Evaluate the newsworthiness of information and events and create a basic news story whose information is organized in inverted pyramid order.
-Clearly focuses on an at least one appropriate characteristic of news (proximity, impact, prominence, conflict, consequence, timeliness and singularity).
-employs active-voice verbs; and stays in the past tense.
Meets expectations for at least 4 of the following characteristics:
-a direct “what happened” statement that is complete,
-contains an appropriate time element,
-conforms to Associated Press style requirements,
-reflects journalistic conventions, and
-does not use names.
Meets expectations for at least 4 of the following characteristics:
● 500-700 words in length on the assigned scenario,
● organized successfully in inverted-pyramid style,
● with effective transitions between
● cohesive paragraphs that
What Happened: A coordinated cyberattack plunged a major city into darkness late Tuesday night, leaving millions without power and disrupting essential services.
Timeliness: The attack occurred at approximately 10:30 pm local time on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024.
Impact: The outage affected critical infrastructure, including hospitals, traffic lights, and communication networks. Emergency generators kicked in at some hospitals, but many residents faced a sweltering night without air conditioning. Public transportation came to a halt, and authorities urged people to stay off the roads.
Cause: Officials are attributing the attack to a sophisticated hacking group, though the exact identity and motive remain unclear.
Investigation: A team of cybersecurity experts from federal agencies and private companies are working to restore power and identify the culprits.
Prominence: The mayor of the city held a press conference early Wednesday morning, calling the attack an act of aggression and vowing to bring those responsible to justice.
Conflict: The attack has heightened tensions between the city and national authorities, with both sides pointing fingers over cybersecurity preparedness.
Consequence: The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but initial estimates suggest the outage could cost the city billions of dollars in lost productivity and repairs.
Uncertainties: Officials are unable to provide a timeline for when power will be fully restored. The attack raises concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyberattacks and the potential for wider disruptions in the future.
Transitions: The above paragraphs are organized in a classic inverted pyramid style. The first paragraph summarizes the most important aspects of the story – what happened, when, and the impact. Subsequent paragraphs provide details and context, elaborating on the cause, investigation, prominence of figures involved, potential conflicts, consequences, and lingering uncertainties.
Journalistic Conventions: The story avoids using names and employs active voice verbs in the past tense, adhering to Associated Press style.