INVERTED PYRAMID
The most important character of a journalist is that they must able to know how to write news in Inverted Pyramid form. An Inverted Pyramid is a type of story form that a journalist would use to write a news writing. The most important information will be mention first before the others which is the summary lead, follow by the important information which will be the attribution, then the less and least important information which covers the details of any information. 

Earthquake hits Aluetian Islands

Alaska: A 6.6 earthquake stroke Aluetian Islands at 7:01 p.m., PST on Sunday night.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located 40 miles East of Nikolski and 850 miles Southwest of Anchorage of the Aluetian Island on the North Pacific, said Alaska Tsunami Warning Center, who measured the earthquake at magnitude of 6.6.

The official mentioned, there are 20 aftershocks and one of the aftershocks was measured at magnitude 5.0 and none was powerful enough to cause tsunami.

The quake felt strongly in the towns of Unalaska, Dutch Harbor, and Nikolski, said George Carts, seismologist of Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. He added, "There was some minor damaged at Nikolski which items knocked off shelves and small items damaged."

Aluetian Islands were sparsely settled and no reports of injuries or major damages in any of the villages.


Malaysia Green Forum 2010

Putrajaya: Malaysia Green Forum is official launch on the April 26 to reiterate government's resounding commitment towards environmental sustainability in the country.

"I would like to recognize the critical conribution by Yang Amat Berbahagia Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi for bringing together 14 agencies from 4 different ministries when he established the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in 2004 that paved the way for a more comprehensive and cohesive approach in tackling environmental issues." said Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

The aim of the MGF2010 is to establishing an action-oriented network that deals with environmental issues in a holistic manner by come up with creative, innovative and pragmatic solutions to the green issues which the Malaysia face today.

The Ministry stated that the government has consistently affirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability by launching the National Green Technology Policy after the formation of the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to takes cognizance of the growing need and urgency of green technology towards sustainable development. The National Green Technology Center also came to being through a restructuring exercise of the Malaysia Energy Center.

MGF2012 has drawn the participation of senior government officials, industry captains, society leaders and academic experts from within and outside the country. 

The Principles of 5W's and 1H.

To capture a readers' interest in continuing reading the whole article or news, a Journalist needs to write a good summary leads that could answer all the readers' questions base on the principles of 5W's and 1H. Summary leads is first paragraph of an article or news. Usually summary leads is write in not more than 35 words. The principles of 5W's and 1H are refers to the who, what, why, when, where, and how. The following 5 articles will answer how most of the Journalist differentiate the element of the principle of 5W's and 1H. 

**dateline such as the location of an event happen will not be include in the element of 5W's and 1H** 

First Article.

Topic: NSW to challenge decision to parole Chang's killer.

Summary lead: The News South Wales (NSW) state government is challenging a decision to grant parole to Malaysian Liew Chiew Seng, who killed heart surgeon Victor Chang.

WHO: The News South Wales (NSW), Malaysian Liew Chiew Seng, Victor Chang

WHAT: state government is challenging a decision to grant parole to Malaysian Liew Chiew

Seng
Why: killed heart surgeon Victor Chang

Reference: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/24/nation/12072413&sec=nation

Second Article.
Topic: Veteran newsman accuses Malaysiakini of being insincere

Summary lead: Veteran journalist Y.L. Chong has challenged Malaysiakini to reveal its annual financial report.

WHO: Veteran journalist Y.L. Chong, Malaysiakini
WHAT: has challenged Malaysiakini
WHY: to reveal its annual financial report.

Reference: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/24/nation/12071716&sec=nation

Third Article
Topic: MAS adds fifth daily flight to Bangkok

Summary lead: Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is adding its fifth daily service between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok beginning Oct 28.

WHO: Malaysia Airlines (MAS)
WHAT: is adding its fifth daily service  
WHERE: between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok
WHEN: beginning Oct 28 

Reference: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/27/nation/12085433&sec=nation

Fourth Article
Topic: Nga irks Zambry on Twitter: Remark comes after locking horns over MB's post.

Summary Lead: Perak DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming has tweeted a provocative remark against Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, a day after he locked horns with him over the Mentri Besar's post in the state assembly.

