Finding and telling news stories: Sima Kotecha

How does Sima find stories?

- Social media is where Sima finds something compelling which leads to a story

- Talking to people on the street or at events can lead to a story idea

- What makes a good story? Can you explain your story or idea to an 11 year old?

- ‘Keep it simple stupid’ (KISS)

- Real people with compelling stories, different feelings, personalities, problems and issues

- "Be bold, be brave, don’t be scared – go up to that person you think won’t talk and ask them for that interview" – Sima Kotecha What makes a good reporter?

- You have to be an expert very quickly. There is no room for getting anything wrong. Read, listen and talk to people

- You need to produce your interviewees to keep them to topic. A phone conversation can help

- Be bold, be brave, don’t be scared

- Building relationships with contributors Be patient

- Listen

- You cannot just show up and start recording

- Get what you need and leave, before the amount of material you gather becomes overwhelming

- Package making A typical package for the Today programme is just four minutes long and ideally even shorter at three and a half

- Have a dramatic clip at the beginning and a dramatic clip at the end

- You have to be ruthless

- Go for those bits of audio that you know people at home will go wow! A journalist’s job is to:

- Be independent

- Conjure up debate

- Invite the audience to challenge what they have heard on the radio and make their own minds up

- Show both sides to a story

- Find answers to questions everybody want’s answers to A journalist’s job is NOT to:

- Over complicate things

- Say what is right or wrong

- Be dictated to by contributors