Imagine the scene. You are a journalist covering a story on your own. You need someone to bounce ideas off in order to make sure you cover all angles. But nobody is available. Instead you turn to artificial intelligence (AI) on your mobile phone for instant story development ideas. 

Would the results be any good? Would AI come up with the quality of editorial brainstorming that colleagues back in the newsroom could offer? Media Helping Media (MHM) put Gemini, Google’s AI conversation tool, to the test.  

Gemini’s responses, and my follow-up questions (in large bold headings) are reproduced below. After each answer from Gemini I asked it to expand on points it had made in the previous answer. The conversation took place in September 2024.

I started by creating a fictitious scenario. I told Gemini AI that I am a journalist covering a protest at a refugee camp where asylum seekers are demonstrating about delays in their claims being processed. 

I then asked AI the following questions. The answers were immediate. Gemini’s responses are unedited other than to change them from American English to English English  (MHM’s preferred house style).

MHM: Apart from reporting on the demonstration, what other related news angles should I cover?

Gemini AI: Here are some additional news angles you could consider covering, beyond the immediate demonstration:

Human Interest Stories:

• Individual Refugee Stories: Interview refugees about their personal journeys, hardships, and hopes.
• Community Impact: Explore how the refugee camp is affecting the local community, including potential tensions or positive interactions.

Policy and Government Response:

• Processing Delays: Investigate the reasons for the delays in processing asylum claims, including any bureaucratic hurdles or political pressures.
• Government Response: Examine the government’s response to the protest and any potential changes to asylum policies or procedures.
• International Comparisons: Compare the situation in the UK with other countries that have similar refugee populations.

Living Conditions in the Camp:

• Basic Needs: Assess whether refugees have access to adequate food, shelter, healthcare, and education.
• Security Concerns: Report on any safety issues or concerns within the camp, such as crime or violence.

Legal and Ethical Issues:

• Human Rights: Examine whether the treatment of refugees aligns with international human rights standards.
• Legal Challenges: Explore any legal challenges refugees or their representatives are pursuing to expedite the processing of their claims.

Economic Impact:

• Job Market: Investigate the potential economic impact of refugees on the local job market, both positive and negative.
• Integration Efforts: Report on government or NGO initiatives to help refugees integrate into the local community.

By exploring these additional angles, you can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the situation at the refugee camp and its broader implications.

MHM: Could you expand on the ‘Human Interest Stories’ angle please?

Gemini AI: Human interest stories can provide a powerful and personal lens through which to understand the experiences of refugees. Here are some specific avenues you could explore:

Individual Refugee Narratives:

• Personal Journeys: Delve into the individual experiences of refugees, from their home countries to their escape and arrival at the camp.
• Challenges and Hopes: Focus on the specific challenges refugees face, such as language barriers, cultural differences, or separation from loved ones. Also, explore their hopes and dreams for the future.
• Coping Mechanisms: Understand how refugees are coping with the stress and trauma of their experiences.

Community Building:

• Social Networks: Explore how refugees are forming social networks and communities within the camp.
• Cultural Exchange: Highlight instances of cultural exchange or collaboration between refugees from different backgrounds.
• Support Systems: Identify any support systems or networks that are helping refugees to navigate their new environment.

Children and Families:

• Education: Focus on the educational needs of refugee children and any challenges they may face in accessing education.
• Family Dynamics: Explore how families are coping with the challenges of displacement and the uncertainty of their future.
• Child Protection: Address any concerns related to child protection or exploitation within the refugee camp.

Inspiring Stories:

• Overcoming Adversity: Share stories of refugees who have overcome significant challenges and achieved positive outcomes.
• Acts of Kindness: Highlight instances of kindness, compassion, or resilience within the refugee community.

By focusing on these human interest angles, you can help to humanise the refugee experience and foster empathy and understanding among your audience.

MHM: Could you expand on the ‘Policy and Government Response’ angle please?

