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To successfully report on speeches and meetings, preparation is key. Start by gathering background information about the speakers and participants, including an agenda. Arrive early to familiarize yourself with the environment. During the event, actively listen and engage with the speaker and attendees. Take detailed notes, using both direct and indirect quotes for a balanced narrative. Post-meeting, analyze the content critically, focusing on themes over chronology. Aim for clarity and depth in your reporting while verifying facts and incorporating varied perspectives.
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Before the Meeting/Speech • Get background information on the group or speaker, including a copy of the agenda or the speech, if • Learn the names of all participants • Assign them a number before the meeting, etc., so you don’t have to keep writing their name • Know president and secretary, they may have handouts and can help fill in missing information • Find out if there will be an opportunity to interview the speaker or participants before or after the event • Arrive early and find a seat where you can see and hear as much as possible
During the Meeting/Speech • Listen to others’ questions to identify makings of a good story • Introduce yourself to the speaker or the participants in the meeting if they do not know you already • Describe what you see • Report what you hear: Quotations, direct and indirect, help the writer describe any debate that takes place • You must cover the entire event, including the possible consequences of what was said or of the actions taken • Remember, you are taking the place of John Q. Public who couldn’t be there
After the Meeting/Speech • Provide clarity and detail: Be specific as possible • Use and equal number of direct and indirect quotes • Rarely will you have a speech story with just one source quoted • Try to quote at least three sources in each story: a reaction quote, a quote from an opposing viewpoint, an analysis quote, etc. • Check facts • Identify and seek responses from people who may be affected by what happens at a speech or meeting or who may have other points of view • Also, people say things in speeches that may or may not be true or may be opinion
After the Meeting/Speech • Rarely report events in chronological order • Neverstart a speech or meeting story with, “John Smith spoke on Wednesday,” and never write “The City Council met on Wednesday and …” • In a speech, look for the theme of the speech and note those quotes that explain and relate to that particular theme • If possible, find the summary quote that best reflects the speaker's theme, write it as an indirect quote, and use it as the lead • Remember, what is generally said is more important than who said it, so your leads will start with information, rather than a name
