort of breach of privacy;
Tort of defamation;
Tort of trespass.
4Assessment
Evidence is required for a minimum of 20 news stories of publishable standard on a range of topics. The stories must include a minimum of two stories for three of the following four platforms – radio, print, internet, television and must not be about local government, court, or police proceedings.
It is not necessary for captions to be used in every news story, but evidence is required that the student understands the requirements for these.
5Definitions
breaking news refers to how news stories develop as more facts and comment become available;
captions refer to the words that identify the graphic’s content and names identifiable subjects. Captions may be a label, a sentence, or an extended caption;
graphic refers tobut is not limited to – illustration, infographic, photograph, line drawing, table, graph, cartoon, general artwork, video;
house style refers to the conventions used when writing text for print, radio, television and internet;
minimum standards for professional journalism refers to the conventions under which the media operateandmay include but are not limited to – stories of publishable standard, meet agreed deadlines and length and are legally, ethically and culturally sound;
a news cycle refers to the period in which a news outlet gathers news;
a news round may refer to general news reporting or relate to a sector of special interest in the community within which a news organisation will expect journalists to find news;
a news story is a timely and succinct account of unfolding events of public interest;
a newsworthy person is anyone whose status, knowledge, activities, statements, or involvement in a news event means they are topical;
newsworthiness refers to events of sufficient interest or importance to the public to warrant reporting in the media;
notes are defined as material recorded through shorthand, longhand, and voice recorder, in accordance with minimum standards for professional journalism. In the compiling of the information for the required stories the notes must display evidence of a steady progression of shorthand use, to the minimum requirement of 80wpm;
platforms refer to the delivery modes of radio, print, internet, and television;
publishable standard refers to the standard required by news media outlets for them to consider publishing the material. It will meet standards described in the industry texts and may include but is not limited to – news cycles; news rounds; breaking news; newsworthy person; newsworthiness; notes; platforms; reliability, validity and usefulness; news values; introductions (impact, succinctness); structure (appropriate for story type and platform; arranged logically); grammar; spelling; punctuation; house style; word selection (jargon and clichés avoided); attribution (mix of direct and indirect quotes including paraphrasing); understanding (issues in context, key questions answered); editorial requirements; balance; fairness; language used in news media publications and broadcasting;
reliability, validity,and usefulness,when referring to a news source mean that the bona fides of the person, organisation or reference are established as a credible, knowledgeable, accurate, and authoritative source.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Write a variety of news stories for publication and broadcast.
Evidence requirements
1.1News stories are written in accordance with the publishable standard.
1.2Relevant sources of information are used and attributed in accordance with the publishable standard.
1.3Interviews are arranged and carried out in accordance with the guidelines in the industry text.
1.4News stories demonstrate use of media language in accordance with the industry text and the publishable standard.
Rangevocabulary, clarity, no clichés, jargon translated, quotations, paraphrasing.
1.5News stories are corrected in accordance with the publishable standard and filed in accordance with training establishment practices.
Outcome 2
Select graphics and write captions.
Evidence requirements
2.1Graphics for news stories are selected and prepared for inclusion in stories in accordance with the publishable standard.
2.2Captions are written, as appropriate, to meet the graphics’ design in accordance with the publishable standard.
Rangegrammar, punctuation, spelling, accuracy, explanation of graphics content, naming of identifiable subjects.
Replacement information / This unit standard replaced unit standard 23111.Planned review date / 31 December 2016
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 21 July 2011 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0002
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
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CompetenzSSB Code 101571 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2019