Gemini AI: When exploring the policy and government response angle, consider these key areas:

Asylum Policy:

• Current Regulations: Examine the specific regulations governing asylum claims in the UK, including eligibility criteria, processing procedures, and potential grounds for refusal.
• Policy Changes: Investigate any recent or proposed changes to asylum policy, and their potential impact on refugees.
• International Comparisons: Compare UK asylum policies with those of other European countries or countries with similar refugee populations.

Government Response to the Protest:

• Official Statements: Analyse official statements from government officials regarding the protest and their commitment to addressing the concerns of refugees.
• Actions Taken: Evaluate any specific actions taken by the government in response to the protest, such as increased staffing for asylum processing or improved living conditions in refugee camps.
• Public Perception: Assess public opinion on the government’s response to the protest and any potential political pressure.

Bureaucratic Hurdles:

• Processing Delays: Investigate the specific reasons for delays in processing asylum claims, including any bureaucratic bottlenecks or administrative inefficiencies.
• Backlogs: Assess the extent of any backlogs in the asylum system and the government’s efforts to address them.
• Resource Allocation: Examine the allocation of resources to asylum processing and whether there is sufficient funding to meet the demand.

Ethical Considerations:

• Human Rights Standards: Evaluate whether the government’s response to the protest and its asylum policies align with international human rights standards.
• Compassionate Treatment: Consider whether the government is demonstrating compassion and respect for the rights of refugees.

By exploring these aspects, you can provide a comprehensive analysis of the government’s role in shaping the experiences of refugees and the effectiveness of its policies in addressing their needs.

MHM: Could you expand on the ‘Living Conditions in the Camp’ angle please?

Gemini AI: When exploring the living conditions in the refugee camp, consider these key areas:

Basic Needs:

• Shelter: Assess the quality and adequacy of the housing provided to refugees, including any issues with sanitation, safety, or privacy.
• Food: Evaluate the availability, quality, and quantity of food provided to refugees, and any concerns about nutritional deficiencies.
• Healthcare: Examine the accessibility, quality, and adequacy of healthcare services within the camp, including mental health support.
• Education: Assess the availability and quality of educational opportunities for refugee children and adults, including language classes and vocational training.

Safety and Security:

• Crime: Investigate any incidents of crime or violence within the camp, including theft, assault, or sexual harassment.
• Security Measures: Evaluate the effectiveness of security measures in place to protect refugees, such as fencing, surveillance, and patrolling.
• Vulnerable Groups: Identify any particularly vulnerable groups within the camp, such as women, children, or individuals with disabilities, and assess their specific needs and challenges.

Sanitation and Hygiene:

• Waste Management: Examine the systems in place for waste management and disposal, and any concerns about sanitation or hygiene.
• Water Supply: Assess the quality and availability of potable water, and any issues with water scarcity or contamination.
• Hygiene Facilities: Evaluate the adequacy of sanitation facilities, such as toilets, showers, and laundry facilities.

Community Infrastructure:

• Recreational Facilities: Explore the availability of recreational facilities, such as playgrounds, sports fields, or community centres.
• Community Spaces: Assess the availability of community spaces for refugees to gather, socialise, and participate in cultural activities.
• Services: Identify any essential services available within the camp, such as shops, post offices, or transportation options.

By exploring these aspects, you can provide a comprehensive picture of the living conditions faced by refugees within the camp and identify any areas where improvements are needed.

MHM: Could you expand on the ‘Legal and Ethical Issues’ angle please?

Gemini AI: When exploring the legal and ethical issues surrounding refugee camps, consider these key areas:

Human Rights:

• International Law: Examine how the treatment of refugees aligns with international human rights law, such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Refugee Convention.
• Fundamental Rights: Assess whether refugees are enjoying their fundamental rights, including the rights to life, liberty, security of person, and freedom from discrimination.
• Detention: If refugees are detained, examine the legality and conditions of their detention, ensuring they comply with international standards.

