Local Newspaper Story Conventions

Headline	Story Summary	Who’s interested/why?
1.     Bouquets mark scene of Bank Holiday crash	Man in his 20’s collides with a tree whilst driving on a road south of Bath. Flowers are being left alongside the road where the man died.	People in the surrounding area – possibly to check for road closures or similar. Family members to see updates on their loved one.
2.     Bikes get the yarn treatment	Artist Emma Leith has created artwork in dedication of the Tour of Britain. Over the past month she has crocheted yarn around three different bikes to place in the city to capture people’s attention.	People who are interested in the Tour of Britain and enjoy seeing people celebrating the event.
3.     Siobhan celebrates silver success	Siobhan Marie O’Connor, a swimmer, won a silver medal at the Rio Olympics and returned to her home to celebrate with the locals.	People interested in the Olympics and like to celebrate the locals’ achievements.
4.     Man had sex with teenager	A local man from bath aged 24 has admitted to having sexual contact with a 15 year old, underage girl. He was taken to court where he pleaded guilty and was released on bail.	People concerned with the safety of the surrounding area/things to watch out for and be aware of. Perhaps people with young daughters.
5.     Locked Out: The growing struggle to find housing	Bath is facing a housing crisis, the number of people on the housing list is growing and the average price of houses is at a high.	People who are looking to live in Bath and interested in moving to the area.
6.     Cab firms could lose business due to Uber drivers	Bath and North East Somerset council has responded to concerns that Uber taxis registered in Bristol are operating in Bath.	Taxi drivers to be made aware of the problem and possibly that they will face a charge if they don’t stick to their areas.
7.     Time the celebrate Pat’s dancing days	An afternoon of dance and keep fit is being held in memory of a local dancer Pat Hughes who choreographed lots in the local area and danced in many local shows.	Friends and family of Pat who are interested and keen to see her legacy carry on and her life celebrated. Also people who are looking to attend the local class/who are interested in dance or keeping fit.
8.     Want to be king of the swingers? Pedal for it!	A pedal powered outdoor cinema is arriving in Bath where they are planning to show the new Jungle Book film. Customers watch the film while pedalling.	Locals who are interested in new and upcoming events to attend, possible families as it’s a child friendly event.
9.     Assailant carried a knife	A man is facing a jail sentence after he admitted to assaulting a man at a local takeaway and a woman in Twerton while threatening with a knife.	People who are concerned about safety in the area so they can watch out for their own safety. Also; people who are interested in criminal cases.
10.  More coffee? We’ve had quite enough!	The Soho coffee chain wants to open a new coffee shop in a prime spot in the centre of Bath. However people have objected as they believe this area has enough coffee shops.	People concerned about local politics and the conservation of their city so they can take a stance on this issue.
11.  Woken by ‘loud bangs’	Several Bath residents were woken in the early hours of last week by ‘two enormous bangs.’ Found to be fireworks accidentally let off.	People who heard the bangs but maybe never found out what they were to check if everything is in order and the area is safe.
12.  Splash to end the summer	Over a thousand people came together at an adventure park in Keynsham to have a water fight that marked the end of summer. The article displays the photos that were taken that day.	People who took part in the event may want to see the photos of the event and see how much of a success it was.

What do the stories have in common?

I have grouped these stories in order to show which ones portray similarities and differences.

•       Stories 2,3,7,8 and 12 all show local pride. These articles are about local achievements and events that are included in the newspaper in order for people to enjoy and feel happy and feel a sense of pride for their community. This includes events that are taking place in the near future, which local people can attend.
•       Stories 1,4,9,10 and 11 are more negative stories. These ones in particular are all sad or dangerous/criminal events that have taken place in the surrounding area but have reached some kind of closure or conclusion. For example a tragic death that has now had a memorial to celebrate someone’s life. These kind of stories are put in newspapers so people can check safety and things similar.
•        Stories 5 and 6 seem to be more ongoing problems that are being written about and are yet to reach a conclusion. These are aimed at informing the public of updates about what is going on and what will continue to be a problem.

What sort of stories do local newspapers feature?

Local newspapers only include stories that affect the local area and will affect the surrounding people. These are things such as local politics, local events to attend, things related to the community. Personal things such as deaths, memorials or weddings are also more likely to be written about as the newspaper is aiming at a smaller group of people who are interested and care about fellow locals.

Who is interested in them and why?

Only local people will read local newspapers. Only people who are affected by the things in the newspaper will be interested in reading them. These are for things such as local politics and the well being of your area, along with safety updates, things to avoid or things to attend.

How are the stories structured?

Larger and longer stories can take up half or whole pages. I have found that the majority of the times, only positive news stories, such as ‘Splash to end summer’, take up larger amounts of room like this. This story in particular was across a double page spread. Negative stories that the community may feel a sense of shame for, are usually smaller and paced around the edges of the featured story. The smaller storied only require a brief summary and conclusion with a short strap-line. The featured stories are written in parts, with a strap line, introduction, scene setting, content and a conclusion if one has been reached.