Journalism Next: Chapter 10

The title of this chapter is Managing News as a Conversation.

This is very important because if an audience feels like they are being lectured or talked at, they stop paying attention. Notice how I said talked at. There is a difference between bein talked to and being talked at.

Lets take for instance Rush Limbaugh; he is the type of person who likes to here himself talk. So when Limbaugh talks he may be talking at you because he just wants you to believe in what he says, no questions asked.

Our president, Barack Obama, takes a different approach. He talks to the people so that we can understand him by using word lie we and us.

Ultimately you have to know your audience and know how to talk to them. If you are writing to an educative audience, you may not want to use slang or hip words. Not saying that educated people aren’t down with the times but your best bet would be to use the language that caters to them.

So the main thing is:

• Write like you’re talking to your friends
• Know your audience
• Stay relevant