Legal Challenges:

• Asylum Claims: Investigate any legal challenges refugees or their representatives are pursuing to expedite the processing of their asylum claims or to challenge denials.
• Access to Justice: Assess whether refugees have adequate access to legal assistance and representation in pursuing their rights.
• Due Process: Ensure that refugees are afforded due process in all legal proceedings, including the right to a fair hearing and the right to appeal decisions.

Ethical Considerations:

• Compassion and Respect: Evaluate whether refugees are being treated with compassion and respect, regardless of their circumstances.
• Vulnerable Groups: Identify any particularly vulnerable groups within the camp, such as women, children, or individuals with disabilities, and assess whether their specific needs and rights are being adequately protected.
• Accountability: Examine the mechanisms in place for ensuring accountability for any human rights violations or abuses that may occur within the camp.

By exploring these aspects, you can provide a comprehensive analysis of the legal and ethical framework governing the treatment of refugees and identify any areas where improvements are needed.

MHM: Could you expand on the ‘Economic Impact’ angle please?

Gemini AI: When exploring the economic impact of refugee camps, consider these key areas:

Local Economy:

• Job Market: Analyse the potential impact of refugees on the local job market, both positive and negative. This may include their potential to fill labour shortages or compete for jobs with local residents.
• Consumer Spending: Assess the potential economic benefits of refugees as consumers, including their spending on goods and services within the local community.
• Entrepreneurship: Identify any entrepreneurial activities or businesses launched by refugees within the camp or the surrounding area.

Government Services:

• Cost of Services: Evaluate the costs to the government of providing services to refugees, such as housing, healthcare, and education.
• Resource Allocation: Assess whether the government is allocating sufficient resources to support refugees and mitigate any negative economic impacts.
• Long-Term Costs: Consider the potential long-term economic costs associated with refugee resettlement, including the costs of integration and social services.

Integration Efforts:

• Language Training: Examine the availability and effectiveness of language training programs to help refugees learn the local language and improve their employability.
• Vocational Training: Assess the availability and quality of vocational training programs to equip refugees with the skills needed to find employment.
• Integration Initiatives: Evaluate the effectiveness of government or NGO initiatives to help refugees integrate into the local community and participate fully in economic life.

By exploring these aspects, you can provide a comprehensive analysis of the economic implications of refugee camps and identify any potential opportunities or challenges associated with refugee resettlement.

MHM: Are there any other related news angles that you have not mentioned that would add value to the story and better inform the audience?

Gemini AI: Here are some more potential news angles that could add value to your story:

Health and Well-being:

• Mental Health: Explore the mental health challenges faced by refugees, including PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
• Physical Health: Assess the physical health of refugees, including any common illnesses or health conditions.
• Access to Healthcare: Examine the availability and quality of healthcare services within the camp, and any barriers to access.

Education and Skills Development:

• Educational Opportunities: Investigate the educational opportunities available to refugee children and adults, including formal schooling and vocational training.
• Language Barriers: Explore the challenges faced by refugees in learning the local language and accessing education.
• Skills Development: Identify any programs or initiatives aimed at developing the skills and employability of refugees.

Cultural and Social Integration:

• Cultural Preservation: Explore how refugees are preserving their cultural heritage and traditions within the camp.
• Intercultural Dialogue: Examine opportunities for intercultural dialogue and exchange between refugees and the local community.
• Social Integration: Assess the challenges and opportunities for refugees to integrate into the local society and build social connections.

Media Representation:

• Media Portrayal: Examine how refugees are portrayed in the media, and any stereotypes or misconceptions that may exist.
• Media Access: Assess the access of refugees to information and media outlets, and any challenges they may face in accessing accurate and unbiased information.

Future Prospects:

• Resettlement: Explore the prospects for refugees to be resettled to a third country and the challenges associated with this process.
• Self-Reliance: Examine any initiatives or programs aimed at empowering refugees to become self-reliant and contribute to their own well-being.
• Long-Term Goals: Explore the long-term goals and aspirations of refugees for their future, including their hopes for their children and their communities.

