Internal News Sources

The first step is to become totally familiar with the organization you are represent- ing. This would include the organization's purpose and objectives, its products or services, the corporate philosophy and its key policies, the organizations chart, the history and background of the organization, its annual revenues, its key markets, its mi competitors, and its relative position in the market. To get this information, you must study the organization closely and keep up with changes, you must also play the role of reporter by moving around in the organization. Talk to a variety of people, ask a lot of questions, and constantly be on the lookout for something new or different. New stories don't necessarily come to you; you must come to the stories. Other people may have no awareness of the news value of an event or a situation, so you must be alert to clues and hints as well as hard facts.

A new source of a raw material may represent merely costs and quantities to the purchasing agent but may lead you to several stones. For example, a new fiber might change the characteristics of a textile, with interesting consequences for clothing manufacturers, consumers, designers, and fashion writers.

A change in work schedules may affect traffic and thus be important to the com- munity. Personnel changes and promotions may interest editors of business and trade papers. A new contract, which means hiring new employees, might be important to r regional economy. By the same token, the loss of a major contract — and its implications for the employees and community — also qualifies as significant news.

External News Sources

You must read, listen to, and watch the news for events or situations that may affect your organization.

Public relations writers and personnel should be constantly on the alert for events or situations that can be applied to the employer or client. Other sources of

information, in addition to the general press, are census reports, national polls, trade media, financial analyst reports, sales figures for entire industries, and updates on competitors.

□ Notes

People — популярный еженедельник, содержащий короткие заметки и множество фотоматериалов о людях, которые часто появляются в новостях или на экранах телевизора, о популярных спортсменах, кинозвездах, представителях высшего света. Издается в Нью-Йорке, основан в 1974 г. IBM—International Business Machines Corp — компания по производству электронной техники и программного обеспечения. Правление компании находится в г. Армонк, шт. Нью-Йорк, где была создана первая ЭВМ.

EXXON — нефтяной концерн, правление которого находится в г. Ирвинге, шт. Техас. Крупнейшая в мире нефтяная корпорация, владеет широкой се­тью бензоколонок. updates — последние данные, информация

Words and word-combinations

1. background — происхождение; предпосылка

2. annual revenues — ежегодный доход

3. competitor — конкурент

4. keep up with changes — идти в ногу со временем, не отставать от совре­менности; вовремя производить замены

5. to be on the lookout for = to be on the alert for — быть настороже; выиски­вать или высматривать ч.-л.

6. to have an awareness of the news value of an event — иметь чувство собы­тийной ценности

7. to be alert to smth — быть настороже

8. promotion — повышение по службе; продвижение

9. by the same token — кроме того; к тому же

10. to qualify — квалифицировать

11. census reports — данные, полученные при переписи населения

12. national polls — списки избирателей (для всеобщих выборов)

ERCISES

1. Look up the pronunciation of the following words:

vehicle, recipe, gasoline, raw, fiber, series, caution.

2. Give English equivalents:

ради ч.-л., увольнение, страховая компания, предпринять дополнитель­ные усилия, организовать демонстрацию, установить оборудование, ра­бочий график, транспорт, кадровые изменения, повышение по службе.

Reproduce them in situations from the text.

3. Give Russian equivalents:

to run the risk, delay, to be receptive to smth, to be restricted to smb, smth, to

extend to smth, retailers, to vaporize into atmosphere, a claim, a plight, welfare.

Use them in situations of your own.

4. Translate in writing:

1) Now that you understand what constitutes news, you should have a good

framework as you go about the process of finding news.

2) The sectors Internal News Sources and External News Sources.

5. Give synonyms:

major, prominent, an advocate, mock, downtrodden, amount, scores of, totally, a vehicle

6. Give antonyms:

minor, contrary to, substantial, normally, ordinary, to advocate, significant, to reduce.

7. Answer the questions:

1) What do aspects of news include?

2) Why is timeliness the most important characteristic of news?

3) What kind of people can make news?

4) What have surveys shown as far as proximity is concerned?

5) What kind of situation or event can be called significant?

6) Are unusual events and situations specially created sometimes?

7) Why do the news media often focus on the lives of the rich and famous?

8) How does conflict create news?

9) What words do advertising and marketing people find most useful?

10) What is the first step in the process of finding news?

11) What may lead a public relations writer to a story?

12) What are external news sources?