News Item Text

Definition
A news item text is a text which is grouped into the text genre of narration. The main
function of narration is telling stories or informing about events in chronological order. The
order in the narration can be based of time , place and the events themselves.

Purpose
News Item Text is used to inform readers about events of the day which are considered
newsworthy or important.

Generic Structure
The main Generic Structure of News Item Text:
1. Newsworthy event(s) : Tell the event in summary form.
2. Elaboration ( background, participant, time, place )
3. Resource of information : comment by participants in, witnesses to and authorities
expert on the events.

Language Features
The Language Features of News Item Text:
1. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
2. Focusing on circumstances
3. Using action verbs
4. Using saying verbs
5. Using adverbs : time, place and manner.

Examples of News Item Text

Town Contaminated

Newsworthy events
Moscow – A Russian journalist has uncovered evidence of another Soviet nuclear catastrophe, which killed 10 sailors andcontaminated an entire town.

Background Events
Yelena Vazrshavskya is the first journalist to speak to people who witnessed the explosion of a nuclear submarine at the naval base of shkotovo – 22 near Vladivostock. The accident, which occurred 13 months before the Chernobyl disaster , spread radioactive fall-out over the base and nearby town, but was covered up by officials of the Soviet Union. Residents were told the explosion in the reactor of the Victor-class submarine during a refit had been a ‘thermal’ and not a nuclear explosion. And those involved in the clean-up operation to remove more than 600 tons of contaminated material were sworn to secrecy.

Resource of Information
A board of investigators was later to describe it as the worst accident in the history of the Soviet Navy.

Source : http://www.nurdiono.com/generic-structure-of-news-item-text.html