By exploring these additional angles, you can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the situation at the refugee camp and its broader implications.

MHM’s conclusion

AI can offer real-time editorial brainstorming for the solo journalist who needs to bounce ideas around in order to explore all possible story angles. It does this in an instant, enabling the journalist to focus their news-gathering efforts on areas that will enhance their news reporting.

The post Hey AI, I’m out on a story – can you help? first appeared on Media Helping Media.

This training module was written as part of a course delivered in Africa to a group of journalists who wanted to learn more about creating in-depth news reports.

Exploring new angles in a news story

Seeking out new angles on a breaking, developing or running news story is an important part of the editorial process.

Journalists have a responsibility to think through and explain how news developments affect the lives of their audience.

This process often takes place in news meetings where editorial staff discuss the implications of events in order to decide which deserve further investigation.

However, a journalist working alone will often have to work out the most important angles for themselves.

How a story develops

News stories break in many ways. Sometimes the first we hear of a story is on the news wires.

At other times a journalist will have been digging around a topic and will have come up with information that deserves further investigation.

At this stage, often all we have are one or two facts. Our job is to find out more. As we do, the story develops.

Eventually, we would hope to publish or broadcast a comprehensive and informative report with all angles covered. So, let’s take an actual story and see how this works.

Researching behind the headlines

On January 12, 2012, a story was running on BBC News Online’s Africa section.

Let’s imagine we are in a news meeting on that day, discussing how to move this story forward. What questions would we ask?

Let’s look at the story, Kampala shops shut over Uganda interest rates.

The story reads: “Businesses in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, have closed their shops and are boycotting banks to protest at high interest rates.”

Possible angles:

• Which businesses?
• We need to talk to a few and find out how much they are likely to lose through the protest.
• How long can they continue without the banks?
• What are the alternatives?
• We need to know who their customers are and what they are going to do now the shops are closed.

The story reads: “A BBC correspondent says most shops are closed, leaving customers who travel to Kampala from across east Africa unable to stock up. Kampala is an east African trading hub and many of the people unable to shop have come from other parts of Uganda, as well as eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.”

Possible angles:

• How do they get to Kampala?
• What are these goods that they are unable to buy?
• How are these goods usually transported back to the other areas of east Africa?
• What about those who make a living from transporting these people and goods?
• What are they going to do now? Can they survive?
• What are the implications for locals? How are they coping without supplies?

The story reads: “Business owners also say for the next three days they will withdraw all their savings from commercial banks and stop making any deposits into their accounts.”

Possible angles:

• Where will they put their savings now?
• Are there alternative safe places to deposit money?
• What are these alternatives and how easy is it to transfer funds?
• What is the possible long-term implication for businesses, the customers and the country’s economy?
• Why are interest rates so high?
• And how high are they and relative to what?

The story reads: “City traders have used this tactic before, in July last year, to protest over the country’s weakened currency and the presence of cheap goods in Chinese shops.”

Possible angles:

• What happened last July?
• Have we any archived material?
• Want promises and predictions were made then?
• How long did that action last?
• What were the implications?
• Can we do a compare and contrast of then and now?

Angles enrich news stories

So, from taking a fairly basic story we could develop more than a dozen related stories, each exploring the significance of elements in the original story in a way that could help the audience understand the possible impact of what is happening around them.

And as we explore the related stories, more story angles will come to mind.

Try it for yourself

Exercise: Break into groups of three, examine a story currently running on one of the major news sites, and find at least 10 angles which you feel could be explored, explain why they should be explored and set out how you would follow up each of those angles including who you would talk to and what you would ask them.

The post How to develop important news angles first appeared on Media Helping Media.

In a previous module we looked at the topic of proactive journalism, where journalists are encouraged to observe, learn, reflect, analyse, and add context when producing news stories. In this module we look at story development.

This module is about thinking of the related stories, angles, or missing pieces of the story that can be produced in order to help explain the main story and enhance the audience understanding of the issue being covered.