WHO: Peral DAP secretary Nga Kor Ming, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry abdul Kadir, Mentri Besar
WHAT: has tweeted a provocative remark against Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir
WHY: a day after he locked horns with him over the Mentri Besar's post 
WHERE: in the state assembly

Reference: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?sec=nation&file=/2012/9/27/nation/12086574

Fifth Article
Topic: NGO lodges police report against Selangor govt

Summary Lead: A non-government organization (NGO) has lodged a police report claiming that the Pakatan-led Selangor government has failed to reduce assessment tax on residential and commercial properties as stated in its manifesto for the 2008 general election.

WHO: A non-government organization (NGO), 
WHAT: has lodged a police report
WHY: claiming that the Pakatan-led Selangor government has failed to reduce assessment tax on the residential and commercial properties as stated in its manifesto
WHERE: on residential and commercial properties 
WHEN: for the 2008 general election

Reference: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/9/27/nation/12088723&sec=nation

Hard News vs Soft News vs Feature News 

Many people always have the assumption that news is just a news. Well, news is news but news can be group into three types which are the hard news, soft news, and feature news. So, what is the differences between these three types of news?

Hard News

Hard news is an event that need to be covered immediately by a reporter. The deadline to cover the hard news is very tight compare to soft news and feature news. It need to be publish on the following day on the newspaper after the news is been covered. It is a news that gives huge impact to all the society which mean that the news that are concerned by all individuals. It usually takes up about 50% of the spaces of a newspaper page if the hard news is a banner of the newspaper of that particular day. Sometime the length of the news can be short. Hard news are supported by facts and statistics if there is needed to prove or strengthen the important of the news to the society. The story form that is used by the hard news is Inverted Pyramid.

For example:

Title: EC: Highest figure so far Record number of new voters to impact upcoming elections

Soft news

Soft news is an event that do not have to covered as immediately as hard news by the reporter but it need to be covered by a reporter. The deadline to cover the soft news is not as tight as hard news which mean that is has a loose deadline. It can be publish after several days or weeks after the news is been covered. It is a news that only gives impact to minority of the society. The length of the news can be consider as short. Soft news can be supported by people' opinions as well as facts. The story form that usually used in soft news is Nut Graph. 

For example:
Title: 'Don't dump your baby' There are couples waiting to love and care, NGO tells young mums

Feature News

Feature news are usually written in soft news event. It has the loose deadline compare to hard news and soft news. Reporters are free to take their time in completing their features news. Features news can be classified in personal profile, human interest stories, trend stories, in-depth stories, and backgrounder. It can be publish after several month which it depend on the deadline that editor had gave to the reporter. It is a news that only gives impact to the individual who is interested in the particular stories. Feature news can takes up about two pages of the newspaper at the feature section of the newspaper. The length of the news is the longest among the hard news and soft news. It is supported by people' opinion and personal experiences on particular event. Usually there will be no byline in feature news. Feature news usually uses Five Boxes Story story form.

For example:

Title: Terengganu treasure Terrapuri is no ordinary conservation and restoration project. It celebrates the rich architectural and cultural heritage of Terengganu.

News of the week

News of the week

Summarizing the news of the week...........

The very first assignment from the COM1122 subject is to write a summary and this is one of the things that a Journalist need to able to do. Well, I might not good in writing a summary of an article but I have try to do one. Oops! not one but three ^_^

Thieves cart away ATM containing RM 150,000

Summarize: This article is about an automated-teller machine (ATM) with amount of RM 150,000 cash was carted away by three thieves in a bank in Seremban 2 by breaking the glass door and sprayed paint on CCTV as well as deactivated the alarm system which made the police hard to track them down

Trader killed in robbery

Summarize: A couple is attacked by three armed robber on their way home putting the wife in critical but stable condition while the husband was dead on the spot of the incident. The robbers fled towards the Temerloh town with about RM 4000 worth of valuables.

Poser in Double Murder

Summarize: This article is about murder of two people in a study room on the ground floor of a double-storey house in Taman Segar Perdana. Police believed that the murderer is more than one person and they are checking whether this incident has any connection to the murder case in Bangi last week.