For this exercise we consider a recurring story in Vietnam – flooding – and we look at the various angles that could be followed up. First we have the main story.

1: The story

This is fairly straightforward. We just need to ask the basic journalistic questions of what, why, when, how, where and who. So, in creating the main story we need to ask:

• What has happened?
• Why did it happen?
• When did it happen?
• How did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Who does it affect?

Asking these question should give us the main story and headline.

But responsible reporting that aims to inform the public debate with robust investigative journalism needs to go further. Let’s look at what we have to work on from the main story.

2: The facts

Now we can start to expand the story using the story development model. We need to start to piece together the facts, or the evidence. And these so-called ‘facts’ need to be examined, tested and proven to be accurate by confirming with at least two independent sources.

• What do we know?
• Is our information accurate?
• What is the source?
• Why are they sharing?
• What facts could be missing?
• What don’t we know?
• Who should we talk to?
• Why are they important?
• What could be hidden?
• Who is doing the hiding?

By this stage we will have built up a story plan which, when we discuss with our news team, will produce several ideas for follow up angles (related stories).

What we are able to piece together at this point are the following:

• Flooding fact file – a list of bullet points.
• Flooding maps – where the flooding happened.
• Flooding profiles – background information on the area most affected.

Having gathered some facts we now need to look at the data used to support the evidence.

3: The data

• What is the source of the data?
• Is it reliable?
• Can you verify?
• Check with officials, NGOs, campaigners, academics.
• Seek out regional comparisons regarding flooding in other provinces, regions, neighbouring countries.
• Find out what is the history of flooding in the area?
• Check whether any projections were made in the past that could have reduced the impact?

At this stage something interesting is starting to happen. As we dig deeper, new story angles are emerging.

Let’s consider just a few that might be inspired by point three.

• The flooding: campaigners warn that it could happen again.
• The flooding: comparisons between regions – how others are coping.
• The flooding: officials say relief and aid will arrive in time.

Now we need to get first-hand experiences to illustrate the story.

Of course we will have some personal experiences in the main story, but once we establish what has happened, and understand the scale compared to previous floods, we can now ask more intelligent questions when talking to the victims.

4: Who is affected?

• What is their story?
• Before the incident, during the incident, after the incident.
• Who do they care for and who still needs help?
• Who can’t get help?
• What help is offered?

At this point we will have a series of personal accounts of the flooding.

• The flooding: the victims tell their stories.
• The flooding: the annual disaster that has become a way of life.
• The flooding: the communities still stranded and in need of help.

Having spoken to people affected by the flooding we can now look at who is responsible, and what was the cause.

5: Responsibility

• Who or what was responsible?
• What went wrong?
• Why did it go wrong?
• Were all possible preventative measures taken?
• What are the authorities doing?
• Will it happen again?
• If not, why not?
• If it will, what can be done?

This should produce some fairly straightforward angles for story follow up, including:

• The flooding: Who was to blame? Officials, NGOs and campaigners point the finger.
• The flooding: Authorities say preventative measures planned.
• The flooding: Did local communities ignore warnings?

Having attempted to establish responsibility, we can also look at promises made in the past.

6: The promises

• In the present and in the past.
• Preventative measures promised.
• Local authority plans.
• Aid and relief offered.
• Infrastructure changes suggested after the last floods.
• Tackling the causes, deforestation, dams etc.
• Compensation offered to those affected last time.
• What fact-finding was carried out and what was done with the information.

Suggested follow up angles from the above include:

• The flooding: learning from the lessons of the past.
• The flooding: why preventative measures failed.
• The flooding: did the aid get through to those in need?

This is the stage where our archive becomes valuable.

We will have material from previous coverage of the flooding. We need to include this in order to provide context. Please refer to the other training module in this series about “Proactive journalism”.

All the above helps us assess the scale of the problem and try to establish an accurate view of the impact.

7: The impact

• Now and in the future.
• On crops and the general economy.
• The environment and whether it can recover.
• Health issues related to contaminated water, lack of medicine etc.
• Infrastructure, roads, railways, communications.
• Communities cut off.
• Families separated, unable to contact one another.
• Individuals missing, injured, bereaved.

Some story ideas resulting from the above considerations could include:

• The flooding: the economic impact on the environment.
• The flooding: the cost of repairing the infrastructure.
• The flooding: the impact on remote rural communities.

As the picture builds we are in a better position to view the consequences.

8: The consequences

• A complete solution, part solution, or no solution.
• Aid gets though, part aid gets through, or no aid gets through.
• Changes in lifestyle for some and what happens to those who can’t change.
• The economic future for all.

Such considerations could mean related stories being produced about:

• The flooding: prevention plans for future years.
• The flooding: the true cost of getting aid to those in need.
• The flooding: lifestyle changes required to cope with annual disaster.

As we continue to develop angles, dig deep and explore the topic we will start to develop some ideas of who might be accountable.

9: Accountability

• Who knew?
• What action was taken?
• Was it too early or late?
• Who is to blame?
• What local authority action was taken?
• Were there warnings given?
• Did the warnings reach those in danger?
• Were the warnings heeded?
• If not, why not?
• Is there any suspicion of any corruption?

The considerations above could lead to more related stories such as:

• The flooding: was enough done to prepare communities?
• The flooding: were warnings ignored and, if so, why?
• The flooding: the hidden factors that increased the likelihood of a disaster.

The question of corruption will come up as we start to assess accountability. We then need to look to the future.

10: The future

• What is the plan?
• What are the options?
• Who will it involve?
• What are the changes?
• Will they be phased?
• Is any adjustment needed?
• Is any training needed?
• What are the contingency plans?
• Is any education needed?
• What are the community plans?

This list provides us with several related story ideas, including:

• The flooding: future plans to prevent another disaster.
• The flooding: campaign to educate those living under the risk of floods.
• The flooding: community relocation plans to rehouse those at most risk.

Already we will probably have thought up 10 different angles on the flooding story with at least three related stories for each angle.

At this stage we should have at least 30 original story ideas that attempt to explain the complexity of the issue we are covering on behalf of our audience.

This is story development. This is in-depth, robust, responsible journalism aimed at fully informing the public debate. But all this material needs managing.

This task might be taken on by the planning editor. In an earlier module we discussed the role of the planning editor and his/her team. They will need to ensure the story is followed up.

11: The follow up

• Set a follow up date.
• Three or six months.
• List questions to ask.
• Note promises/targets.
• Check timetables.
• Keep archive.
• Revisit victims.
• Check with authorities.
• Interview experts.
• Arrange studio debates.

Of course the planning role will also produce new story opportunities, such as:

• The flooding: six months / a year on – what has changed?
• The flooding: from our archive – a special report on communities under water.
• The flooding: studio debate – the experts meet the public face-to-face.

And while all this is going on there will be a need to engage the audience in debate via the social media platforms used by victims, aid agencies, authorities, concerned relatives, and general public.

12: Engaging the audience

• Discuss on Facebook.
• Use other social media.
• Ask for experiences.
• Interview people.
• Stimulate debate.
• Ask questions.
• Offer answers.
• Publish fact files.
• Publish maps.
• Offer help and support.

And this part will also produce related stories, including:

• The flooding: How social media responded.
• The flooding: Your pictures of the disaster.
• The flooding: Interactive maps and timelines for you to share.

An example to apply to all big stories

The methods outlined above can’t be applied to every story; newsrooms don’t have the resources for that. However, such treatment should be considered for big, recurring stories or events where there is significant local impact, and where there is likely to be a growing archive of previously-prepared material.

To help us decide what stories deserve such detailed story development we can use two tools that are shared on this site. One is the “content value matrix”, and the other is the “story weighting system”.

Both are designed to help media managers and journalists focus resources on the stories that are of most value to the target audience.

The post Story development, ensuring all angles are covered first appeared on Media Helping Media.